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/)
It's Hot
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To melt our differences
Woah, a leap of faith
This fiery love
Dissolves the edge
Creates a bridge
Woah, a leap of faith
It's hot
Inside the chrysalis
Our cells
Create a dreamy bliss
A leap of faith
And out of this
A floating kiss
Life loves to exist
Hangover after the party
Woah, a leap of faith
Hangover after the party
Woah, a leap of faith
It's hot
Inside the chrysalis
Our cells
Create a dreamy bliss
A leap of faith
And out of this
A floating kiss
Life loves to exist
It's hot
Inside the chrysalis
Our cells
Create a dreamy bliss
A leap of faith
And out of this
A floating kiss
Life loves to exist
It's hot
Inside the chrysalis
Our cells
Create a dreamy bliss
A leap of faith
And out of this
A floating kiss
Life loves to exist
The lyrics of James's song "It's Hot" express a deep, passionate love between two people that is powerful enough to overcome any differences that they may have. The image of "inside the chrysalis" suggests a cocoon-like space where they are free to be themselves and where their love can flourish. The hot, intense heat within the bed serves as a metaphor for the passion that they feel for one another, which is strong enough to melt away any distance or conflict between them, creating a bridge towards a stronger connection.
The lines "Hangover after the party" can be interpreted as a moment of reflection, where the couple looks back on the intensity of their love and the consequences of their actions. However, the line "Life loves to exist" reinforces their passion and desire to experience life fully together.
Overall, the song celebrates the transformative power of love and the courage that it takes to take a "leap of faith" towards it.
Line by Line Meaning
It's hot enough within this bed
The passion and desire between us is so intense that it feels like the temperature of the bed has risen to a point where it can melt our differences.
To melt our differences
Our intense love and desire for each other is capable of overcoming any disagreements or conflicts that may exist between us.
Woah, a leap of faith
This intense and passionate love requires a great deal of courage and trust. It requires us to take a leap of faith and trust each other completely.
This fiery love
Our love is intense and passionate, like a burning fire.
Dissolves the edge
Our love is so powerful that it is able to dissolve the boundaries that existed between us.
Creates a bridge
Our love is the bridge that connects us, and helps us to overcome any differences or conflicts.
Inside the chrysalis
The chrysalis is a metaphor for a cocoon, or a transformative space where growth and change can occur.
Our cells create a dreamy bliss
In this transformative space, our cells are undergoing a process of growth and regeneration, which creates a feeling of dreamy bliss.
And out of this a floating kiss
From this transformative space, a sense of lightness and joy emerges, like a floating kiss that lifts us up and carries us forward.
Life loves to exist
This transformative process of growth and change is an expression of the deep desire of life to exist, to grow, and to evolve.
Hangover after the party
This line suggests that even after moments of intense pleasure and joy, there may be a sense of emptiness or sadness that follows, like a hangover after a party.
And out of this a floating kiss
Despite the potential for sadness or emptiness, there is still the possibility for lightness and joy to emerge, like a floating kiss that carries us forward.
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Virginia78704
This song is just so good. Love-Love-Love their lyrics, & the way this band harmonizes. Saw them over 15 years ago in Austin, TX. Would love to see 'em again.
Aristi Boulmpou
I absolutely love this!! The lyrics of the chorus are TOTALLY GORGEOUS! I love you James!
u2museman
LOVE IT !!!!! I've been a fan for 15 years and it feels so good that the boys are back !!!!!
MrDragon1968
Be cool if you put up Hero and Shine from the same album. The album is awesome. Lovin' seeing the boys back again and sounding fresh.
bobby kirkwood
a very underated band,should be more mainstream instead we get shit in the charts every week,awesome live,passionate as always,love this band.
Alan
Awesome song!!! I love it, James<3
Deric Marquez
This song is great and JAMES is just awesome. I've been a big fan for close to 20 years and listen to them all the time. I will be listening to this song over and over and over....just like many of their wonderful songs throughout the years. I'm a lost of words on how to describe them. Underrated is one word, however, that shouldn't be the case. They should be bigger and more popular than Coldplay or even U2. I like it like that though....let's all keep it that way. Way to go JAMES!!!!
Lucas Seibel Silva
Essa do James é foda demais.
Iscean Sourcil
Excelente!!!!!!!!!!!!!
albertodf1234
JAMES STILL POWERFUL !!