Category Archives: History

Sometimes single released. James headline the WOMAD Festival in Carlylon Bay, Cornwall.

James support Neil Young on three European outdoor dates in London, Milan and Bad Mergentheim (Germany).

James play a one-off gig at Bath Moles Club as an attempt to record a live album and roadtest the new songs.

The Laid and Wah Wah albums are recorded over a six-week period at Real World Studios in Bath.

James play six dates in Japan with The Soup Dragons. Returning to the UK, James play five acoustic shows in Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester and London, the latter being recorded for a Radio 1 In Concert broadcast.

James support Neil Young on his acoustic US tour. Andy leaves the band at the end of the summer.

Seven EP single released. James headline their own triumphant show at Alton Towers supported by PIL in front of 30,000 people. The gig was broadcast live on Radio 1 and almost had to be cancelled as high winds blew the stage roof off earlier in the day. After playing the Fort Le Neuilay festival in Calais, a couple of members of the band and the crew are attacked in a nightclub in Calais as the festival degenerates into violence. James are offered an acoustic support slot for Neil Young’s US tour and are contacted by Brian Eno with a view to him producing James next album.

James headline Saturday night at Glastonbury as a late replacement for Morrissey, kicking off the show with a cover of Morrissey’s We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful, reportedly a tribute to James.

James follow their US tour with dates in France, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy and Portugal.

Ring The Bells single released. Starting in Toronto, James first North American tour is a massive success with 11 sold-out shows.

Seven album and Live Video released. James return and play their first US gig – an outdoor rain-soaked free show in San Francisco’s Union Square.

As the band travel to LA to film the Born of Frustration video, Larry is mugged at gunpoint on Sunset Boulevard and catches the next flight home. Tour manager Richard stands in for the video shoot in a very concealing hat and coat. Born Of Frustration single released.