James are back with a new album, ‘Girl at the End of the World’ and a UK tour stopping in Leeds at First Direct Arena in May 2016.
Considering they split up for six years in the 2000s with little sign of ever reuniting, the fact that James are on their fifth album in eight years since doing the unthinkable is cause for real celebration – as is the announcement of a UK tour to go alongside it.
The Manchester-formed seven piece will be coming to Leeds on Saturday 14th May 2016 to celebrate the release of their 14th career album, ‘Girl at the End of the World’, due to be released on Friday 18th March 2016. And there are fewer finer places to celebrate, than First Direct Arena.
James formed in Whalley Range in Manchester in 1982, becoming an integral part of Manchester’s emerging music scene in the 1980s, before breaking out at the end of the decade with the likes of ‘Sit Down’, ‘Come Home’ and ‘How Was It For You?’ becoming big indie hits.
The 1990s proved to be the scene of their biggest success, it saw them selling 25 million albums across the globe, with tunes like ‘Laid’, ‘Sometimes’, ‘Tomorrow’, ‘Destiny Calling’ and ‘Born of Frustration’ becoming anthems – many of which fans will be demanding to hear come next May at First Direct Arena.
James broke up in 2001, and with rumours about the health of enigmatic lead singer Tim Booth, it seemed unlikely they would ever reform. But they did in 2007, releasing a number 1 greatest hits compilation, ‘Fresh As A Daisy’, which went to number one and saw them touring the UK, selling out all over, and releasing new material with ‘Hey Ma’, ‘The Night Before’, ‘The Morning After’ and ‘La Petite Mort’.
Two years on, they’re returning to First Direct Arena with ‘Girl at the End of the World’. Tim Booth has said of the new album, “As always with James it’s a collaborative process allowing ample room for improvisation, intuition, skill and dumb luck. From the outside our process looks like chaos but chaos is our friend and we have a history that gives us confidence that something magical will eventually appear. Most of my best lyrics are unconscious typos so don¹t ask me what it’s about; your projection is as good as mine. This was perhaps the most difficult and stressful album we have ever made. I hope you find it as rewarding as we do.”
James have built their immense success on a fearsome live reputation that has seen them sell out gigs not just at First Direct Arena, but across the world – so make sure you get your tickets.
James play First Direct Arena at 7pm on Saturday 14th May 2016. Tickets go on sale on Friday 20th November 2015 at 9am.
