Alex James (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex James
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James performing with Blur in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Steven Alexander James |
| Born | 21 November 1968 Boscombe, Bournemouth, England |
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| Occupations |
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| Instruments | Bass |
| Years active | 1988–present |
Steven Alexander James (born 21 November 1968) is an English musician. He is best known as the bassist for the rock band Blur. Alex has also played with other bands like Fat Les, Me Me Me, WigWam, and Bad Lieutenant.
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Music Career
Alex James was born in Boscombe, Bournemouth, England. He went to Bournemouth School where he started playing in bands. Alex says the Beatles inspired him to become a musician. He watched their film Help! and then learned to play guitar.
In 1988, Alex met Graham Coxon at Goldsmiths College. Alex was studying French there. Soon, he met Graham's friends Damon Albarn and Dave Rowntree. Damon and Dave were in a band called Circus at the time.
In 1989, Alex joined Graham, Damon, and Dave in their new band, Seymour. This band later changed its name to Blur. Alex has been a part of Blur ever since.
Blur reunited with Graham Coxon and performed at many big festivals. These included Glastonbury Festival, Hyde Park, Oxegen, and T in the Park in 2009. They also played shows in the UK and Europe. Blur was a main act at Hyde Park for the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. In 2013, the band played at Rock Werchter in Belgium and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the United States.
Working with Other Artists
Unlike other Blur members, Alex James has not released solo music. However, he has worked on many other music projects. In 1998, he formed a band called Fat Les with actor Keith Allen and artist Damien Hirst. They released "Vindaloo" for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. This song reached number 2 on the UK music charts.
Alex also worked on a project called Me Me Me with Stephen Duffy. He helped write songs for Marianne Faithfull and Jane McDonald. He also worked with popular artists like Florence and the Machine and Gene Loves Jezebel.
Alex worked with Sophie Ellis-Bextor on her first solo album, Read My Lips. He helped write and produce the song "Move This Mountain." He also played bass on that song and "I Believe." On Sophie Ellis-Bextor's 2003 album, Shoot from the Hip, Alex played bass and helped write "Love Is It Love."
In 2005, Alex joined his friend Betty Boo in a band called WigWam. In 2009, he played bass on the first album by Bad Lieutenant. This band includes New Order singer Bernard Sumner. In 2013, Alex helped write the song "Did I Lose You?" sung by Giorgia and Olly Murs.
Other Activities
Alex James does many things besides music. He is a writer, appears on TV, hosts radio shows, and makes cheese.
Writing and Books
Alex James writes about food for The Sun newspaper. He has a weekly column called 'Alex James on All Things Food'. He also writes a regular column about farm and family life for The Sunday Telegraph. It is called 'Mucking In'. Alex also writes a monthly column about cheese for Esquire Magazine.
He writes for other British newspapers like The Independent, The Observer, and The Times. He also writes for magazines such as Q and The Spectator.
Alex wrote a book about his time with Blur called Bit of a Blur. It was published in 2007. This book was described as a great guide to the Britpop music era. In 2011, he released another book, All Cheeses Great and Small: A Life Less Blurry. This book tells the story of how he changed from a rock star to a cheesemaker.
Television Appearances
Alex James has appeared on many TV shows. In 2005, he was on BBC Two's University Challenge: The Professionals. In 2007, he was a judge on the Channel 4 show Orange unsignedAct. He also appeared on the news quiz Have I Got News for You.
In 2008, Alex was in a reality TV series called Maestro on BBC Two. He was voted off in the fourth episode. In 2009, Alex hosted an episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In 2010, he was on the show Popstar to Operastar. On March 4, 2012, Alex appeared on Top Gear as a guest.
He also appeared on game shows like The Chase in 2011 and The Bank Job in 2012. In 2014, he was on Through the Keyhole. In 2015, he won the Channel 4 show [Celebrity Fifteen to One]. A 2016 documentary called Alex James: Slowing Down Fast Fashion looked at the fashion industry's impact on the environment.
Radio Shows
In 2007, Alex James hosted the BBC Radio 4 program On Your Farm. He also hosts Alex James's Date Night on Classic FM every Saturday evening.
Alex presented The A-Z of Classic FM Music. This show won an award in 2009 for being the Commercial Radio Programme of the Year.
Cheesemaking
After his music career with Blur, Alex James started making cheese. He bought a farmhouse in the Cotswolds and turned it into a cheese farm. His 200-acre farm in Kingham, Oxfordshire, now makes different cheeses. Some of his cheeses are called Good Queen Maude, Blue Monday, and Goddess. Blue Monday is named after his favorite New Order song.
Alex also made two cheeses with New Zealand cheese expert Juliet Harbutt. These were Little Wallop (2007) and Farleigh Wallop (2009). Farleigh Wallop won the Best Goat's Cheese award in 2009.
In 2011, Alex launched a line of everyday cheeses with the supermarket Asda. These cheeses had interesting flavors like 'cheddar and tomato ketchup' and 'cheddar and tikka masala'.
Music and Food Festivals
Alex James decided to open his Oxfordshire farm to host a yearly food and music festival. The first event, Alex James Presents Harvest, happened in September 2011. There were some problems with the first festival, but Alex helped make sure debts were paid.
Since 2012, Alex James and chef Jamie Oliver have hosted The Big Feastival. This is an annual food and music festival held on Alex's farm. Jamie Oliver said he was excited to bring the festival to a rural place. The festival features live music, cooking shows, and family fun.
The Big Feastival has had many famous music acts like Paloma Faith, Razorlight, and Texas. Chefs like Raymond Blanc and Andi have also been there. The festival attracts many people, with over 30,000 attendees in 2014. It continues to be held every year on the August Bank Holiday weekend.
In June 2019, Alex visited Bledington Primary School. He invited the children to create a festival-inspired design. The winning design was used as a stage backdrop at The Big Feastival. The most recent Big Feastival took place from August 23-25, 2024.
Personal Life
Alex James's father, Jason, was a sales director for a company that sold waste machines. Alex married Claire Neate, a music video producer, in April 2003. They have five children. The family lives on their cheese farm near Kingham in Oxfordshire.
Alex James has received honorary doctorates from Bournemouth University in 2010 and the University of Gloucestershire in 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Alex James para niños
