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Jimmy McShane

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Jimmy McShane
McShane in 1987
Background information
Birth nameJames Harry McShane
Also known asRuby
Born(1957-05-23)23 May 1957
Derry, Northern Ireland
Died29 March 1995(1995-03-29) (aged 37)
Derry, Northern Ireland
Genres
OccupationSinger
Years active1982–1988
Formerly ofBaltimora

James Harry McShane (23 May 1957 – 29 March 1995) was a Northern Irish singer who held both British and Italian citizenship. He achieved recognition as the lead singer of the Italian new wave band Baltimora, most notably with their 1985 hit song "Tarzan Boy".

Biography

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Early life and Baltimora

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James Harry McShane was born in Derry on 23 May 1957.[1] He was educated at Long Tower Primary School and then St Joseph's and St Peter's Secondary Schools.[2] From a young age, he took a great interest in dancing and learned to play the guitar.[1] After his education, he worked at Gransha Hospital and trained as a nurse with the Red Cross.[1] In a 2018 interview, McShane's brother Damien said that Jimmy had been bullied growing up, but that at the time they had attributed it to his "loud personality," not realizing that he was gay.[3]

In the 1970s, McShane relocated to London to attend stage school and performed some small roles in a number of West End musicals.[4] He then began working with English singer Dee D. Jackson and provided the "robotic" backing vocals on her 1978 hit "Automatic Lover".[5][6][7] He toured Europe for 18 months as a stage dancer and backing singer with Jackson and her band.[4][8] During this time, he discovered Italy and, after becoming attracted to the country's underground dance scene, relocated to Milan in 1983.[9][10] He told Dick Clark on American Bandstand in 1986 that he fell in love with Italy, and would later become fluent in Italian and acquire Italian citizenship.[11]

In 1984, McShane met Italian record producer and keyboardist Maurizio Bassi, with whom he created the band Baltimora. The act found worldwide success with its most popular single, "Tarzan Boy", released in 1985. Some sources state that the lead vocals were performed by Bassi while McShane provided backing vocals, but this still remains uncertain, and McShane appears as the vocalist in the song's music video rather than Bassi.[12][13] The band released two albums, Living in the Background (1985) and Survivor in Love (1987), before disbanding in 1988.[1]

Final years and death

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In 1992, following the death of his partner of nine years, McShane discovered he was HIV positive and returned to live with his family at his childhood home in Derry.[2] While his family was happy about his return, this was not the case for everyone and indeed at one time he was explicitly attacked for being gay while at a house party in Carnhill; “They beat him, broke his nose and teeth, solely because he was gay,” his brother recalled.[3] On 25 November 1992, he appeared at the Rock Relief concert held at the local venue Rialto, where he provided backing vocals alongside Jeanette Hutton for rock band King Rat's set.[14] On 15 February 1993, he was one of the judges for the Gweedor Bar/Harp Lager Battle of the Bands '93 final, held at the Guildhall.[15] McShane also went on to perform vocals with the local band the Jaywalkers later in the year.[16]

Inspired by the success of Peter Cunnah and his group D Ream, and with encouragement from his friends, McShane booked himself into the local Big River Studios in January 1994 to record some new tracks, with the frontman of the Jaywalkers, Jim Walker, as a collaborator. McShane told the Derry Journal that his new music was "much more funk/soul-influenced" than his previous work with Baltimora.[16][17] None of the recordings were released to the public. In January 1995, McShane announced his intention to re-record "Tarzan Boy" for release as a charity single. All proceeds were to have gone to the Northern Ireland AIDS Helpline and the AIDS clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. There were also future plans to collaborate with Peter Cunnah and D Ream.[18]

McShane died of an AIDS-related illness at his family's home on 29 March 1995 at the age of 37.[19][2] A family spokesman said that he "faced his illness with courage and died with great dignity". He is buried in Derry City Cemetery next to his father, who died three years prior in 1992.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Jimmy McShane (death notice)". baltimora.webcindario.com (in Spanish).
  2. ^ a b c "Pop star "Baltimora" dies in Derry". Derry Journal. 31 March 1995. p. 5. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ a b "Brother of Derry pop star speaks of AIDS stigma and devastation". Derry Journal. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Baltimora is Jimmy McShane". Derry Journal. 3 September 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ Jasper, Tony (23 August 1985). "Jungle monster from boy in leopard skin". Manchester Evening News. p. 12. Retrieved 26 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ McAleer, Dave (1990). The Omnibus Book of British and American Hit Singles, 1960-1990. Omnibus Press. p. 15. ISBN 9780711921801.
  7. ^ Chris White, ed. (17 August 1985). "Talent: Chart newcomer". Music Week. p. 24. ISSN 0265-1548.
  8. ^ McNeilly, Claire (27 April 2016). "Tragic Derry pop star Jimmy McShane's Tarzan Boy a big hit again thanks to new Wonga ad". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  9. ^ Knocking on Heaven's Door: Rock Obituaries – Nick Talevski. Omnibus Press. 7 April 2010. ISBN 9780857121172. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  10. ^ Jimmy McShane (Baltimora) (23 August 1985). Bravo TV (TV). RTL II.
  11. ^ "Dick Clark Interviews – American Bandstand 1986". 7 April 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2012 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "One Hit Wonder Baltimora: Tarzan Boy" (in German). Bayerischer Rundfunk. Retrieved 4 December 2010.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ See "Epilogue" section. Archived 9 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine euro-flash.com, 2004.
  14. ^ "Concert of the year in the Rialto". Derry Journal. 1 December 1992. p. 2. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ Harrison, Michael (18 February 1993). "The Id win first rate final". Londonderry Sentinel. p. 11. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ a b "Tarzan Boy to swing again?". Derry Journal. 25 January 1994. p. 17. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "Musical Notes: Bin Lids for Radio 1?". Derry Journal. 28 January 1994. p. 13. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ McMonagle, Michael (3 January 1995). "Tarzan's Boy gets new sidekick". Derry Journal. p. 9. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ Claire McNeilly (27 April 2016). "Tragic Derry pop star Jimmy McShane's Tarzan Boy a big hit again thanks to new Wonga ad". Belfast Telegraph.
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