James without Tim Booth anyone?

Being once a big James fan (their 1989-1995 period especially) I hear that Tim Booth has played his last farewell gig with James at Manchester's Arena just before Xmas - and plans to pursue a solo career. But the rest of the band are to carry on with possibly a new singer. I don't think this is the best idea ever is it? I mean, James were James precisely because of Tim Booth - he's the life and soul of the band, so if he has now left, why can't the band call it a day? Reminds me a bit of The Stranglers after hugh Cornwell left, or The Bunnymen when MacCullouch went solo - a bit pointless, methinks. What do others reckon? Do you think they should split up or carry on with a different singer? And so what if their bass player Jim Glennie gave the name of the band? Is he going to take over as vocalist? I don't think so!. James: the Tim Booth Years (1983-2001) R.I.P.

Todd

P.S. Favoruite James tracks - who's interested in nominating any?

Probably be a good as New Order without Gillian Gilbert.

And since you ask...."Laid" (or maybe "Sky Is Falling")

Seeing as I just finished complaining about the lack of New Order singles in the States...

The U.S. sadly gave up on James a couple of albums ago (Millionaires and Pleased To Meet You weren't released here). The loss of Tim Booth certainly can't help that situation any, unless James' career goal is to one day play kids' birthday parties.

I'm no record company mogul, but jeez...how much can it cost to print a stack of CDs stateside for bands with an established fan base?

Maybe Tim should give his Buddhist fetish another shot - beats trying to become the Mancunian Sting any day. Me - went right off James when they went all Simple Minds on their "Seven" album - and only a handful of songs they've done since have even got me vaguely interested: Sometimes, Laid, Tomorrow , She's A Star (even though it does sound too much like bloody Suede fer chrissakes!!) .

Originally posted by Todd Bendy (aka Ben Sweeney) Being once a big James fan (their 1989-1995 period especially) I hear that Tim Booth has played his last farewell gig with James at Manchester's Arena just before Xmas - and plans to pursue a solo career. But the rest of the band are to carry on with possibly a new singer. I don't think this is the best idea ever is it? I mean, James were James precisely because of Tim Booth - he's the life and soul of the band, so if he has now left, why can't the band call it a day? Reminds me a bit of The Stranglers after hugh Cornwell left, or The Bunnymen when MacCullouch went solo - a bit pointless, methinks. What do others reckon? Do you think they should split up or carry on with a different singer? And so what if their bass player Jim Glennie gave the name of the band? Is he going to take over as vocalist? I don't think so!. James: the Tim Booth Years (1983-2001) R.I.P.Todd P.S. Favoruite James tracks - who's interested in nominating any?

I really liked Pleased to Meet You and Whiplash as albums, and Lost a Friend is a great song.

But playing devils advocate here, Todd - by adding a logical extension to your comments, do you also think that New Order shouldn't have bothered carrying on after Curtis 'left'? Like I said, Devils Advocate, so no offence intended! :evil2: :evil2: :evil2: CTD

Looks like a few people like (being?) "Laid" - it would be a stonker actually were it not for their drummer sounding like he's knocking nails into the floorboards throughout the whole bloody song!!!

Well, this is indeed a very strange idea... No more Booth dancing... This is a really crap idea indeed...

Fave songs : Out To Get You, Sometimes, Come Home

Originally posted by CandyTheDog > Originally posted by Todd Bendy (aka Ben Sweeney)> > > But playing devils advocate here, Todd - by adding a logical extension to your comments, do you also think that New Order shouldn't have bothered carrying on after Curtis 'left'?> Like I said, Devils Advocate, so no offence intended! > :evil2: :evil2: :evil2:> CTD>

Interesting point, CTD, but not a valid one, IMO...

Let me remind you, just in case you didn't know, Joy Division didn't go on, after Ian's death. New Order was a different matter, they didn't even played JD song apart from once in a while.

So, let James change their name and play a James song once in a while and, in 20 years, pleasing crowds with old James favorites...

Bought 'Millionaires' & 'Pleased To ....'recently but haven't got around to listen to them yet... I really can't imagine myself listening to James without Booth...I thought his voice is pretty unique & easily identifible. I even like that collaboration with Angelo B stuff... Me thinks if they want to continue the band's name, then they should try to do a 'Hooky'..i.e. getting Pottsy to sing, or Vince Clarke getting Andy to replace Alison 'kinda-thing'....

As far as favorite tracks go, I really love English Beefcake -- right up until the five minute mark when Tim starts woo-ooing. I dearly wish he would have decided to leave the band four and a half minutes into recording that song...the last sound you hear is the studio door closing behind him...

Speaking of the Laid record, it's fun to note that, in keeping with Eno's jamming live-to-tape approach, there are no verse/chorus/bridge song structures...it's all verse/verse/verse, with dynamics and instrumentation providing the highs and lows.

Like Slow Jam. How's that for on-topic?

Spot on Buster! Without Tim Booth's crazy flowerpot men dancing, what hell of a chance have James got of coming anywhere near recapturing their old glory in live performances?? They should really have split after that dreadful "Wah Wah" indulgence - more like a collection of electronic farts in very large jam jars IMHO....

So - looks as if lots of us reckon they shouldn't bother continuing under the existing band name without Tim Booth - it would just be so pointless! They've done pretty well. considering the trouble they had after they left Factory, and those four wilderness years trying to find the right record company to manage/market their (at the time) unique-sounding music. Obviously it was graet when they became massive just after the Madchester thing. But like they say, all good things....

Here's some ofmy fave James songs: What For/ Out To Get You/ Sometimes/Sit Down/Crescendo/Come Home/gold Mother/Yaho/Scarecrow/Johnny Yen/HymnFrom a village/Laid/Destiny Calling/Say something/Top of the world/seven.....bloomin heck - they've done quite a fair bit of stuff !!!

Todd

I actually read the James biography a while back (the book was around, and I liked Laid), and I got a certain impression of Tim Booth...

He's pretty idealistic in the music, and it's like he wants to live in a sort-of "perfect world", in particular one without leaders... So he pushes this whole view onto the band: he's the one with the vision for the band, but part of that vision is that he doesn't want to come off as the leader of the band.

I'm not sure if people agree with that, but I hope it makes sense. (This is just a vision of *Tim Booth*, nothing more.) Anyway, the upshot is that even though he *is* the band, he goes through this whole "I'm just a member leaving the band" nonsense...

it was over when larry gott left the band.

   g.

One of my best ever live gig experiences came thanks to James - Blackpool Empress Ballroom in summer 1990 - supported by Band Of Holy Joy.....I reckon James were at their true peak during this period - and I'll never forget seeing all those band t-shirts taking over the whole of Blackpool - absolute thousands everywhere you looked!! Fucking brilliant weekend that was..... and the gig was the wildest most euphoric, sweaty and emotionally draining two hours I've spent in the company of my friends for a very long time. My most guilty admission was I didn't buy Seven when that came out, but taped it off my mate and didn't really like it cos they'd gone all pompous and stadium band soundwise. I really started losing interest in James - even though I bought Laid in 1993 (okay - some great tunes there too nevertheless), and Wah Wah the year after, and didn't particularly like that one.... But, like you say, you never ever forget all the great times do you...

Originally posted by Big Boy Tomato Looks like a few people like (being?) "Laid" - it would be a stonker actually were it not for their drummer sounding like he's knocking nails into the floorboards throughout the whole bloody song!!!

Ah-HA!... Now that isn't by any chance a classic case of the power of the "Digga Digga Digga Digga...", is it? So it isn't just New Orderr songs where you'll come across this curious musical phenomenon then..... arf! arf!!