News

Hot off the press, via BMG and Music Week:

LONDON, 19 FEBRUARY 2014 – James have extended their relationship with BMG Chrysalis UK to release their 13th album through the company’s innovative Artist Services model in partnership with leading UK independent Cooking Vinyl.

The multi-million selling Manchester rock group first signed their publishing catalogue, including the era-defining hit ‘Sit Down’, to BMG in April 2012.

James, fronted by the charismatic Tim Booth, first emerged in the early Eighties with two EPs released on influential Manchester label Factory Records. Their breakthrough came in 1991 when the album Gold Mother reached Number 2 on the Official UK Albums Chart. The following years produced hits like ‘Laid’ and ‘She’s A Star’ together with a string of albums including Seven, Laid, Wah Wah and Whiplash which sold in their millions around the world.

Details of the new album which was recorded over the past 12 months will be released shortly.

The innovative partnership will see James benefiting from the combined strengths of the two companies, with BMG Artist Services working closely with Cooking Vinyl to direct and manage the worldwide album release; BMG bringing a focus on the A&R, creative and publishing elements of the project, and Cooking Vinyl providing product management, marketing and the route to market through their international network.

BMG Chrysalis UK EVP Alexi Cory-Smith said, “James have delivered an extremely strong record, and in line with BMG’s commitment to partnering with the independent sector, we are delighted to be working with Cooking Vinyl, one of the world’s leading independents.“

Peter Rudge, manager of James for the past 27 years, said, “We’re thrilled that BMG and Cooking Vinyl have joined together to market and release this record. The global assets of BMG combined with the specific expertise of Cooking Vinyl, one of the UK’s leading independents, is a powerful combination.”

Martin Goldschmidt, Chairman of the Cooking Vinyl Group, said, “On paper BMG and Cooking Vinyl are competitors and that is what makes this a landmark deal, offering James the combined strengths of both companies. We have already started working together on James and it already feels like smooth, efficient well-oiled machine.”

This summer some of the most acclaimed live artists are taking over Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl in July, for the first ever Summer In The City.

James are headlining the Friday night – 11th July. Gates open at 5pm and the special guest on the night will be Starsailor, with further acts to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets, priced at £35, go on sale this Friday at 9am and will be available from gigsandtours.com and various other outlets.

Some people are on the pitch……..They think it’s all over……..

………………It is now!!

“I’m very pleased to accept this award on behalf of the band and would like to thank the millions of 6 Music listeners around the world for voting for us. And remember, this isn’t just a victory for ‘James’, this is as much your trophy as it is ours. Having said that it’s on top of my telly and that’s where it’s staying.

Thanks and best wishes, Jim Glennie”

First festival confirmation just in – headlining Camp Bestival in the grounds of the lovely Lulworth Castle in Dorset. Invited by popular demand, apparently, as Rob da Bank revealed, “I always pay close attention to the Camp Besti forum and social media to see what people want, so I’ve followed orders and booked two of your most requested acts, and coincidentally, two of my favourite bands ever, JAMES and Basement Jaxx.”

This is a multiple award-winning festival renowned for it’s lovely vibe, beautiful setting, and for being very family friendly to boot. Tickets on sale now, see the live page for details. James play on Friday 1st August. N.B. We’ve been advised by the organisers that there should be a limited number of day tickets going on sale nearer the date, but naturally we cannot guarantee this.

There’s a sale running on our official merchandise from 11am today (Friday) until 11am Tuesday 3rd December – 20% off all stock! Visit the shop and enter the special code JAMESBLACKFRIDAY to get the discount.

Happy shopping.

The Bereavement Team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has developed a short film that aims to encourage people to add their names to the National Organ Donor Register, and to let their loved ones know their wishes. The 2-minute film has been produced by staff at the Trust and tells the story of a local boy, Jordan Grant, who died unexpectedly aged just 17. Jordan was able to transform the lives of other people through the donation of his tissue and organs. Jordan’s mum and dad (Lisa and John) play themselves, and one of Jordan’s best friends, Sam Garstang, plays Jordan.

James were both touched and proud to be asked to contribute their song Oh My Heart to soundtrack the film; an opportunity to help a cause that saves lives in this way doesn’t come along every day – nor does a chance to support our National Health Service.

For more information, please visit the Lancashire Teaching Hospital’s page on organ donation here, or you can add your name to the donor register here. Transplants are one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine, but they depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families to make this life-saving gift to others. Adding your name to the register will only take a few minutes of your time but it could save someone else’s life.

You can watch (or share! nudge nudge…) the 2 minute film here on the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ YouTube channel. The film premiered on Monday at a red carpet affair at the Preston Riverway Odeon – keep an eye out for it on the screens at Preston North End, and during the trailers in Odeon cinemas across the county.

“It’s with great disappointment and enormous frustration, that we must apologise for not playing in Riga last night. This was due to legally required production issues associated with the safety of the stage, which could not be resolved in time for us to perform and were beyond our control. The absolute safety of our crew and fans attending the show is paramount and we tried our utmost all day and night to get this resolved with the promoter by our contractual stage time. We sympathise with everyone who waited hours from the advertised door time and just wish there had been both better communication at the venue and time to accommodate our performance as well as the headline act. We head home today with a heavy heart and promise to come back and perform for our Latvian fans.”

Please keep hold of your ticket stub and booking confirmation email in case we have an opportunity to give you a little something special at some point.

We have just been advised stage times for Wembley have shifted again – James will now play from 6.15-6.55pm. If you’d do whatever you can to alert others going to the gig, it would be appreciated.

James will now be taking the stage 20 minutes earlier than advertised, playing from 6:30-7:10pm. Set length and curfew for The Killers (11pm) remain the same, and gates open at 5pm. See you there!

Tim, Jim and Larry called in on old pal Pete Mitchell at One Golden Square recently and played a few tunes. Tune in to the Saturday Social on Absolute Radio tonight from 10pm to catch the performance – according to Pete it’s a great session.