Diamond Rings

Outside of Negativland, has any artist benefited from accusations of copyright infringement as much as Diamond Rings’ John O’Regan? In 2009, the frontman of Toronto dance-pop-pastiche group The D’Urbervilles posted the video for his insanely catchy “All Yr Songs”—featuring an androgynous, glammed-up, acid-wash-jean-bedecked O’Regan shaking it in front of a green screen as an homage to early-’90s rap videos—only to have YouTube yank it after mistaking it for a cover of “Diamond Rings” by rapper Chipmunk. The ensuing drama garnered scads of well-deserved attention for O’Regan’s smart, sassy, bedroom-electro side project, which threatens to become his main gig now that his full-length, Special Affections, is finally out. 

Updated 02/08/2011