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Darius

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I haven’t been able to listen to any of Darius’s music yet, it’s still too raw. I don’t think I’ll be able to listen to Caledonia again. Sue
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Tamara Harvey who directed From Here To Eternity when Darius starred as Warden is to be one of the 2 co-directors of the Royal Shakespeare Company. I think she'll be a breath of fresh air.

 

Nope, still can't listen to Caledonia. Got emotional enough when I listened to Journey's End today.

 

There is something really haunting about the top range of Darius's voice when he sings those deeply personal to him songs from 2003/4.

 

It was a tough time for him. He was working so hard then he and Jacqui split up because of work. Jacqui had long term commitments in Hong Kong and New York. You could tell at the Dive In tour that they really loved each other.

 

He got writers block too. Remember the skinhead. But he got back on track and made a guest appearance on PI 2, at final 3 stage, singing Right Girl Wrong Time. He was very encouraging to Mark, Sam and Michelle on the show and PI Extra.

 

Went back to record in the US and soon got the news that his beloved father had terminal cancer.

Edited by Baytree

I posted this in the Dive In Review thread. Thought I'd bring it over. Didn't add a review. I've always been a touch biased Re Darius.

 

It's interesting that the most popular tracks Colourblind, Rushes and Mockingbird were all written by Darius before he ever met Simon Cowell.

 

16 year old Darius wrote the lyrics for Rushes on the back of 5 bus tickets on the way to school.

 

'Popstars' Darius complete with pony tail and goatee and wearing a bandana, sang Mockingbird at the Live and Loud festival in Glasgow a couple of months before Pop Idol.

I used to have the live version. Sadly I seem to have lost it. Maybe someone else still has lt?

 

Colourblind had already been produced to demo by Deni Lew and Pete Glennister (The Misfits), who produced most of Dive In.

 

Darius turned up to Pop Idol with his guitar because the producers had agreed to let him sing his own song.

In the audition room he asked to sing his own song. The judges were OK with that but the executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe (the guy who cut Darius from Popstars), refused and sent him out to reenter without the guitar.

 

When Cowell had Darius locked into BMG via Pop Idol's final 10 contract, Darius handed him the demo of Colourblind. For less than a minute Simon had both Darius and Colourblind!

Just enough time for him to throw the demo tape onto the table and instruct Darius to report to Pete Waterman's studio the following Monday.

 

Yesterday I found my old CD of Darius in Pop Idol. Another of those weird circular co - incidences in D's life... The song he plucked out of the air to sing instead of Colourblind was Future Love Paradise by Seal.

 

Only 4 years later Darius had a Hollywood girlfriend whom he met at a pedestrian crossing, in LA and they were close friends with Seal and Heidi Klum.

 

 

How's everyone doing? If it's appropriate to post the pop idol reunion show was due to be recorded on Wednesday just gone. It's been postponed out of respect for Darius 😟 I hope they do manage to arrange some sort of special tribute for him whatever that might be. https://www-chroniclelive-co-uk.cdn.ampproj...darius-25088115 I still can't take it in. I'm finding it really hard to accept that he's gone 😞

Edited by Polly

Hi, Polly. I'm still here.

 

When I first posted here I said I'd resigned myself to the fact Darius was gone.. Actually I haven't. I feel his loss much deeper now.. I feel empty, rudderless..

 

Thanks for the PI info. It'really sad to think how close he was to coming home. So tragic! I think they should show Darius's 2 totally different performances on the pop idol tour.

 

Let There Be Love was a master class in how to use a stage for a classy performance of swing music. In 5 minutes Darius set the scene, complimented the audience, and thanked them, did Sean Connery's "shaken not stirred when proffered a drink, played the intro melody of his song on the piano, sang and at the instrumental break, introduced Simon Collum on piano. Loosened his bow tieand invited the audience to " give it up for the Big Blue " then back to the piano before finishing the song. His vocals were so smooth like melting chocolate whether he was seated or moving gracefully around the stage. There was a well timed pause before his final notes.

 

That's when I knew Darius was the only pop idol I'd ever need. He could take on different styles, invest them with a suitable character and sing in it. A consummate perrformer.

 

Looking at it now, I think Pete Waterman was right. Given such raw talent, I think Darius could have been every bit as good as Michael Buble, maybe even better

Edited by Baytree

If its appropriate to post I just found a lovely tribute from Aria and Cyrus to Darius on instagram. I'm not going to lie it's upset me and i'm sorry if it upsets everyone but I thought people would want to see D's brothers tribute to him. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci5WJe-q9Af/ :cry:

Edited by Polly

If its appropriate to post I just found a lovely tribute from Aria and Cyrus to Darius on instagram. I'm not going to lie it's upset me and i'm sorry if it upsets everyone but I thought people would want to see D's brothers tribute to him. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci5WJe-q9Af/ :cry:

And now unfortunately it feels real :(

Edited by Polly

I don't use Instagram but I've been able to see the 2 photos. Thanks, Polly. Were there any captions or other text I might have missed?

 

Cyrus looks more and more like Darius. To think he was just about 5 years old when Darius was in PI.

Edited by Baytree

Tribute reads

Brother,

 

We will miss you so much.

 

you were a supernova star, shining light and love to so many.

 

It was the greatest privilege to be your brother for all these years.

 

While your earthly presence has passed, your spirit will forever be with us. We will celebrate and love you, always.

 

Until we meet again,

 

Aria & Cyrus

 

 

 

 

There are 9 photos that go with the tribute but I'm struggling to bring them over here from instagram. Sorry. Mind you it's probably a good thing I can't transfer them to here because everytime I look at them it makes me feel sad 😭

Edited by Polly

Thought I'd post this from Facebook incase anyone has not seen it. I unfortunately won't be attending as it is too far away 😞 but I'll be thinking of everyone who does go on the day and of course of D 😞 https://m.facebook.com/groups/524422530975462/

 

My thoughts will be with everyone attending the memorial today and of course with D. Sorry I can't be there. 😞

Edited by Polly

If you click on the YouTube link apparently the first three songs were written by D when he was just 17. Hope people won't get upset listening to them. I know it's still hard for everyone. 😟 https://m.facebook.com/groups/dariusfanforu...04686709615660/

The third one kinda makes me laugh. I've only listened to a bit of it but I think it's literally just music all the way through and Darius sings the words I'm just chilling every now and again and that's it and when I say music it reminds me of old style supermarket music 🤣 Joking aside it's still hard to believe he's no longer with us. I thought listening to these songs would upset me but strangely they are giving me comfort somehow.🥲

Edited by Polly

The I'm Just Chilling one was Darius's composition piece for his Scottish Higher Music exam in 1997.

 

There are some 1997 Higher papers online but I haven't found the Music one yet.

 

Anyway I don't think the instructions he had to follow for this would be in past papers. It's more like an art student submitting a portfolio of work.

 

There would be strict guidelines and every criterion would have to be included and well executed to get a good grade.

 

Darius would've worked on it throughout the term and probably had to record a log of every step to the finished piece.

 

I haven't listened to it carefully enough to work out whether Darius played the instruments himself.

 

As you know, he could play guitar, violin, piano and saxophone by then. Also had to play recorder in Primary school.

 

 

 

 

The I'm Just Chilling one was Darius's composition piece for his Scottish Higher Music exam in 1997.

 

There are some 1997 Higher papers online but I haven't found the Music one yet.

 

Anyway I don't think the instructions he had to follow for this would be in past papers. It's more like an art student submitting a portfolio of work.

 

There would be strict guidelines and every criterion would have to be included and well executed to get a good grade.

 

Darius would've worked on it throughout the term and probably had to record a log of every step to the finished piece.

 

I haven't listened to it carefully enough to work out whether Darius played the instruments himself.

 

As you know, he could play guitar, violin, piano and saxophone by then. Also had to play recorder in Primary school.

Wow I knew he could play guitar, piano, saxophone and I knew he learned the recorder at school. He talks about that with Cyrus when he picks him up from school in his dvd and he could sing and act too but I never knew he could play violin. He really was a man of many talents. I still miss him a lot and still can't believe he's gone. :(

Edited by Polly

I know this isn't really relevant anymore but rehearsals for FHTE started today. I hope it all goes well for them this time.

One of the Saturday morning shows once made Darius to play all of them one after the other.

 

Did you know Darius also did Shakespeare? He was in a production of Romeo and Juliet at the Edinburgh Festival. He played Mercutio, Romeo's best friend.

 

I know this isn't really relevant anymore but rehearsals for FHTE started today. I hope it all goes well for them this time.

 

I wish them all the best and hope they have a nice long run. I won't be going. If it ever tours I may. I haven't been in London since I went to Funny Girl at the Savoy.

 

Watching the Dvd again made me so sad. One of my favourite scenes was the Ain't Where I Wanna Be scene.

 

Darius went into the show right after he and Natasha separated.

 

That must have been hard enough but if Darius was also in physical pain, I can't imagine how he was after slamming down backwards from his full height onto a stage and 5 minutes later repeating the fall backwards from a seated position in this scene 8 times a week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't want to make anyone feel worse but I can't believe it's officially two months since D passed away. It feels like it's gone by so fast (to me it has anyway). Still hard to believe he's not here anymore 😭

Edited by Polly

September whizzed by so fast. I'm beginning to actually start seriously thinking about Christmas although I don't usually until November.

 

Re Darius I'm concentrating more on his legacy rather than his loss.

 

For 20 years Darius has been my inspiration. In crises or doubt, something I remembered Darius saying or a song lyric would strike a chord and re-energise and motivate me to rise above the negativity and deal with whatever it was one step at a time.

 

As fans we are so lucky to have many special and personal memories to continue to inspire us because Darius was always so accessible, so open-hearted and so inclusive. Frankly I've had a real virtual Darius immersion session. I think it was important for me. We all grieve in different ways and that and the accompanying reflection and the power of prayer was my way.

 

"Onward and upwards!"

Edited by Baytree

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