James

munckee

This popped up on my thread this evening.  Love James, love this song and what a great performance.  One of the best british bands of my lifetime.

darthed1981

James at their best are absolutely superb, horrifically under-rated except for a brief period when their first singles compilation came out and like others (Shed Seven being another example) everyone was reminded about how many great songs they had done.

merlin

Adrian Oxaal lives in Brighton. I spot him from time to time. Actually saw him yesterday in town... Never really spoken to him though. 

Johnnyseven

Love James, their album Laid is a masterpiece.

VimFuego

fantastic band, as said very underrated. Difficult for me to listen to them now, they were Mrs F's fave band of all time, I reckon she spent as much time listening to them as all her other music combined, I can't think of them without thinking of her listening to them.

JerkMoans

If I had to pick one favourite band it'd be James: been a fan since Strip Mine came out in 1988, just as I started university.  After they broke up for a while in the early 2000s, was chuffed as a hairy egg when they reconvened and put out Hey Ma towards the end of the decade, and have remained bang at it ever since.

Was supposed to be seeing them live on Hampstead Heath last week before it got booted due to lockdown extensions, now re-jigged for August.  And the fair Mrs Moans surprised me with a pair of tickets for Scarborough in September

mudslide73

Very much enjoyed them on the Glasto coverage over the weekend. I even commented to Mrs Mudslide that they are so underrated. I think Tim's got a fantastic voice too.

thumpingrug

Ive got a lot of albums by James including the new one released about a month ago.  They all contain a few stunning tracks, a few good tracks and a few that feel like fillers.  Live you tend to get a phenomenal best of set that really stands out due to their longevity.  Huge energy live as well.  One of the better bands to come out of Manchester.

octatonic

Yes?

VimFuego

octatonic said:

Yes?

nah, they were more a 70's thing.

Supportact

Johnnyseven said:

Love James, their album Laid is a masterpiece.

This is true. So many layers and emotions. Unfathomable and yet so many hooks. Amazing through headphones.

lovestrat74

This was my favourite! If this doesn't stir your emotions, check your pulse 

slacker

I bought the best of CD years ago. Mrs s said why did you buy that they only have one song ? She loves every track. Seriously underestimated.

VJIves

merlin said:

Adrian Oxaal lives in Brighton. I spot him from time to time. Actually saw him yesterday in town... Never really spoken to him though. 

He was my music tutor for a year in college, odd guy.

axisus

I don't really know their stuff, maybe the odd single, but I always thought that was a terrible band name. Absolute rubbish!

JerkMoans

axisus said:

I don't really know their stuff, maybe the odd single, but I always thought that was a terrible band name. Absolute rubbish!

An early incarnation was named ‘ Venereal and the Diseases’. So pretty much anything would be an improvement.

Teetonetal

darthed1981 said:

James at their best are absolutely superb, horrifically under-rated except for a brief period when their first singles compilation came out and like others (Shed Seven being another example) everyone was reminded about how many great songs they had done.

totally guilty on that front. Outside of Sit Down James had completely passed me by. I picked up a copy of the singles collection as I had a student that wanted to learn a song on it - became a real favourite CD of mine. Great band.

Grunfeld

This has been an eye opener.

+1 on the writing them off because of a daft band name and only knowing one song which I've gigged dozens of times.  Also, my ex- had the album with pig on the cover and her taste in music was a bit iffy so... guilt by association.
Been listening to them all morning on Spotify.

Great voice, and I like this stuff.

Result.

RustySpanner

I've been a fan since college, '86 or so. 

Saw them once, with the Stone Roses supporting, at the gig where the Gallgher brothers decided to form a band.* 
They were always the classiest, yet least lauded of that generation. 
Love the Roses beyond measure, but for consistency and emotional intelligence, James cannot be beaten. 




*Hmm, a quick Google suggests it might not have been that show at the International II. 
It was an earlier show at Manchester University Student's Union. 

26.2

I liked the Factory singles and saw them quite a few times in those early days when they were a 4-piece. The early material didn’t sound as good on record and the first two albums were a bit of a disappointment for me. When they expanded the line-up it all got a bit tame for me and I tuned out - sorry. They lost a lot when the original drummer  Gavan Whelan left. 

Those Factory tracks still sound good - If Things Were Perfect, Folklore, What’s The World etc

Keefy

A friend gave me a box of CDs, including Seven and Laid. They were going to the charity shop but after reading this thread I have fished them out for a proper listen.