| Dates connected with James: | 2023-4 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Producer |
Leo produced the album Yummy
Category Archives: Person
Knox-Hewson, Debbie
| Dates connected with James: | 2018, 2021+ |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Percussion, Backing Vocals, Guitar |
Joined James for the May 2018 Living In Extraordinary Times tour a couple of days before the start of the tour and performed at all shows and some summer festivals before leaving to concentrate on her new band Nasty Cherry. Debbie rejoined in 2021 to make the band a 9-piece.
Cartwright, Stuart
| Dates connected with James: | 2016 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Guitarist |
Stuart, formerly guitarist with Unkle Bob, stood in for Adrian at On Roundhay on 17th September 2016.
Hawkes, Chesney
| Dates connected with James: | 1991 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Singer |
Chesney Hawkes’ one hit single The One And Only kept James off the number 1 with Sit Down in 1991 for three weeks. A big James fan, Chesney apologised to the band for doing so when he met them at Top Of The Pops.
Roth, Gabrielle
| Dates connected with James: | |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Mentor |
Gabrielle Roth was a Five Rhythms teacher and a close personal friend and mentor of Tim. The song All I’m Saying was written in response to her death.
Burton, Nick
| Dates connected with James: | 2007- |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Backline Tech |
Nick has been a much-loved member of James road-crew since they reformed in 2007, always on hand to fix things when they inevitably go wrong and hiding a wicked sense of humour. He has occasionally been known to add drums to Stutter when it’s played live as well.
Duran Duran
| Dates connected with James: | 1994 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Band |
Duran Duran were one of the biggest bands in the world in the 1980s when they were managed by Peter Rudge. After a few barren years and line-up changes they had a renaissance in 1993 with an album entitled Duran Duran, but commonly known as The Wedding Album. As part of their massive world tour to support it, James supported on a number of large north west USA dates in January 1994.
Twang
| Dates connected with James: | 2007 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Band |
The Twang were a band from Birmingham personally selected by Jim to support James on their comeback tour in 2007. They released debut album Love It When I Feel Like This shortly after the tour and it reached number three, but subsequent albums – Jewellery Quarter, 10:20 and NEONTWANG – were nowhere near as successful despite a dedicated live following.
O’Connor, Sinead
| Dates connected with James: | 1999 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Singer |
Sinead O’Connor is best known for her cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U in 1990 which went to number one across the world. She sings on Vervaceous on the 1999 James album Millionaires as well as duetting with Tim on a b-side from the same sessions entitled I Defeat.
Vennart, Mike
| Dates connected with James: | 2015 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Guitarist |
Mike Vennart stood in for Larry and Adrian (who was standing in for Larry) at Bingley Festival in September 2015. As well as a solo career under the Vennart name, Mike also played as tour guitarist with Biffy Clyro and had previously been in Oceansize.
Smiths
| Dates connected with James: | 1983-1985 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Band |
The Smiths were the biggest band to emerge from Manchester at the time James were starting up and they played one gig together at the Hacienda in November 1983. They released four studio albums – The Smiths, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead and Strangeways Here We Come – as well as three compilations – Hatful Of Hollow, The World Won’t Listen and Louder Than Bombs – and a live album Rank.
Their singer Morrissey personally invited James to tour with The Smiths in Ireland in November 1984 and then on the massive Meat Is Murder tour in March and April 1985. James were also scheduled to go to the US for a thirteen-date tour shortly afterwards, but turned down the invitation because of Jim’s involvement with the Lifewave meditation group.
Stereophonics
| Dates connected with James: | 1998 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Band |
Stereophonics supported James on their UK tour in the winter of 1998.
The band had released their debut album Word Gets Around in the summer of 1997 and had built a big following before the release of the first single from their second album just before the James support tour. The Bartender And The Thief reached number three in the charts and ensured that there were big crowds in the venue for them as well as James. The album Performance And Cocktails later went to number one. The band have continued since then with different line-ups playing arena-sized venues on a regular basis and achieving a series of consecutive number one albums.