MC Kinky

MC Kinky, also known as Feral and Caron Geary, is a British raggamuffin toaster and performer associated with old school hardcore. She grows up in North London, listening to reggae alongside artists such as David Essex, Marc Bolan and Kate Bush. She is described as a white female raggamuffin toaster, although she is not treated as a reggae artist alone.

Early life and start in music

Before focusing on vocals, she starts out as a drummer. After being expelled from sixth-form college, she works in children’s play centres during the day and in nightclubs at night. Her interest in Bob Marley leads her to try chatting over music, and she records a demo called “Kinky Reggae”. She gives the demo to Boy George after meeting him in a London nightclub, and he encourages her to develop her style.

Breakthrough with Boy George and E-Zee Possee

Her first major exposure comes after she raps on “Kipsy” from Boy George’s High Hat album, which leads to a deal with More Protein. She then appears on the first E-Zee Possee single, “Everything Starts With An E”, which becomes her breakthrough record. The track reaches the UK top 20 and becomes associated with the “summer of love” club era. It is originally written as an instrumental by Jeremy Healy, a long-time friend of Boy George, who adds MC Kinky’s vocals to the recording. The record company initially objects to the rap part, but Boy George insists that the track depends on her contribution. Virgin does not want to fund the first pressing, so George pays for it himself, and the initial run sells out quickly before the song gains wider DJ support and is eventually reissued successfully.

Solo releases and label work

After the success of “Everything Starts With An E”, Virgin sends her into the studio for solo singles including “Get Over It” and “Inna We Kingdom”. These recordings do not chart, despite substantial studio and remix work. She also appears on “Generations of Love” by Jesus Loves You, and on Erasure’s ABBA EP, both of which place her vocals on records that achieve significant chart success. After a dispute with Boy George, she leaves that period of work and, while still under contract, issues white labels under disguised names such as Minnie the Minx. Virgin later lets her go.

Later releases and collaborations

She is then signed by EMI and releases “Everybody” under the name Kinky, but the single does not attract the response hoped for and she leaves the label after that release. She continues working across different styles with a wide range of collaborators, including vocals on Jam & Spoon’s remix of Giorgio Moroder’s “The Chase” and work with Jah Wobble and Natacha Atlas. She also records demos under different names and performs and DJs in places including Twilo in New York and Love Parade 98 in Berlin.

Later projects

In 1999 she teams up with Wayward Soul on “Real Wild Child”, which becomes a major club hit when remixed and re-released in 2001. In 2001 she also works with Storm, the alias of Jam & Spoon, on a remix of “We Love”, which is first released in Germany and then picked up by labels in other countries. She is also active with Cantankerous, fronting the project while wearing a balaclava and a Celtic jacket. Alongside music, Caron Geary also works as a photographer.