Tim Booth of the band James on ageism in music, topping the charts and AI

Shortly after forming in 1982 the band James became the first band in history to turn down an NME front cover and later refused a million-dollar campaign to break America - at the time they say they weren’t fussed by commercial success but many hits later and much has changed. More than 40 years since they began the band are at the top of the charts.
We met their lead singer Tim Booth.
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[@DavidNicol-wd7kg]

Good on you Tim I love music from the 90 god bless you love James till the day I die my favourite band in the world

[@danpreston564]

I loved James in the 80s and 90s, loved them again when they reformed in 2007, felt they hit their peak about 2011 and they’ve continued to make great mucks until now. I was once the highest placed Brit in a remix competition for James' track Curse Curse back in 2014, and got to go to special secret gigs and get backstage passes for a show in Brixton, where Tim told me he used my remix every day in his dance classes. It was a bit of a moment for me, I can tell you. Going to see them do an orchestral show in a couple of months in Bedford. Looking forward to it immensely.

[@robbiethepict2783]

James are even better live.

[@jacobfield4848]

Talented guys, I am happy for them.

[@rachelpotter4960]

Adored this band since a Teenager and seen them many times live and will be again this June!!!!

[@JulesMDM]

My heroes. 3 gigs this year booked, takes me to 35. Amazing success and Yummy is fabulous.

[@stuplant6693]

Hope the new generations find James now and run with them as i have since 1992

[@stephenwalker2924]

He looks like Anton Lavey, improbably. Sixty-four years' young. Good luck to him.

[@atverde]

Looking forward to see them live for the first time next month in Valencia.

[@steviemick8074]

Hope you have a great ttime. I'm sure you will. But be careful, they're quite addictive

[@t3br00k35]

Saw James live at Glastonbury on ecstacy and LSD and they were terrific.

[@kriskalpa]

time is horrifying, creeps up on you without realizing but happens to everyone! interesting interview, one of the best from C4 in a long time.

[@markwhite2207]

FOUND!!...The next Bond villain. Get him a white fluffy cat now!

[@sarahashworth5716]

Best band live!!

[@redskyatnight123]

Love james excellent

[@jimrford]

Great to see James still making music.

[@barnaclefelching4079]

Amazing ❤

[@claritylouise2347]

James you have the power to fix us!

[@SunShine-dk6rk]

Great Band ❤❤❤.

[@Yorkshire409]

Seen this band live a good few times now. You can tell there only doing it because they enjoy putting on a show 🎉

[@ScrewyDriverTheMan]

The late 90s messed up so many people for a length of time, it knocked so many off track and then they came back a decade later, and James was no different, they could have packed it in then, but they got back together and have been strong ever since

[@claritylouise2347]

This is the news! The only news! Its OUR world!

[@XxTheAwokenOnexX]

There is no ageism in music. Old school is the best \m/ \m/

[@MichaelShawcross]

I saw them back in... probably 1984 when they supported The Smiths. I saw them at the Ulster Hall in Belfast. Tim used to do this shaking thing on stage. They were probably better than The Smiths as The Smiths played some of their hits twice which maybe meant they hadn't a large repertoire at the time. Oo! Look at me with the fancy words!

[@danpreston564]

Probably the Meat is Murder tour, James were the support act on that.

[@dans9038]

See you all in Razzmatazz Barcelona!!

[@StratsRUs]

Privately Schooled.Which is a kind of AI in itself. A school founded in 1552 and around 60 grand a year to attend 'You have to have such riches, to not care about being poor'.

[@pallascat1743]

Yes a huge chunk of people in entertainment and media have the same elite educational background.

[@ScrewyDriverTheMan]

@@pallascat1743 Nah

[@Dreyno]

I understand being angry how many in government and the civil service had a private education but he’s made his way like every other musician. You don’t sell more records or tickets because you studied Latin for a couple of years.

[@pallascat1743]

​@Dreyno True you have to work tirelessly at it, have talent and luck but research has shown that less and less kids from working class backgrounds are finding their way into the arts. Also young people from privileged backgrounds are more likely to have the social connections it takes to break into that industry.

[@Dreyno]

@@pallascat1743 That’s what Tories do. Tim Booth isn’t a product of BIMM and it’s very unlikely he voted Tory either.

[@garyc9908]

Man city supporting Bowie First time I saw them A long time ago 😢😅

[@ianmangham4570]

Damn those ism's

[@claritylouise2347]

AI revolution please

[@claritylouise2347]

Ai woodstock

[@lancashirebomber9744]

geezer

[@brownmoney27]

This band were so guff the first time around, who needs this?

[@barnigranero5882]

Britpop wasn't "laddy" Pulp definitely weren't Suede weren't Blur wrote songs criticising lad culture.

[@kriskalpa]

but the genre was/is defined by the most successful, so Oasis defined Britpop for most people.

[@barnigranero5882]

@@kriskalpa Except that Common People is regularly voted as the most popular Britpop song! Also Britpop was first used to describe Suede.

[@kriskalpa]

@@barnigranero5882 sure, but I think you can agree that Oasis were the most successful of the genre. globally. In the same way Nirvana defined Grunge, but there were other bands from Seattle who wouldn't be happy with that characterization. therefore it's reasonable to describe the britpop era as "laddish" even though many people who like Britpop are not.

[@barnigranero5882]

@@kriskalpa No it isn't for a music journalist to do that. Should know better. Also Blur won the battle of Britpop

[@claritylouise2347]

The music industry is dust , we control what we listen to, Ai has shown me nothing but thank god! I can't believe the b....., elonn said that coz he cant control it!

[@samlynch6896]

No snippet of getting away with it. Travesty!