* En anglais uniquement
In the mid-'80s,
James singer
Tim Booth was often compared to
Morrissey of
the Smiths. While the folksy guitar pop of
the Smiths and
James exhibited similarities,
Booth didn't wallow in
Morrissey's anguished observations about life and love.
Booth formed
James in 1982 with
Paul Gilbertson (guitar),
Jim Glennie (bass), and
Gavan Whelan (drums). Throughout the '80s, the band received airplay on college stations, gradually developing a cult audience. In 1991,
James re-recorded "Sit Down"; the track was
James' breakthrough hit on American alternative rock stations. With the uplifting "Sit Down," often the highlight of
James concerts, the group distanced itself from criticisms of being a
Smiths clone. Three years later, the song "Laid" became a smash on MTV and U.S. radio stations;
James even performed at Woodstock '94.
During the summer of 1994,
Booth collaborated with composer
Angelo Badalamenti on
Booth and the Bad Angel, a project that was initially suggested in the early '90s. On the British TV series Friday Night at the Dome,
Booth expressed interest in working with
Badalamenti. However,
Badalamenti was unfamiliar with
Booth's work, and it wasn't until 1993, after a
James gig in London, England, that they finally saw one another in person.
Booth and the Bad Angel was released in 1996. After
Booth and the Bad Angel,
Booth began recording again with
James, releasing Whiplash in 1997 and Millionaires in 1999.
As the new millennium dawned,
Booth left
James to pursue his own projects. He devoted time to dance and meditation, and then he returned to acting -- most notably appearing in
Christopher Nolan's 2005 movie Batman Begins -- and released his solo debut,
Bone, in 2004. Three years later,
Booth joined
James for a tour that later expanded into a full-fledged reunion beginning with 2008's
Hey Ma. A pair of EPs by
James followed in 2010, and then
Booth released his second solo album,
Love Life, in the spring of 2011. ~ Michael Sutton