If things were perfect...

James is an English band formed in Manchester in 1982 and originally consisting of Jim Glennie, Tim Booth, Paul Gilbertson and Gavan Whelan. Group which in its very beginnings was called 'Venereal And The Diseases', then 'Volume Distortion', then 'Model Team International', then 'Model Team', then finally 'Tribal Outlook'…!

Group which released a mini-album “Jimone” in 1983, a mini-album which at least had the merit of starting to get people talking about them…

A beginning of rise halted more or less by the premature departure of Gilbertson linked to his excessive drug consumption and by the problematic indoctrination of Booth and Glennie within a sect called 'LifeWave'...

It took two years for the group to get back into working order and produce the mini-album “James II” in 1985, a mini-album which allowed the group to get back into the race.

The following year in 1986 it was the turn of the mini-album “Sit down” to be released, a mini-album which shortly preceded the release of their first album, namely “Stutter”. Two achievements which will allow them to achieve their first success on the Singles side with “Chain mail” on the one hand and “So many ways” on the other hand.

Slight decline two years later in 1988 with the release of the album “Strip-mine”, an album with less success than its predecessor and which only narrowly escaped thanks to the title “What for”.

Business will pick up noticeably in 1990 with the release of the album “Gold mother”, an album which will mainly produce the high-profile Single “How was it for you”.

They then decided to re-release in 1991 the title “Sit down” previously released in 1989 but which had gone under the radar to say the least. Well it’s up to them because they will succeed in making it a huge global success and thus see their fame more or less explode internationally.

Success confirmed and above all amplified two years later in 1992 on the albums side with the release of “Seven”, an album which allowed them to achieve another major success on both sides of the Atlantic with the title “Born of frustration”.

An inexorable rise in power which allowed them to extend their fame more and more internationally with the release of the album “Laid” the following year in 1993, an album which would produce the top hit of the same name.

Slight deceleration in 1994 when the album “Wah Wah” was released, an album which did less well than its predecessor and which saved the furniture only thanks to the title “Jam J”.

Conversely, the album “Whiplash” which would be released 3 years later in 1997 would have a more favorable destiny but without being capable of producing the slightest global hit.

Major album which will be the last because the group will return later but without finding a level of success equivalent to that which they experienced before. Which will not prevent him from continuing to deliver titles of more than certain quality.

To discover or rediscover...

Discography (among others...) :

80s Decade :

What’s the world 1983
Fire so close 1983
Hymn from a village 1985
If things were perfect 1985
Hup springs 1986
Chain mail 1986
So many ways 1986
Johnny yen 1986
What for 1988
Ya ho 1988
Sit down 1989
Come home 1989

90s Decade :

How was it for you ? 1990
Lose control 1990
Sound 1991
Born of frustration 1992
Ring the bells 1992
Seven 1992
Sometimes 1993
Laid 1993
Jam J 1994
Say something 1994
She’s a star 1997
Tomorrow 1997
Waltzing alone 1997
Destiny calling 1998
Runaground 1998
I know what I'm here for 1999
Just like Fred Astaire 1999
We're going to miss you 1999

2000s Decade :

Space 2001
Junkie 2001
Gaudi 2001
Getting away with it (All messed up) 2001
Whiteboy 2008
Waterfall 2008
Oh my heart 2008
Boom boom 2008

2010s Decade :

Not so strong 2010
It's hot 2010
Crazy 2010
Ten bellow 2010
Tell her I said so 2010
Make for this city 2010
Frozen Britain 2014
Moving on 2014
Curse curse 2014
All I'm saying 2014
To my surprise 2015
Nothing but love 2016
Gril at the end of the world 2016
Dear John 2016
Hank 2018
Coming home (Pt.2) 2018
Many faces 2018
Better than that 2018

2020s Decade :

Beautiful beaches 2021
Getting myself into 2021
Isabella 2021
All the colours of you 2021
Love make a fool 2023
We're gonna miss you 2023
The lake 2023

Tracks :

1983...the very first steps which will not go completely unnoticed since this young group will succeed in being classified in the Independent Charts...

1983...a rather auspicious start and which suggests that the rest will be very interesting. And she will be !

1985...certainly not in the near future because we still have to give time. But the little produced is not devoid of interest in any case...

1985...we just have to give the group time to mature a little more and find its definitive style and sound...

1986...it could be that this year 1986 was the good one, that of the entry into the big leagues. The entrance will be through the small door but it will be done in any case...

1986...the end of the Independent Charts, this time the group achieved its first success in the so-called traditional Charts. Well done gentlemen !

1986...it now remains to be seen whether they will be able to raise their level of play a little further or whether they will, on the contrary, be satisfied with what they have already obtained...

1986...it's not the year 1986 that will answer this question in any case. But the main thing is done concerning them, namely being able to fight from now on with the best...

1988...an opportunity that they are not going to pass up in any case. They do not intend to stop there at first glance, it is clear...

1988...we are still not talking about a big takeoff at this stage but we have to give time. We are getting closer slowly but surely in any case...

1989...success now extends to the southern hemisphere, which can only reassure that the group is gaining in power and influence...

1989...all that remains now is to achieve success on the other side of the Atlantic and the circle will be complete. To be continued...

1990...it won't be for this year 1990 but what is certain is that the group is becoming a reference in its native lands in any case...

1990...a successful transition to the 90s in any case and which de facto proves that the group's potential is not just an illusion...

1991...a year 1991 which will be that of the big takeoff, the real one. First and foremost with the release of the title 'Sit down', a release which was going to be a real global hit and give them the biggest success of their entire discography !

1992...the start of the 90s which saw them finally recognized for their true value, particularly on both sides of the Atlantic. The job is done !

1992...everything is successful for them now, both on the Singles and albums side. The group has reached its full maturity and intends to take advantage of it !

1992...it now remains to be seen whether they will manage to go the distance or not. Because when you have reached the top of the mountain you have to come down at one point or another...

1993...for the moment they don't really seem determined to start the descent. Let's hope they last as long as possible in these conditions...

1993...this new global success can only encourage them not to give up and to continue the adventure as far as possible in any case...

1994...it could be that this year 1994 is the tipping point and that the group is indeed forced this time to begin the descent...

1994...a start of descent which will take place as slowly as possible. And as in music nothing is ever finished, who knows what awaits them next...

1997...a new opus which will particularly benefit the group and bring him back to the middle of the pack. So you should never give up...

1997...we can't really say the same thing about the Singles in terms of ranking in the Charts but it doesn't matter, the group is holding on !

1997...the titles continue to be classified in England regardless, which considerably limits damage at this level...

1998...and rather well ranked which shows that the group has lost none of its Aura, at least on its native lands...

1998...let's hope it lasts as they say. But for the moment there's not much to worry about at first glance...

1999...as long as the quality remains at this level there is no reason for the group to disappear from the radar prematurely...

1999...they will still have to take advantage of these moments because the next decade may not be as favorable to them...

1999...one last title to end a decade which saw them manage to stay afloat without too much difficulty. The waters could be much rougher in the years to come...

2001...the albums will continue to be ranked but on the Singles side the fall in the Charts will be severe to say the least...

2001...even to the point of disappearing from the Singles Charts. We are far from the planned end of the group but it still calls attention to something...

2001...especially when we see what they continue to deliver, it is difficult to understand this violent unscrewing, to say the least...

2001...it doesn't affect them that much and they certainly don't intend to stop there. And in principle they are absolutely right !

2008...of course we will lose sight of them for almost 7 years but here they are again regardless. A desire to believe in it until the end which undoubtedly commands respect...

2008...they say that in music everything is always possible and that a return to grace is never to be excluded. And why not...

2008...well it won't take place during the 2000s but they will have had a more than obvious good will to continue the adventure...

2008...a group that has managed to cross time and fashions more than certain without it bringing them more than that. Shame...

2010...and one more decade, one more ! Will this decade be that of resurrection or, on the contrary, that of pure and simple disappearance ? The future will tell us...

2010...no notable improvement on the Charts side in terms of Singles and stagnation of success on the albums side. This doesn't necessarily bode well...

2010...from this observation we say that each title from now on can be the last. Which is not really reassuring...

2010...we will therefore have to wait for the sequel to see if there will be one. It would still be a shame if there weren't any...

2010...a year 2010 rich in quality titles in any case and we will therefore enjoy them as much as possible because who knows what awaits them next...

2010...the group will still have managed to cross 4 decades which is no small thing. Many groups from the same era as them would have liked to do the same...

2014...and there is going to be a sequel which can only greatly delight core fans. A sequel not without interest, that's clear...

2014...a level of productivity which continues to impress all the same because they could be satisfied with the bare minimum and only produce one album per year...

2014...nothing seems to affect them in any case, neither the time nor the relative success they now know. As long as they are classified in England, that is quite enough for them...

2014...good work as always. A qualitative regularity which has always been their strength and which allows them to last over time...

2015...quantity, quality, what more could you ask for. The group manages to remain stable on its support even if the best years are now far behind...

2016...it would still have been a damn shame if the group decided to stop everything due to lack of notable success. The proof...

2016...an ability to last over time that we only find in the best of each generation as always. The others have disappeared for a long time...

2016...they will go as far as they can and we therefore imagine that the adventure is far from over. At least we hope so...

2018...and here they are again, as faithful as ever, unstoppable little guys ! We wonder who could force them to throw in the towel at this stage...

2018...it now remains to be seen whether they will push into the next decade. In any case, there is nothing to prove that this will not be the case...

2018...the core fans in any case continue to dream of the future and imagine that the group will return to the forefront at some point...

2018...and who could stop them, frankly ? Because more and more groups from the 80s have also decided to come back and this will inevitably benefit everyone...

2021...so we might as well go all the way. They are therefore attacking their 5th decade of career with the firm intention of not giving up once again...

2021...and when we see the ranking level of this new opus, all hopes are still allowed so we might as well take advantage of it as much as possible...

2021...a level of inspiration which still does not weaken and which will have allowed them to cross the decades while avoiding as many obstacles as possible...

2021...in a musical career it's all about inspiration anyway. As long as it is there, everything remains possible, whatever the adversity...

2023...that's what they tell each other every day. As long as albums continue to sell well, there is a more than comfortable public base behind them...