| Dates connected with James: | |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Merchandising Company |
James official merchandising company that runs an on-line ordering service for t-shirts and the Folklore biography – click on this link to go to their site.
Category Archives: Person
Booth, Tim
| Dates connected with James: | 1982+ |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Lyrics, Lead Vocals, Percussion, Backing Vocals |
Birthday : February 4, 1960
Band Nickname : Monty Moneybags – dates back to early years in the band and Tim’s middle-class background
First Gig : Cockney Rebel, Leeds Town Hall
Football Team : Leeds United
Tim Booth, Manchester University drama student and ex-pupil at Shrewsbury School where he gained 11 O Levels, joined Model Team International when he confronted Jim, Gavan and Paul stealing his drink at a Manchester University disco in March 1982. Impressed by his dancing and thinking he could write them some lyrics as he was a student, Tim was asked to dance with the band and sing backing vocals initially, making his debut at a Sheffield gig supporting Orange Juice soon after. When Danny Ram and Jennie Ingram were subsequently kicked out of the band, Tim was asked to take over lead vocals.
Tim had got into music whilst at school when he was informed that his father was critically ill and he listened to Patti Smith’s Horses that evening – she was to become one of his major inspirations artistically.
During James early career, Tim was plagued by a liver disease which dated back to his childhood and it was this that contributed to his pursuit of altenative forms of healing and stimulation, including membership of the Lifewave group in the 1980s and his interest in shamanic dancing which he still pursues actively today. The liver condition has lead Tim to abstain from the traditional rock n roll lifestyle of drink and drugs and his abstinence and beliefs have led James to be labelled as Buddhists, vegans and all sorts of other implied insults.
Tim’s interest in certain themes – religion (Tim went to the religious Shrewsbury School and was expelled for being a bad influence), suicide, victimhood, betrayal – run through James whole career. The embittered lyrics of Seven and Laid reflect the fallout from his relationship with the band’s ex-manager Martine, mother of Tim’s son Ben – the inspiration for Gold Mother whilst the lovestruck Just Like Fred Astaire and Shooting My Mouth Off reflect Tim’s contentment with his wife-to-be Kate.
Tim spoke openly to ITV’s Faith And Music documentary about his beliefs in June 1999 and narrated an ITV documentary commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Strangeways riots the same year.
In addition to his vocal duties with James, Tim maintained his interest in acting, taking the lead in Edward Bond’s production of Saved at Bolton Octagon in May 1998 before appearing in a cameo role in Batman Begins in 2005 and an independent production Poor Wee Me in 2010. He also played Judas in the televised recreation of the Easter story in Manchester in April 2006, singing The Smiths’ Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now and duetting with Darren Moffitt (Jesus) on Blue Monday. He also has taught Five Rhythms dance on a regular basis in Manchester, New York and California during quiet periods for James.
In October 2001, Tim announced his intention to leave James after the December 2001 tour to pursue other interests outside James. He had already released an album with Angelo Badalamenti and Bernard Butler in 1996 entitled Booth And The Bad Angel and then released his debut solo album Bone in 2004. He later released a second solo album Love Life in 2011 and still actively writes outside of the band although there are currently no plans for any future releases.
Tim now lives in Topanga Canyon on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Gallery
Gilbertson, Paul
| Dates connected with James: | 1980-1984 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Guitar, Lyrics |
Paul Gilbertson was the inspiration behind the early years of James. Some of the philosophies that the band still encompasses today – taking risks on stage, improvisation and never knowingly sounding like anyone else – come from Paul, who was the band leader in the early years and the man who came up with the band’s name back in 1982.
Paul was in the same class as Jim Glennie at Yew Tree High School close to Man City’s Maine Road ground and were almost inseparable during most of their childhood years. Paul developed an interest in and introduced Jim to the punk scene developing in Manchester in the late 70s which encouraged him to buy a guitar and to convince Jim to buy a bass.
In the early years, Paul wrote the lyrics to most of the band’s music, which was developed from jams. He also took the responsibility for organising live performances, developing close ties with members of both Orange Juice and The Fall, and choosing the band’s personnel.
However, as the band developed, through releasing their debut single on Factory in 1983, Paul had started to overindulge in the drugs scene that was taking a hold on the music and club culture in Manchester at the time. He would turn up for rehearsals catatonic and developed a penchant for trying to play the guitar left-handed or upside-down.
Things came to a head after he went to Cornwall for six weeks in the summer of 1984 and came back a completely changed person. The band tried to cover for him, even to the extent of bringing Larry, who Paul had ironically brought in to give the band guitar lessons, in as a second guitarist, but the situation got worse rather than better. After a shambolic gig at Deville’s in Manchester, he was told to steer clear of drugs for two weeks before the band’s next show or risk being kicked out. He didn’t comply and had to be told when he turned up for the soundcheck for the gig at the Hacienda that he was no longer in the band.
Paul now works as a taxi driver in South Manchester and has had virtually no contact with the band for almost fifteen years.
Gallery
Glennie, Jim
| Dates connected with James: | 1980+ |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Bass Guitar, Percussion |
Birthday : October 10
Band Nickname : “doesn’t have one as he’s “f**king untouchable” (Dave)
Football Team : Manchester City
Jim Glennie is the only remaining original member of James left, his youthful looks belying his age. Born within spitting distance of Manchester City’s Maine Road ground, Jim has remained faithful to the blue side of Manchester, which has experienced as many ups and downs over the years as James.
He was introduced to music by best mate Paul Gilbertson who talked him into buying his first bass and took him along to concerts in Manchester where his early influences were The Fall and Joy Division.
Jim is often seen as the quiet man in James due to him saying very little and moving even less on stage. This belies the fact that he is impossible to shut up once he has a drink, particularly Scottish single malt whisky. Tim often recalls stories of him losing his temper, once threatening to kill someone who was haranguing Tim at the Brit Awards.
Jim was a member of the Lifewave group along with Tim in the mid 1980s and was seriously into meditation and abstinence at the time and at one stage offered the group to give up James.
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Whelan, Gavan
| Dates connected with James: | 1980-1988 |
| Contribution/Role/Speciality: | Drums, Percussion |
Gavan Whelan was the original drummer in James from their inception through to his departure in late 1988. Older James fans still remember him fondly for his great energy and enthusiasm and his peerless mastery of the drums and sonic contributions to the early James sound. After his departure, Gavan retreated from the industry after a brief spell working with Green On Red and as a drum tech with the Happy Mondays.
Gavan is back in the music industry, working as a producer for an upcoming band called Alive, producing their forthcoming single and playing drums on one of the tracks. He’s also been known to join the band on stage for their storming rendition of Sit Down. He has also recently signed a publishing deal.
His own story about his time with James and his departure and activities since remain surrounded in mystery and mystique. But noone can doubt the lasting contribution that Gavan made to James both in terms of recorded output and band philosophy.
