Darcy Clay
Encyclopedia
Darcy Clay was an Auckland
, New Zealand
singer/songwriter, who was made famous in 1997 for his minor hit "Jesus I Was Evil
", in which he recorded all instruments in his bedroom on a 4-track recorder. He was signed to Antenna Records, and possibly was Antenna's first real star.
and he later lived in Australia for 18 months with the rest of the Boltons.
Darcy Clay's favourite bands were Nirvana
and Dinosaur Jr
, claiming once that if he had the chance he would have thrown away his homophobia and had "a giant gay orgy with both bands", just so he could meet them. He was an outsider musician, with his strange vocal style and being completely independent in his first releases. Making him one of New Zealand's first outsider artists and one of the most influential solo acts.
s, Jesus I Was Evil and (posthumously) a live EP Songs For Beethoven, recorded on DAT
tape when he opened for Blur
's 1997 New Zealand performance (including a solo performance of "English Rose", as he called Candle in the Wind
, the Elton John
-penned tribute to Princess Diana, who had died less than two months beforehand). The two EPs were reissued back to back as an album entitled Darcy Anthology, featuring a bonus CD of QuickTime, all Darcy Clay music videos, interview footage and press clippings created before his death in 1998.
His music has been described as "country-fried punk rock" - his Jesus I Was Evil EP featured a cover of Dolly Parton
's Jolene
, amongst other somewhat country-flavoured rock songs.
area house on 15 March 1998. At the time of his suicide Clay was scheduled to perform on 9 April 1998 at the Levi's Life Festival, a suicide prevention and awareness event.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
singer/songwriter, who was made famous in 1997 for his minor hit "Jesus I Was Evil
Jesus I Was Evil
Jesus I Was Evil is an EP by New Zealand musician Darcy Clay. It was released on Antenna Records in 1997. All songs except for "In The Middle" were recorded on a 4-Track. "Jolene" is a cover of the Dolly Parton song. Many people interpreted the name of the album as "Jesus the First Was Evil"....
", in which he recorded all instruments in his bedroom on a 4-track recorder. He was signed to Antenna Records, and possibly was Antenna's first real star.
Background
Darcy lived in Birkenhead while a youth, when 14 years old he spent 9 months living in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and he later lived in Australia for 18 months with the rest of the Boltons.
Darcy Clay's favourite bands were Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, prior to legal issues that forced the group to change their name, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005...
, claiming once that if he had the chance he would have thrown away his homophobia and had "a giant gay orgy with both bands", just so he could meet them. He was an outsider musician, with his strange vocal style and being completely independent in his first releases. Making him one of New Zealand's first outsider artists and one of the most influential solo acts.
Music
Clay's entire career output consisted of two six track EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s, Jesus I Was Evil and (posthumously) a live EP Songs For Beethoven, recorded on DAT
DAT
DAT or Dat may refer to:Biology:* Direct agglutination test, any test that uses whole organisms as a means of looking for serum antibody* Direct antiglobulin test, one of two Coombs tests...
tape when he opened for Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
's 1997 New Zealand performance (including a solo performance of "English Rose", as he called Candle in the Wind
Candle in the Wind
"Candle in the Wind" is a song with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in 1973, in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier....
, the Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
-penned tribute to Princess Diana, who had died less than two months beforehand). The two EPs were reissued back to back as an album entitled Darcy Anthology, featuring a bonus CD of QuickTime, all Darcy Clay music videos, interview footage and press clippings created before his death in 1998.
His music has been described as "country-fried punk rock" - his Jesus I Was Evil EP featured a cover of Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
's Jolene
Jolene (song)
"Jolene" is a song written and performed by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene , produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-History:...
, amongst other somewhat country-flavoured rock songs.
Death
Darcy Clay committed suicide at his girlfriend's Grey LynnGrey Lynn
Grey Lynn is an inner residential suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand, located three kilometres to the west of the city centre. Originally a separate borough, Grey Lynn amalgamated with Auckland City in 1914....
area house on 15 March 1998. At the time of his suicide Clay was scheduled to perform on 9 April 1998 at the Levi's Life Festival, a suicide prevention and awareness event.