FabSwingers.com forum: James

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

The band, really like the lead singer, Tim somebody but I've never got into their music, most probably because I never did uni.

I like some of their stuff I hear on the radio but equally tracks like "sit down" make me want to wear ear defenders and a rasta's hat.

Where should I start, what is their defining album?

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

Start with Gold Mother

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

Tim Booth

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Start with Gold Mother"

Then Laid

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Start with Gold Mother"

Thanks, Mother.

Oh, I see.

I thought you was being street.

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid"

Then Pleased to Meet you so you can play “getting away with it (all messed up)”

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Tim Booth is my weird crush, I'd even paint my eyes too.

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

Then Pleased to Meet you so you can play “getting away with it (all messed up)”"

Then Girl at the end of the World so you can play “nothing but love”

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I have now put James on too

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

Then Pleased to Meet you so you can play “getting away with it (all messed up)”

Then Girl at the end of the World so you can play “nothing but love”"

Actually Seven should be before Pleased to Meet you

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I saw these live at a gig in London many moons ago ... many many

I now feel older than I did earlier

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"I saw these live at a gig in London many moons ago ... many many

I now feel older than I did earlier

I saw them last year

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By *eorge JetsonMan
over a year ago

Middlesbrough

Forgotten Gems.

Took James three attempts just to get "Sit down" to chart and then they never looked back.

Giants of the '90s indie scene

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

Then Pleased to Meet you so you can play “getting away with it (all messed up)”"

If I get that far.

There's a brilliant surreal interview online somewhere with former footballer and manager Gordon Strachan, where he discusses his relationship with Tim Booth.

The two are/were very close, in a non-sexual way. Quite eye opening to hear somebody from the macho, hetro world of football talking in this way.

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By *rincessPussycatTV/TS
over a year ago

a world of her own

Never heard their albums. Sit Down is a fantastic song though imo, some of the lyrics are so resonant and moving.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I saw these live at a gig in London many moons ago ... many many

I now feel older than I did earlier

They were the first band I ever saw live.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I really like laid, but their newer stuff is good too. La petit mort is a beautiful album. I’ve seem James FAR too many times for a 32 year old and I think Tim is starting to get a little bit preachy.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 02/06/19 16:59:37]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"[Removed by poster at 02/06/19 16:59:37]"

I can’t even make sense today !!

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By *londewelsh79Couple
over a year ago

newport

"Start with Gold Mother"

Brill album

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Start with Gold Mother

Thanks, Mother.

Oh, I see.

I thought you was being street."

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I really like laid, but their newer stuff is good too. La petit mort is a beautiful album. I’ve seem James FAR too many times for a 32 year old and I think Tim is starting to get a little bit preachy. "

I like his attitude. I've always meant to give them the time of day but have never got round to it.

I'm the same with The Fall but they've got so much dross to get through.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

PSB are one the greatest pop groups of all time, in my opinion.

Can't stand The Eurythmics, it's her voice.

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

PSB are one the greatest pop groups of all time, in my opinion.

Can't stand The Eurythmics, it's her voice."

It’s how you feel about me.

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By *d59michelleTV/TS
over a year ago

walsall

Someone once said they had sold more t shirts than albums ?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Laid is their best studio album without doubt, I love the singles compilation though, the one with the flower on the front. Not a duff song on that album. ‘Born of frustration’ is their best song in my humble opinion.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

PSB are one the greatest pop groups of all time, in my opinion.

Can't stand The Eurythmics, it's her voice.

It’s how you feel about me.

If only I had you on CD, my journeys around the motorway network of the Midlands would be all joy and wet patches.

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

Top of the World is one of my favourite melancholy songs. I’ve played it a lot.

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By *irth.Minge.FireMan
over a year ago

Seen in far off places

"Top of the World is one of my favourite melancholy songs. I’ve played it a lot. "

This, also, is my favourite James track

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

They also did a brilliant version of Sunday Morning by the Velvet Underground.

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By *irth.Minge.FireMan
over a year ago

Seen in far off places

'Johnny Yen' is also well worth a listen

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

PSB are one the greatest pop groups of all time, in my opinion.

Can't stand The Eurythmics, it's her voice.

It’s how you feel about me.

If only I had you on CD, my journeys around the motorway network of the Midlands would be all joy and wet patches.

I’ll have to try and work out how to cut a CD!

I’m now listening to the original single of PSB’s surburbia

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

All those long long furious nights.... Crack upon afew beers and play James on YouTube, that way you will discover which tracks your drawn to

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Top of the World is one of my favourite melancholy songs. I’ve played it a lot.

This, also, is my favourite James track

It’s

It’s not my favourite James track overall but it’s definitely one that I have an affinity for.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Sometimes

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Sometimes

Sound

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By *irth.Minge.FireMan
over a year ago

Seen in far off places

Rather bizarrely, in July 1992 I saw James play live at Alton Towers.

I was just 17 at the time and it was my first ever gig.

By day, it was a somewhat surreal spectacle - a capacity filled theme park full of flower wearing revellers.

Good times...

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

La Petite Mort - Moving On is another great track

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Sometimes

My first fab meet wrote the lyrics of this in my birthday card!

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By *xperimentalistMan
over a year ago

East Yorkshire

First band I saw live, well technically that was Eat, who were the support band, back in about 1991, may even have been 1990!!

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Sometimes

My first fab meet wrote the lyrics of this in my birthday card!"

“Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul”

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By *ust ClareTV/TS
over a year ago

Settlewick!

I like his attitude. I've always meant to give them the time of day but have never got round to it.

I'm the same with The Fall but they've got so much dross to get through.

The secret with the Fall is to just pretend they split up in 1994 and everything since then is Smith's incoherent ramblings over faceless musicians.The odd gem got through but in the main the later albums are unrewarding.

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By *irth.Minge.FireMan
over a year ago

Seen in far off places

"Sometimes

My first fab meet wrote the lyrics of this in my birthday card!

“Sometimes, when I look deep in your eyes I swear I can see your soul”"

Did he also ask "how was it for you?"

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By *ax777Man
over a year ago

Not here

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

Then Pleased to Meet you so you can play “getting away with it (all messed up)”

If I get that far.

There's a brilliant surreal interview online somewhere with former footballer and manager Gordon Strachan, where he discusses his relationship with Tim Booth.

The two are/were very close, in a non-sexual way. Quite eye opening to hear somebody from the macho, hetro world of football talking in this way."

Tim’s a Leeds United fan. Many moons ago he dropped some CDs into Elland Road and that’s where he and Strachan first became friends.

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By *ax777Man
over a year ago

Not here

There’s far too many great James tracks to list and they have a great back catalogue of albums. Maybe a good place to start is with the Best Of, an 18 track compilation of their music up to 2001 when they split before reforming in 2008. Available on Amazon for less than a fiver!

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By *om and JennieCouple
over a year ago

Chams or Socials

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid"

My favourite!!

J x

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

My favourite!!

J x"

Ooooooooh! How is your pic a circle? That’s lovely that is!

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By *om and JennieCouple
over a year ago

Chams or Socials

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

My favourite!!

J x

Ooooooooh! How is your pic a circle? That’s lovely that is!"

I edited it in an app xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Love James..

Saw them years ago at the Edinburgh Playhouse..

Also saw them play live from the top of a building in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester..also years ago

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By *cgkcCouple
over a year ago

Hitchin

I like his attitude. I've always meant to give them the time of day but have never got round to it.

I'm the same with The Fall but they've got so much dross to get through.

I'm a recent Fall convert. Such a lovely singular racket. Wish I'd discovered them at 17.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"La Petite Mort - Moving On is another great track"

So good!

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By *mileyculturebelfastMan
over a year ago

belfast

"Someone once said they had sold more t shirts than albums ?"

That was back in the 90s. Their tshirts were brilliant.

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By *he Mac LassWoman
over a year ago

Hefty Hideaway

Booth and The Bad Angel is still one of my favourite collaborations. Tim and an American chap Angelo Badalamenti with the awesome Bernard Butler. A true 90s treasure that was totally overlooked. I still think it’s his best work.

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By *ORDERMANMan
over a year ago

wrexham

Really wouldn't mind if a lass would come and "sit down with me"

One of my favorite songs of that era..

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By *entish79Man
over a year ago

Glasgow

"James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

PSB are one the greatest pop groups of all time, in my opinion.

Can't stand The Eurythmics, it's her voice.

It’s how you feel about me.

If only I had you on CD, my journeys around the motorway network of the Midlands would be all joy and wet patches.

I’ll have to try and work out how to cut a CD!

I’m now listening to the original single of PSB’s surburbia

Do you know the 12” of Suburbia? It’s their finest hour IMO, and sounds incredibly through headphones. This one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_5d8WgWdEIA

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By *c1989Woman
over a year ago

Manchester

"Start with Gold Mother

Then Laid

Then Pleased to Meet you so you can play “getting away with it (all messed up)”"

What a tune that one is.

Drink like Richard Burton, dance like John Travolta.

I have the back catalogue on my iPod but wouldn't say I've listened to every track. There are some random tracks that don't do it for me.

Sometimes is one of my favourites to sing in a crowd.

Well worth seeing them live and they play small venues which is even better.

Laid is my go to karaoke track.

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By *entish79Man
over a year ago

Glasgow

I absolutely love James and posted a bit in another thread recently. Seen them a few times, first around 1989, and most recently at Glastonbury in 2016.

They have some great stuff on every album probably, but my favourite is Laid as well. Out to Get You and Five-O are particularly great.

Some hidden gems I love:

Alaskan Pipeline

(from Pleased to Meet You)

Of Monsters Heroes And Men - I just love the almost poetic rise and fall of how Tim sings it.

I Wanna Go Hope

(Both from Hey Mama)

Better Than That - it’s just so joyous.

(From Living in Extraordinary Times)

Tim’s solo album is worth a listen too. Saw him with his band three times that summer at festivals and a tiny venue. He brought out the best of the young band, and they seemed to rejuvenate him, so they were really great little intimate gigs. And he was doing a gorgeous acoustic version of Sometimes.

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"Booth and The Bad Angel is still one of my favourite collaborations. Tim and an American chap Angelo Badalamenti with the awesome Bernard Butler. A true 90s treasure that was totally overlooked. I still think it’s his best work. "

How did I not know about this?!!

AB did the music for Twin Peaks (and The Straight Story, one of my fav Lynch movies) and Bernard Butler is awesome! Thank you for telling us about this!!

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"James and The Eurythmics and The Pet Shop Boys are my odd “love ‘em, just always have” bands.

PSB are one the greatest pop groups of all time, in my opinion.

Can't stand The Eurythmics, it's her voice.

It’s how you feel about me.

If only I had you on CD, my journeys around the motorway network of the Midlands would be all joy and wet patches.

I’ll have to try and work out how to cut a CD!

I’m now listening to the original single of PSB’s surburbia

Do you know the 12” of Suburbia? It’s their finest hour IMO, and sounds incredibly through headphones. This one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_5d8WgWdEIA

Oh I know it. Of course I know it!

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

And whilst I also grimace slightly at Sit Down due to its over playing - it *has* got beautiful lyrics and is rather wonderful to be in the crowd as it’s sung at a live gig.

But the main reason I still rate it is because Musicians Against Homelessness launched their 2018 campaign with a beautiful version of Sit Down recorded by James with a string quartet conducted by Joe Duddell at Manchester’s Albert Hall. Good on them, worthy cause!

https://youtu.be/A-CS5E6Cm0M

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

And talking of musicians supporting homelessness causes here’s another great one:

Streets Of London - Ralph McTell featuring the Crisis Choir with guest vocalist Annie Lennox

https://youtu.be/q4OV54nb_Kw

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By *he Mac LassWoman
over a year ago

Hefty Hideaway

How did I not know about this?!!

AB did the music for Twin Peaks (and The Straight Story, one of my fav Lynch movies) and Bernard Butler is awesome! Thank you for telling us about this!!

Totally overlooked unfortunately. It’s an amazing record.

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By *anny77Man
over a year ago

glasgow

"Start with Gold Mother"

Gold Mother live (from the album Gold Mother for anyone who didn’t know) brought tears to my eye once. It was beautiful

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

How did I not know about this?!!

AB did the music for Twin Peaks (and The Straight Story, one of my fav Lynch movies) and Bernard Butler is awesome! Thank you for telling us about this!!

Totally overlooked unfortunately. It’s an amazing record. "

I’ve lined it up for tomorrow to listen to whilst I write my report.

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By *entish79Man
over a year ago

Glasgow

"And whilst I also grimace slightly at Sit Down due to its over playing - it *has* got beautiful lyrics and is rather wonderful to be in the crowd as it’s sung at a live gig.

https://youtu.be/A-CS5E6Cm0M"

Sit Down is that rare thing. A song that people loved, took on some sort of weird status and became overplayed, had us all actually sitting down... but it never stopped being great, even now. That’s a great version which I’ve heard before but forgotten about.

Having fallen down a hole on YT, I found Sometimes from his solo set at Glastonbury. I’m in there somewhere, right at the front. It was a weird year, in that Tim was headlining the John Peel tent. Hope of the States were before him, and before that some new beat combo, The Killers. The crowd got progressively smaller. Anyway, this is was the version of sometimes...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YJNq1QtT9xw

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By *entish79Man
over a year ago

Glasgow

Oh, another tangent, this time Joe Duddell. This is hands down one of my favourite things ever. It’s his peom, St Anthony an Ode to Anthony H Wilson, set to a beautiful instrumental reworking of one of my favourite New Order songs, Your Silent Face.

It’s a truly great and beautiful thing, funny and poignant.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3cYNI8s_vo4

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My favourite band. Seen them too many times to count, off to see them in a couple of weeks support The Courteeners in a couple of weeks in Manchester. One of the very few bands that have been around for so many years that have not morphed into a parody of themselves and playing greatest hits shows. Their recent albums have been amongst their best. Might have a wee record evening tomorrow

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By *olacolaMan
over a year ago

lincoln

Seen this band more than any other. Born of frustration will be my funeral song

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By *ortland51Man
over a year ago

Glasgow

Laid is a masterpiece of an album. My favourite album of my late teens.

For me, they are one of those very rare bands that have kept raising the bar as they continue. Their most recents works, whilst not as commercial popular as the 90s stuff, still have as much quality and I'd argue more. They have always had a perfect song structure and formula and the best prudicers in the world line up to work with them.

Tim Booth's solo album was also a quality piece filled with excellent songs.

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By *entish79Man
over a year ago

Glasgow

[Removed by poster at 07/06/19 17:54:25]

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