British indie music legends James are preparing to celebrate forty years on the scene with a new double album and tour which will see beloved hits like Sit Down and Laid masterfully reimagined with the help of a full orchestra and gospel choir.

And, for guitarist Saul Davies, a stop at the SEC in Glasgow on Monday, May 1 is particularly meaningful thanks to a strong family connection to the city.

Glasgow Times:

Speaking with the Glasgow Times he said: “My grandmother, Mary, was from Govan.

“She was a tough lady who I remember reasonably well.

“A bit of a battle axe really, wouldn’t take any s**** from anyone.

“Although she moved to Oldham, she never lost her very distinguished Glaswegian roots.”

Spending his earliest years in the countryside of Northern England, Saul would later move to Paisley with his parents who worked at the Kibble school for a time during the 1970s.

Glasgow Times:

While he warmly refers to the experience as ‘quite a culture shock’, the 57-year-old has fond memories of frequent trips from Paisley to Glasgow on his father’s Honda motorbike and is eager to return to the city in just a few weeks' time.

He said: “Glasgow is always one of the biggest shows on any of our tours and it’s a highlight for many reasons.

“The city has a vibe and anyone who lives there, works there or even just visits knows that.

“There will be some people in that audience who have stuck with this band since Jimmy formed it in 1982 and we’re well aware of that.”

Long-time fans are indeed expected to fill the venue for a night which explores four decades of the band’s acclaimed back catalogue.

However, never ones to rest on their laurels, James have worked with Joe Duddell (whose past collaborators include New Order and Elbow) to adapt a selection of fan favourites and ‘deep cuts’ for the Lasted Tour with breath-taking results.

Saul said: “The guys in the orchestra we’re playing with are all super trained.

“When we first worked together it was quite shocking for them to see that, in typical British indie style, we’re not technically very good.

“Half of us don’t know our a**** from our elbows or the end of one instrument from the other.

“But what they did soon realise is that we make an absolutely amazing racket together.

“The shows will be us being quite ragged alongside them being very precise and glorious.

“It works and I think it’s going to be really cool.”

Glasgow Times:

A double album, Be Opened by the Wonderful, is scheduled for release in June meaning that fans old and new across the globe will also be able to enjoy the stunning orchestral celebration of 40 years since the band first performed at the iconic Hacienda club in Manchester.

With 16 studio albums under their belt and 25 million copies sold worldwide since then, James’ latest record and tour are a reassuring testament to the band’s boundary-pushing nature and a welcome indication that their best could well be yet to come.

Saul replied: “The only reason we’ve stood the test of time with our music is that we don’t do the expected and have continued to release decent or interesting stuff.

“That’s not to say that we don’t all value the power of the songs that people know us for.

“I look at the lyrics for songs like Sit Down, or I’m standing next to Tim while he’s on stage singing them and it’s like f*** they’re amazing. It’s a privilege.

“But, I think a lot of the industry surrounding older, more established artists is starting to take risks with new projects or tours like this one.

“They’re saying ‘you know what, these f****** were brilliant back in the day and maybe they still are.’

“The new album stands up there with some of the best work we’ve ever done and it’s going to be a really interesting tour.”

James will play at the SEC in Glasgow on Monday, May 1.

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