Great stuff, Penny. I saw James on the 'Laid' tour in Detroit and it was a revelatory experience. It's the only time that I saw them live and it's one of the greatest nights of music that I have ever witnessed.
Hmm. Maybe in the last paragraph, perhaps someone meant "oblivious," rather than "obvious." Could've been you, or what you call a sub-editor. I wouldn't remember after 40 years, either, unless I was really angry about the insertion of the wrong word at the time. Those I still remember.
Thanks Penny. So great to read this. It really captures what they were about in the early days. A strange almost folk-horror sensibility, very eldritch, very English, very odd. But all leavened by those Marr-esque jangly guitars. Anyway, I was a big fan when I was younger, but didn't stick with them much past the 'Laid' / 'Wah-Wah' period. Glad they're still at it though. 'Seven' was my gateway, then went back to 'Stutter' and 'Strip-mine', which confused me when I was fifteen, but soon became, and remain, my favourites.
Hi Penny, thanks for sharing this, and jumping in because I just went on a James kick with my own page, a Crossed Channels podcast on the post-split albums, and a two-parter of my interview with Tim from around 2011 when I was researching my Smiths biography. My partner in the podcast who clearly can't stand them, would probably cite Tim's "preposterous voice, preposterous dancing, and all too innocent eyes" and note that he was clearly warned a solid 38 years ago. Me, I love them more than ever.
Hi Tony. Just discovered your channel through your comment and subscribed. Listening to the podcast preview now. As per my comment below, a big James fan back in the day, so nice to 'meet' another. All the best. Ben
Great stuff, Penny. I saw James on the 'Laid' tour in Detroit and it was a revelatory experience. It's the only time that I saw them live and it's one of the greatest nights of music that I have ever witnessed.
Hmm. Maybe in the last paragraph, perhaps someone meant "oblivious," rather than "obvious." Could've been you, or what you call a sub-editor. I wouldn't remember after 40 years, either, unless I was really angry about the insertion of the wrong word at the time. Those I still remember.
Thanks Penny. So great to read this. It really captures what they were about in the early days. A strange almost folk-horror sensibility, very eldritch, very English, very odd. But all leavened by those Marr-esque jangly guitars. Anyway, I was a big fan when I was younger, but didn't stick with them much past the 'Laid' / 'Wah-Wah' period. Glad they're still at it though. 'Seven' was my gateway, then went back to 'Stutter' and 'Strip-mine', which confused me when I was fifteen, but soon became, and remain, my favourites.
I think my fave LP is the live one 1⃣ Man Clapping cos it reminds me how I felt watching them in the 80s.
Good shout. I had that on vinyl but misplaced it somewhere along the line :(
Hi Penny, thanks for sharing this, and jumping in because I just went on a James kick with my own page, a Crossed Channels podcast on the post-split albums, and a two-parter of my interview with Tim from around 2011 when I was researching my Smiths biography. My partner in the podcast who clearly can't stand them, would probably cite Tim's "preposterous voice, preposterous dancing, and all too innocent eyes" and note that he was clearly warned a solid 38 years ago. Me, I love them more than ever.
Hi Tony. Just discovered your channel through your comment and subscribed. Listening to the podcast preview now. As per my comment below, a big James fan back in the day, so nice to 'meet' another. All the best. Ben
Lovely Ben, feel free to comment and join in other discussions over at WOrdsmith, and thanks Penny for introducing us.
Thanks Tony. Will do. :)