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Hepzibah Sessa (Miranda Sex Garden)

Miranda Sex Garden history

Miranda Sex Garden, the only 1990's band to make a 1520's renaissance, were an act celebrated initially for singing madrigals to Blur fans and latterly for fashioning baroque'n'roll soundscapes and launching sinsational performance arts clubs. They were first discovered in 1991, whilst busking on Portobello Road, by swinging detective Barry Adamson. Impressed by three of the, "purest, clearest voices," he had ever heard, he invited the 20 year old Jocelyn West, Kelly McCuster and Katharine Blake to contribute vocals on `Il Solitaro' from his Delusion soundtrack. Daniel Miller, in his turn, was equally impressed by these three graduates of the Purcell music school, and asked them to record for Mute.

Their first single, `Gush Forth My Tears' was released in March 1991, a "madrigal with a beat" mixed by Danny Rampling. Immediately after finishing work on the single they decamped to the famous Henry Wood Hall in Southwark with renowned classical producer Tony Faulkner to record their debut album of madrigals `Madra'; a feat that took them only two days. "They're Elizabethan pop songs," said Jocelyn of their choice of material, "very intense poetry about unrequited love, pastoralness and sex - beautiful to sing and very emotional." Also, it turned out, quite confrontational - the trio performed their songs to a hostile audience of Blur fans at London's Astoria in April 1991. Refusing to flinch despite the routine beer boy catcalls of "Get yer tits out" won them the respect of audience and press alike. "We wouldn't stop," remembered Kelly. "The tension was incredible. We enjoyed it." `Madra' was released in May, inspiring a plethora of unrestrained reviewing techniques. "The tabernacle in which we sit is transformed by sheer dint of harmony and poise into another place, where the sky lies like a canopy of blue velvet and the brightest stars are MSG," gushed forth the Evening Standard.

Following the vocals-only simplicity of `Madra', MSG expanded their sound to incorporate violins, and then took on Ben Golomstock and Trevor Sharpe to bring fiery organ, bass and drums into the equation. By 1992, Jocelyn West had departed, to be replaced by Donna McKevitt, and in May that year, they released the mini-album `Iris', carrying their vocals forward on guitar currents and ripples of electronically treated sounds. As with the madrigals, their subject matter remained steeped in love, yearning, sex and loss of innocence. "MSG have escaped from the (metaphorical) castle tower. With blades between their teeth," enthused Melody Maker. "These all-new Mirandas provide the perfect soundtrack to a dinner party hosted by David Lynch," added Vox. The band went on to play more startling live shows with the likes of Curve, Nick Cave and The Balanescu Quartet.

Miranda Sex Garden greeted the new year with the `Play' single in January 1993, a three track which also boasted a remix of `Inferno' and a version of Rodgers & Hart's `My Funny Valentine'. By then they had all but renounced their original modus operandi. "We were bored with the classical set up and needed new ideas," explained Katharine. However, any thoughts that the band might be veering into too-familiar waters were quickly dispelled by Ben. "I worry about that, it's very easy to play rock `n' roll," he admitted, "but I'm anxious not to drift towards it." That MSG stood defiantly away from any more of such notions was made clear on their next album, the Paul Kendall produced `Suspira'. Named after an Italian horror film by Dario Argento and featuring a decidedly eerie version of David Lynch's `In Heaven (Everything Up Here Is Fine)' (from Eraserhead), this was an album of surreal depth and vision, which invited comparisons to Tim Buckley and Buffy Saint Marie. "Like a mosaic or a stained glass window, Miranda Sex Garden's music can seem thoroughly artificial and heart-stopping the beautiful at the same time," decided Melody Maker. After touring with Levitation and Spiritualizd, the band began working, in collaboration with Simon Fisher Turner and various other artists, on the soundtrack for Derek Jarman's Blue.

More line-up changes were to come at the turn of `83/'84, when Donna left to be replaced by singer and keyboards player Hepzibah Sessa. Following on from their work on Blue, MSG began making a name for themselves at various multi-media events; playing as their alter egos Waltzing Maggots at London's fetish emporium The Torture Garden, and hosting The Lunatic Fringe nights at Holborn's Leisure Lounge, the first of which was graced by the presence of the late Leigh Bowery and "a very drunk and very naked" Simon Fisher Turner. The next LP reflected more of their burgeoning interest all things fetishistic.

`Fairytales Of Slavery', produced by Einstürzende Neubauten's Alex Hacke, was preceded by the single `Peepshow', which was launched with a performance by the band in the window of Tower Records, Piccadilly Circus. "Fetish club people are more honest with themselves about what they want," remarked Katharine. "I like the way they interact with other people."

`Fairytales Of Slavery' was applauded for it's vampish theatricality. "It belongs to a whole other world," expounded Melody Maker. "It's not like this one." MSG expanded The Lunatic Fringe to nights at the celebrated Waikiki Lounge, performing with artists ranging from Nicola Bowery's Minty to transvestite rocker Sexton Ming to body artist Alex Binnie. This visually stunning, genre bending fusion and celebration of artistry was welcomed by all kinds of voyeurs, trendsetters and genuine bizzarros.

Miranda Sex Garden had finally found a place called home.

Miranda Sex Garden discography

Gush Forth My Tears
Release info:
1991--Mute Records

Group members:
Katharine Blake--vocals
Kelly McCusker--vocals
Jocelyn West--vocals

Tracklist:
1. Gush Forth My Tears (Interest at source mix)
2. Gush Forth My Tears
3. Gush Forth My Tears (Ambient mix)
4. Gush Forth My Tears (The first steppes mix)

Madra
Release info:
1991--Mute Records

Group members:
Katharine Blake--vocals
Kelly McCusker--vocals
Jocelyn West--vocals

Tracklist:
1. Seek sweet content
2. While joyful springtime lasteth
3. Though Philomela lost her love
4. Go wailing accents
5. Gush forth my tears
6. Fly not so fast
7. The nightingale
8. Lady those eyes
9. Though my carriage be but careless
10. All creatures now are merry minded
11. Full fathom five
12. See Amaryllis Shamed
13. It was a lover and his lass
14. Those sweet delightful lilies
15. Ah, look upon these eyes
16. If it be love
17. Away, thou shalt not love me
18. How merrily we live
19. Sweet Kate
20. This love is but a wanton fit
21. Sure there is no god of love
22. See mine own jewel
23. When first I saw thee
24. The silver swan
25. Sweet honey sucking bees

 
Delusion
Release info:
1991--Mute Records

Group members:
Katharine Blake--vocals
Kelly McCusker--vocals
Jocelyn West--vocals

 

Heart on the Line
Release info:
1991--Mute Records

Group members:
Katharine Blake--vocals
Kelly McCusker--vocals
Jocelyn West--vocals

 

Iris (EP)

Release info:
1992--Mute Records (U.K. and Europe)--MUTE 9 61277-2, Elektra (U.S.)

Group members:
Kelly McCusker--vocals, violin, organ
Katharine Blake--vocals, violin, percussion
Donna McKevitt--vocals, viola
Ben Golomstock--guitars, organ, bass, vocals
Trevor Sharpe--drums, percussion, bass

Tracklist:
1. Lovely Joan
2. Falling
3. Fear
4. Blue Light
5. Iris Cinema is King Possessed

 
Play

Release info:
1993--Mute Records/ Elektra

Group members:
Kelly McCusker--vocals, violin, organ
Katharine Blake--vocals, violin, percussion
Donna McKevitt--vocals, viola
Ben Golomstock--guitars, organ, bass, vocals
Trevor Sharpe--drums, percussion, bass

 

Suspiria

Release info:
1993--Mute Records/Elektra

Group members:
Kelly McCusker--vocals, violin, organ
Katharine Blake--vocals, violin, percussion
Donna McKevitt--vocals, viola
Ben Golomstock--guitars, organ, bass, vocals
Trevor Sharpe--drums, percussion, bass

Backing musicians
Andrew Blick--trumpet
Sarah Cole--flute, piccolo
Dale--cello, strings
Nick Etheridge--tuba
Rupert Price--trombone
Helen Sidey--clarinet
Antony Wilson--mandolin
Chris Wilson--bass

Tracklist:
1. Ardera Sempre
2. Open Eyes
3. Sunshine
4. Distance
5. Play
6. In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)
7. Bring Down The Sky
8. Feed
9. Inferno
10. Willie Biddle and his Waltzing Maggot
11. My Funny Valentine

 
Sunshine

Release info:
1993--Mute Records/ Elektra

Group members:
Kelly McCusker--vocals, violin, organ
Katharine Blake--vocals, violin, percussion
Donna McKevitt--vocals, viola
Ben Golomstock--guitars, organ, bass, vocals
Trevor Sharpe--drums, percussion, bass

 

Peep Show

Release info:
1994--Mute Records/Elektra

Group members:
Katharine Blake--vocals, recorder, glockenspiel, piano
Donna McKevitt--vocals, viola
Ben Golomstock--guitars, keyboards
Trevor Sharpe--drums, percussion

 

Fairytales of Slavery

Release info:
1994--Mute Records/Elektra

Group members:
Katharine Blake--vocals, recorder, glockenspiel, piano
Donna McKevitt--vocals, viola
Ben Golomstock--guitars, keyboards
Trevor Sharpe--drums, percussion
Mike Servent joined the band for the Fairytales of Slavery tour

Guest musicians:
Hepzibah Sessa--keyboards
Kim Fahey--bass, guitar
Andrew Blick--trumpet

Tracklist:
1. Cut
2. Fly
3. Peep Show
4. The Wooden Boat
5. Havana Lied
6. Cover My Face
7. Transit
8. Freezing
9. Serial Angels
10. Wheel
11. Intermission
12. The Monk Song
13. A Fairytale About Slavery

Tracklist:
1. Cut
2. Fly
3. Peep Show
4. The Wooden Boat
5. Havana Lied
6. Cover My Face
7. Transit
8. Freezing
9. Serial Angels
10. Wheel
11. Intermission
12. The Monk Song
13. A Fairytale About Slavery

 

Hideaway Original Soundtrack

Released:
1995

 

Carnival of Souls

Release info:
2000--Mute Records/Elektra

Group members:
Katharine Blake
Trevo Sharpe
Ben Golomstock
Teresa Casella
Mike Servent
Barney Hollington

Tracklist:
1. Are You The One
2. Sleeping Beauty
3. Tonight
4. All There Is
5. Broken Glass
6. Escape from Kilburn
7. Token
8. Without Trace
9. Caravan
10. Thrusty Bob's Hardcore Lounge
11. Close to the Sky
12. Ever & Ever