Jim Diamond (singer) - Early Years

Early Years

He started his music career at the young age of 15 with his own band, The Method. This was discovered through a recent interview with Jim Diamond. Diamond, at age 16, also fronted a Glasgow band called Jade. That lineup 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!. 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 another band Gully Foyle. Rare recordings of his performances with Gully Foyle were recently discovered on the internet.

Diamond was discovered by Alexis Korner. He 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.

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

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

In the nineteen seventies he met and married Christine Bailey.