The letters below are from fellow James fans. Send us yours.
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Hi, I was reading through the site for the first time in ages. I filled in the survey, which asks whether you've ever contributed anything to the page, and if not why not. Well, I thought, I better had. So here goes.
Hello everyone.
James to me are the most important band in my life. As the advert for the Best Of said, I love the songs because I've lived the songs. If you name any James song to me, I will usually have an emotion or memory associated with it. Not least Out To Get You might I add.
On record, the band are amazing (the extremely average Millionaires apart though, it has to be said). However, it is on the live stage where the band becomes alive. Eclectic, experimental, entertaining, even life-affirming. When that guitar rises above the cacophony on Sound, you rise also and can feel as though you are flying. When Tim's voice falls almost into a whisper on songs such as Out To Get You or Blue Pastures, you feel completely PART of the song, and that Tim is only singing to or about you. It is the sheer intimacy of the smaller shows and the widescreen magnificence of the arena gigs which make this band, for me, that notch higher than anybody else.
Nobody can match them live, and some of the recorded stuff can just break your heart or make it jump for joy.
The band themselves seem to care as well. There is something for everyone. From Tim's 'new age' kind of attitude and friendly aura, to Saul's balls-out wannabe rock star, everything is there for you.
Quite simply, it is hard to write about them - not because there is nothing to write about, far from it - but because it is difficult to do how I feel about this band justice in words.
You only have to look at the reactions of those to the new album Millionaires. Those who liked the album were amazed and it took them to another plane, which is great. Those (myself included) who were disappointed with the new album were gutted, not only for ourselves, but for the band. And that's where the crux of my point lies. This band for me, is not a band you can just dip into. Once you hear this band, it is a relationship. In my case, almost a marriage. To use the Millionaires example, it felt as a wife had just cheated on me. Live, the bits of the album that we've heard are amazing. Recorded, the energy and tenacity is lost among the layers of cold steel production.
But I digress. This band will come back, and I will always love them. To the band I'd like to say thank you for changing my life and soundtracking it too. There are times when they've really helped me through some tough times, and there are times when they've lifted me onto such a high plateau.
Thanks,
Mac.
Hi,
I have just arrived home from an evening out in Bolton, Lancashire, and I feel compelled to share my feelings with fellow James fans. A local theatre - the Bolton Octagon - has been having acute financial difficulties and as part of the fund raising campaign a concert was held this evening at which the participating artists offered their services free of chargem along with a host of well-known stars of various TV soaps, and comedians, etc. who have had links with the theatre was a certain Tim Booth who had himself appeared in a play there a few months previous (it was called Saved). We hadn't any idea what his performance would entail, or whether or not he would sing anything. As it turned out, he performed a set which must have lasted 40 minutes or so. He had a guy backing him, whose name unfortunately I can't remember (ed. note: That's Michael Kulas, who plays guitar and sings with James), who played guitar and keyboards and sang backing vocals. The general feel was something like an MTV "Unplugged" session. He performed old favourites such as "Laid," "She's A Star," and "Destiny Calling" as well as a couple of new songs that he said had never been performed before, one of which will be the next single. I have the utmost respect for Tim Booth after this performance, especially bearing in mind that he turned up for free and supported a worthy cause.
Hey guys, I'm Mike Telka from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, and I would just like to thank you for helping me through my second year of University of Carleton in Ottawa. I had never really listened to your music until I heard of your Laid CD that my brother owned. I had never really thought anything of it until I heard your Best Of CD. I think that it is a fantastic CD. The first time I heard it was during our Labour Day weekend and a couple of weeks later I bought it. When I heard that CD I think it struck a chord with me. Not only the music, but the lyrics in the songs as well. I always listen to the music first and the lyrics come secondary, but with you guys everything seems to be well balanced. Everything is a circle that completes itself. It is just great music to sit around to and have a few pints to. But I love to listen to it when I'm driving, working, and sitting around in my flat up in Ottawa.
I was just wondering if you guys were coming up to North America anytime and preferably our capital. I would love to see you guys live because I would imagine it would be quite the show. If you could let me know that would be great so I could get tickets. No offense, but school comes first until I'm done and for me to get tickets for the bus is already a task. Offhand I can think of a ton of people that would like to see guys. My address for email is [email protected] until September and anytime [email protected]. Until I hear from you, cups to life, enjoy yourselves.
Mikey from up North.
Okay I was sitting at home one day...it was raining, I had just finished my \par first set of college exams ever and I was feeling pretty damn crappy. I started thinking of highschool, only a year ago but it seemed so long ago. I thought of our camping trips where we were only 15 but we had the gas generator and the keg, trying to be so adult. I thought about the music that we danced to night and day on those summer days and a faint voice in my head said "James". That was it...James. I searched through my old cassettes, no james. where had they gone? My sisters room? No luck. So that day I rushed out of the house in the pouring rain to the one store in my little town that sold good music. There I grabbed anything with the word James on it or a daisy. $100 later I was at home. Listened to Laid like 500 times...remembered how I felt when I used to dance to it. Since that day I have been hooked. I live in western Canada so no James :( . I actually want to go there just for one gig. I think it would make a good story. I explain my weird facination with every word Tim Booth sings like this; James sounded like every other British band making it's way into Canada. But then when you listen, Tim's voice starts to run through you like heroin. A day without his voice makes the marrow in my bones squirm. I need it. I have become a James song...they are the soundtrack to my life, and I love it.
Where do I begin? Well, around the time of my b'day the Fleadh (gig that James headlined) was happening (my b'day's 31st may) and I had begged my parents to get me tickets so in the end they did. Anyhow, on the day of the gig my then best mate said she wasn't going, so I got my mum to force her to come - all because of James. I have risked numerous fines on SWT (South West Trains -useless bastards basically) to find record shops in remote SE UK (why does the yellow pages say SW England) villages (like Chertsey). I then, It's a rare occasion when I'm NOT playing James. I have gone round every music and record shop in the Trafford Centre (which is in Manchester.) looking for rare James stuff (without any luck). I've dreamt that I danced like Tim which is quite worrying in some ways and various members feature quite regularly in my dreams (alongside SWT). I've even made a fool of myself singing along to the high bits in She's a Star and Laid (my parents and their friends thought I was ill or raving mad) which I've now mastered. All my friends, my brother and mum and dad think I'm obsessed (which is fair enough, cos I am). I've even spent money that isn't mine, to buy James and spent my last on merchandise at the last concert (Dec 11th). Nothing particularly out of the ordinary, just lots of things banged together. Oh, apart from the fact that it was James that saved me from mass amounts of stress during my GCSEs. And they (the men themselves, the music, and the lyrics and videos) inspire at least 75% of the poetry and stories that I write.
that's all, take care Tash
I thought I'd mail you because I'm still high off my first James gig ever. I went and saw them at Wembley on friday: I was stunned. Like it was the best thing that ever happened to me. When they finished their set (which was absolutely flawless), they went off but us in the crowd all cheered and screamed and clapped and stamped for long enough that they came back on (or maybe they were just catching their breaths but it sounds better my way!). So they all come on minus Tim and play a kind of instrumental bit for about a minute and everyone's wondering "where's Tim" and suddenly the spotlight comes on a few metres in front of me. Thing is it was only a few metres but down the rows so I couldnt get to him. There was Tim, in the koolest mirror style jacket you've ever seen, and he's singing and wandering around about 8 rows down in front of me.
james rule.
p.s. kool page
This is something interesting i've noticed a few years ago, and every time since, when i saw the movie hackers. I dont remember the exact scene, but it's when they've decided to have the hacking war, and 'cereal killer' runs out of the room (this is right before a scene cut) chanting "tim boo-ooth, house par-ty..!!".
He does SO say it.. :\
I saw James at the Birmingham NEC on 5 December and thought they were absolutely brilliant. The tradittional stuff was great, as usual, and the preview of the new material has got me jiggling with excitemnt for its release, despite some problems experienced in its rendition. Tim's in-the-audience encore was a delightful surprise!! I'm a relatively new James fan, but having seen them live twice this year (V98 chelmsford - in the rain) I can say I'm now going to be a life-long one, and can't wait 'till I can see them again.
One year ago I discovered what music is! Shame on me that in my younger years, I liked crap bands. Anyway, for one, let's say, obscure, reason, I went to buy my first James album. I came back home with theJames: Tomorrow single and b-sides. I immediately fell in love with James. So imagine when I got all the other albums!! I was on top of the world [editor's note: nice pun, Christine...]. I just can't get enough of their passionate lyrics and touching notes. I'm like a junkie has to have her daily shoot... of James. Can I die from an overdose?? What the hell... as long that i'm the first to do so.:) Now with only seven albums, no live gigs :( (so no amazing story to tell) but with a daisy tattoo on the bottom of my back... l like to call myself a James fan. Can I? :) By reading what I just wrote, I'm not sure that it expresses everything I would like to say. I find it kind of hard to describe how great James' music makes me feel. There's so many emotions depending on which song I'm listening to or what moment of the day it is... But one thing's for sure. James' music understands me. Thanks James for making me feel the way I do when I listen to you.
Hi,I'm a 20 years old James' fan from Belgium. I have known James since I was 12. And not because of Sit Down. Actually, I saw them in Lille (France) at the "fetes de la musique" in June '91. It was fantastic. It was my first concert. I was very impressed. I didn't know any songs, but it sounded great and I tried to find the only album accessible in Belgium: The first version of "Gold Mother" without Sit Down and Lose Control. But I enjoyed it.
I saw them again in 1992. It was the last time. I know why they don't go in Europe. It costs a lot of money for a very small succes. But without Euro tour, no Euro success.
I've all the albums of James. And some EP. Some T-shirts... but no posters! It's unbelievable, I've to create it by myself.
Ciao,
Jeremy
Dagnies
I have seen JAMES twice in Detroit,Michigan, and I can say without a doubt they were the two best concerts I have ever seen in my life. Their stage presence and ever changing roster make them the most entertaining group I know. From the horns, to the intoxicating voice of Tim Booth, they will be in my CD collection forever and will be sure to pass this intelligent music on for generations to come.
GOD BLESS THE INTERNET.
Having been a major computer-phobe, I never thought I'd hear myself uttering (stuttering?haha) those words. But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I have been able to expand my James knowledge/collection beyond my wildest dreams.
When I decided to return to school for a master's degree, I was required to get an email address and become familiar with the Internet. So of course, the first thing I wanted to look up was my favorite group, JAMES. I am sure many other fans have also realized that is one of the worst words you can use in a search engine!!! I sifted through every hit that contained anyone named James until it dawned on me to type in "James - band". That's when I came across the James chat board on the wattyco site. Heaven. I was in heaven. But then it got better - I noticed others on the board mentioning the Stutter site, and this very fine site as well. So now I had ***3*** sites to play on!!!
Thanks to fine folks I met through the chat board, the Stutter listserv, and the ultra-cool Fan Finder, I have expanded my collection to maximum capacity. I was astounded to find so may other James fans out there, and even more surprised that they have been so damn generous!!!! I have since followed suit, making countless copies for people and loaning out videos, sharing articles, etc.
Previous to my Internet experiences, I knew 2 other people who liked James (or at least knew who the hell they were!!), and my James stuff was limited to whatever Tower Records had in stock (not much at all...) I have since amassed 2 recordings I never even knew existed, videos that I don't know how I lived without seeing, unreleased stuff, and tons of information. If not for the Web, I'd be waltzing along in my ignorance...
Long live James, long live James fans, and long live the Internet!!!
I drove across the peninnes , in the snow , soaking wet with sweat , Dave moaning "I'VE GOTTA go to work in the morning" . Do I win five pounds ?
John
I will never forget the first time I saw JAMES...they opened for Neil Young at a 2500 seat theater in my hometown on 11/15/92. Nobody in the crowd, including myself knew who JAMES was! Tim came out and when there was little to no applause, said, "Don't exert yourselves." They opened with OUT TO GET YOU followed by RING THE BELLS. By this time the crowd realized that this band was something special and started applauding louder with each song. Next up was NEXT LOVER , GOALIES BALL, JOHNNY YEN, MARIA'S PARTY, SOUND and they ended with TOP OF THE WORLD. By the end of SOUND I was completely blown away! I went out to the lobby after their performance and bought a T-shirt, which is something I do very rarely. In the next few months I played a tape of the concert over and over about 1000 times. I made copies for anyone who would listen, converting a few new fans in the process. Needless to say I went out and purchased every JAMES CD I could get my hands on, including a few in London when I went over for a week to attend the 2nd annual Led Zeppelin Convention. I caught JAMES again on the WOMAD tour on 9/12/93 and was depressed when I got to the stage and they had started their set early. Again I was lucky to get my hands on a pretty good tape of the show but now with the help of traders out in WWW land I'm trying to get a copy of the complete set. JAMES came thru again on 2/19/94 and played another small University theater. The show was sold out but I managed to get a ticket for $5.00! I would say that has to be the best dollar to entertainment ratio I will ever find in my 24 years plus of going to concerts. I was really psyched when last year JAMES was scheduled to perform again in my hometown. I was very sad when the show was cancelled due to Tim's back problems. I'm hoping that JAMES gets back to the States soon to prove to everyone here what I've known for six years now...that JAMES is the best, most energetic, awesome band out there! Long Live JAMES!!!
I've been a James fan since around 94...my FIRST concert was also the first time I was blessed with meeting Tim, Saul and Larry. At CFNY radio station in Toronto, after running through the cold streets for hours, I came to the conclusion that they have got to be three of the coolest guys. But above all, this converstation takes the cake. James had just finished singing on speaker's corner and were signing autographs, when Tim Booth noticed my cousin (who had brought me to my first concert) crying. He inquired why, and she explained that she had lost her ticket. Tim Booth (the prince, hero and pro star) tore off a tiny piece of newspaper, scribbled her name on it, and crumpled it in his pocket, and promised it would be on the guest list like 5 hours later. Of course, we doubted he would remember, and made alternate plans.... but lo and behold, her name had faithfully been added, and backstage passes were distributed to the bunch of us. HOW COOL IS THAT?????? I said to him, Thank you SO MUCH, you're the nicest guy in the world.. (hey, it was YEARS AGO, and I couldn't find anything brighter to say), and Tim, modestly blushed and denyed it, after my reletless insisting, Tim smiled "well... only on my good days"
He is my HER-O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone seems quite happy to be talking about there personal experiences of how they cam to be James Fans, so I thought I'd run a little rendition of my own. Of course I'd heard the classic tracks of "Sit Down" and "Come Home" long before I'd even known whoo they were by. My own experience came from my brother - he literally lead me on to them about three years ago, and then when I came to Leicester Uni last year I met up with some more people who had more of there music - first I borrowed, then I bought, and now I have more of their stuf than they do... makes a nice change. I saw them live for the first time with my brother this year in Leicvester DeMonfort Hall - it was fantastic to watch and clearly one of the best gigs I've ever seen.
Tim went through the classic hits of Goldmother (or the Daisy album depending on which one you have) and then slipped through some of his others from Laid and Seven. Of course most of the stuff was from his latest album - Whiplash - but this stuff for the most part was equally amazing - drawing attention to the power of tracks such as She's a Star, Waltzing Along and Avalanche. The power which is put into the vocals and the dancing (for our Tim quite a strange dancer) was fantastic - he literally held the entire concert in thrawl. It was amazing to see people of such a wide age range and background brought together for one event. It will always be remembered.
However, just recently we have been going as a group to an eighties night out at our uni' and people have been constantly requesting Sit Down (always a favourite)... what I didn't realise is that there was a longer version - and it is clearly better, in both music and lyrics - does anyone know where I can get a copy? It's the sort of obsession that I'm williong to pay dearly for - I just payed to get the Daisy album as an import, along with WAH WAH, which despite the bad press shows a lot of what the band later uses in other works.
Anyway, I digress and shall return hence forth to the pub for another pint and rendition of Laid (one of my personal favourite tracks). "My bed is on fire....."
I've been listening to James bootlegs for about 5 hours now (damn you Gregory, you just had to do that didn't you ;) and I have just realized that Friday is the anniversary of the night I first saw James live, a whopping FIVE years ago on their first US tour. I feel so old.
It was the reopening of the Channel in Boston, MA, and James were on the bill with Black Sheep, Tom Tom Club, and the Soupdragons. I'm not going to recollect the first time I heard James (it was before this), but I had to argue long and hard with my friends to get to the club early enough to see James (they really just wanted to see the Soupdragons). It was Halloween night, 1992, the weather was freezing cold, I was so sick with vertigo from a sinus problem that I thought I was on the verge of death, (and if you've ever been on the Red Line in Boston you know how brave one must be to venture out already feeling nauseous), the club was having some logistical problems, and hence had a 45 minute long line out the door.
We got to the club as doors opened, and got in ages later, just in time to see James (after being harassed by 3 drunk losers who insisted I wasn't old enough to be out without my parents). And it was brilliant. The stage was packed so full (I think there were 5 drumsets and 2 or 3 keyboard setups on a TINY stage) that Tim had no room whatsoever to dance. The band were in costume as well. I couldn't tell you what they played, it's all run together now; my most vivid memory from the show, apart from the insane dancing crowd, was Tim grabbing onto the rafters and swinging back and forth because everytime he tried to dance he'd run out of room. There were some people there who had heard of them before, because I saw a couple of James T-shirts and some people were singing along to everything, but the reception James got by the end of the set, was bigger than the reception the 2 bands after them received. I was floored. *sigh* During the Soupdragons set, when they began "I'm Free", several members of James rushed out onto the stage and created mass havoc. It was quite a celebratory night, and certainly the best Halloween I can remember.
May they never stop making music.
Mindy
Early in '91 I borrowed a video from a friend called Happy Daze. It was a compilation of videos from bands belonging to the "Madchester" scene of the time. I think I borrowed it because the Charlatans and the Stone Roses were included on it. However half way through watching it this video came on for Come Home by some band called James (stupid name I thought at the time). The song really got to me though. By the time Tim reached the first chorus I was hooked. When he sung the lyrics "But the way I feel just makes me wanna scream!" he sound like he really meant it, and was actually on the verge of screaming. He seemed like he was singing through gritted teeth trying to his restrained anger. It was a really new experience for me. They all starting dancing around with their shirts off and writing COME on their chests. I thought they were wild.
I brought the Gold Mother album the next day and have never looked back. The lyrics and the feeling Tim puts into them does it for me every time.
As much as I hate Mtv, it was on that station in 1991 that I caught a snippet of the Reading Festival in the UK with an unknown group, to me at the time, called James. The 15 second video clip was of their performance of "Sit Down". Just the chorus was enough for me to run out and purchase the Daisy album and subsequently become a major fan. I've attempted, with some success, to convert as many non-James believers as I can. Anyway, there you have it.
I regret not recalling precisely the first time I heard James, I just remember it was "Born of Frustration" and I really liked it, that was in early '92. It was probably the only time I've heard James on the radio here in my hometown (Monterrey, Mexico). A friend, who has very good and critical taste in music, heard in a record shop a few weeks later and said he was impressed and bought it (I'd already recommended the band based on one song, somewhat risky). It quickly became one of our favorite albums. He went on to buy the daisy album and Strip~mine, which I immediately taped. For no apparent reason, "Sit down" became a must at our parties and became the hymn of my college generation (along with a song by the now extinct Chilean group Prisioneros called "El Baile de los que Sobran").
More important than my first time, though, is the fact of how, selectively introducing the band to certain acquaintances, they become an immediate favorite (reaching addictive proportions). More than a lot of people have thanked me for introducing the band to them, given the near-null exposure they have here.
I now have Stutter, Strip~mine, Gold Mother, Seven, Laid, Wah-Wah and Whiplash on CD. Oh, and the Bad Angel album and the "I'm Your Fan" tribute to Leonard Cohen. If anyone out there *really* likes Seven and they haven't heard James' version of "So Long, Marianne" on this album, run out and get it.
The first time I'd heard of James was in 1989 when my girlfriend of the time took me to a gig in Blackburn (a smallish city just north of Manchester). The hall felt empty with little more than 100 people there and a strange sort of atmosphere. However, even under these circumstances the music won through. In particular I remember Tims rendition of "On top of the world" which got me hooked.
The next time I went to see them was in Liverpool a year later and the atmosphere could not have been different. The sit down effect had happened and the hall was totally packed, it was electric in there. I've been an avid fan ever since, and have been lucky enough to have seen them on every major tour since then.
Ok, I first became a James fan in 1992. I was flipping through a catalog of one of those CD clubs, and they had the cover of Seven highlighted with a little blurb about how it was "intelligent Brit-pop". I needed another selection, so I figured, what the hell, I try this. Well, I LOVED IT!! Every single track.
Since then I saw them live in '93 in Madison, WI, at the Barrymore theatre which was INCREDIBLE because it's a very intimate venue - I swear Tim was looking right at me. I was the best concert I've ever been to.
I had tickets to see them this summer at both the Milwaukee WI and Chicago, IL shows, so I was very dissapointed that they had to cancel out.
hmmm... i suppose it was '92 and i saw the born of frustration video on 120 minutes-- i was already familar with 'sit down' and 'come home'. but i never owned a james album. i was in my klepto phase at school, and ended up pilferring the Seven tape from the local Walmart! best thing i coulda done. it was then in my walkman permanently- i think it still is! i particularly remember mouthing out the words to 'born of frustration' very emotionally whilst sitting on the toilet in one of the classroom bldgs. HA! and since then i've bought every commercial album, but only have a few singles, and have seen them live twice: once at WUST (now the 9:30 club) in DC and once at the HFStival (where tim was wearing a neck brace... not too unfamiliar?!?!?!) and missed them this year (DRAT!!!)
and my blue long-sleeved daisy shirt is getting so warn out i wear it so much! if only i could find another one! (soon my stutter shirt will be worn out!)
toodeloo pals,
Well, as long as we're talking about our "first times" and all. I remember my first time very well. I was driving home one day back in '92 and I heard someone whoo woooing and the music was great. The DJ never mentioned who they were so I intensely listened to the radio for the next few days until they finally mentioned a band called James. Normally I wait until I like 2 or 3 songs before I go out and buy a CD, I've been burned too many times (ex. The Men) For reasons WE all understand, I had to get this one and knew it was going to be excellent. I went to the record store and saw a CD under the James section named Seven. Once I took that one home and couldn't stop listening, I went back to the store and got Gold Mother and James. I've seen them 3 times in either Cleveland or Columbus. It really saddened me when they had to cancel the Whiplash tour earlier this year. I had a group of people I have turned on to James coming with me.
A few of the letters have been edited slightly for grammar and flow.
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