September 2006

Mystery Man Darkens HK Door

One of the more interesting press releases to arrive on the Outtakes desk for a long time involves tonight's release party for mystery man Shamus Dark's debut CD.

Arranged and mixed by Hong Kong's Pete Millward (the man behind the excellent series of Celestial albums) and featuring input from local guitar hero Eugene Pao, the album is a dark and brooding journey through cover versions as diverse as Frank Sinatra and Joy Division. But the most intriguing aspect is Dark himself, who has lived a life that appears to come from a Quentin Tarrantino movie.

The illigitimate offspring of a US Army intelligence officer was apparently born in London, went on to join the communist party, managed a punk band in the 1970s, developed a fiendish taste for Powers whisky and then moved to Penang, Malaysia, where he became a lounge singer in Sling Sling's Bar, before being discovered by writer Flann O'Neill.

We're not sure if Dark will appear at the launch of Songs For Suicidal Lovers – or even if Dark really exists – but the whisky will definitely be flowing at Yumla in Central tonight from 7pm.

Adam Wright, Outtakes, South China Morning Post, 7th September '06.