Setlist
Johnny Yen / Are You Ready / Ya Ho / Sit Down / Gregory's Town / So Many Ways / Sky Is Falling / Black Hole / Medieval / What For / Stripmine / What's The World / Hymn From A VillageSupport
Happy MondaysMore Information & Reviews
None.
Le voir pour le croire. L’allure de garçons mystiques enrôlés par la foi, qui s’apprêtent à revêtir leur robe de bure pour tourner en rond avec leur méditation dans les couloirs rassurés d’un monastère. L’allure seulement, car sous leur apparence désuète, les quatre de James sont peut-être les doux illuminés les plus en marge de toute la scène anglaise, insensibles aux courants, ignorants des poses et aveugles des modes, je doute même qu’ils connaissent l ‘existence du terme. Ce n’est pas que le temps se soit arrêté pour eux, il n’existe pas.
Il y a 50 ans, ils auraient porté les mêmes pompes, dans 50 ans ils se rachèteront les mêmes, si elles sont usées.
Rien d’étonnant : ils sont de Manchester, la ville où rien n’est surprenant. Bientôt, il n’y aura pas que chez eux qu’on admirera leur importance, leur pop intemporelle taillée au burin et leur sensibilité exacerbée, habitée par l’épilepsie et la loufoquerie : « Yaho », une ronde sautillante aux accents tyroliens pour attendre un deuxième album en début d’année, déjà un must.
Seeing is believing. The pace of mystical boys enrolled in faith, who are preparing to take their frock to go round in circles with their meditation in the corridors of a monastery reassured. The only speed, because under their antiquated appearance, the four of James may be mild in most illuminated margin of all the English stage, insensitive to currents poses ignorant and blind modes, I doubt they even aware of the existence of the word. This is not that time has stopped for them it does not exist.
It was 50 years ago they would have worn the same pumps, in 50 years they will buy the same, if worn.
No wonder they are in Manchester, the city where nothing is surprising. Soon, there will not be home that we admire their importance, timeless pop cut and chisel their heightened sensitivity, inhabited by epilepsy and craziness “Yaho” a chugging round the Tyrolean accents to wait a second album earlier this year, already a must.
Strip-mine was the second album from James, released 37 years ago in September 1988.
What For / Charlie Dance / Fairground / Are You Ready / Medieval / Not There / Ya Ho / Riders / Vulture / Stripmining / Refrain
Release Name: | Strip-mine |
Artist Name: | James |
Release Date: | 26th September 1988 |
Format: | Studio Album |
Catalogue: | LP – JIMLP2, CAS – JIMC2, CD – JIMCD2 |
Following the chart failure of Stutter, James went into the studios in early 1987 to record the follow-up album. Using many of the tracks left over from the Stutter sessions and earlier live performances, the result of the sessions at Rockfield Studios was an album, but one that neither the band or the record company were happy with. Sire were reluctant to do much with the album and initially refused the band’s request for funds to remix it. James stagnated for a year, until they enlisted the help of Simply Red’s manager Eliot Rashman, who persuaded Sire that James could still be an internationally successful band given the right promotion.
A release of Ya Ho was scheduled for September 1987 but was postponed at the last moment. Steve Power was enlisted to remix the album, albeit with limited funds. At this stage, the band were left to rehearse and write new material, only able to afford to play the odd gig as they had little to promote and even less cash to pay for it.
What For was released in March 1988 and failed to chart, partly due to insufficient promotion by Sire who viewed the single as “too indie.” They finally relented to release Strip-Mine in September 1988 but gave it no push at all at a time where James resurrection was beginning in the live arena, selling out 1,500-2,000 capacity venues in Manchester and London despite never having had a whiff of chart success.
The version of Strip-Mine that finally saw the light of day was not too radically different from the original, Stutter having been replaced by Are You Ready and a revised track listing being the major differences. By the time it hit the shops some of the songs were five years old and the band had stacks of new material ready to unleash including a little number called Sit Down. The album reached number 90, a credible performance in the circumstances but then sank without trace.
JAMES, the Mancunian foursome return with a new single and a tour.
The 45 ‘Ya Ho’ is released by Blanco Y Negro/Sire on Monday and the band then head out on tour taking in Warrington Legends (October 5), Manchester Ritz (11), Newcastle Riverside (12), Aberdeen Venue (14), Glasgow OMU (15), Stirling University (16), Liverpool Poly (20), Sheffield University (21), Nottingham Trent Poly (22), Birmingham Irish Centre (25), Bristol Bierkeller (26) and London Astoria (27).
Although originally scheduled for release in 1987 and having an earlier catalogue number than What For, Ya Ho wasn’t released until September 1988 to coincide with the Strip-Mine album.
7″: Ya Ho (7″ version) / Mosquito
12″: Ya Ho (12″ version) / Mosquito / Left Out Of Her Will / New Nature
Release Name: | Ya Ho |
Artist Name: | |
Release Date: | 1st September 1988 |
Format: | Studio Single |
Catalogue: | 7" NEG 26- Ya Ho; 12" NEG 26T - Ya Ho |
Originally scheduled for release in September 1987, hence the earlier catalogue number than What For released in March 1988 and the 1987 copyright on the sleeve, Ya Ho was released to coincide with Sire’s eventual agreement to release the Strip-Mine album.
The version of the track on the single is different to that released on the album. It is the original mix of the song produced by Hugh Jones before Steve Power was drafted in to remix the album to make it sound more commercial.
The three b-sides, recorded and produced by the band themselves at Sheffield’s Fon Studios revealed an almost country-like element to the band’s music not previously seen before.
With neither band or record company interested in promoting the single for widely different reasons, the single received no promotion and no video was made. James had found a get-out clause in their contract and were about to secure the funds to record the live album One Man Clapping and they had just written a song called Sit Down.
No-one was credited the single’s artwork on the sleeve.
Can you tell me what Mancunian popsters JAMES are currently up to? Also can you supply me with the address of their fan club?
Hupsprung Nick, Sutton Coldfleld, W. Midlands
The news is that James are about to fling themselves into non-stop activity in the hope of reaching the front pages of TheSun. A single, ‘Ya Ho’ is promised for mid-September, while an album, ‘Strip Mine’ will be released by Sire just a couple of weeks later.
Tourwise, I haven’t got full details yet but the Jimmies should be in Dublin and Belfast on October 8 and 9 respectively, while confirmed dates include Manchester Ritzy (11), Newcastle Riverside (12), Aberdeen Venue (14), Glasgow QMU (15), Dundee Fat Sam’s (16), Liverpool Poly (20), Sheffield University (21), Nottingham Trent Poly (22), Birmingham Irish Centre (25), Bristol Bier Keller (26) and London Astoria (27). But there are plenty of dates to be added. James don’t appear to own a fan club but messages to the band can be relayed via Karl Badger, Sire Records, WEA The Electric Lighting Station, 46 Kensington Court, London W8 5DP