new single – 23rd April 2007 on Rough Trade RecordsLavender Diamond release their new single ‘Open Your Heart’ in the UK on Rough Trade Records on April 23rd – backed with a stunning cover version of the Lavender Diamond song ‘Oh No’ performed by Colin Meloy of The Decemberists and Lavender Diamond’s own beautiful cover version of Abba’s ‘Chiquitita’. Debut album ‘Imagine Our Love’ follows on May 7th - an album comprised of pristine pocket symphonies that combine the best of the early ‘70s Brit-folk boom with gorgeous arrangements and an overwhelming sense of sheer heartbroken wonder. Lavender Diamond is Becky Stark and her band. A one time flatmate of Jenny Lewis and long time friend of Devendra Banhart (with whom she’s shared a couple of split vinyl singles in the US), Becky grew up in rural Maryland and first experienced music at church. But for the Starks, music was a religion of it’s own too. “My mum had a lot of old ‘45s and on Sunday mornings instead of going to church we would all sit round and she’d make us learn all the lyrics to the songs”. Inspired as a teenager by the nearby Washington DC punk community. This was a significant catalyst in the development of what was to become Lavender Diamond. According to Becky, Lavender Diamond is a bird, an emissary from the bird world - half bird, half human. The character in these plays would explain to the audience that she was there to help them understand the natural world, bringing joy and peace at the same time. “After that there evolved a mythology of who Lavender Diamond actually was” she explains. “Lavender Diamond became an embodiment of the sound of love, the sound of joy and healing.” Lavender Diamond is also comprised of Jeff Rosenberg, a friend from Rhode Island and Ron Rege, noted illustrator and author of the classic graphic novel ‘Skibber Bee-Bye’ and classical composer Steve Gregoropoulos. The album was recorded at Stag Street Studio in Los Angeles, although, typically it doesn’t sound as though the band stuck to established recording procedures. “When we’re in the studio I do magic spells” laughs Becky. “They’re spells to bring our love of our music into the world and in turn bring happiness and joy into the world. We like to imagine the sound of the music covering the world with love. Lavender Diamond is about believing in the practical power of love.”
Becky describes it thus; “For this record I had a dream to make a pop record with some country and folk influence, like Linda Rondstadt and Juice Newton, or like Patsy Cline or the Carpenters. But also I was very influenced by pop bands coming from the punk scene like Blondie and the Human League. Also the singers I love are Cyndi Lauper , Ella Fitzgerald and Roberta Flack.”
“The compositions are rooted in politics and sound, the same kind of sounds as punk and experimental sounds. We definitely believe that words and ideas have beautiful power to bring love to people and bring people across the world together. Also the energy of song is a very important way to share ideas and strength.” Lavender Diamond will be featured in US Rolling Stone's annual '10 artists to watch' section, on stands for two weeks starting March 23, 2007. Lavender Diamond