Miranda Sex Garden

Miranda Sex Garden

Company type	Music ensemble
Industry	Music
Founded	1990
Founder	Katharine Blake, Kelly McCusker, Jocelyn West
Headquarters	London , England
Products	Music albums and singles

Miranda Sex Garden is a London-based English music ensemble, originally active from 1990 until 2000, and reassembled in 2022.

Formation and Early Years (1990–1991)

Established in 1990 by Katharine Blake, Kelly McCusker, and Jocelyn West, the group initially focused on madrigal vocal styles combined with instrumental expertise. All three members were alumni of The Purcell School for Young Musicians in Bushey. Their band name was drawn from William S. Burroughs' novel The Ticket That Exploded.

To build performance experience and generate income, they performed as street musicians in London. Katharine Blake mentioned in Stubble Magazine that busking provided immediate audience interaction. Barry Adamson discovered them while they sang Elizabethan madrigals on Portobello Road, leading to their contribution of the track Il Solitario for his Delusion soundtrack. Following this, Daniel Miller signed the group to Mute Records. Their debut single, Gush Forth My Tears (March 1991), merged madrigal-style vocals with rhythmic beats, remixed by Danny Rampling.

Their inaugural album, Madra (August 1991), produced by classical producer Tony Faulkner, was a fully a cappella collection inspired by traditional English poetry, recorded over just two days. To support the release, they opened for Blur at London's Astoria venue in April 1991.

Evolution and Expansion (1992–1993)

Miranda Sex Garden broadened their musical palette beyond pure a cappella by incorporating violins and later adding guitarist/keyboardist/bassist Ben Golomstock along with drummer Trevor Sharpe. In 1992, Jocelyn West departed to marry and relocate to the United States; she was succeeded by Donna McKevitt, who contributed vocals as well as violin and viola.

By the time of their second release, the Iris (1992), the band had integrated madrigal harmonies with influences from folk, gothic rock, dark wave, ethereal wave, and industrial genres. They delivered notable live performances alongside acts such as Curve, Nick Cave, and The Balanescu Quartet.

In January 1993, they released the single "Play," followed by their third album Suspiria in March. During this period, they toured with Levitation and Spiritualized and participated in Derek Jarman's "Blue" soundtrack project alongside Simon Fisher Turner and Brian Eno. Late in 1993, Kelly McCusker exited to pursue classical music ambitions; Hepzibah Sessa replaced her for tours supporting Einstürzende Neubauten and Depeche Mode's "Devotional" tour.

Artistic Maturity and Hiatus/Reunion Phase (1994–1998)

In 1994, with Kim Fahy joining on bass, Miranda Sex Garden adopted a darker and more refined sound that explored themes of sexual fetishism. They organized "Lunatic Fringe" events at Holborn’s Leisure Lounge and created an alternate identity band named Waltzing Maggots, performing at London’s fetish venue Torture Garden.

Their fourth album, Fairytales of Slavery, produced by Alexander Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten fame, showcased a heavier production style focusing on Blake’s lead vocals with reduced harmonic layering. The record included industrial contributions from F.M. Einheit. Promotion for the single "Peepshow" featured a live appearance at Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus. The "Lunatic Fringe" nights expanded to Waikiki Lounge with performances alongside artists like Minty and Sexton Ming.

Following their 1994 tour, Sessa departed to collaborate with Alan Wilder's Recoil project. Teresa Casella took over bass duties from Kim Fahy while Mike Servent assumed keyboard responsibilities. Between 1994 and 1995, the band toured with Hole before separating from Donna McKevitt and ending their association with Mute Records, entering a period of inactivity.

During this hiatus, Katharine Blake founded Mediæval Bæbes with Dorothy Carter; their debut album reached number one on classical charts in 1996. Trevor Sharpe performed drums for Minty and other groups. Donna McKevitt released Translucence (A Song Cycle) in 1998 featuring Derek Jarman’s poetry set to classical string arrangements; Kelly McCusker contributed as well. Ben Golomstock formed Naked Goat with musicians from Flesh for Lulu among others.

Miranda Sex Garden briefly regrouped featuring Blake, Golomstock, Sharpe, Servent, Casella, and Naked Goat’s Barney Hollington on violin and Hammond organ. Lacking a record contract or financial backing, they played sporadic shows in London while members engaged in separate projects.

Carnival of Souls era (1999-2000) and extended hiatus (2001-2021)

Miranda Sex Garden recorded the album Carnival of Souls in 1999, released under SugarDaddy Records with Cleopatra managing distribution in the United States. When it came out in 2000, the album did not benefit from significant promotional efforts by a major label and consequently attracted minimal public attention; the band eventually regarded it as never having been officially launched. A double A-side single titled "Tonight/Sex Garden" was intended to break into current dance music scenes but failed to achieve commercial traction. Besides this, their only other release during this period was a rendition of Radiohead's "Exit Music for a Film" for a tribute compilation. As Katharine Blake concentrated on her work with Mediæval Bæbes, Miranda Sex Garden entered another phase of inactivity.

Ben Golomstock referred to this timeframe as "the Coma Years," emphasizing that the band did not formally disband. He collaborated with Blake on new recordings and attempted to produce another album, but internal difficulties prevented completion. In 2006, Golomstock issued his solo project, Stories From The Moon, which included contributions from Miranda Sex Garden members as well as collaborators from Mediaeval Baebes and other ventures.

Katharine Blake unveiled her solo debut Midnight Flower in 2007, followed by Jocelyn West's Salt Bird in 2009. Donna McKevitt released a classical and electronic mini-album titled Cut in 2015.

Ben Golomstock passed away in 2018. Remaining copies of Stories from the Moon were reissued in 2024 through Blake on the Mediæval Bæbes Bandcamp platform.

Second reunion (2022-present)

In 2022, Miranda Sex Garden reassembled with members Blake, Sharpe, Casella, and Servent from the Carnival of Souls lineup, augmented by Bev Lee Harling—Blake’s bandmate from Mediæval Bæbes—on violin and guitarist Kavus Torabi (Gong, Cardiacs, Knifeworld, Guapo/The Holy Family), who took over for Ben Golomstock. Their reunion performance took place at London's 100 Club on 28 July 2022.

By 2023, Emmett Elvin, a longtime collaborator of Torabi’s in Guapo and The Holy Family, replaced Mike Servent on keyboards. That year saw the band embark on a UK tour.

Looking ahead to 2024, Miranda Sex Garden is scheduled for a European tour in May with new keyboardist Justine Armatage (The Cesarians, former Christian Death), who has previously contributed to projects including Ben Golomstock's Stories from the Moon and Katharine Blake's From The Deep. On April 5, they issued their first single in twenty years titled "Velventine." Partially recorded back in 2000 with input from recent members, it was accompanied by their first music video in three decades.

Members

Current members

• Katharine Blake – vocals, violin, recorders, keyboards, piano, glockenspiel (1991–2000, 2022–present)
• Trevor Sharpe – drums, percussion (1992–2000, 2022–present)
• Teresa Casella – bass guitar (1994–2000, 2022–present)
• Bev Lee Harling – violin (2022–present)
• Kavus Torabi – guitar (2022–present)
• Justine Armatage – keyboards (2024–present)

Former members

• Jocelyn West – vocals (1991)
• Kelly McCusker – vocals, violin, viola (1991–1993)
• Hepzibah Sessa – vocals, keyboards, violin (1993–1994)
• Donna McKevitt – vocals, violin, viola (1992–1994)
• Kim Fahy – bass guitar (1994)
• Barney Hollington – violin, Hammond organ (1995/1996–2000)
• Ben Golomstock – guitar, keyboards, harmonium, glockenspiel, piano (1992–2000; died 2018)
• Mike Servent – keyboards (1993–2000, 2022)
• Emmett Elvin – keyboards (2023–2024)

Studio Albums

• Madra (1991)
• Suspiria (1993)
• Fairytales of Slavery (1994)
• Carnival of Souls (2000)

Extended Plays

• Iris (1992)
• Sunshine (1993)

Singles

• "Gush Forth My Tears" (1991)
• "Sunshine" (1993)
• "Play" (1993)
• "Peepshow" (1994)
• "Tonight/Sex Garden" (2000)
• "Velventine" (2024)