I had an International upbringing close to London's West End in my Mothers B&B, which explains a lot about me.  Due to the limited parameters set by the Music Industry It became logical to some of my contemporaries to set up our own Recording Labels and Publishing Companies which I have done. Sounds grand but the realities of “life, the universe and everything” as "they say" are far more difficult to handle. I have worked in many jobs to keep bread on the table. This is unvarnished truth about not just the Art and Music Business but Society in general. No matter our aspirations we must find or create an income.
Thanks to my Parents and the Era I grew up in, I was fortunate to be influenced by many Musical Ground Breakers from around the World,  Brilliant Musicians, Composers and Writers all Shining light on Global Music and some shone light on Social Inequalities.  I studied Art and Music in London, Boston, New York and Digital Music and Multimedia In Dublin. Sounds Romantic, trust me "Wild is The Wind". 

I was Born and grew up in 50's & 60's and into a Poet due to the support of the gently intellectual Sister Columbanus who had the task of improving my handwriting. I would copy out poems she introduced me too. One day she suggested I could try writing my own poems. I 'm certain it was Sister Columbanus’s non-judgmental teaching style that set my stream of consciousness style of writing free.

As I write in 2023 at 72 I realise how life has molded me, all I could do was respond and hold on to myself :) I began to compare myself to Alice in Wonderland as I tried to learn and make sense of the Light and Darkness in Humankind ("mankind" as the Amazing Joni Mitchel wrote in her track "The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey". )

ARTWORK

Another remarkable influence on me was Maria Souza. Maria was born in Goa in India a previous Portuguese Colony. As a very beautiful young woman when she travelled to Paris with her Artists husband. In Paris she studied Couture Dress Design and Making. Maria influenced me in so many ways as I grew up and opened up the world of Art to me. My Original Artwork is Photographed and Reproduced INDIVIDUALLY as QUALITY LIMITED EDITION PRINTS by Murray Imaging Studios Ireland. Tony Murray is a Specialist in Reproducing Work by Professional Artists, Photographers and Illustrators.

MUSIC

Thanks to Sister Columbanus releasing the writer in me, I have made many Songs from the Free Flow of words that could turn on at any time day or night. I took to having Paper, Pen and Notebooks close by to catch the streams. One example is 'Our Own Understanding' aka 'A Man of Many Sorrows' which is about the killing fields of the both WWI and WWII. Even in my teens I was aware how Cruel People in charge of any Ideology inflict horrific genocidal control of people they don't like and who answer them back. Bullies, no matter where they are behave like this to greater or lesser degrees. Later I wrote a short Poem about what I termed the "ism" or "ist" and how simple it is for us to slip into the vacuum extremism" creates. Eventually I managed to Produce it in Dublin at Loop Studios with the Brilliant Bassist Erin McVeigh and a Talented Banjo Player Pat ‘The Banjo’ Murphy.

IF ITS MAGIC

You could think, and might be right, this is where my Career started. But since a Child singing in school breaktimes I did what I could to find my way in the "Mix Up World" of the "Arts". Joined Drama Groups, went to Art School, exhibited my work. Also did backing vocals both live and recorded. I acted in a few Plays, did Stage management, Set Design and worked in Galleries. it was Maria and my Mother that made it possible to study Music at Berklee in Boston after the devastating collapse of 'Inch by Inch'. Time has shown this musical partnership had undoubted Talent. All of us that came together to form 'Inch by Inch' were eventually recognised among the leaders of Brit Funk with our Band and our Track  'If its Magic, we don't want it'.

THE CRIME

Against the odds in 2021 - Curtis Lugay and I came back together although he is in Germany and I in Ireland we completed a song we had begun many years ago and we Released The Crime on Menu Records

The Crime for me it is anytime we practice Cruelty. There is no doubt we do and will. Lets do our best to keep it to a minimum.
Lou Osiavo a writer I have a lot of time for, on hearing a Live performance of 'The Crime' wrote this -

“Gotta sell the water”...awesome body of work Sheila!!! Glad I didn’t miss this one!!!.....love it instant classic!!!...”Don’t pay homage to the crime”...simply amazing!!! ;)"

More Comments on our Track

dj.PietrekB "Fantastic piece !!!" BLACKZONE "tight song keep shining..see u at the top..1..💯 yes"

Hear Me Beats "AMAZING GROUP OF TALENTED PEOPLE, GREAT SONG!!" Pierre Lacroix, Composer "Belle ambiance reggae !"

TheGat(s) "Spectacular deep reggae production - excellent stuff" SENNID "BLESS UP!!!

All Rights Reserved by Menu Records and A Plum Music Publishing IMRO/PRS/MCPS

OH SINNER PEOPLE

In Jan 2020 promoted Via 'Reverbnation' to Readers of On-Line Music Press and Facebook Friends in 10 Days the track received 2,414 plays + on Soundcloud 3,500 plays and rising...

Oh Sinner People is adaptation of a powerful Song 'Sinnerman' that I first heard sung by the Legendary Nina Simone (EMI). I believed it to be a Traditional Gospel Song but while researching I found the Lester Baxter Recording on waltervdbus YouTube Channel and this explanation for its origin
"First recording by Les Baxter Orchestra featuring Will Holt Chorus of 'Sinner Man' (Baxter/Holt), possibly better known through later versions by The Weavers (1959), Nina Simone (1964) and Peter Tosh (1966/1971/1977), among many others. The song is clearly adapted from the 1954 gospel tune 'On Judgement Day' (Peacock 1743) by The Sensational Nightingales." (Thanks to Minstrelcraft for the info)

MY 21st Century Take of "SINNERMAN"

Where are you running to?
Where ya running to?
Where are you running to?

Oh Sinner People, where you Running to?
Oh Sinner People, where are you Running to?
Where you gonna run to All….. on that day…?
We’ll Run to the Rock, The Rock will Hide Us
But The Rock Can’t Hide You, No it can’t hide you All….. on that day…
We’ll run to the Sea But the Sea will be Boiling
We’ll run to the Rivers, Rivers are Bleeding
We’ll run to the Rivers, Rivers are Bleeding
All on that Day…. All… On that Day….
“POWER… POWER……. OooooOOOO !
THAT'S NATURES POWER”

All on that day… All on that Day All on that Day
All On That Day…

TREES aka Strange Fruit

The power of “Strange Fruit,” describes a lynching, a lifeless body hanging from a flowering tree. The Lyrics originate as a POEM Written by Abel Meeropol. My Version was inspired by Nina Simone and Billy Holiday I thought it best to share and Extract From the Essay by Cary O’Dell Added to the American National Registry in 2002, "Billie Holiday Original label Abel Meeropol (Poet and Writer) Considering the vivid images and sustained metaphor of the song “Strange Fruit,” it shouldn’t be surprising that it began as a poem. It was written by Abel Meeropol (1903-1986), a teacher, poet and songwriter, who published as Lewis Allan

VANILLA & VIOLET Feat TOT
A person in Japan uploaded an Instrumental track he had Composed to SoundCloud called Vanilla & Violet,

I wrote to him and asked if I could put some lyrics to it and this is the result. Thank You TOT and even though you said you wanted no "Rights" I have your name TOT listed with IMRO/MCPS as Composer.

Vanilla & Violet is the first love song I have written

LYRICS:

If I could love you You would know it
I could show it Oh Slowly
In the mist of dawn

Making love in the Vanilla & Violet
Of the fragrant light
Oh ooh Playing our Music and Making Love
In the Vanilla & Violet light

So slowly In the misty dawn

Ooooooo Baby, I’m falling inside my head
Ooooooo Baby, I’m Calling you inside my head

So Tenderly Calling you, so softly
I’m Calling you Inside my head

Slowly, Oh so Slowly
Its a shame our day is done

Ooooooo

No one could love me more right now
Who could I love more right now

In these precious moments
Precious Precious Moments

Oh Oooh Oooh Oooh… END

Music made by TOT Lyrics

Vocal and Remix by Sheila G-La Giles
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED by A Plum Music Publishing IMRO/MCPS

LONELY TIMES

Despite all my work in building Menu Records, A Plum Music Publishing and 3 successful years promoting Business on behalf of The Confederation of British Industry I found myself in freefall and Homeless for most of 15 years triggered in the early 90's by one of many euphemistically named Banking/Economic crisis.

The Lyrics of 'Lonely Times' came to me as I walked back to the Emergency Accommodation in Dublin. 'You Too' was written on another day when the rhythm of my walking and the sight of "Bunkbeds" in a window set the description of the cityscape flowing into my notebook. Some Years later I was able to make a Video for "You Too" and it became a part of the Multimedia Show that the Ins-spire Gallery enabled me to Stage.

Press Reaction from a Dublin Street Magazine.

“Yes! Yes! Mix and blend! Let me see the punani! Wet till the weekend! Cut it, mix it, mash it up! Batty Freak pussie clot! Man fi dead fa less dan dat. See' in! Respec! Sheila G-La and Heinz, 'Lonely Times' on Menu” OVERSTALL 69% - Mongrel Magazine

ALWAYS TOO LATE

Our Original Recording by Graham Pleath in his Home Studio in Hampstead, London, England was Re-Mixed at ARIWA in 1989 by The Mad Professor, Ezeke Grey and Sheila Giles for Menu Records.

I pitched up to Radio London for a live interview. The surprised DJ, Reggae/Lovers Rock Queen Miss 'P’ asked me, "what was the difference between you and the usual Lovers Rocker”? I hadn’t a clue what she meant. After a while of Miss 'P' patting her arm the Penny dropped, I mumbled something in Spanish about being milk in the coffee. Of course, there is a lot of Coffee in my Music and Artwork.

EZEKE GREY aka 'THE SUNSHINE MAN EZEKE' Sadly Died on Monday 21st March in Jamaica I will always respect and love him for the unconditional help and support he gave to me with my Music. So sorry for the Great Loss of our Friend. BLESS YOU EZEKE AND THANK YOU Dear Man

Here I am in 2019, in Dublin Interviewed by Larry Skynt

2018 - 'Don't Be Used'  is a Multi Media work that grew from personal experience of homelessness expressed through my Poetry, Song Writing, Artwork, Music and Video, featuring my Husband Colm Mullen as the 'Shadow' seller of Human Rights

Before the Show William Duffy of Shoeless Foot Production took the time to Interview me - AKA THE POWER OF YES & NO

My Gratitude to Dino Natoro, Sofia Swatek and William Duffy who enabled me to Show and perform my Multimedia work at the In_Spire Gallerie, Dublin, Ireland

Writer/Composer: Jari Vil & Sheila Giles
Video Made by Sheila Giles

With Colm Mullen as 'The Parent'

All Rights A Plum Music Publishing IMRO/MCPS

Dedicated to all those waiting