James formed in Manchester in 1982, when Paul Gilbertson (guitar), Jim Glennie (bass), and Gavan Whelan (drums) met Tim Booth (vocals) at Manchester University and asked him to join their fledgling band. During the next year, James became regulars on the local club circuit, and by 1983 they had signed to Factory, releasing their debut EP, Jimone, later that year. Two years later, their second EP, James 2, was released, and Morrissey, the lead singer of the Smiths, publicly endorsed the group, asking them to open for his band. By the summer of 1985, Larry Gott had replaced Gilbertson, and the group signed to Sire Records. Working with producer Lenny Kaye, the group recorded its debut, Stutter, that year, releasing it in early 1986 to generally positive reviews.
Over the next two years, James toured constantly, building up a solid fan base. They released their second album, the folky Strip-Mine, in 1988. The record failed to capitalize on their live following, and the band departed Sire the following year, signing with the independent Rough Trade. On their new label, James released the moderately successful "Sit Down" and the live album One Man Clapping, which climbed to number one on the indie charts. In 1990, Whelan was replaced by David Baynton-Power, and James expanded to a septet with the addition of keyboardist Mark Hunter, violinist Saul Davies, and trumpeter Andy Diagram. The new lineup signed to Fontana Records and released Gold Mother in the fall. Following a handful of minor hit singles, Gold Mother finally became a breakthrough success in the spring of 1991, when a re-recorded version of "Sit Down" -- now boasting a contemporary baggy beat -- climbed to number two on the U.K. charts and became a staple on U.S. modern rock radio. Although the success of "Sit Down" was a blessing, it also was a curse, as the single became all James were known for. The band began to rebel in concert, playing almost nothing but new material, and its next album, 1992's Seven, was perceived as a misguided stab at big arena rock.
For the follow-up to Seven, James stripped away Diagram and worked with producer Brian Eno. The resulting record, Laid, was a quieter, more ambitious album, and it received some of the band's best reviews. While the album was ignored in the U.K., it was an alternative rock hit in the U.S. on the strength of the title track, which became a crossover hit. During the Laid sessions, James recorded another album's worth of experimental music with Eno that was released in the fall of 1994 as Wah Wah. The album received mixed reviews and the group took an extended break throughout 1995, partly due to guitarist Gott's departure. In 1996, Tim Booth recorded a collaboration with composer Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) entitled Booth and the Bad Angel, which received generally positive reviews.
With guitarist Adrian Oxaal in tow, James returned in early 1997 with Whiplash, a more straightforward record that was greeted with mixed reviews. Released in 1999, Millionaires, recorded with new guitarist Michael Kulas, was initially released only in the U.K. Their spectacular follow-up, 2001's Pleased to Meet You, was also available only in the U.K. A few months later, frontman Tim Booth announced his departure from the band he founded nearly 20 years before, and James called it quits following a winter tour of the U.K. in December 2001. The break was short-lived, however, as the band re-formed in 2007 and embarked on a tour in support of the double-disc compilation Fresh as a Daisy: The Singles. The following year saw the release of Hey Ma, James' tenth studio album.
The band returned in 2010 with a pair of "mini-albums" called The Night Before and The Morning After, respectively, before late 2011 brought a short, but novel, U.K. tour (the Orchestra of the Swan and the Manchester Consort Choir were their backup bands). In 2012, the lavish and long-awaited box set The Gathering Sound was issued, and included previously unreleased audio material alongside long-unavailable video concert footage. Details of the Max Dingel-produced La Petite Mort emerged in February 2014, and this first post-Mercury studio album was released four months later in June. Dingel then returned to produce their 2016 record, Girl at the End of the World. Written in Scotland and recorded in London, the album was described by the band as "big but personal, abrasive but warming" and "ultimately uplifting." Two years later, James teamed with producers Charlie Andrew and Beni Giles for Living in Extraordinary Times.
During the 2020 pandemic, Tim Booth teamed up with his Topanga Canyon neighbor Jacknife Lee to construct the basic tracks the rest of James completed while in quarantine. The resulting All the Colours of You was released in June 2021.
Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
There are other artists using the same name:
2) James is the vocalist of popular Bangladeshi band Nagar Baul. He was a member of the band Feelings and later formed the band Nagar Baul. James was raised in Chittagong and later moved to Dhaka for his singing career. Stylishly longhaired James--overwhelmingly known as the Nagar Baul (the City Bard), was the pioneer of psychedelic rock in Bangladesh. Originally a lead singer and guitarist, he has always been respected for his solo projects. He became affectionately called Guru by his fans. His tunes were bright and his singing a divergence from the archetypal tunes preferred by the commercial-type directors. His songs expressed love, rage, discontent, frustration, and happiness.
3) A Dutch rapper connected to the Fakkelteitgroep.
4) James Lee - known as James - was a former member of Royal Pirates, a South Korean band. On 2015, he got into an accident that caused him unable to play bass any longer. Hence, he decided to left the band.
James moved back to Los Angeles and decided to release music written post accident in a project called ’the Light EP’ consisted of 5 tracks. (http://jamesleeofficial.com/)
Fire So Close
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Big boys in black hats
Cowboys with white guns
White guns shoot blue white
Blue white baptism
No buffaloes
No Indians
Red sky is falling
Blue blood no stalling
White heat will strip you
No time to run far
(refrain 1)
Ivan's built(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
Why hang the fire so close
Why so close
(refrain 2)
Wayne's got a wall that's much more subtle
Wore headphones since he was born
Watches Ivan through dark glasses
Hand('s) 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
(refrain 1)
(refrain 2)
Why stand the fire so close
Why?
The lyrics of James's song Fire So Close seem to depict a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where there are "big boys in black hats" and "cowboys with white guns," and where there are no more buffaloes and Indians. The imagery is jarring and distressing, as they seem to allude to the destruction of the Native American culture and wildlife at the hands of the oppressors. The red sky falling and blue blood not stalling present an environment where danger is imminent and inevitable. The lines "White heat will strip you, no time to run far" convey a sense of urgency and helplessness in the face of the looming danger.
The refrains of the song seem to focus on two individuals, Ivan and Wayne, who have fortified themselves against an unseen threat. Ivan has "built a wall of lead 'round his house" and is running out of "food for ammunition," while Wayne has "got a wall that's much more subtle" and constantly keeps an eye on Ivan. The sense of paranoia and mistrust is palpable here, and the suggestion is that the characters are in a standoff, each afraid to make one wrong move.
Overall, the lyrics of Fire So Close utilize striking imagery and powerful metaphors to depict a world in turmoil where fear, mistrust, and bigotry reign supreme.
Line by Line Meaning
Why so close
Questioning the dangerous proximity of the imminent danger that is threatening their safety.
Big boys in black hats
Referring to people in positions of power, potentially those who enforce the law or government officials.
Cowboys with white guns
Metaphor for people who have weapons and use them to assert their power, often with a sense of invincibility.
White guns shoot blue white
Describing the effects of the guns, and potentially the bullets they use, as a destructive force.
Blue white baptism
A comparison of the violence and destruction to the cleansing of a baptism, suggesting that it is both destructive and transformative.
No buffaloes
Possibly referring to the extinction of animals due to human intervention, suggesting that humans are capable of great destruction.
No Indians
Potentially a reference to the genocide of Native Americans by white settlers, highlighting the destructive nature of imperialism.
No more buffaloes
Repeating the earlier line to emphasize the finality of the destruction that has been wrought.
Red sky is falling
A somewhat apocalyptic image, suggesting that the world is falling apart around the singer and the people they are singing about.
Blue blood no stalling
Referring to people of high social status, this line suggests that even they are not immune to the threat of violence and destruction.
White heat will strip you
A potentially sexual image, suggesting that the violence and intensity of the situation is like a form of stripping away everything else.
No time to run far
Suggesting that the imminent danger is so close that there is no way to escape from it.
Ivan's built(got) a wall of lead 'round his house
Describing a person who has fortified themselves against potential attacks, potentially suggesting paranoia or a perceived threat that drives them to protect themselves at all costs.
Nobody can get in or out
Emphasizing the sense of isolation and fear that this person is experiencing.
Running out of food for ammunition
Suggesting that the person has prioritized their own safety above all else, potentially at the expense of their basic needs.
Frightened of the darkness
A metaphor for the unknown, suggesting that this person is afraid of anything that they cannot control or predict.
Sending out scouts
A desperate measure taken by someone who is feeling threatened and vulnerable, potentially suggesting that they are searching for a way to escape or to defend themselves more effectively.
Wayne's got a wall that's much more subtle
Comparing Wayne's form of protection to Ivan's, suggesting that it is less overt but still just as effective.
Wore headphones since he was born
Suggesting that Wayne has been trying to block out the outside world for his entire life, either due to fear or a desire for control.
Watches Ivan through dark glasses
Suggesting that Wayne is constantly on guard and suspicious of those around him, potentially seeing threats where there are none.
Hand('s) on his gun waiting for the storm
Emphasizing Wayne's readiness for a potential conflict, and potentially suggesting that he is eager for it to happen in order to prove himself.
One false move and we all fall down
Emphasizing the high stakes of the situation, suggesting that one mistake could lead to disastrous consequences for everyone involved.
No funeral games, no such fun
Highlighting the grim reality of violence and death, and suggesting that it is not something to be taken lightly or to find enjoyment in.
Here's your ticket to the party
Sarcastically suggesting that the violence and conflict is being treated like a game or a social event, when in reality it is anything but.
That's what you get for playing with a gun
A warning about the dangers of violence and assuming the need for guns in everyday life, potentially suggesting that it only leads to destruction and chaos.
Six-gun so close
Repeating the earlier imagery of guns being dangerously close and emphasizing the sense of danger that the singer is feeling.
Why stand the fire so close
Echoing the earlier refrain, this line once again questions why the people involved are so close to the danger and why they are not taking steps to protect themselves or to escape.
Why?
Repeating the central question of the song and highlighting the sense of confusion and desperation that the singer is feeling in the face of such intense danger.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gavan Michael Whelan, James Lawrence Gott, James Patrick Glennie, Timothy Booth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Theodore Rhodes
this song is a killer thanks so much for uploading it!
Makka Pakka
Welcome :) I got it off my singles CD.
Makka Pakka
I'm planning on putting up some more unreleased tracks, although Sire can get in the way. Want to join my James Discord? https://discord.gg/rs2UzNGHfC
Theodore Rhodes
oh i only just started listening with this EP (someone put Hymn From a Village on a playlist and i fell in love with it) but if I get more into their stuff I'll keep it in mind!!