One Of The Three - The James Band Archive

Tag Archives: 1983

Birmingham Edgbaston Tower Ballrooms – 9th May 1983

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Setlist

tbd

Support

supporting New Order

Review

n/a

Manchester Hacienda – 21st January 1983

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Setlist

tbd

Support

Discobolisk

Review

NME Review

The staunch antagonistic and ever so simply named James succeeded in blustering through their edgy rock dream with a good deal more dignity and composure than the preceding Diskobolisk. Ruefully lacking in melody, Diskobolisk opt for the topically introspective soul search, without ever looking more than faceless wooden dolls in Carmel hand me downs.

But where Diskobolisk were too clumsy to be plaintive and too miserable to be anything more, James confront, with a determined exhibition of hard handed noise and rock dramatics – hack and otherwise. Fronted by a scraggy youth twitching and trespassing further into art school exhibitionism than he would care to admit, the fourpiece nevertheless etch out a rugged individuality from taut rhythms and tart aggression.

On the evidence at hand, James deserve a fair amount, if not all, of the currently circulating gossip, but the truest test of their rousing revelry will not be before the dilettantes of the Hacienda.

 

 

 

Ones To Watch – Sounds Magazine

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Hot new Manchester combo called James, possibly very likely on the verge of signing to home town favourites, the godly Factory.

1983 Gigography

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DateGigSupportCountry
21 JanManchester Hacienda – 21st January 1983DiscoboliskUK
23 MarLiverpool State Ballroom – 23rd March 1983(supporting) New OrderUK
9 MayBirmingham Edgbaston Tower Ballrooms – 9th May 1983(supporting) New OrderUK
10 MayHanley Victoria Halls, Stoke-on-Trent – 10th May 1983n/aUK
24 NovManchester Hacienda – 24th November 1983(supporting) The SmithsUK
1 DecLondon Brixton Academy – 1st December 1983(supporting) New OrderUK
2 DecBournemouth Town Hall – 2nd December 1983(supporting) New OrderUK
7 DecManchester Rafters – 7th December 1983Big FlameUK

Fire So Close

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Fire So Close is a song from James’ debut EP Jimone released in 1983 and the Village Fire EP in 1985.

The song is an anti-nuclear tirade looking at Wayne (the US) and Ivan (Soviet Union) facing each other.

It was slowed down and renamed Why So Close for the Stutter LP three years later.

Details

LyricsReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
Why so close
Big boys in black hats
Cowboys with white guns
White guns shoot blue white
Blue white baptism
No buffaloes
No Indians
No more buffaloes

Red sky is falling
Blue blood no stalling
White heat will strip you
No time to run far

Ivan's built a wall of lead round his house
Nobody can get in or out
Running out of food for ammunition
Frightened of the darkness
Sending out scouts

Why hang the fire so close
Why hang the fire so close
Why hang the fire so close
Why so close, so close

Wayne's got a wall that's much more subtle
Wore headphones since he was born
Watches Ivan through dark glasses
Hand on his gun waiting for the storm

One false move and we all fall down
No funeral games, no such fun
Here's your ticket to the party
That's what you get for playing with a gun

Six-gun so close

Ivan's got a wall of lead round his house
Nobody can get in or out
Running out of food for ammunition
Frightened of the darkness
Sending out scouts

Wayne's got a wall that's much more subtle
Wore headphones since he was born
Watches Ivan through dark glasses
Hands on his gun waiting for the storm

Why stand the fire so close
Why stand the fire so close
Why stand the fire so close
Why?
Song:Fire So Close
Released:November 1983
Main Associated Album (or Single):Jimone EP
First Heard Live:Unknown Venue – 22nd November 1982
Played at:
Unavailable

Folklore

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Folklore is a song from James’ debut EP Jimone released in 1983 and the Village Fire EP in 1985.

An almost accapella track, often likened to a nursery rhyme, from the debut Jimone EP. Its lyrics are concerned about young boys growing into men in the mirror image of their father and male dominance of women.

It was covered in the early nineties by a band called Unrest and can be found on their BPM compilation album.

Details

LyricsReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
I've seen your mouth moving, heard others here say,
Those words are a piece of a part that you played
That sounds like you father, a teacher, the church
Didn't spring from the heart, but research
The only way I learn is put the fist in and get burned
Go get burned
Old wives, mystic here say
Wise men, rich men, shamen and sage
When you're meek on the Earth, when you die you will pay
For accepting that lot, in the cheapest of graves
The sexes divided, men mustn't be weak
Sensitivity is a vice of which we shan't speak
And women are a play thing that are just made for men
To treat how the boss he respect treats him
And I am going to grow up like daddy wanted me to be
To impress all those, who so impressed me
And young boys melt into men
And we'll start the process again
Add a touch of mystique where the writing gets weak
Break up coherence with a cut-cut-cut up technique
When you've got nothing to say
Shut up
Or show that you're willing to play
With words that simply aren't out of touch
With the genuine feelings which lead to their birth
Most things are better not written or heard
When you open your mouth, out drops a turd
The only way I learn is put the fist in and get burned.
Song:Folklore
Released:1st November 1983
Main Associated Album (or Single):Jimone EP
First Heard Live:Unknown Venue – 22nd November 1982
Played at:
Unavailable

What’s The World

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What’s The World is the lead track on the 1983 James debut EP Jimone.

Live versions of the track feature on the Come Home Live cd and dvd and a 1984 Discreet Campaigns fanzine tape.

It appeared on the first two demo tapes and was played at a Fall support show at Manchester Poly as early as 1980. The first version featured lyrics by Paul, which were substituted on the second 1982 version by Gavan and Jennie Ingram’s lyrics, before Tim joined and rewrote it completely.

The original lyrics featured the lines “Oh why can’t you see / What you’re doing to me / Between the pleasure and the pain / It really fucks up my brain”

The song was covered by The Smiths and was released on their I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish cassette single then a US Sweet And Tender Hooligan single and finally the two-disc version of The Sound Of The Smiths.

Details

LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
What will he sell, in the glasses and suit, heart and soul that won’t wear out. That’s not enough I want what’s inside, took a fish fillet knife and cut right through my eyes.

I’ve been looking for some words to call my own, not worn out phrases and hand me downs. They’ll mark me and where I stand, a bug on its back in a corned beef can.

Going under, you can feel them stripping you down to the rust inside.

This is the way, Frankie’s star is born. From those bits and pieces others have worn. All held together by management glue, too much glue, and the stars turn blue.

Going under, you can feel them pulling you down to the holes inside.

Live Version (Discreet Campaigns cassette)

Song:What's The World
Released:1st November 1983
Main Associated Album (or Single):Jimone EP
First Heard Live:Unknown Venue – 22nd November 1982
Played at:
Chords:

E

"that's not enough..." : G#, A

Stutter

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Stutter is a James song unreleased in studio form despite being present in setlists from 1982 through to the current day. Live versions appear on One Man Clapping, the 1990 Come Home single (Manchester Apollo 1989), the 1997 She’s A Star single (Alton Towers 1992), the Come Home Live video and DVD (Manchester G-Mex 1990), the live disc of The Gathering Sound boxset (Shepherds Bush Empire) and Live In Extraordinary Times (Madrid 2019).

It appeared on the original James demo sent to record companies in 1982 and on a 1983 Factory Records compilation video “A Factory Outing”

It was recorded for the Strip Mine album in 1987 and in the original mix was the final track before being dropped in favour of Are You Ready? as the band felt they hadn’t captured the energy of the live performance.

Details

LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
Tongue split
In the night
Woke up in blood
Red sheets
Wrapped tight
Dreamt I was drowning in mud
Now there's a beast in my mouth
It's out of control
Beats with will of its own
Broken my teeth ripped raw my gums
I think that it's taken control
Spits out raw emotion
Left a deep impression
Expression
Expression, makes me feel more expression

Life changed
That night
As rip chord took command
Spit balls of abuse
Were more than friends could stand
Now I don't think before I speak
I open my mouth to see
What comes out
A whisper or a shout
Some sanity or a scream
Spits out raw emotion
Looking for a deeper expression
Expression
Expression
Expression
Expression, makes me feel more... expression

Flapping meat says it all
Flapping meat says it all
Flapping meat says it all
Flapping meat says it all

Expression
Expression

Open in Spotify

1982 demo version

Song:Stutter
Released:1st October 1983
Main Associated Album (or Single):One Man Clapping
First Heard Live:Manchester Hacienda – 17th November 1982
Played at:
Unavailable