Rob Diament
Encyclopedia
Robert Diament is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
best known as the lead singer of UK electronic rock band Temposhark
Temposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
. In 2010, Diament began working as a gallerist with Carl Freedman
Carl Freedman Gallery
Carl Freedman Gallery is a contemporary art gallery situated in Shoreditch, East London. The gallery was founded by Carl Freedman in 2003 and is located at 44A Charlotte Road, off Old Street....
, a contemporary art gallery in East London.
Early life
Diament grew up in BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and began to play classical piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(his first instrument) at the age of four. Diament's classical training continued in piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, whilst at the same time he learnt to sing in a local church choir. Songwriting soon followed but Diament only began to record his music at the age of thirteen. At his secondary school in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Diament met Luke Busby
Luke Busby
Luke Busby is an English music producer-songwriter, best known for being part of UK electronic pop band Temposhark, with singer/songwriter Robert Diament.- Growing up :...
for the first time, his later collaborator in Temposhark
Temposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
, but interestingly the two never collaborated until leaving school many years later. Diament and Busby also studied alongside Hollywood actress Natalie Dormer
Natalie Dormer
Natalie Dormer is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Victoria in Casanova and as the ill-fated queen Anne Boleyn in the Showtime series The Tudors.-Early life and current lifestyle:...
. However, Diament sang in a number of rock bands and became a regular concertgoer in the town, best known for the annual rock festival Reading Festival. In his later teens, Diament's live performances in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
had attracted much interest from both high profile musicians and music industry professionals alike, which led to the recording of his debut EP.
Early musical career
Diament first arrived on the music scene in 1999 with his debut piano-oriented solo EP 'Seven Years Running' produced by Anthony Amos. Following this release, he further developed his sound on tour in North America and returned to London in 2000 to record a selection of new songs with producer Stuart EppsStuart Epps
Stuart Epps is a British record producer and audio engineer. During his career, he has worked with: Kiki Dee, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Twisted Sister and Chris Rea...
(Elton John/Robbie Williams) before spending the following two years writing and recording with Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
member and award winning producer, Youth aka Martin Glover
Martin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
. In 2000, British pop culture magazine The Face highlighted Diament as an artist to watch and "songwriter of genius". Around this time, Diament began to spend time 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...
collaborating on a number of art, music and performance projects with old Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
school friend Luke Busby
Luke Busby
Luke Busby is an English music producer-songwriter, best known for being part of UK electronic pop band Temposhark, with singer/songwriter Robert Diament.- Growing up :...
and Busby's fellow art student Natasha Kahn, now known for her project Bat for Lashes
Bat for Lashes
Natasha Khan , also known by her stage name Bat for Lashes, is an English musician. She sings and plays the piano, bass, guitar, harpsichord and the autoharp....
. This led Diament and Busby to study music in London at University of Westminster
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
where Temposhark
Temposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
was formed in 2004. Diament and Busby both graduated in 2005 with First Class Honours. Other key bands/artists that studied alongside them were The Departure
The Departure
The Departure was an English rock band from Northampton, formed in October 2003. Their debut album, Dirty Words, was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone. A second album, Inventions, was expected to be released in early 2008, but was not...
, Pure Reason Revolution
Pure Reason Revolution
Pure Reason Revolution are a British rock group formed at the University of Westminster in 2003 and who are playing their final dates together in November 2011. Their music incorporates elements of progressive rock and electro. Their music has been variously described as 'Astral Folk' and 'New...
, Kevin Mark Trail
Kevin Mark Trail
Kevin Mark Trail is a British R&B, soul, reggae and hip hop singer-songwriter. He has released one album, Just Living, which spawned three singles, "Perspective", "D Thames" and "Last Night"...
(The Streets
The Streets
The Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
) and Emmy The Great
Emmy the Great
Emma-Lee Moss , known by her stage name Emmy the Great, is a London-based singer-songwriter. She has released two albums, First Love and Virtue.-Early life:Moss was born in Hong Kong to an English father and a Chinese mother...
.
Temposhark
In 2004, Diament emerged as lead singer/principal songwriter with TemposharkTemposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
, the critically acclaimed UK electronic rock band. Diament formed the band developing a distinctive blend of epic filmscore and late 70s/early 80s synth pop. His first nationwide released UK single It's Better To Have Loved came out on December 12, 2005 produced by acclaimed producer Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is a U.K. based composer, producer and songwriter. In his career to date he has worked with many famous artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian and Alanis Morissette...
(Madonna/Bjork/Frou Frou) on Diament's own record label Paper and Glue
Paper and Glue
Paper and Glue is an independent record label based in the UK. It was set up by Robert Diament, the lead singer of electronic pop band Temposhark in December 2004....
.
Temposhark
Temposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
finished recording their debut album The Invisible Line
The Invisible Line
The Invisible Line is the debut album by UK band, Temposhark.Temposhark's debut album was produced and recorded in London by rising producer Sean McGhee with two tracks produced by Frou Frou member Guy Sigsworth, who contributes It's Better To Have Loved and Winter's Coming. The recording process...
during February 2007 in London with producer Sean McGhee as well as recording a new song with Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is a U.K. based composer, producer and songwriter. In his career to date he has worked with many famous artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian and Alanis Morissette...
. The album will be released worldwide in early March 2008. Temposhark
Temposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
were in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on a UK music industry trade mission in June 2006 and started performing live in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
including a sold out headline gig in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
the following July. In November 2006, Temposhark began performing with their live band, Mathis Richet on drums and Mark Ferguson on bass. The four live musicians travelled to the USA to Austin, Texas in March 2007 for two live showcases at the SXSW festival. Temposhark head out on their first USA clubs and theatre tour in June 2007 performing alongside Diament's friend, the popstar Darren Hayes
Darren Hayes
Darren Stanley Hayes is a UK-based Australian singer-songwriter. Hayes was the front man and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden, whose 1997 album Savage Garden peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 2 in United Kingdom and No. 3 in United States...
As part of Temposhark, Diament has written songs and sung with a diverse array of musicians from Frou Frou's Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is a U.K. based composer, producer and songwriter. In his career to date he has worked with many famous artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian and Alanis Morissette...
and Imogen Heap
Imogen Heap
Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...
, Kate Havnevik
Kate Havnevik
Kate Havnevik is a singer and songwriter from Oslo, Norway. Her debut album, the critically acclaimed electronica infused Melankton, was released in March 2006 on iTunes and April 2006 in Norway only, before being licensed internationally later...
, Sophie Solomon
Sophie Solomon
Sophie Solomon is a British violinist, songwriter and composer who fuses many different musical influences into her music. In January 2012 she will take up the Directorship of the Jewish Music Institute, SOAS.-Early life:...
, Morgan Page
Morgan Page
Morgan Page is an American progressive house and electro house DJ from Los Angeles. His most widely recognized track is "The Longest Road," featuring Lissie, which was included on his debut album Elevate, released in March 2008. The Deadmau5 remix was nominated for a Grammy...
, MaJiKer
MaJiKer
MaJiKer, alias Matthew Ker, is a British music producer and musician. He resides in Paris, France but works internationally. He has recorded two of his own albums, and also has had success producing and performing with other artists, including French singer Camille on her albums Le Fil and Music...
, Sean McGhee, Cursor Miner
Cursor Miner
Cursor Miner is an underground electronica producer from Selsey, England. Signed to Lo Recordings and in the UK, he has released four albums, Cursor Miner Requires Attention , Danceflaw , Cursor Miner Plays God and Explosive Piece Of Mind...
, Avril (FCommunications), Metronomy
Metronomy
Metronomy are an electronic music group formed by Joseph Mount in Totnes, Devon, England in 1999. The current band consists of Joseph Mount , Anna Prior , Oscar Cash and Gbenga Adelekan...
, Mark Moore
Mark Moore
Mark Moore is a British dance music record producer and DJ. He was founder of the pop/sampling pioneers S'Express, and runs the London nightclubs, 'Electrogogo' and 'Can Can'.-Biography:...
(S'Express
S'Express
S'Express were a British dance music act from the late 1980s, who had one of the earliest commercial successes in the acid house genre."Theme from S'Express", based on Rose Royce's "Is It Love You're After", was also one of the earliest recordings to capitalize on a resurgence of sampling culture...
), M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
, Camille, Hellogoodbye
Hellogoodbye
Hellogoodbye is a power pop band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! in 2006, in addition to their previously released EP Hellogoodbye...
, Matthew Jay
Matthew Jay
Matthew Jay was an English singer-songwriter, who was often likened to artists such as Nick Drake, Badly Drawn Boy, and Jeff Buckley.The son of two folk musicians,...
, Akira The Don
Akira the Don
Akira The Don is an independent British musician. Born in West Bromwich and raised in North Wales, in recent years he has lived in Hackney, East London....
, Noblesse Oblige
Noblesse Oblige (band)
Currently Berlin based duo Noblesse Oblige was formed in London in 2004 by German songwriter/producer Sebastian Lee Philipp and French actress, singer and songwriter Valerie Renay.- Releases :...
, Princess Julia
Princess Julia
Princess Julia is a British DJ and music writer. She first came to notice in the very early 1980s as part of the short-lived Blitz Kids club scene with the likes of Marc Almond and Boy George...
, Richard Norris (The Grid
The Grid
The Grid are an English electronic dance group, consisting of Richard Norris and David Ball , with guest contributions from other musicians...
), Melnyk, Kevin Freeman, Border Crossing and Masashi Naka (Escalator Records, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
).
In 2005, Diament said that his band name Temposhark
Temposhark
Temposhark is an English electronic rock band, formed in London and Brighton by singer-songwriter Robert Diament. Temposhark are best known for their songs Bye Bye Baby, Joy, It's Better To Have Loved and Not That Big; a duet with singer Imogen Heap which appears on their 2008 debut album The...
was thought up when he "woke up in the midst of a dream one night, at like 4am, and just said the word Temposhark. So it came from my subconscious I guess. Honestly it was that simple. I wanted a name that sounded strong. I liked the idea that music could be a weapon. Something powerful."
Temposhark's second album Threads
Threads (Temposhark album)
Threads is the second album by UK band, Temposhark, a project of singer/songwriter Robert Diament.-History:Temposhark's second album was produced, co-written and recorded in 2009 in London by producer Sean McGhee. The first single "The World Does Not Revolve Around You" was released in September 2009...
was released in April 2010 including the singles The World Does Not Revolve Around You and Bye Bye Baby. It reached number 15 on the UK iTunes Top 20 electronic album chart.
Writer
As well as a songwriter, Diament has written for music magazines such as Blowback in the UK and BPM and Redefine magazines in the USA. In December 2007 and January 2008, he wrote as guest blogger on the USA music blog ArjanWrites.com including the exclusive first review of Alanis MorissetteAlanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
's album Flavors Of Entanglement. He is also credited as contributing interviews and research for Lucy O'Brien
Lucy O'Brien
Lucy O'Brien is an author and journalist whose work focuses on women in music.-Early musical and writing career:...
's music-focused biography Madonna: Like An Icon about Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
published in 2007 by Bantam Press
Bantam Press
Bantam Press is an imprint of Transworld Publishers which is a British publishing division of Random House.It is based on Uxbridge Road in Ealing near Ealing Broadway station, the same address as Transworld....
.
Art
Diament has mentioned in interviews that another passion for him is modernModern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
and contemporary art
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
. He is a patron of public art spaces in London including South London Gallery
South London Gallery
South London Gallery, founded 1891, often known by the acronym SLG, is a public-funded gallery of contemporary art in Camberwell, London - exhibiting artists included Alfredo Jaar, Ryan Gander and Chris Burden...
, Chisenhale Gallery, The Showroom, Studio Voltaire, Camden Arts Centre
Camden Arts Centre
Camden Arts Centre is a contemporary visual art gallery, dedicated to engaging living artists from across the world. Positioning the artist at the centre of the programme, Camden Arts Centre strives to involve the public in the ideas and work of today's artists.The exhibition and education...
where he supports the Outset
Outset Contemporary Art Fund
Outset Contemporary Art Fund was founded by Candida Gertler and Yana Peel in 2003 as a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting new art...
Residency Programme, and also Institute of Contemporary Arts
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
, performing live at their 2010 fundraising gala.
He is an art collector with a keen interest particularly in women in art. Between 2008-2011, Diament loaned works from his collection by artists such as Tracey Emin
Tracey Emin
Tracey Karima Emin RA is a British artist of English and Turkish Cypriot origin. She is part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs ....
to public galleries in Europe including Tate Britain
Tate Britain
Tate Britain is an art gallery situated on Millbank in London, and part of the Tate gallery network in Britain, with Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is the oldest gallery in the network, opening in 1897. It houses a substantial collection of the works of J. M. W. Turner.-History:It...
, Hayward Gallery
Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery is an art gallery within the Southbank Centre, part of an area of major arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames, in central London, England. It is sited adjacent to the other Southbank Centre buildings and also the Royal National Theatre and British Film Institute...
, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, holds the national collection of modern art. When opened in 1960, the collection was held in Inverleith House, at the Royal Botanic Gardens...
, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga and Kunstmuseum Bern. In June 2011, Modern Painters
Modern Painters (magazine)
Modern Painters is a monthly art magazine published in New York City by Louise Blouin Media. The magazine is published 10 times per year; it includes profiles on two international artists per issue; columns by international contributors; interviews with and articles by contemporary artists and...
magazine listed Diament as one of their 50 under 50, an annual list of young art collectors from around the world.
In 2010, Diament began working as a gallerist with Carl Freedman Gallery
Carl Freedman Gallery
Carl Freedman Gallery is a contemporary art gallery situated in Shoreditch, East London. The gallery was founded by Carl Freedman in 2003 and is located at 44A Charlotte Road, off Old Street....
, a contemporary art gallery based in East London.
CD EPs
- Sketches (January 2000 promo 3 track EP · RDM
- Seven Years Running ( July 1999 5 track EP produced by Anthony Amos · RDM
Temposhark
- ThreadsThreads (Temposhark album)Threads is the second album by UK band, Temposhark, a project of singer/songwriter Robert Diament.-History:Temposhark's second album was produced, co-written and recorded in 2009 in London by producer Sean McGhee. The first single "The World Does Not Revolve Around You" was released in September 2009...
(2010 second album) - Remixes & RaritiesRemixes & RaritiesRemixes & Rarities is a compilation album containing rare songs and previously unreleased remixes by UK band, Temposhark, a project of singer/songwriter Robert Diament....
(2009 remix and b-sides album) - The Invisible LineThe Invisible LineThe Invisible Line is the debut album by UK band, Temposhark.Temposhark's debut album was produced and recorded in London by rising producer Sean McGhee with two tracks produced by Frou Frou member Guy Sigsworth, who contributes It's Better To Have Loved and Winter's Coming. The recording process...
(2008 debut album)