James emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand … Read Full Bio ↴James emerged from their native Manchester in the mid-'80s playing a brand of urgent, ringing guitar pop distinguished by Tim Booth's keening, insistent vocals. Booth's dramatic stylings and James' dedication to textured guitars earned the group the designation of "the next Smiths," a connection strengthened by Morrissey's endorsement of the band. By the dawn of the '90s, James shook off these comparisons by embracing acid house, the first of many adventurous left turns the band took over the decades. "Sit Down," an old open-hearted tune re-recorded for the age of "baggy," proved to be their breakthrough, reaching number two in the U.K. in 1991 and becoming an alternative rock hit in the U.S. With its singles "Sound" and "Born of Frustration," Seven consolidated that success in 1992, but it was 1993's Laid that established the group's mature sound. Working with Brian Eno, the group took aural risks that paid off artistically and commercially: the title track became their biggest American hit. From there, James had a flurry of activity in the late 1990s before entering a hiatus in 2001. The band regrouped in 2007, releasing Hey Ma the following year and then settling into a groove where they alternated tours with ambitious album projects such as 2010's two-part The Night Before and The Morning After, as well as 2021's pandemic journal All the Colours of You.
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/)
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/)
Pressure's On
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel
I feel the pressure, the pressure
I feel
I feel the pressure, the pressure
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
Those dreams for another
Those dreams keeping on calling, keep calling me
Those dreams, just wait and see
Those dreams beggar belief
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
Believe the unsilenced mouth
Believe when it was just not allowed
Believe the cause ignored
Believe we'll rewrite all the laws
Just a prisoner
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
To hear the future breathing
To hear the enemies are circling
To hear those principles
To hear its just where you belong
Just a prisoner
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
Who's to say when and where
Just a prisoner
Who's to say when and where
Just a prisoner
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
So tell me
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
Just tell me
I am who I am
I am who I am
Take me as I am
I am who I am
I am who I am
I am who I am
Just take me
Take me as I am
Take me as I am
Take me as I am
Just a prisoner
Take me as I am
Just a prisoner
Just take me as I am
Just a prisoner
I feel the pressure, the pressure
I feel
I feel the pressure, the pressure
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
Those dreams for another
Those dreams, just wait and see
Those dreams beggar belief
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
Believe the unsilenced mouth
Believe when it was just not allowed
Believe the cause ignored
Believe we'll rewrite all the laws
Just a prisoner
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
To hear the future breathing
To hear the enemies are circling
To hear those principles
To hear its just where you belong
Just a prisoner
When the wind whispers, in the back of your mind
Dreams hidden deep inside
Deep inside
Who's to say when and where
Just a prisoner
Who's to say when and where
Just a prisoner
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
So tell me
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
Where do I go now
Just tell me
I am who I am
I am who I am
Take me as I am
I am who I am
I am who I am
I am who I am
Just take me
Take me as I am
Take me as I am
Take me as I am
Just a prisoner
Take me as I am
Just a prisoner
Just take me as I am
Just a prisoner
"Pressure's On" by James is a song that showcases the struggles of an individual who is trying to maintain a confident persona while dealing with deep depression. The lyrics suggest that the singer is putting up a façade of self-control and confidence in front of the world, but deep down, he is struggling to cope with his fears and insecurities. The repeated use of the word 'cry' adds to the vulnerability and rawness of the emotions that the singer is feeling.
The lyrics encourage the listener to break away from their first impressions of oneself and recreate their will. The song also emphasizes the significance of love and how it can be the goal that one strives for in life. The repeated line 'let love be your goal' serves as a reminder to the listener to focus on the love that exists in their life and to hold on to it during difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in a deep depression
Feeling profound sadness and hopelessness
Face of self-control
Presenting a composed and calm exterior despite inner turmoil
Shown to the world of confident
Portraying an image of unwavering self-assurance to others
Pray your fears won't show
Hopeful that one's anxieties and worries won't become apparent
Cry
Expressing the overwhelming emotions felt
Break your first impressions
Challenge initial assumptions or beliefs
Recreate your will
Rebuild one's determination and drive
Love's at the heart of everything
Love is the central and most essential aspect of life
Let love be your goal
Make loving and being loved the ultimate aspiration
My whole world
All that is familiar and meaningful to me
Breaking down
Collapsing or falling apart
The pressure's on
Feeling immense stress and urgency
The pressures' on
The weight and responsibility of the situation is significant
This whole way's
The path or journey I'm on
Falling down
Losing footing or direction
Cry
Expressing deep emotional pain
Cry
Allowing oneself to feel and release intense emotions
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: James Lewtas, Tammy McLaren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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telegramsam2000
Stunning, isn't it?
daniel camarena
I think this album was done parallel to the "Laid" album. After they worked on the official album, they would do these improvised jam sessions, and Brian Eno recorded them. These songs feel as they were recorded very late at night, one take bits, that were masterfully produced by the genius that is Brian Eno.
Colptin
They recorded this whole thing either high or drunk 😂
RonniStyles
This album was one of their best I think, very innovative.
John Ashley
never got the recognition they deserve. 😎
mikeandjanane
Love it to the max!!!
Stefano Adrianopoli
probably the best album ever played and recorded -
surprisingly not so famous as it would have deserved
Kathy Eaton
I was a young teenager when this all came about. The 1990's, Britpop scenes of allegiances.
JOHN ASHLEY
Beautiful soulful song, makes me feel good!! 😊
Stanley Gray
This could very well be their best album...