Artist description Solo Artist James Ridgers writes, records and performs songs written about life experiences, people, emotions and sometimes neutral or alternative takes on life. He plays music for the love of music, and has a dislike for manufactured pop.

Music Style Guitar Rock

Musical Influences Matchbox 20, Mark Knopfler, Radiohead, U2, All Star United, Delirious

Similar Artists Deacon Blue, Matchbox 20

Artist History Music has always been a way of life. From an early age, James was raised on a diet of military brass, big band swing, early eighties pop and Lloyd Webber. Not exactly a palatable meal. But the reasons were understandable. James' father was a military bandsman in the REME band and then the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. Naturally, his father still harbours a love for this music, and so after entering the world on July 17th 1978, James grew up with the sounds of military marches and top level brass band contests, not entirely due to the fact that his father was the musical director of various brass and concert bands and the Royal Air Force Brize Norton Singers, who cut a highly acclaimed record 'Here There and Everywhere' in the eighties. Many of James' childhood Monday evenings were spent in the rehearsal hall, quietly listening to the Singer's sing and his dad give a not-always-gentle direction to his obedient choir as they would prepare their renditions of Lloyd Webber classics and Lennon & McCartney medleys. And then there was the diverse tastes of his 5 older sisters. Amongst the obvious New Romantic chart sounds that would eminate from bedrooms and walkmans, there was plenty of David Bowie, Leo Sayer, Manhattan Transfer and Carpenters for James to fill his mind with. But amongst this highly varied and largely nutritional musical feast was one band and hence one musician James came to find great respect for and take a high level of influence from; the great eighties legends (now disbanded) known as Dire Straits. James still holds Mark Knopfler in high esteem as the greatest guitar player ever. At the age of 8, James expressed an interest in the world of percussion, and began to take drum lessons locally, receiving a drum kit for his tenth birthday. Until the age of 12, James devoted all his spare time and pocket money in to his love of the drums, playing in school bands and appearing with the Royal Air Force Brize Norton Singers at their Autumn Show in 1990. During the summer of 1990, James had been playing around with his brother-in-law's guitar and decided it would be nice to be able to make music - melody, harmony, composition, expression - rather than always be the timekeeper. So as well as keeping his drumming to a high standard, he began to teach himself guitar. At 14, around the time his parents were divorcing, James joined his first serious band as drummer - 'Opening'; a 5 piece Oxford band who, through sheer hard work, spent two years together gigging in and around Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, despite several temporary line up changes when one of the guitarists went to Syberia for 7 months and the bass player took a break during exams. But as exams were passed and university places were accepted, the band went their seperate ways in the summer of 1994, playing at Greenbelt Festival in Kettering as their final gig. The band reformed in 1997 for two special concerts in Oxford. In the meantime, James spent time in many other local bands - Scutler, The Fuzzy Ducks, Intricacy, Sugarpress - to name just a few, sometimes as drummer, sometimes as guitarist, sometimes as frontman (by this time, James had begun to develop his vocal technique). In 1999, James relocated to Edinburgh, taking a break from performing, and concentrating on writing more of his own material. This has resulted in a large collection of songs speaking of life experiences, people, feelings, emotions and a take on life from a neutral perspective. And it was always his intention to bring these songs to life in a solo project. So besides some low key acoustic gigs, his efforts since then have been concentrated on the production of solo material. And this has now come to life, on James' first solo EP, "Alone But Not Lonely".

Group Members James Ridgers is a solo artist.

Instruments Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitars, Rhythm Guitars, Bass Guitars, Keyboards and Drums

Albums EP - Alone But Not Lonely

Location Edinburgh, United Kingdom - United Kingdom

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