Warren James - Professional Musician

Paul Leegan's Putting On The Style - The Lonnie Donegan Tribute Band

Paul, Warren, Lutz and Bastian

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9th May 2009: Hi everyone,

I figured it was time to give you a rundown of my activities in recent past and future.

I have been doing my usual haunt of shows with Paul Leegan & The Legends under our new tour format PUTTING ON THE STYLE - The 50s Rock 'n' Roll & Skiffle Revival... having a great time as Paul has allowed me my own 50 minute set to open the show. Naturally this gives me chance to show case my favorite songs and also front the band a lot more and of course adds to the variety of the concert.

I have started doing some work on an adhoc basis with Roger Dean and his touring show The Johnny Cash Story... I've only done a few gigs but I can say these guys are a talented bunch and I do hope opportunities continue to arise for me to work more often with them. I would recommend ANYONE who likes the music of Cash should get along and see this show; it is fantastic and very insightful into the life of a huge legend in our lifetime.

All in all it has been an eventful 6 months and exceptionally fun with I hope much more to come...

Hope to see you all on the road

Warren James

22nd January 2009:

Statements regarding the Downing Street Petition By Warren James and other received comments are listed below. Please find further statements regarding the issue from other members of the music industry listed underneith Warren's

Due to the many contacts I have received regarding the E-petition on the 10 Downing Street website I have made the following statement for the many supporters and the critics who have contacted me.

It is great to see so many people supporting the comments made on the e-petition on the Downing Street website which started early in 2008, all of you seem to agree with the issue raised. I must stress that the issue is not to gain support for music to be played loud, it is merely to give music the freedom it deserves and not for it to be attacked by people who fail to 'live and let live'.

Although the issue that I was angry with and petitioned against in late 2007 never actually came to fruition there was most definitely at the time very good reason to start the petition as countless associates in the music business were hearing the same statements which was that ‘the government were going to make it a legal requirement to have a noise limitation device in all live music venues’. It is already the case that the legislation is in place for local governments to insist such equipment be installed, so such an action shouldn't be hard to push through without too much attention being stirred?

Countless venues are still hearing such rumours regarding such plans, the amount of people who have emailed me advising that they are still hearing the same rumours is incredible and continues to concern me and I’m sure all musicians who have families to feed and bills to pay.

However it is a fact that this never happened in 2008, thus allowing live music to continue 'reasonably' un-interrupted. Does this secure for certain that it will not happen in the coming year/s?

We do need to remember that we still have venues in the UK with these devices installed and set to a drastic and unfair level which can cut you off the second the drummer taps his kit. It is also important to remember that these devices ultimately damage your electric equipment such as amplifiers and instruments which are not designed to be switched on and off constantly because a little "musicians speed camera" tells you that you are too loud "in its opinion". It has been a fact for a long time that these installed devices do not operate on volume level but on a frequency level, meaning a particular tone in a drum, instrument, vocal or such like will trigger the disconnection of electricity to the associated power points.

I am pleased to see that our government didn't take the action that we were getting word of as we do not need any more restrictions on the live music industry; it is heavily restricted as it is. However, we still need the reassurance that this will not happen in the future as rumours do start somewhere.

It may appear that I jumped without thinking when I made the Downing Street Petition, however, by doing this quickly and promptly it allowed people to voice their opinion good and early. Very often it is too late by the time our voice gets heard the damage has been done. Like many musicians, promoters, agents, venue managers and staff, PA manufacturers, amplifier makers, instrument makers nationwide I have a career to look after and to do well in. None of us have time to sit and wait and ponder on such issues when it is directly associated to your ability to work.

Musicians in the UK must be able to work and venues must be able to supply entertainment without further restrictions and I am pleased I got in there quickly with this petition as it has cost nothing more than a moment out of your day for people to show their support towards live arts, and what massive support it is.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to sign the petition and make your voice heard... let us be happy that this didn't happen, sometimes sitting back and waiting can mean the damage is done and your voice won’t be heard once it is too late.

And finally let’s hope such an unfair law never takes effect in the future!

Warren James
Thursday 18th January 2009

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A few words from the music promotor Pete Feenstra of www.feenstra.co.uk - taken from the Mike Sanchez homepage

Dear All,

I'm sure you’ve probably heard about the following proposals, but rather than jumping on the band wagon, I wrote to both the MU and Live Music UK, two organizations you would have thought would been champing at the bit to stop anything from restricting live music.

The MU said "they would look into it". Live Music UK apparently is supposed to be asking the right questions at a high level, though significantly their web site doesn’t even mention the proposals on their lead page.

Perhaps we are barking at the wring door and should be approaching the brewers about this; after all forget the £60m music industry, andlet’s talk to an industry that probably brings in ten times that amount per annum.

But music is our thing.

Exhilarating, romantic, emotional, colourful live performance.
Such is the mission statement of Live Music UK - you know the organization fronted by the former Undertones lead singer Feargal Sharkey (apologies for spelling) you would have thought that this organization and the likes of the MU would be fighting the misguided legislation in our midst (see below), as if it reaches the statute book there will be little opportunity for experiencing the above.
As a live music promoter believe it or not I'm not crazy about big volume, but even someone with a minimal understanding of live music must surely realize that with a 75 decibel "clapometer", a live performance will be continually hindered, interrupted etc.

The problems involved are far better outlined below, but I just wondered how many people are aware of this piece of badly thought through and ill conceived legislation that has essentially been brought about to quash fights at late night discos and the like, nothing whatsoever to do with live music!

Here’s the proposal:

It has been brought to our attention that new noise legislation is about to be introduced, that is likely to dramatically impact live music in the UK. Noise limiters have been around for many years. In all cases except acoustic music this has resulted in the cessation or severe restriction of live music.

As an example - The sound pressure at a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra concert can be more than some rock bands and is enough to turn the electricity off. How are their electronic devices going to cope. By cheating like everyone else? The regulation of these limiters will come under the control of local councils who are stretched enough trying to manage the governments draconian laws brought into place to destroy the pub and leisure industry.
Enough is enough.

There are enough musicians and music lovers to remove this government from their power. Pity we can't do it by clapping loud enough to cut them off.
There is of course a petition, but it is of course far more effective for pressure groups such as Live Music UK to fight this corner, but the silence if deafening!

NOTE: You may also be aware that promoters of live music might soon have to fill in an 8 page document for each concert they promote outlining each musician’s full details from their ethnicity onwards. Whatever happened to the notion of art as being a free expression of creativity?

Pete Feenstra
www.feenstra.co.uk

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Reports of the same plans at Tunbridge Wells as detailed in the below email sent to me

We have been told that this issue is back under consideration and may be part of an amendment to the Licensing Act planned for 2009. The reason your petition suddenly soared in popularity is that a number of venues have heard the same thing, and lots of muttering and rumours normally means something (there being no smoke without fire, as my grandmother was prone to stating).

I think some people have confused the issue with the Noise Control at Work legislation. This appears to be entirely separate, so you are due a round of applause for creating a petition that has inspired so many people to get involved. I suspect it was considered last year and will probably be considered every year, so such a strong negative reaction from so many people is great.

Sunday 18th January 2009

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Music teachers are ordered to wear earmuffs by health and safety watchdog, extracted from The Daily Mail

School music teachers have been warned to wear earmuffs or stand behind noise screens to protect their hearing.

This is because beginners tend to blast away much louder than professionals.

The most potentially deafening instrument is the cornet, with just one honk being enough to cause permanent ear damage.

And standing in the direct fire of instruments such as the flute, oboe and saxophone can become risky after just 15 minutes.

Standing next to a school band is even more dangerous, the Health and Safety Executive warns.

'Sound levels produced by groups of student instrumentalists are likely to be higher than those produced by a professional group of players because of less-developed technical abilities and natural exuberance,' the organisation said.

'Damaging sound levels have been measured at the conductor's position in school bands.'

The warning has been posted on the HSE website. It sets the lower safe daily limit for exposure to a prolonged noise at 80 decibels.

This level takes account of the actual volume of sound and how long it continues.

Noise exposure is not the same as sound level, which is the noise measured at a particular moment.

After just 15 minutes of a saxophone lesson, teachers can reach their safe daily exposure limit.

Conducting a brass, woodwind and percussion orchestra can be done safely for just 19 minutes.

For a one-off sound, the lower safe limit is 135 decibels and 140 decibels must not be breached.

When officials visited a school, they found that noise in a cornet lesson hit 140 decibels. In comparison, a pneumatic drill makes a 100-decibel sound and 140 decibels equates to a plane taking off.

A school that allows staff to be exposed to the cornet without protection would likely be in breach of noise regulations, the HSE warns.

'Sounds peaking above 140dB are liable to cause immediate and lasting damage rather than accumulating over time,' the HSE warns.

'It is therefore crucial that a thorough noise control strategy is in place before any exposure to loud noise might occur.'

To avoid overexposure, teachers can stand behind screens, ensure they do not stand in the line of fire of an instrument or, as a last resort, wear ear protectors.

If they do use acoustic screens, they must be careful not to place them so that the sound reverberates back to the child, putting them in added danger.

The advice is aimed at protecting workers. But the HSE says: 'Consider the use of hearing protection for both teachers and students to protect hearing during "loud" lessons.'

Stephanie Condron
Wednesday 21st January 2009

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Another email received in support of the petition

Warren

Your words are well chosen (18th January) and I offer you a firm handshake for all your diligent lobbying on behalf of many.

I've just put up a story on my News page as although the petition is redundant, it's amazing that it's in the top five - thus proving that people are concerned about myriad laws clamping down on music making.

I have never had so many forwarded emails about this particular petition - proving that musicians are concerned about the endless legislation.
However, as a victim of the orange warning light and eventual power cut out in the 1970's, I sensed that the Health and Safety police would not allow it to happen again and sought counsel with Hamish Birchall.

Another disturbing facet when looking at the Prime Minister's site is that all Heathrow petitions have been rejected...

Thanks Warren and good luck - something all musicians need...

Thursday 22nd January 2009

8th January 2008: The Warren James Band is doing very well indeed performing dates in between my work with Paul Leegan and now booking into 2008. So far some good dates have been added and a great following from those who have support us with the Lonnie Donegan show for the last 6 years.

Why not visit Warren's My Space page and show your support and sign the guest book and listening to the tracks.
www.myspace.com/warrenjames just click on the link.

Bookings for the Warren James Band are always welcome.
The performance includes some Boogie Woogie and plenty of Country Blues & Rock n Roll.

Look forward to seeing you all at a gig soon...

1st March 2007: Its been a great start into NEW YEAR 2007, we've already clocked up some miles and I am pleased to say all is going well.

I have some great plans for 2007, of course tours with Paul Leegan & The Legends are in constant flow and Paul has re-newed my contract for another 12 months and I am celebrating my 5th year on the road with the band. To mark or continued growing success we will be recording a brand new album and aim now to have a new release every 12 to 18 months, with new skiffle, country-blues material.

I have plans and dates to work with a few other great country names and performers.

I would also like to thank the many people who have showed me alot of support with regards my style of playing, and the kind comments they've passed.

Here's to a great start to the new year and many thanks to you all, I will keep you posted.

18th September 2006: Thank you for taking the time to visit, I hope you enjoy having a look around. Warren is currently on tour most of the year with Paul Leegan & The Legends, throughout the entire tour Warren shall be playing support as one of the Legends.

We are also very pleased to announce the inclusion of Piano ace Carl Sinclair as a guest Legend on various shows. Carl is a wonderful showman and exceptional performer, winning young musician of the year 3 times running for Warwickshire - Carl will be with us as and when his busy touring schedule allows.

New features in the show are some tracks from Bruce Springsteen's Pete Seegar Tribute as seen on CD, DVD and BBC concerts - all this and more reflected in The Legends concert programme.

Click Here for details of where you can catch the show

7th February 2004: Good morning viewers.
Tomorow see's me attending a visit to Germany to assist in the promotion of the International Lonnie Donegan Tribute album. Yes i'm terrified of flying but it's only an hour and a half away - should be a fun week!
We will be playing for students in a show in Dortmund, I have been drafted in as a Banjo player for the Jazz section and then moving on to electric Guitar to ROCK UP not only my own spot but to back the Twins. There will be a lot of Jazz and Blues and folk music flying everywhere.
Keep your eye's peeled for updates. See you in a week...

1st December 2003: I have just returned from what must be the highlight of my career so far. GOWR - annual ball at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
The event was completely sold out for the biggest show business charity organisation in the world. We were so proud to have played to an audience of such famous people including, Dame Vera Lynn, Sir John Mills, Bert Weedon, Paul Daniels, Roy Hudd, Brian May, Bill Wyman, Tom O'Connor, Joe Brown, Gloria Hunniford, June Brown, Sir Norman Wisdom, Lady Butlin, Richard Whiteley, Rolf Harris, Andrew Sachs, Wendy Richard, Norman Collier, Joe Pasquale, Debbie Mcgee, Annita Harris, Roger De Courcy, Keith Harris, Rick Wakeman, David Berglas, Brian Conley, Sir Tom Courtenay, Chris Emmett, Derek Fowlds, Gordon Giltrap, Melvyn Hayes, Bob Holness, Dougie Brown, Dec Cluskey, Johnny Casson and many many more. Stars raved about our performance. We were so pleased to have had in the audience Sharon and Peter Donegan Lonnie's wife and son. Many thanks to King Rat - Chas McDevitt and to Gary Adams for inviting us to perform at such a prestigious event.

19th October 2003: Last night saw Warren James complete a small cycle of theatre dates arranged. Many people commented on how well the show went and Warren himself received much praise for his efforts. The show went very smoothly with Warren opening the night with his rock 'n roll set followed by the beautiful vocals of Gilly Darbey singing many folk songs from Eva Cassidy to Bob Dylan and such like.

After the interval Warren took his place with his trusted Fender Strat backing Paul Leegan's tribute to Lonnie Donegan. People were ecstatic with the performance received on all the theatre dates and the band were especially grateful for the support they received. Special thanks go out to Brian and Ashley Yeates for organising this tour, John and Pauline Smith for your devoted support plus photos and film. Fred and Cora Neal who unfortunately cannot attend any of our performances anymore. Your support is most appreciated and my thanks to you all. To view the photos see the gallery

6th September 2003: On Thursday evening I performed with the Lonnie Donegan tribute band at the Cavern, Liverpool. To say I was proud of playing there would be a serious under statement - the music history on Mathew Street and in the club is enormous. The brick wall carvings with the names of all the bands who have played there proved just that. To see the photos developed so far of Thursday's event visit the gallery.

20th August 2003: Hi people, Just a few lines to let you know how we got on during our Germany trip. If you visit the Lonnie Donegan Tribute Band website - under reviews you will find a write up of our week there by Bastian Korn. Bastian is one half of the German pop group Twins, his twin brother Benny being the other member. We have recorded some excellent rock tracks of Lonnie's work - all very different to any of Lonnie's recordings. Check back often for more updates.

28th July 2003: As a direct result of the overwhelming success at The Upton-Upon-Severn Jazz Festival, Warren is honoured to announce that the Lonnie Donegan Tribute have been invited by King Water Rat - Chas McDevitt to perform at The Grand Order of Water Rats Annual Ball in London on November 30th. Guests are JOE BROWN & BRIAN MAY. Others will be JOOLS HOLLAND & PHIL COLLINS.

15th July 2003: It has been confirmed that The Lonnie Donegan tribute band's performance at this year's Americana 2003 at newark show ground, was total success, and the band swung like mad. Many thanks go out to Brian Duggan who assisted kindly on the sound desk. Chris and Bev Jackson who kindly put their trust in our performance and booked us. We have received so many positive reviews thanks to you all.

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