If the music world were run by the musicians and not the studios, Gitame Demone might be more famous than Madonna. She is just as sexy as Madonna and has a more unique, if not, more powerful singing voice.

            But since this is not the case, we are going to have to suffice and discover Demone through such great labels as Cult Epics. Here is a 2-DVD set of rare performances by Gitane Demone, released on November 18th. Before I write any more, you might already be asking “Who is Gitane Demone?” Hopefully I can shed some light for you.

            Gitane is the former singer of Christian Death, which was a band formed by Rozz Williams (Pig, Cinema of Death). She later separated from Rozz and band to perform on her own. Gitane is known for her trendsetting goth-fetish-punk shows all sung to the tranquil and lush Billie Holiday-style jazz vocals. It is quite a sexy!

            Reading through the insert that comes with this set, it is quite evident that Nico B (Pig, Bettie Page: Dark Angel) has a personal investment in producing this set as Gitane is a former lover of Nico. He shot a handful of the videos himself while they were together traveling around Europe, and so some of those are on this set. Together, they both influenced each other creatively exploring their various styles and with the people they hung around. Gitane, through her travels, has worked with some well known underground indies such as Danielle Dax, Legendary Pink Dots, PigFace and others.

            I am not one to critique music as I am the “I-know-what-I-like” type of listener, but I must admit her style of singing is something I have not heard before – and I like it. I cannot say this would follow many tastes, but if you are an eclectic music listener, or are a fan of Christian Death or Billie Holiday, you may find this appealing to you.

The videos themselves are mostly of live performances shot on video (Hi8 and VHS), some from European television sources, some while on tour. Also is a rare live duet with Rozz Williams. The sound is audible and clear, however, not something you want going out of your awesome sound system. I would invest in her CD’s for that. Otherwise, there are interviews interspersed where Demone talks about her life, loves and philosophy, much of which is centered on sex. Not in a carnal way, but she has obviously experienced enough to decide that sex is wonderful, but it is also disappointing. Her decision then comes to finding that a type of spiritual sex is, perhaps, the most fulfilling. And so you hear her sing about the relationship she has with sex (oh, and death too!)

This set is a 2-disc set in a digi-pack that is a limited edition of 2500 copies. It is not numbered, but states at the top of the back of the box. It also includes a bonus CD of unreleased material. The cover and all photographs within the set are shot by Jan Willem Steenmeijer. There are 13 tracks total with a running time 210 minutes in both black and white and color. Perhaps with the popularity of Pig and Rozz Williams fans, they will certainly jump for the chance to grab this set! Whether or not the hardcore fanbase extends 2500 people will remain a question to those who are interested in collectible DVDs. The actual number of copies printed are put into question with previous Cult Epics releases, and this one is no different.

The third disc, which is a bonus disc, is in a plastic sleeve set in the pocket where the insert lies. This is a 10-track CD with music never before released until now. Again, if you enjoy her voice, the CD will be an additional bonus for you.

In a world where the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Speares rules the airways, voices like Gitane Demone is hardle ever notice. But thankfully, we have this DVD set to give her some recognition and, with a little help, a wider American audience. Cult Epics offers an excellent release of rare footage that is great to watch and listen to.

For more information, visit the Cult Epics website.