Wendy James

Wendy James has made several albums but it would be an understatement to say her latest L.P. is also her greatest. Queen High Straight was released on the first of May, it was written, produced and mixed by James and took several years to complete. The album, which has 20 tracks, was released physically on CD, and as a double vinyl album. The album was also released as a digital download and it's rightly earned her the best reviews of her career. Musicians on the record include guitarist James Sedwards (who has previously collaborated with Thurston Moore), Bad Seed drummer James Sclavunos and the horn player extraordinaire, Terry Edwards (who is known for his work with P.J. Harvey, Tindersticks, and Gallon Drunk).

Le Document were delighted Wendy James answered a few questions for us ...

Harry Pye: 'Cancel It... I’ll See Him On Monday' is instantly lovable. It's like hearing a classic 60s track by The Monkees or Nancy Sinatra's 'Sugar Time' for the first time. How did you write that particular song? Did the lyrics come first? Did it take a long time to get right?

Wendy James: "I love this track! I would go as far as to say it’s my favorite on Queen High Straight! When I had finished writing it, I ran outside shouting “I’ve done it, I’ve done it” - A PERFECT POP SONG! I had the title first… I just loved the sentiment, the hutzpah of the phrase ‘Cancel it… I’ll See Him On Monday’ you know… the will and the strength to cancel something in order to regain space or control over ones’ life, if only for a little while!! And I knew I wanted to write perfect pop so my starting point was The Beatles - ‘Getting Better’. When I’m writing a song, from inception to complete demo, it usually takes a week per song."

I can imagine Mick Jagger singing, ‘Kill Some Time Blues’ - are there any singers you'd love to hear cover your songs?

"I would love The Stones to cover my songs, but I’d be very happy, curious and open to anyone covering them if they loved them! I think the Black Lips would do a good job, The Fat White Family would too… yeah, a lot of people would do very well if they covered my songs!!"

The lyrics in Chicken Street - seem to be about someone whose been through a lot but is in love again and crying with happiness. Does being in a relationship give you more satisfaction that making a 20 track album that everyone whose heard it says is your best work? When did you last cry with happiness? 

"You are correct! I was living in Paris in the northern district of Chateau Rouge which is a very African area, so much so that the food markets are really loud and bustling with cuts of meat lesser known to European recipes!!! and the main thoroughfare was called Rue Poulet (Chicken Road) in literal translation!! I was in love and we were living together with a view over Chicken Street and I was so happy! Winter was drawing in so they were tons of oil barrels as street fires over which chestnuts were blazing and all the hustle bustle of the local Africans plus people from all over and a Gendarmerie, from where Home Guard Soldiers paraded through the streets… It’s just the kind of circumstance that happens and is great, if you put yourself out there. I must say my music is unaffected by what’s going on in my personal life, I never let my music down. However if you’re with a good partner then you have a stable footing from which to work, but I also am very used to being alone and very comfortable with that. Music is my life."

I love the Elvis Costello song ‘Basement Kiss’. Are there any tracks on the album of songs he wrote for you called Now Ain’t The Time For Your Tears’, that you have much fondness for or would consider playing live? If you bumped into him tomorrow would you stop and say hello?

"Yeah, Basement Kiss is my favorite! You’re picking all my favorites!! I posted ‘Do You Know What I’m Saying?” on instagram the other day… I don’t tend to listen to my old albums on a regular basis BUT this year I have been listening to them and my mind is blown by how many great songs I’ve written!! So, with my tour coming up next year 2021 - tickets/vip https://thewendyjames.com/live I am rehearsing up 4 or 5 from each album so we can do a different set list each night! I am SO excited to start rehearsing again! And SO excited to be out on the road again! And sure - If I bumped into Elvis we would both say Hi to each other, of course."

Jim Sclavunos contemplates art …

I met Jim Sclavunos once and he seemed a lovely chap. How did you get to have him in your band and what do you like about the way he drums and plays percussion?

"Jim’s great! That is an understatement of course! He’s been my ‘wingman’ for about 7 years now. It began when he and I met in the bar of the Bowery Hotel NYC, exchanged Facebook profiles, messaged each other and agreed we must work together! A while later it turned out that I was going to go to Berkeley, California to record a couple of tracks with James Williamson from Iggy & The Stooges. Originally James Williamson suggested we get Scott ‘Rock’ Asheton to be the drummer (he’s the legendary drummer from The Stooges) but his health was suffering and then the lightbulb went off in my head! James Sclavunos!! He cashed in some air miles and rendezvous’d with me at JFK American Airlines terminal and together we flew to San Francisco and our long and wonderful co-musician/trusted friend relationship began in earnest. I adore him and value him enormously."

Do you like being in the studio and does the idea of mixing and producing albums by other bands and singers appeal to you?

"I love being in the studio, as you know, I produce myself. I work well with my engineers and musicians and I love the process. I love my artist bits: the singing and piano playing, rhythm guitar, but I am also very committed to getting the very best out of the musicians I work with, I have good leadership skills. We all work hard, we give it everything and it is always a very happy environment. Laughter and hard work go well together! I like the idea of producing other acts and I would take it on, however the micro-perfectionist obsessional drive I have makes it a large undertaking. I cannot compromise or be lazy or slack, not even on details only I know or care about! I tend to do a lot of homework too, so when I arrive at the studio I have notes and a direction of where the day must go and what must be achieved."

Who do you trust and who do you believe? 

"I trust myself ultimately (which is essential if you’re an artist)… and I believe in many people! I have a lot of belief in many people, from my friends and musicians and co-workers through to people I do not know but who inspire me with their lives, their deeds, their principles and aims in life, their goodness. Many, many people do amazing things everyday! The Heroes out there. I am inspired by them and believe in that."

I think “I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes” is lovely. It somehow sounds like it comes from a musical. Can you tell me what inspired the song or lyrics?

"I love it too. I think it’s perfect. I think every song on QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT is so perfectly presented! Each song is its own atmosphere, its own unique story and feel. The task of writing 20 straight perfect songs sounds like such an epic undertaking and indeed it was! but funnily enough by the time I got to track 18 ‘Cancel It… I’ll See Him On Monday’ and ‘I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes’, track 17, I was on such a roll and continued onto the end in fine form, finishing strong with ‘Kill Some Time Blues’! ‘I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes’ was inspired by Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters when they duet together in his movie ‘The Jerk’. They cover a song called ‘Tonight You Belong To Me’, an American song from 1926 written by Billy Rose and Lee David. Many, many people have covered it, I’m partial to a version by Patience and Prudence (which I think has had a resurgence due to it’s being used in American Horror Story!) I am also informed on this song by Mo Tucker from The Velvet Underground singing ‘After Hours’."

Do you like doing signing autographs for your fans after shows? Do your fans become your friends? Roughly what percentage of the people who come to see you now have been fans since “Baby I Don’t Care”?

"I love my fans! I make and give as much time as I can to be with them, meet them, speak with them, reply to them and interact with them on all my social media and certainly to sign old records and new alike! Many of them are known to me in first name basis now and I look forward to various gigs because I will catch up with fans who’ve been coming for years! Conversely it is mind blowing and incredibly rewarding when I meet fans who are new to me! They couldn’t possibly have been around in TVV days because they’re simply too young but somehow they’ve found me and my music. I was in a pub in Soho, London last December and on the way there, as I walked down Frith Street, a young hot guy shouted out “I Love You Wendy James” and I had to do a double take!! Then I got to the pub and ANOTHER hot guy came over to the table and asked to by me a drink and tell me the RACINE albums are his favorites and that’s how he discovered me! Wow!! It just shows you… if you stay in the game, then adventures and rewarding moments happen all the time and at unexpected moments!! Its very pleasing!!"

To buy QUEEN HIGH STRAIGHT and all my other records, t-shirts, posters: https://thewendyjames.com/store