James are one of the country’s best-loved indie rock bands. With a collection of well-known anthems and an unbelievable live music showcase, James have acquired a reputation for the unhinged and the magnificent. The British band have cut their teeth at some of the biggest venues around the world, having come through the Manchester music juggernaut – with the likes of Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. After a couple of band changes, the band took flight with the release of their second EP James II which brought them a feature article in renowned music magazine, NME.
With streams of positive reviews following the release of the bands three opening EPs, the hot-shot band sent out their debut album, Stutter in 1986 to an excited fanbase. The band reached number 68 in the UK Album Charts. The band gained cult status in Manchester having entertained at the Manchester Polytechnic and at other iconic city venues. By the mid-eighties, James had performed at the Brixton Academy, London supporting New Order. They had won many admirers, not least the likes of Johnny Marr and Morrissey. The band went on to support The Smiths on their Meat is Murder tour in 1984.
Their rise as a support act was cemented when they earned critical acclaim and became a fixture on the festival scene. James took to the stage at Glastonbury and W.O.M.A.D and headlined concerts in Germany while maintaining their stellar home-town reputation. 1989 saw them return to their roots and bring out an album, One Man Clapping which they financed independently. The album reached number one in the independent charts. By 1991 the band had brought Manchester to a standstill with 5000 revellers dancing in the streets to the band’s rooftop gig at Piccadilly Gardens.
The band leapt back into the charts, notching their total involvement in the album charts up to a total of 172 weeks, and the single charts to 90 weeks. The band then made headway on the international scene, as they reached fame in the US – performing at the legendary Woodstock and such. And by the Millennium they became one of the first western bands to tour China when they headlined at the Heineken Festival in Beijing. They took to Spain’s Benicassim, headlined the Electron Festival in Greece, a charity ski event in Geneva and at Centurion Supersport Park in South Africa.
