Jim James
30 Signature Guitars for Modern Artists
For decades, having a signature guitar was reserved for classic rock legends — the Claptons, the Hendrixes, the Pages, the SRVs and EVHs. But that’s no longer the case. From pop-punk to heavy metal, alt-country to neo-soul, modern artists of all genres and backgrounds are getting signature guitars from companies big and small. Among the titans of the industry, that intentional shift came with a new generation being put into decision-making positions. “When I started, it was largely classic rock and very much a pantheonic Hall of Fame,” Fender’s Executive VP for Products Justin Norvell says of the early 2000s. “It was an end-of-an-iconic-career kind of thing. But it was my feeling that it should be something that people can use to reflect back upon themselves. A Telecaster can mean James Bu...
Jim James: How Jamming, Dreams, Stranger Things Sparked New My Morning Jacket LP
“Balance and Surrender” is apparently the name of a yoga studio in Tamworth, England. It also could have easily been the title of My Morning Jacket’s ninth LP. First, the balance: It’s the only reason we even have this self-titled project, their first new album since 2015’s The Waterfall (and its temporarily shelved sequel from the same sessions, 2020’s The Waterfall II). After the gently twangy psych-rock band finished the grueling tour cycle behind that record, frontman/bandleader Jim James decided they needed to wind down for a bit — pausing, if not outright ending, the live/studio onslaught they’ve maintained since forming in 1998. “When the band was coming up, we were fortunate to get so many offers — go open for this band or that band, go do that show,” James tells SPI...
Jim James, Wayne Coyne, Angel Olsen on the Legacy of All Things Must Pass
George Harrison released his third solo project, the expansive triple-LP All Things Must Pass, in November 1970. And its songs — like “My Sweet Lord,” “Wah-Wah,” “Isn’t It a Pity,” “Behind That Locked Door,” and “Beware of Darkness” — solidified the former Beatle’s signature balance of earthly and divine, from his soulful slide-guitar to the searching spirituality of his lyrics. To celebrate the album’s “50th” anniversary reissue — including the massive Uber Deluxe Edition, complete with gnome replicas — SPIN spoke to three famous Harrison fans about his early masterpiece. Below, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips) and Angel Olsen go deep on the influence and legacy of All Things Must Pass — and Harrison himself. Jim James (My Morning Jacket) CREDIT: Nei...
Moby Shares New Version of ‘Porcelain’ With My Morning Jacket’s Jim James on Vocals
Reminiscing on a 30-year musical career, the DJ, producer, singer, photographer, activist, you name it known as Moby is reimagining 13 of his songs on Reprise, out May 28. The first track off Reprise takes on an ethereal vibe compared the original 1999 song. Explaining the album’s creation, Moby explains in a press release, “Sorry if this seems self-evident, but for me the main purpose of music is to communicate emotion, to share some aspect of the human condition to whomever might be listening.” Reprise is meant to show how art can adapt over time. <!– // Brid Player Singles. var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ “div”: “Brid_10143537”, “obj”: {“id”:”25115″,”width”:”480″,...
John Prine’s Newport Folk Festival Set With Margo Price, Roger Waters, Jim James, Justin Vernon and More Coming to Vinyl
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since legendary singer-songwriter John Prine died from COVID complications. But the singer-songwriter continues to get the accolades he deserves, not only by winning two Grammys last week, but also having one of his most memorable shows set to be released. Prine’s set at the 2017 Newport Folk Festival was easily one of the highlights of the weekend. Justin Vernon, Jim James, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Lucius, and ex-Pink Floyd member Roger Waters all joined the singer-songwriter on stage that weekend. Now, you can get it on vinyl. <!– // Brid Player Singles. var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ “div”: “Brid_10143537”, “obj”: {“id”:”25115″,”width”:”480″...
My Morning Jacket Perform ‘Spinning My Wheels’ on Tonight Show
As The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon moves back into the studio, My Morning Jacket stopped by to perform “Spinning My Wheels,” off their latest record, The Waterfall II. In the clip, it looks like Jim James is doing a solo performance. But as the song continues, the other members start appearing on the screen, which makes you wonder if they were all filmed separately or did a properly social-distanced performance. Midway through the song, all the members are collaged together to make you feel like you’re getting an intimate full band session. While in quarantine, James has been keeping busy with a number of livestreamed performances including a tribute to the late John Prine, playing at the Bernie Sanders digital rally, and jamming with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for their b...
S.G. Goodman Goes After Southern Stasis and That Old Time Feeling on Jim James-Produced Debut
Type ”Murray, Kentucky” into a Google Maps search box, and the jagged edges of what USA Today once called the “Friendliest Small Town in America” come into view. There are two labels. One, predictably, is for Murray State University, a public college in town. The other is simply called “Confederate Monument.” It’s right there by the courthouse in town, Gen. Robert E. Lee standing sentinel over a porcelain drinking fountain surrounded by columns. It was erected in 1917; things being how they are today, who knows how much longer it will stand. S.G. Goodman, whose debut album, Old Time Feeling is out July 17, doesn’t specifically write about the monument standing in her town, but her subtexts are pointed straight in its direction. She sings — her voice as soulful as her themes can be challeng...
Watch Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney Play ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’
Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney teamed up as part of a sorta-Nirvana reunion in 2012, recording the rowdy hard-rock track “Cut Me Some Slack.” Now the duo have joined forces once more, and the results are a bit more…low-key. The Foo Fighter and former Beatle participated in a ramshackle version of “When the Saints Go Marching In” as part of the ‘Round Midnight Preserves virtual livestream benefit, hosted Saturday by New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The instrumentation was a bit unexpected: Grohl handled tambourine, and McCartney played trumpet. The song also featured contributions from Elvis Costello, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Dave Matthews, Irma Thomas and Nathaniel Ratleliff, among others. A video of that performance is available below. The livestream, which raised ...
