alex james.
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Stephen Alex James was born on November the 21st, 1968, in Bournemouth. His sister's name is Deborah, a name that he chose. His father sold fork-lifts and his mother did volonteer work. His first intrument was the piano, followed by the violin. He bought his first bass at 16. Early bands included The age of consent, The Rising, Mr Pangs Bang Bangs and The Victorians. He was good at school (13 "O" levels and three top grade "A" levels). He studied French at Goldsmiths College in London, where he met Graham and they formed a band called Nichtkunst.
role in blur.
He plays bass guitar and occasionally helps with handclaps and whatnot. He describes himself as the third most important person in the studio and as the "funny one". He has written and sung main vocals on one album track ("Far Out" on Parklife) and has also written a b-side ("Alex's song" on "End of a century").solo projects.
Presenter on Discovery channel:On the 27th of July 2003 Alex made his debut as a TV presenter with Discovery Channel's Life on Mars with Alex James, which was about the UK space research project Beagle 2, including an interview with Professor Colin Pillinger.
Beagle 2:
A British unmanned spacecraft named Beagle Two - after Darwin's ship - will land on Mars in
November 2003 and broadcast a specially written fanfare composed by Blur. The track is called
"Beagle 2" and was one of the b-sides of No distance left to run. Dave and Alex have been doing odd
bits of promotion for the project along with Professor Colin Pillinger of the Beagle 2 lander team. "The scientists are a great bunch, there's some really crafty, sexy British science going on, it's world-class. I think science is pretty rock'n'roll." (- Alex).
Blurtalk have an interview with the professor.
24 hours in Soho:
In 2001, Alex made a 6 part TV documentary series about his favourite parts of and people in Soho for ITV.
Q column:
Alex used to contribute a monthly column to Q magazine.
The Clerkenwell Literary Festival:
Alex is a regular contributor to this annual London arts festival, which is usually at the end of July.
Sophie Ellis-Bexter:
Alex did some of the production on Sophie Ellis-Bextor's 2002 debut solo album "Read my lips".
There's only one Jimmy Grimble (film score):
Alex James collaborated with film
composer Simon Boswell for the score of the British football film
"There's Only One Jimmy Grimble".
The soundtrack album (out now - Wrasse Records - WRASS023)
features
Alex & Simon collaborating with Echo & The Bunnymen's Ian
McCulloch
on
the track "Do You Believe" and a cover of "Blue Moon".
Fat Les:
Alex James, Keith Allen, and Damien Hirst released one of England's better "Football World Cup '98"-anthems, under the name of "Fat Les". Yes, the music to "Vindaloo" was written by our Alex. Keith wrote the words and sings, and Damien directed the video. It was the 2nd biggest single of 1998 in Britain.
Fat Les also released a Christmas single in 1998, entitled "Naught Xmas (Goblin in the office)".
On the 5th of June 2000 Fat Les released a version of the hymn "Jerusalem" with lyrics by William
Blake as the official England anthem for Euro 2000. It reached number 10 in the
U.K. singles chart and all the proceeds went to the NSPCC charity's Full Stop Campaign.
Alex claims it is "one of the most expensive records ever made", costing more to make than
the "Leisure" album. The video consisted of: members of the New London school's choir, the
Gay Male Orchestra choir, the London Community Gospel Choir, the Close Harmony Group
from Oxford University and a "Terrace Choir" consisting of friends and celebreties including
Paul Kaye (Dennis Pennis), Michael Barrymore, Keith Allen, Damien Hirst, actors from the
Harold Pinter play Keith is currently in, Justin Welsh from Elastica and Dave Rowntree.
"Fat Les was just a laugh with my mates." (- Alex).
The Stone Cold Strollers:
The Stone Cold Strollers (Ed Sherman, Guy Pratt and Alex) recorded a song called "Stone cold stroller" and a cover of "Ooh! my soul" for the soundrack of "Mojo", which has been released on video.
Marianne Faithful:
Marianne Faithful's single "Hang it on your heart" was written by Alex.
Me Me Me:
In the summer of 1996 Alex James, Stephen Duffy, Justin Welsh, and Charlie Bloor started the band Me Me Me. They made and released a song called "Hanging Around" for a Damien Hirst film. The E.P. also included "Hollywood wives" and "Tabitha's island", both written by Alex.
He's had other stuff published too!
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trivia.
According to Dotmusic he hasn't had any alcohol since the New Year (2000)!Like Dave, he enjoys flying aeroplanes.
People who have met him describe him as "charming" and "a cunt".
Dennis Copper has this to say about him in his book "Guide":
"Alex, 28, is an insecure, self-involved, artsy borderline alcoholic with a blandly witty manner, passable musical talents and this humungous IQ that he exercises only on occasion... He's sublime, on the surface, at least. It has something to do with his model-esque features... Anyway, he makes a smallish segment of the rock-music audience lose their shit, sexually."He likes cheese and wine, is vegetarian, speaks French, likes maths, girls (a lot), pizzas, space, pebbles and stuff.
He once "made a point" of drinking two bottles of champagne a day for 18 months - roughly 1% of England's annual champagne import.
Early jobs included building sites, the cheese counter at Safeways and helping to rebuild a nuclear power station.
Apparently he's mates with Jarvis Cocker from Pulp.
A Swedish band called Scents have recorded a song called "I want to be Alex from Blur".
The British Radio 1 DJ's Mark and Lard once described him as the "big bouncing bass boy out of Blur".
His longtime-girlfriend is called Justine Andrew.
He (used to) love(s) touring. "I can't think of anything better to do, really, than see the whole world, and play my guitar and drink beer. I'm just trying to get the best pizza in each town. And talk to the prettiest girls."
A nice interview about bass playing and life in general.
An interview about The Great Escape and America (1995).
what he says about the others.
"He's a maniac, Damon. Wants to control everything. But we don't think he's half bad.""I never agree with him" (i.e. Damon).
"He's a cheeky fucker." (also Damon).
"Damon was the one with the drive, and a knack of getting things finished. Without him, me and Graham would be sitting round in student halls picking our noses."
"Do I ever suggest anything to Graham? Absolutely not. Oh dear no. He'd shoot me."
"If there's a genius in the band, it's Graham. No doubt about it."
"Blur is an argument between me and Graham. It's kind of an argument that sounds nice to the ear."
"Dave is probably rock's most careful drummer."
"Dave was the scapegoat for quite a while. We were horrible to him but really he's very rock and roll and now I'm very close to him".
"I fly with Dave on Sundays. I'm probably closer to Dave than anyone else in the band at the moment." (said in 2001)
"Graham's a lunatic, Damon's a cunt and I'm mad. And Dave's just a bore."
"We're all much too proud to admit that we rely on each other, but we do."
websites devoted to the man.
Various things Alex has had published.The Alex James Worship Zone.
Planet Alex.
So many moons.
Da Cheez Gal's Alex page.
Alex's Island.
Far out - An Alex James Shrine.
SoHo Alcoholic Idiot Genius.
AleXLaNd.
The AJ Sexmeal Appreciation Society Official Homepage.
A picture I drew myself. (Please don't copy it!)
