Plenty of legendary bands have come out of Manchester but James are one of the most enduring. Through four decades the group have continued to evolve – delivering iconic indie anthems like Sit Down, She’s a Star and Laid – alongside their famously unpredictable live performances.
They’re playing Motorpoint Arena this month, as part of a UK tour in support of their new Definitive Best Of collection – in advance bassist and founding member Jim Glennie looks back on the story of the band…
The Old Vic, 1986 – one of James’ very first shows here in Nottingham.
Since then, the venue has closed and transformed into what we now know as Das Kino – the premises changing to reflect the current times. Poetically, James have also done this over the years – a key element in their continuing longevity.
Around the time of that show James were still finding their feet, making their name as resident support act for the Cyprus Tavern, Manchester, playing shows to anyone, whenever they could. It wasn’t until another Manchester band took a chance on them, that they finally got their big break – that band was The Smiths.
“They took us on a two-week tour of Ireland, playing something like thirteen shows. Places like Cork, Galway and Limerick, which back then bands wouldn’t normally play. In one place we played at a cinema, because that was the only venue you could get a thousand people in!” says Jim.
“Then they gave us the Meat Is Murder tour, which was six weeks long – the biggest tour of the year,” he continues. “They were offered tens of thousands by major labels to take one of their bands on that tour instead – they refused because they wanted us to go. And they had to pay us, because we had no money!”
The rest was history – James went on to be one of the defining bands of the 90s. Riding a wave of globally charting albums and huge top ten singles, the band looked unstoppable. However, in 2001 James would shock their fans, calling it a day following the departure of lead singer Tim Booth. After a hiatus the band – including Tim – reformed in 2007, reinvigorated, and now with more creative control.
It feels like we’ve got a few more albums left in us at least. And if you think three or four albums, that’s probably another eight or ten years!
“We’ve found a way to do this that is not damaging and destructive,” says Glennie. “Back in the 90s we didn’t manage that. It was chaotic – it was a car careering down the road. I think we needed that break to come back with a different attitude. Otherwise, people would’ve just got ill – you can get away with that stuff when you’re in your twenties, you bounce a bit more.”
Looking after themselves is one reason why James are still going today, but another is simply making sure that they keep things fresh. Whether it’s working on new material any moment they can, mixing up their setlists every night, or even improvising when they’re on stage, the band’s refusal to play it safe is one of their defining traits. For Glennie this is becoming a lost art.
“We as people fear things going wrong – it’s human nature. Therefore, a lot of bands and artists rehearse things to death now, because they want the safety – and that makes things a little bit sterile, which I think is a bit of a shame,” says Jim, adding, “you’re denying the reality of the situation you’re in – it should be scary! You’re playing in front of however many thousand people; you should feel fear and adrenaline. Don’t take that away and pretend it's not there – try and use it.”
The band’s upcoming show at Motorpoint Arena is in support of their recent Nothing But Love: The Definitive Best Of compilation – a collection of 58 songs from their 40+ year career and 400+ catalogue.
Their relationship with their biggest hits has often been quite complicated. For years tracks like Sit Down and Laid weren’t included in their setlists. But after COVID, Sit Down in particular took on a whole new meaning.
“The theme of Sit Down is all about shared experiences of difficulty. When you’re going through pain or troubles in your life, somebody else will be having that too. It’s that shared communal experience, and we lost that through COVID – not just because of gigs, but because people and families couldn’t get together. So, when we came back, it just fitted. We put it back in the set, different versions of it. I wouldn’t say we play it every night, but it’s in the set a lot now for that reason – it’s sincere and heartfelt. We’ve found a way to make it work and connect with it again.”
Over forty years into their career, James are showing no signs of slowing down. Glennie mentions that the band are already working on new material, with potential plans to debut some new songs on the April tour, alongside their best-loved hits. When asked if the band have discussed a career end point, he says it couldn’t be further from their minds right now.
“It feels like we’ve got a few more albums left in us at least. And if you think three or four albums, that’s probably another eight or ten years! So, for me, it certainly doesn’t feel like we’re winding down, it’s the opposite if anything. From our perspective, we’re getting bigger. We’re doing more shows in the UK – there’s two extra arenas on this April tour than we did last time around two years ago. I don’t know what it is that the resurgence is based on, but long may it last!”
As someone who has done just about everything in the music industry, Glennie is keen to give opportunities to a new generation of artists, the same way The Smiths did for them all those years ago. So, if he could give any advice to bands breaking through now – or indeed his younger self – what would he say is the key to a long, successful career in the music industry?
“My advice is you’ve got to do this for the right reasons – because you love it. If you’re doing it because you want to make a career out of it, or you want success and money, then forget it,” he says. “As an artist, inherently it’s about creating – it’s about creating songs, making music. Finding that love and joy within yourself and developing that, then trying to connect it with the big wide world of the music industry. It’s a creative art – don’t think industry, don’t think selling, don’t think marketing – that stuff is secondary. So do it for the right reasons I would say – anything else is a bonus.”
James play the Motorpoint Arena on Tuesday 14 April with support from Doves
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