Dominik Diamond
Encyclopedia
Paul Dominik Diamond is a Scottish television and radio presenter and newspaper columnist. He is best known as the original presenter of Channel 4
's video gaming programme GamesMaster
, as host of The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show on Xfm Scotland
and as a columnist for the Daily Star. He is currently on air at Q104
and is a columnist for The Chronicle Herald newspaper in Nova Scotia.
, Diamond attended Strathallan School
in Forgandenny
, Perthshire
.
He then went on to study drama
at Bristol University, also attended by Little Britain
star David Walliams
. Walliams and Diamond were part of a comedy troupe called "David Icke and The Orphans of Jesus", in which they were also joined by Simon Pegg
(Shaun of the Dead
, Hot Fuzz
). Walliams and Diamond fell out after Walliams appeared as a guest on Diamond's Paramount
show "Dom'n'Kirk's Night O Plenty" - after which Diamond said that Walliams and co-Little Britain star Matt Lucas
were "complete arseholes". Diamond has not spoken to Walliams since, yet still refers to him as a "comic genius".
Pegg appeared on Diamond's Xfm Scotland Breakfast Show as a guest while promoting Hot Fuzz
and revealed that seeing Diamond do stand-up comedy at Bristol University inspired him to do it as a career.
fan, Diamond had a column in the monthly football magazine FourFourTwo
when it launched in 1994. Diamond co-hosted sports programme Live and Dangerous in 1997, and When Games Attack
, aired in 2004. Since 1996, he has written a twice-weekly column in the Daily Star and had a regular column in the monthly magazine PC Zone
until the August 2006 edition.
Diamond's biggest role on television to date came on Channel 4
computer and video game show Gamesmaster
, which ran from 1992-1998. However he was absent during the show's third series, which he attributed to a disagreement with the show's then-sponsors, McDonald's
. He went on to present the short-lived BBC Scotland
panel show Caledonia McBrains in 2002.
In 2006, Diamond filmed Five documentary, Crucify Me. During filming, he took part in the live annual Holy week
re-enactment of the crucifixion
at San Pedro Cutud
. However, he backed down at the last minute, breaking into tears.
He also has appeared on the Discovery Real Time
programme, Rubble Trouble, which charts the development of his house extension. While residing in Brighton
from 2002 to 2004, he trained and worked as a bus driver with the local transport company Brighton and Hove Bus Company, recording his thoughts and feelings for a documentary to be shown on UK television Channel 5. Similarly to Diamond, many celebrities have worked for Brighton and Hove Bus Company, some of which are named on the front of the cities buses.
In July 2006, he appeared in the satirical quiz show spoof, "Rob Brydon
's Annually Retentive" where his career was parodied. He has appeared many times as a host of What The Papers Say
, a round-up of the week's newspapers on BBC2. In January 2009 Diamond became a columnist for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, Nova Scotia.
Diamond's autobiography, 'Celtic & Me: Confessions From The Jungle', was published in the UK by Black & White Publishing in August 2010. The book is a combination of media memoir and the story of Diamond's life as a fan of Celtic Football Club.
on BBC Radio 5
at before it appeared on BBC TV. Diamond presented Sportscall on BBC Radio Five Live
in the 1990s and occasionally hosted the station's phone-in football show, 6-0-6
.
in January 2006. He was named Scottish Radio Presenter of the Year for his efforts at the 2007 XTrax Scottish Radio Awards. Diamond also received a nomination for a Sony Radio Award in 2007 as UK Radio Music Personality of the Year. His departure was first announced on 9 June 2007 when The Sunday Herald reported that Diamond had asked for a pay rise following his Sony Radio Award nomination. GCap Media bosses denied this, although Diamond repeated the claims in some detail in his autobiography when it was published in 2010 Celtic & Me: Confessions from the Jungle by Dominik Diamond. He aired his last show on 22 June 2007. Diamond was replaced on Xfm Scotland on 4 July 2007 by Julyan Sinclair
. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-14363244.html
Diamond would frequently include producer Scott Shaw and news presenter Marisa de Andrade throughout the show, most notably a segment named "Fib Of The Day". The segment involved each of the three making an ambiguous - and sometimes near unbelievable - statement about a news issue of the day (where only one was genuine). Listeners would then text in which of the three statements they believed were true.
of The White Stripes
was "rubbish" at drumming, Diamond challenged Xfm news presenter Marisa de Andrade to learn to play the drums in the five days that the breakfast show took place. This would culminate in the entire breakfast team playing together, with Scott Shaw playing bass guitar
and Diamond on guitar
and vocals. The station followed de Andrade's progress throughout the week, and, as promised, the trio were recorded playing a special cover of The White Stripes' "7 Nation Army". The song was distributed on the Xfm website under the band name, "The A.M's".
During UK Music Week 2007, the week which would mark a year since the band's creation, The A.M's announced through Xfm that they would be releasing their debut single on Nineteen Percent Records. The single, a double a-side of two of the band's own songs, "Billy the Dancer/Isobel Campbell", was released on 21 May 2007. The band most recently played a number of homecoming shows at numerous small venues in Glasgow
. All three members of the band (and manager) have all now left Xfm Scotland, yet continue to play around the country. Prior to Diamond leaving, it was announced on the band's MySpace
page that they would be playing at Wickerman Festival
in Dumfries
, Scotland
on 21 July 2007. After moving to Canada in 2009 Diamond started writing and performing solo on the Nova Scotia folk-roots circuit.
to cover a number of programmes over the summer months. He also stood in for James Whale on talkSPORT
for the month of July 2007. From 13 October 2007 Diamond presented the Dominik Diamond Breakfast Club on Talk 107
. He was joined by Marisa de Andrade who worked with him on Xfm Scotland. In January 2008 Dominik took over Talk 107 Drive, again with Marisa de Andrade. In April 2008, following a station revamp, the show became known as Diamond and de Andrade.
Diamond left Talk 107 due to exhaustion. Marisa de Andrade stayed at the station on the 'Drive Time' slot, with Diamond being replaced by Mark Donaldson, the station's sport editor. However, the station closed in December 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/17/utv-radio
in the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax where among other shifts he presents the Classic Album Countdown every Sunday from Noon. http://www.dominikdiamond.com/mediahttp://www.q104.ca
Diamond moved to Toronto in October 2011 and can be heard on The Mighty Q - Q107 Classic Rock, weekday evenings from 6 - 11.
. In January 2009 he emigrated with his family to a farm in Canada where, in his spare time, he grows vegetables and performs on the Nova Scotian folk-roots circuit.
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's video gaming programme GamesMaster
GamesMaster
GamesMaster was a British television show, screened on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998, and was the first ever UK television show dedicated to computer and video games.-Origins:...
, as host of The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show on Xfm Scotland
Galaxy Scotland
105-106 Capital is a regional radio station broadcasting to Scotland's Central Belt, an area surrounding the two cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the kingdom of Fife...
and as a columnist for the Daily Star. He is currently on air at Q104
CFRQ-FM
CFRQ-FM is a Canadian rock radio station, broadcasting at 104.3 FM in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The station uses the on-air brand name Q104 . Founded in 1983 by President the late C.A. Patterson of Patterson Broadcasters, Senior Vice-President/National Sales Director was the late W.L...
and is a columnist for The Chronicle Herald newspaper in Nova Scotia.
Early life
Born in ArbroathArbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
, Diamond attended Strathallan School
Strathallan School
Strathallan School is an independent boarding and day school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 9–18. The school has a campus at Forgandenny, a few miles south of Perth. It typically takes 50 minutes to travel to the school from Edinburgh and 1:15 hours from Glasgow.The school has 99 full time...
in Forgandenny
Forgandenny
Forgandenny is a small village in Perth and Kinross, located four miles south of Perth, Scotland, UK. Perth is a 20 minute bus ride from Forgandenny, and there is a regular Stagecoach service. Forgandenny is 45 minutes from Edinburgh and one hour from Glasgow...
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
.
He then went on to study drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
at Bristol University, also attended by Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
star David Walliams
David Walliams
David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
. Walliams and Diamond were part of a comedy troupe called "David Icke and The Orphans of Jesus", in which they were also joined by Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
(Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather...
, Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British action dark comedy film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, and starring Pegg and Nick Frost. The three had previously worked together on the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead as well as the television series Spaced...
). Walliams and Diamond fell out after Walliams appeared as a guest on Diamond's Paramount
Paramount Comedy 1
Comedy Central in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a localised version of Comedy Central which first began in the United States in the 1990s. The television channel is available through the Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV in the United Kingdom, Sky Ireland, UPC Ireland and Magnet Networks in the...
show "Dom'n'Kirk's Night O Plenty" - after which Diamond said that Walliams and co-Little Britain star Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
were "complete arseholes". Diamond has not spoken to Walliams since, yet still refers to him as a "comic genius".
Pegg appeared on Diamond's Xfm Scotland Breakfast Show as a guest while promoting Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British action dark comedy film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, and starring Pegg and Nick Frost. The three had previously worked together on the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead as well as the television series Spaced...
and revealed that seeing Diamond do stand-up comedy at Bristol University inspired him to do it as a career.
Television & publications
An avid CelticCeltic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
fan, Diamond had a column in the monthly football magazine FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket. Published monthly, costing £4.50, and at about 164 pages long, it published its 200th edition in February 2011...
when it launched in 1994. Diamond co-hosted sports programme Live and Dangerous in 1997, and When Games Attack
When Games Attack
When Games Attack was a British television show, that originally aired on Bravo from 2004 to 2005. The show was created and presented by Dominik Diamond in conjunction with Jonny Finch with whom he had previously worked on GamesMaster...
, aired in 2004. Since 1996, he has written a twice-weekly column in the Daily Star and had a regular column in the monthly magazine PC Zone
PC Zone
PC Zone was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as PC Leisure, PC Format and PC Plus had covered games but only as part of a wider remit. PC Zone was founded in 1993.The magazine was published...
until the August 2006 edition.
Diamond's biggest role on television to date came on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
computer and video game show Gamesmaster
GamesMaster
GamesMaster was a British television show, screened on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998, and was the first ever UK television show dedicated to computer and video games.-Origins:...
, which ran from 1992-1998. However he was absent during the show's third series, which he attributed to a disagreement with the show's then-sponsors, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. He went on to present the short-lived BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
panel show Caledonia McBrains in 2002.
In 2006, Diamond filmed Five documentary, Crucify Me. During filming, he took part in the live annual Holy week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
re-enactment of the crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
at San Pedro Cutud
San Pedro Cutud
San Pedro Cutud is a barangay in City of San Fernando, Pampanga province in the Philippines, approximately 70 kilometers north of Manila. It is known for annual re-enactments of the crucifixion of Jesus...
. However, he backed down at the last minute, breaking into tears.
He also has appeared on the Discovery Real Time
Discovery Real Time
Discovery Real Time is a factual television channel owned by Discovery Networks Europe.It was originally launched in the UK in March 1992 as TLC, a British version of the US channel of the same name...
programme, Rubble Trouble, which charts the development of his house extension. While residing in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
from 2002 to 2004, he trained and worked as a bus driver with the local transport company Brighton and Hove Bus Company, recording his thoughts and feelings for a documentary to be shown on UK television Channel 5. Similarly to Diamond, many celebrities have worked for Brighton and Hove Bus Company, some of which are named on the front of the cities buses.
In July 2006, he appeared in the satirical quiz show spoof, "Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
's Annually Retentive" where his career was parodied. He has appeared many times as a host of What The Papers Say
What the Papers Say
What The Papers Say is a BBC radio programme that originally ran for many years on British television.Its first incarnation was the second longest-running programme on British television after Panorama...
, a round-up of the week's newspapers on BBC2. In January 2009 Diamond became a columnist for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, Nova Scotia.
Diamond's autobiography, 'Celtic & Me: Confessions From The Jungle', was published in the UK by Black & White Publishing in August 2010. The book is a combination of media memoir and the story of Diamond's life as a fan of Celtic Football Club.
Radio career
Diamond hosted the debut of Fantasy Football LeagueFantasy Football League
Fantasy Football League is a British television programme hosted by Frank Skinner and David Baddiel. The Programme began on BBC Radio 5 and was hosted by Dominik Diamond before transferring to BBC 2, with three series being broadcast from January 1994 to May 1996...
on BBC Radio 5
BBC Radio 5 (former)
BBC Radio 5 was a BBC radio network that carried sport, children's and educational programmes.It was transmitted via analogue radio on 693 and 909 kHz, and lasted for three years and eight months. The success of BBC Radio 4's coverage of the Gulf War, on a service known as Scud FM,...
at before it appeared on BBC TV. Diamond presented Sportscall on BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
in the 1990s and occasionally hosted the station's phone-in football show, 6-0-6
6-0-6
6-0-6 is a football phone-in, broadcast on BBC Radio Five Live throughout the football season; when the programme started, it typically went on air at 6:06pm on a matchday . It covers topics relating to the current affairs of football in the United Kingdom. It currently airs on Saturdays and...
.
Xfm Scotland
Diamond launched XFM Scotland with "The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show" weekdays 6 till 10 on Xfm ScotlandGalaxy Scotland
105-106 Capital is a regional radio station broadcasting to Scotland's Central Belt, an area surrounding the two cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the kingdom of Fife...
in January 2006. He was named Scottish Radio Presenter of the Year for his efforts at the 2007 XTrax Scottish Radio Awards. Diamond also received a nomination for a Sony Radio Award in 2007 as UK Radio Music Personality of the Year. His departure was first announced on 9 June 2007 when The Sunday Herald reported that Diamond had asked for a pay rise following his Sony Radio Award nomination. GCap Media bosses denied this, although Diamond repeated the claims in some detail in his autobiography when it was published in 2010 Celtic & Me: Confessions from the Jungle by Dominik Diamond. He aired his last show on 22 June 2007. Diamond was replaced on Xfm Scotland on 4 July 2007 by Julyan Sinclair
Julyan Sinclair
Julyan Sinclair is an Orcadian television and radio presenter. He won a BAFTA in 2002 for "Best New Television Presenter" for his work on various Scottish Television arts and entertainment programmes.-Television career:...
. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-14363244.html
Diamond would frequently include producer Scott Shaw and news presenter Marisa de Andrade throughout the show, most notably a segment named "Fib Of The Day". The segment involved each of the three making an ambiguous - and sometimes near unbelievable - statement about a news issue of the day (where only one was genuine). Listeners would then text in which of the three statements they believed were true.
The A.M's
After declaring that Meg WhiteMeg White
Megan Martha "Meg" White is an American drummer best known for her work in the Detroit rock duo The White Stripes.-Early life:...
of The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
was "rubbish" at drumming, Diamond challenged Xfm news presenter Marisa de Andrade to learn to play the drums in the five days that the breakfast show took place. This would culminate in the entire breakfast team playing together, with Scott Shaw playing bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and Diamond on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals. The station followed de Andrade's progress throughout the week, and, as promised, the trio were recorded playing a special cover of The White Stripes' "7 Nation Army". The song was distributed on the Xfm website under the band name, "The A.M's".
During UK Music Week 2007, the week which would mark a year since the band's creation, The A.M's announced through Xfm that they would be releasing their debut single on Nineteen Percent Records. The single, a double a-side of two of the band's own songs, "Billy the Dancer/Isobel Campbell", was released on 21 May 2007. The band most recently played a number of homecoming shows at numerous small venues in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. All three members of the band (and manager) have all now left Xfm Scotland, yet continue to play around the country. Prior to Diamond leaving, it was announced on the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page that they would be playing at Wickerman Festival
Wickerman Festival
The Wickerman Festival is an annual music festival held near to Dundrennan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Dubbed 'Scotland's Alternative Music festival', the festival will celebrate its 10th Birthday in 2011 on Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd July....
in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on 21 July 2007. After moving to Canada in 2009 Diamond started writing and performing solo on the Nova Scotia folk-roots circuit.
Work for Talk 107
On 27 June 2007, RadioToday.co.uk announced that Diamond had joined Talk 107Talk 107
talk107 was a radio station based in Edinburgh, Scotland, broadcasting a phone-in based talk format. It was the UK's first local commercial talk licence to be awarded outside London and was the only station of its kind in Scotland...
to cover a number of programmes over the summer months. He also stood in for James Whale on talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
for the month of July 2007. From 13 October 2007 Diamond presented the Dominik Diamond Breakfast Club on Talk 107
Talk 107
talk107 was a radio station based in Edinburgh, Scotland, broadcasting a phone-in based talk format. It was the UK's first local commercial talk licence to be awarded outside London and was the only station of its kind in Scotland...
. He was joined by Marisa de Andrade who worked with him on Xfm Scotland. In January 2008 Dominik took over Talk 107 Drive, again with Marisa de Andrade. In April 2008, following a station revamp, the show became known as Diamond and de Andrade.
Diamond left Talk 107 due to exhaustion. Marisa de Andrade stayed at the station on the 'Drive Time' slot, with Diamond being replaced by Mark Donaldson, the station's sport editor. However, the station closed in December 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/17/utv-radio
Work in Canada
After living in Nova Scotia for a year Diamond returned to the airwaves co-hosting the Saturday afternoon show with Alicia Hunter on the South Shore's CKBW in March 2010. In July 2010 he became the station's daily Afternoon Drive host. In February 2011 he moved to "The Home of Rock & Roll" Q104CFRQ-FM
CFRQ-FM is a Canadian rock radio station, broadcasting at 104.3 FM in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The station uses the on-air brand name Q104 . Founded in 1983 by President the late C.A. Patterson of Patterson Broadcasters, Senior Vice-President/National Sales Director was the late W.L...
in the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax where among other shifts he presents the Classic Album Countdown every Sunday from Noon. http://www.dominikdiamond.com/mediahttp://www.q104.ca
Diamond moved to Toronto in October 2011 and can be heard on The Mighty Q - Q107 Classic Rock, weekday evenings from 6 - 11.
Personal life
Diamond and his partner, Phoebe, have three children, Molly, Charlie and Honor. Diamond has frequently referred to his family on his shows. He also suffers from insomniaInsomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
. In January 2009 he emigrated with his family to a farm in Canada where, in his spare time, he grows vegetables and performs on the Nova Scotian folk-roots circuit.