James (band)

James are a band from Manchester, England, formed in 1982. They decided to take their name from one of their band members; and all of Tim, Gavan and Paul were rejected for various reasons (Gavan was "too heavy metal", while Tim was concerned about the ego-mania of the band being named for the lead singer), while James was declared "amorphous enough" to summarise what the band was about.

Related Topics:
Manchester - England - 1982

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In their earliest incarnation, they were a four-piece with Tim Booth on vocals, Paul Gilbertson on guitar, Jim Glennie on bass guitar and Gavan Whelan playing drums. Gilbertson was soon replaced by James 'Larry' Gott. They signed for Factory Records in 1983 and released their first single, "Jim One" the following year. It contained three tracks: "What's The World", "Fire So Close" and "Folk Lore". This was followed by the "Hymn From A Village" E.P. After this they signed to Sire Records and released their first full-length album, "Stutter", in 1986. They hit their stride in 1988 with the "Strip Mine", a slick and confident album which belies the problems which dogged the recording and the band's disagreements with Sire.

Related Topics:
Tim Booth - Paul Gilbertson - Jim Glennie - Gavan Whelan - Factory Records - 1983 - Sire Records

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Although they had a loyal following in Manchester at this time, based mainly on their electric live performances and the elfin magnetism of Tim Booth, their records were not selling in large numbers and they faced financial hardship after leaving Sire. They were only able to keep the band going through t-shirt revenues (James t-shirts were a common sight in Manchester even before they reached the top 40; indeed it was joked that they sold more t-shirts than records) and taking part in medical experiments in exchange for cash. They scraped together the finances to release a live album, "One Man Clapping" independently. This was the last album to feature the fiery talent of Whelan on drums, and as well as replacing him with David Baynton-Power the band acquired three new members - Andy Diagram on trumpet and Saul Davies on violin provided a striking new texture, augmented by the dance music-influenced keyboard playing of Andy Hunter. All three featured as guest musicians on the Sit Down E.P. which they released with the help of Rough Trade records. The eponymous track would become their best-known song.

Related Topics:
Andy Hunter - Rough Trade

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The rise of the "Madchester" scene in Manchester around this time swept dozens of bands along on the "baggy" tide, and James were no exception. The album "Gold Mother" was released by their new label, Parlophone, to huge local and national acclaim, and the single "Come Home" became one of the anthems of the time. Their triumphant homecoming gig at the cavernous G-Mex on a snowy night at the end of 1990 confirmed their place amongst the elite of Manchester music.

Related Topics:
Madchester - Parlophone - G-Mex

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Their next album "Seven", though criticised at the time by the music press for allegedly succumbing to the temptation of "stadium rock", also sold well and the U.K. tour to promote it was a huge success. The next album, 1993's "Laid", was an gentle acoustic album produced by Brian Eno, and the unplugged tour that followed received rave reviews, although the experimental/improvised double album "Wah Wah", recorded simultaneously and released the following year, was seen as too fragmented and sales were disappointing. Around this time their U.S. presence increased markedly due to enthusiastic playlisting of "Laid" on college radio stations.

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Numerous departures from the band, including key member Larry Gott, dented their confidence, and the transfer of national interest from Manchester to the "Britpop" and "Trip-Hop" scenes ensured a much lower profile in later years, but they retained their originality and "Whiplash" and "Millionaires" sold well. During this period Booth and other members of the band began to spend time on solo projects, losing some momentum but providing welcome relief from the pressures of touring.

Related Topics:
Britpop - Trip-Hop

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With the departure of their lead singer, Tim Booth, in 2001, the future of the band was in doubt. However, bassist Jim Glennie has said on the official website that the band will continue, having already had its share of setbacks.

Related Topics:
Tim Booth - 2001

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