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/)
P.S
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep the faithful entertained
You're a lover of attention
Found a way to pawn the soul
Disposition may be fetching
But the world moves on and leaves you far behind
I hear you, I hear you, whispering such gorgeous stories
You liar, you liar, you can't live the dreams you're spinning
You liar, love to be deceived
You're falling, you're falling, falling from your god-like distance
You're fashion, just fashion, fashion doesn't keep
You're sour, so sour, all is hope and trust is misplaced
You're sour, now you are alone
Walking on fire, feel the way the world's inclining
Walking on fire, hate to deceive
Walking on fire, now the world will keep its distance
Walking on fire, you rather than me
My son says, dear father, what did you do when the world turned over
Stop singing, stop singing, send us off to sleep
You liar, you liar, all your words are just dust in moonshine
You liar, love to be deceived
Walking on fire, found a place away from humans
Walking on fire, hate to deceive
Walking on fire, now the world will keep its distance
Walking on fire, you rather than me
In "P.S." by James, the lyrics address someone who "keeps the faithful entertained" and "found a way to pawn the soul," essentially implying that they manipulate people for their own gain. Despite their charming disposition and ability to tell "gorgeous stories," they are called out for being a liar who can't live up to their own dreams. The singer speaks of watching this person fall from their "god-like distance" and becoming isolated in their own sourness, while the world moves on without them. The song ends with a poignant exchange between a father and son, with the father being called out for his own lying and deception.
The lyrics in "P.S." offer a commentary on the duplicitous nature of individuals who use others for their own gain. The person addressed in the lyrics is seen as a deceitful pawn who creates false narratives for their own enjoyment. Despite their initial charm, they are ultimately left alienated and alone as the world moves on without them. The song's lyrics offer a warning against using others for one's own gain and highlight the importance of being sincere and honest in one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
You're a weapon of devotion
You use your talent and charisma to inspire devotion in others.
Keep the faithful entertained
You make sure your devoted followers are engaged and entertained.
You're a lover of attention
You crave attention and will go to great lengths to get it.
Found a way to pawn the soul
You've sold out your values and beliefs for fame and fortune.
Disposition may be fetching
You have a charming personality that attracts people to you.
But the world moves on and leaves you far behind
Despite your best efforts, time and progress will render you irrelevant.
I hear you, I hear you, whispering such gorgeous stories
I can hear you telling beautiful, captivating tales.
I see you, I see you, trying to break free
I can see you struggling to be authentic and true to yourself.
You liar, you liar, you can't live the dreams you're spinning
You are lying to yourself and others by pretending to live a fantasy that isn't real.
You liar, love to be deceived
You enjoy being fooled and fooling others because it feeds your ego.
You're falling, you're falling, falling from your god-like distance
You are losing your sense of superiority and power over others.
You're fashion, just fashion, fashion doesn't keep
You are trendy and shallow, and this will not sustain you in the long run.
You're sour, so sour, all is hope and trust is misplaced
You are bitter and cynical, and you've lost faith in humanity.
You're sour, now you are alone
Your negative attitude has pushed people away, and now you are isolated.
Walking on fire, feel the way the world's inclining
You are taking risks and feeling the uncertainty of the changing world.
Walking on fire, hate to deceive
You are uncomfortable with being deceptive and false.
Walking on fire, now the world will keep its distance
You are aware that your actions have consequences, and people will avoid getting too close.
Walking on fire, you rather than me
You are facing challenges that I would rather not deal with.
My son says, dear father, what did you do when the world turned over
My child questions what I did during a time of great change and turmoil.
Stop singing, stop singing, send us off to sleep
Stop trying to distract us from reality and let us rest.
You liar, you liar, all your words are just dust in moonshine
Your words are meaningless and empty, like dust in the moonlight.
Walking on fire, found a place away from humans
You have retreated from society and human interaction.
Walking on fire, hate to deceive
You still feel uneasy about being false and deceitful.
Walking on fire, now the world will keep its distance
You are aware that your choices have resulted in social isolation.
Walking on fire, you rather than me
Despite your difficulties, I would still rather not trade places with you.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TIMOTHY BOOTH, JAMES GLENNIE, LAWRENCE GOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind