Jim Diamond (singer)

James Aaron Diamond (28 September 1951 – 8 October 2015) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, best known for his three Top 5 hits: "I Won't Let You Down" (1982), as the lead singer of PhD; and his solo performances "I Should Have Known Better", a United Kingdom No. 1 in 1984,[1] and "Hi Ho Silver", the theme song from Boon, which reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in 1986.[1]

Jim Diamond
Diamond in 1985
Background information
Birth nameJames Aaron Diamond
Born(1951-09-28)28 September 1951
Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
OriginUnited Kingdom
Died8 October 2015(2015-10-08) (aged 64)
London, England, UK
GenresPop rock, new wave, blue-eyed soul, synthpop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1969–2015
LabelsBradleys, A&M, Teldec, PolyGram, Polydor, Righteous, River, Hypertension, Cherry Pop (Reissue label), Camino Records
Associated actsThe Method, Gully Foyle, Jade, Bandit, Bacco, PhD, Alexis Korner, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett, Snake Davis
Websitewww.jimdiamond.co.uk

Early life and career

Diamond was born in the Bridgeton area in the East End of Glasgow in 1951.

He started his music career at the age of 15 with his own band, The Method.[2] When aged 16, he also fronted a Glasgow band called Jade.[3] That line-up included bassist Chris Glen who went on to play with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and Jim Lacey on lead guitar who later went on to join the Alan Bown Set. Jade played many pub, club and college gigs in London in 1969, playing at Brunel University, West London College in Cricklewood, The Pied Bull in Islington, West Hampstead Country Club, another college in Virginia Water and many more in 1969. They also supported the Move on their Scottish tour with The Stoics in the same year.

He later toured Europe with Gully Foyle.[4] Rare recordings of his performances with Gully Foyle were recently discovered on the internet.[5]

Alexis Korner then discovered Diamond,[6] who spent the next couple of years as part of Korner's band. He provided additional and backing vocals on many of Korner's songs, most of which would appear on The Lost Album.

Diamond left Korner in 1976, to form Bandit. The line-up included future AC/DC member Cliff Williams. They were soon signed up by Arista Records and released a début album, Bandit, which failed to reach the chart. In 1979, Diamond was lead vocalist for a Japanese band called BACCO, whose debut album was Cha Cha Me.

He went to Los Angeles, California to form Slick Diamond with Earl Slick.[7] He spent some time touring and recording and provided music for a film soundtrack.

Big break

In 1981, Diamond formed PhD (Phillips, Hymas and Diamond), with pianist/keyboard player Tony Hymas and drummer Simon Phillips. They were signed by WEA Records and had a hit single with the multi-million selling "I Won't Let You Down".

The band later decided to part ways. In 1984, he decided to go solo and was signed to A&M Records. He had a number-one hit with "I Should Have Known Better" and also was number one in Latin America. He scored another hit soon afterward with the theme song from Boon, "Hi Ho Silver". It reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1986. Diamond is also known for some guest vocals on two Genesis band members' solo outings, including:

The 1999 compilation The Best of Jim Diamond compiles singles and B-sides from his short time with A&M Records.

Later years

In the late 1990s, Diamond teamed up with saxophonist Chris "Snake" Davis, known for his work with soul outfit M People.[8] The pair were known as The Blue Shoes, but were later billed as Jim Diamond and Snake Davis.

In 2005, Diamond released his first studio album in eleven years, Souled and Healed. The singles "When You Turn" and "Blue Shoes" were released from this. In 2009 he re-united with Tony Hymas to produce a third PhD album entitled "Three".

Jim Diamond's last album, City of Soul, released by Camino Records in 2011, featured among others Wet Wet Wet drummer Tommy Cunningham and Greg Kane of Hue and Cry. All proceeds from this album of soul music covers benefited the children's charity, Radio Clyde Cash for Kids.[9]

Death

Diamond died in his sleep on 8 October 2015. According to his daughter Sara, the cause of death was a pulmonary oedema.[10][11]

Personal life

Diamond married Christine Bailey (born 1951, Wellington, New Zealand) in 1978. The couple had a daughter, Sara Rosaline Diamond (b. 1978 in Hammersmith and Fulham, London), and a son, Lawrence James Diamond (b. 1984 in Hammersmith and Fulham, London). Lawrence is the keyboardist of the UK indie pop group Citizens![12] and the former bass player of Official Secrets Act.

In the early 1980s, Diamond contracted hepatitis.

Diamond was a friend of Father Ted star Dermot Morgan and was present at the small dinner party at which Morgan died suddenly in 1998.[13]

Discography

Albums (solo)

Year Album Label
1985 Double Crossed A&M
1986 Desire for Freedom A&M
1988 Jim Diamond Teldec
1993 Jim Diamond PolyGram / Polydor
1994 Sugarolly Days Righteous / Total
1999 The Best of Jim Diamond Spectrum Music
2005 Souled and Healed Hypertension
2011 City of Soul Camino

Albums (As a member of PhD)

Year Album Label
1981 PhD WEA
1983 Is It Safe? WEA
2009 Three Voiceprint

Singles (solo)

Year Title B-Side / Bonus tracks Album UK Singles Chart
position[1]
Label
1975 "Clean Up the City" "Back on the Line" Bradleys
1984 "I Should Have Known Better" "Impossible Dream" Double Crossed # 1 A&M
1985 "I Sleep Alone at Night" "Caledonia" Double Crossed # 72 A&M
1985 "Remember I Love You" "Rock 'n' Roll" Double Crossed # 42 A&M
1986 "Hi Ho Silver" "Hi Ho Silver" (instrumental) Desire for Freedom # 5 A&M
1986 "Young Love (Carry Me Away)" "Blue Songs" Desire for Freedom # 92 A&M
1986 "Desire" "Together" Desire for Freedom A&M
1986 "So Strong" "You'll Go Crazy" Desire for Freedom A&M
1987 "Shout It Out!" "The Message of Childwatch" TML
1988 "Broadway" "Second Chance" Jim Diamond (1988) Teldec
1988 "The Last Time" "Miracles" Jim Diamond (1988) Teldec
1993 "Not Man Enough" "Child's Heart" / "If You're Gonna Break My Heart" Jim Diamond (1993) PolyGram / Polydor
1994 "Sugarolly Mountains" Sugarolly Days Righteous / Total
1994 "Caledonia (Heartland)" Sugarolly Days Righteous / Total
2005 "When You Turn" "When You Turn" (album version)" / "Rhythm of the Radio" Souled and Healed Hypertension
2006 "Blue Shoes" "I Won't Let You Down" (live) / "Blue Shoes" (live) / "My Girl" (live)
/ "I Should Have Known Better" (live) / "Wonderful World" (live)
Souled and Healed Hypertension
2011 "Morning Glory" City of Soul Camino

Charity singles featuring Jim Diamond

Year Song / Album
1985 "You'll Never Walk Alone" (with The Crowd)
1987 "Let It Be" (with Ferry Aid)
1990 "Sailing" (with Rock Against Repatriation)

Television appearances

Year Television programme
1977 Supersonic (performing "Ohio" with Bandit)
1982–86 Top of the Pops (performing "I Won't Let You Down" with PhD (1982), "I Should Have Known Better" (1984), "Hi Ho Silver" (1986)
1985 The Keith Harris Show
1994 Pebble Mill (performing "I Should Have Known Better", "Skye Boat Song")
2001 Stars in Their Eyes (guest appearance to congratulate contestant)
2003 True Lives, The Real Father Ted, A Portrait of Dermot Morgan
2010 I Migliori Anni (performing "I Should Have Known Better" and "I Won't Let You Down")
2010 Concerto Dell'Epifania (performing "I Should Have Known Better")
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References

  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 153. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. "Chatshow.net Chatshow.net". chatshow.net. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  3. "oocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2010.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  4. "The Gully Foyle Years". the-blindman.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  5. Gully Foyle. the-blindman.com
  6. "Liner Notes 'The Lost Album'". alexis-korner.net. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  7. "Jim Diamond's Official Website – Biography". squarespace.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  8. Sweeting, Adam; MacAskill, Ewen (12 October 2015). "Jim Diamond obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  9. City of Soul: Motown album recorded for children's charities. STV News. 15 April 2011
  10. "Singer-songwriter Jim Diamond dies". BBC News. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  11. The Diamond Family: We are very sad to say that Jim passed away on Thursday, unexpectedly, but peacefully in his sleep. In: facebook.com/jimdiamondmusic, 10 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  12. "My London: Lawrence of Citizens!". thelondonword.com. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  13. Tallant, Nicola (11 May 2003). "MY BROTHER SAID SORRY, AND THEN HE COLLAPSED - IT WAS A LONG ROAD TO FAME FOR DERMOT MORGAN.. BUT SUCCESS WAS CUT SHORT BY HUGE HEART ATTACK". The People (London, England). Retrieved 22 January 2019.
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