James is the managing/creative director of Fire Records. A former designer and musician he took over the running of the label in the early noughties. He has since founded Earth Recordings, a specialist lavish reissue label, a series of sub-labels, the Fire Songs publishing arm, and the Fire Films production division.
Amongst the 100s of international artists James has signed include: Jane Weaver, Vanishing Twin, Death And Vanilla, Marina Allen, RVG, Hater, Islet, Josephine Foster, Lucy Gooch, Faten Kanaan, Brigid Mae Power, The Black Lips, Amber Arcades, Decisive Pink, Immaterial Possession, Rats on Rafts as well as bringing in and re-establishing the current careers, and handling the reissue campaigns, of many artists including The Lemonheads, Giant Sand, Throwing Muses, Pere Ubu, The Chills, Bardo Pond, The Dream Syndicate The Bevis Frond, Half Japanese and many more.
Discography:
James has A&R’d, creative directed, project managed and occasionally art directed 100s of acclaimed new albums and successful reissue campaigns. Recent favourites include:
Jane Weaver – Modern Kosmology / Flock & Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou / Age Of Immunology
The Lemonheads – 30th year Reissue Campaigns including Lovey, It’s A Shame About Ray and the forthcoming reissues of Come on Feel..and Car Button Cloth
Trees – 50th year Anniversary 4xLP Boxset / Book and the individual releases
The Groundhogs – 50th Anniversary reissues
Bert Jansch – Comprehensive Reissue Campaign including over 5 Boxsets, individual albums, and the Avocet Art Print Edition
Pere Ubu – Reissue Campaign including 4 Boxsets, individual albums, Kristin Hersh, Throwing Muses – New albums and reissues, The Bevis Frond – Reissuing all 22 albums, including the new albums and forthcoming documentary
+ Acclaimed Soundtracks including Blue Velvet, A Scanner Darkly, Miracle Mile, The Lobster and 2 volumes of beautifully presented releases for the TV show Halt & Catch Fire, and the multi award nominated indie-film Lady Bird
Filmography:
- Producer: King Rocker (2021)
- Executive Producer: The Chills (2020)
- Executive Producer: The Ballad Of Shirley Collins (2019)
+ various music videos
Outside of Fire, James is a partner in various successful creatives businesses including Weird Walk, Deeper Into Movies and Krocker Films, the production company behind King Rocker with the comedian Stewart Lee and director Michael Cumming. He also produces a series of annual live events, film screenings and festivals.
