Diamond Rings Spices Up His Austra Remix With Salt-N-Pepa -- NXNE

Formerly frontman to the garage rockin' D'Urbervilles (now reformed as Matters), John O'Regan has seen his musical career skyrocket upwards with the creation of his glam alter-ego Diamond Rings. Borrowing liberally from both Ziggy Stardust, Ian Curtis and Salt-N-Pepa, Spinner caught up with Toronto-based Diamond Rings while he was shopping for tank tops at Walmart.

So how is the Walmart selection?

It's pretty good. They've got what I need, they have the white ones.

So you've been traveling a bit lately right?

Yeah, I was just in Italy.

How's the shopping there?

I've been working on a lot of remixes lately so I didn't have a lot of time, but I did get a watch, and a lot of gelato. My favourite's pistachio.

Nice, just like your favourite colour, green.

[Laughs] Yeah, that's right. Well, it's not a true green, but yeah, it's in that ballpark.

Speaking of remixes, you've been quite busy with them, tackling Miracle Fortress' 'Raw Spectacle', Austra's 'Lose It' and Slow Hand Motëm's 'True Douglas'. How do you approach the work?

I try to approach it very selflessly. I'm not into putting my own personal stamp on something since the songs I'm working on are all great. But it's more about trying to find a way to make it better. I try to make that happen however possible.

Listen to Diamond Rings' Remix of Austra's 'Lose It'
You're dominating in all areas as an emerging artist...

A big part of it is that I like to work all the time. At some point, especially when I'm writing lyrics or working on my own stuff, it can be really draining. Sometimes I need a break but want to be listening to new music, being creative. That's why remixes are perfect. Rather than building a house from the ground up, the architecture has already been planned out. It's more a matter of being an interior decorator and drawing out the textures. It takes some of that creative pressure off and makes it more fun -- I don't have to think as much.

That's a great analogy.

I do a lot of interior decorating myself -- that's another thing I've been working on. Reorganizing the studio space, I work and live in the same shared art space. I'm trying to make it a more exciting place to hang out; I approach everything from a design perspective.

I'm hearing a lot of Salt-N-Pepa influences in your Austra remix. Is there a 'Push It' sample in there? I understand you are a fan of the girls.

It wasn't a sample, it was all legit. But, yes, definitely that came through. I usually listen to a song and pick up a vibe from the artist. I thought that there was a real sense of urgency in the song, it's very emotional, and I wanted to draw that out more. I'm actually working on three other remixes. I can't talk about them right now, but I'm going for a real range of styles.

Would you ever turn to design when you get tired of music?

Well, I do all of it already. I design my website, my album art. I'm trained as an artist, not as a musician, so it's all an extension of myself.

Given your recent popularity, have you had to tone down the glam in public?

It's a real thrill to be recognized for what I can do. It's the highest compliment as an artist. But for me, it's about finding a distinction between who I am on stage and who I am when I'm at Walmart, for example.

Diamond Rings play Yonge-Dundas Square on Friday, June 17 @ 7:30PM-8:10PM & Wrongbar on Saturday, June 18 @ 12AM
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