Pleased to Meet You (James album)

Last updated

Pleased to Meet You
JamesPleasedToMeetYou.jpg
Studio album by
Released2 July 2001
RecordedLate 2000 – January 2001
Studio
Genre Stadium rock
Length48:05
Label Mercury
Producer
James chronology
Millionaires
(1999)
Pleased to Meet You
(2001)
Hey Ma
(2008)
Singles from Pleased to Meet You
  1. "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)"
    Released: 25 June 2001

Pleased to Meet You is the ninth studio album by English rock band James. Less than a year after the release of Millionaires (1999), the band were playing new material live. Recording was split between Ridge Farm, Whitfield St., House in the Woods studios; producer credit was split between Brian Eno, guitarist/violinist Saul Davies, KK and the band. "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" was released as a single in late June, followed a week later by Pleased to Meet You on 2 July through Mercury Records.

Contents

The front cover features a composite image of all the band members' faces. Pleased to Meet You reached number 11 on the UK album chart, and was certified silver by the BPI. Lead single "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" reached number 22 on the UK singles chart. The record received a mainly favourable response from music critics. It was promoted with an appearance on Top of the Pops and various festivals across three months in the UK, Spain and Portugal. Vocalist Tim Booth left the band after their December UK tour; the final show of which was released as the Getting Away with It...Live live/video album in early 2002.

Background and production

James released their eighth album Millionaires in October 1999. [1] In March 2000, the band revealed they had been writing new material and planned to record later in the year, with the aim of releasing an album in January 2001. [2] During their performance at the V Festival in August, the band played three new songs. [3] The following month, the band revealed they were in the process of recording with Brian Eno, [4] doing pre-production. [3] In October and November, the band embarked on a UK club tour. [4] They used the stint to test how the new songs would sound live before they planned to record them. [5] They had written over 30 tracks for inclusion on their next record; on the opening night, the band played seven of these new songs. [6] Though the band had planned to use a different producer for the main sessions, [3] Eno and guitarist/violinist Saul Davies were enlisted to produce most of the recordings. [7]

Inspired by playing the new songs live, the band decided to gather in a circle and record live-in-the-studio [8] at Ridge Farm Studios in Capel, Surrey with engineer Gary Langan. [7] Eno likened the process to when artists make their debut record: "they're full of enthusiasm and excitement and they know what they're doing and it's a pleasure." [9] Additional production was done by KK, at the suggestion of Eno, and drummer David Baynton-Power. [7] [10] All of the songs recorded here were mixed by Dave Bascombe at Whitfield St. Studios in London. [7] The remainder of the tracks were credited to different producers: "Falling Down" by Eno and KK; "The Shining", "Give It Away" and "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" by James and Eno; "Gaudi" by James and Baynton-Power; "What Is It Good For" by James; "Fine" by James, Eno and KK; and "Alaskan Pipeline" by James. Bascombe did additional recording and engineering at Whitfield. [7]

"The Shining", "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" and "Alaskan Pipeline" were engineered by James Loughrey. [7] "The Shining", "Senorita", "Gaudi", "What Is It Good For" and "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" were recorded at House in the Woods in Bletchingley. "Gaudi" was engineered by Tim Pettit and Baynton-Power. "What Is It Good For" was engineered by Pettit and mixed by him, James and Bascombe at House in the Woods and Whitfield. KK did additional recording for it and "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)". "Fine" was engineered by Loughrey and KK, with additional engineering by Simon Changer. [7] The sessions concluded in January 2001; [11] the recording days consisted of 18-hour periods. Most of the finished album was made up from live takes and demos that were made before recording with Eno. [12] Mixing began in late January 2001 [11] and finished in March. [13]

Composition

Musically, Pleased to Meet You has been described as stadium rock. [14] It was originally titled We Want Our Money Back, [5] before being re-titled Space, [15] and eventually Pleased to Meet You. [12] Explaining its final name, Booth said the album felt like it would be the band's last. [16] He added that the album had an underlying theme of distaste for "habits, addictions, [and] impulses that we can't control. Different characters expressing their particular loops." Booth said the album was the first since their fifth studio album Laid (1993) that they had strayed from the Verse-chorus-verse structure. [12]

"Space" begins as a Radiohead-esque track with an electro intro before shifting into chorus sections in the vein of Simple Minds. [14] [17] In the context of the song's pre-chorus, Booth said that "[s]cientifically we are made up of about 96% space," which he found interesting. [18] Discussing "Falling Down", Booth said after recording a jam with Eno, it was given to KK. He edited the track; after giving Booth a copy, he re-did the vocal take, resulting in the final version. The lyrics refer to a mad, eccentric woman coming into power. [19] The bass part was compared to the one heard in "Material Girl" by Madonna. [20] "English Beefcake" stars a man who ends relationships, while being hesitant in causing pain as a result of them. [12] The song's first verse describes pain and misunderstanding that arises in relationships. [21] "Junkie" talks about compulsive behaviour, and sees Booth singing through an answerphone. [14] Booth compared "The Shining" to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "The Ship Song" (1990). [22]

"Senorita" is about a guy that falls in love with a dangerous woman, and is followed by the disco song "Gaudi". [12] [20] "Give It Away" recalled the works of the Go-Betweens, and is about needing a frequent reminder to let go. [14] [23] "Fine" is a percussion-led song that is followed by "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)", a slow-building indie rock track with a psychedelic bridge section. [14] [24] Davies said every instrument on the track was unintentionally out of tune. It talks about a guy called Daniel who saves a woman called Grace from drowning, and unbeknownst to him, saving her helps him save himself. [8] Its original title was "Saving Grace"; the label had it changed as they reasoned the public wouldn't buy it with that title. [25] A year after its release, it occurred to Booth that the song was about his son, whose middle name was Daniel, and his goddaughter Grace. [26] "Alaskan Pipeline" is a minimalist ballad [27] about a son's relationship with his mother. [25] The song's title refers to the cold nature of its narrator. [28]

Release

"Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 18 May 2001; the band appeared on Later... with Jools Holland later that day, [29] and performed "Falling Down" and "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)". [13] On 31 May, Pleased to Meet You was announced for release in July, and the track listing was revealed. Alongside this announcement, a remix of "Fine", done by Baynton-Power, was available from the band's website. [30] "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" was released as a single on 25 June, [29] after being delayed a week from its original release date. [13] Two versions were released on CD: one with "Make It Alright" and "So Swell", and the other with "Stand" and a live version of "The Shining". [31] The song's music video was directed by Gordon Main, Rob Leggatt, and Simon Earith. [32] On 19 June, Dotmusic revealed the album's artwork, which is a computer-generated image that merged all of the members' faces. [9] Pleased to Meet You was released on 2 July 2001 [33] through Mercury Records. The UK special edition included the bonus songs "Gaudi" and "What Is It Good For" as 9th and 10th tracks. [7] On 6 July, the band performed on Top of the Pops . [34]

Throughout July and September, the band performed at the T in the Park, Guildford Live, City in the Park, [30] Witnness, [35] Benicàssim, and Annual Youth Music festivals, across the UK, Spain and Portugal. [36] On 6 September, the band announced their departure from Mercury [36] after completing their six-album contract, though they planned to release a compilation and reissue their back catalogue in the future through the label. [37] Following this, they played the Electron Festival in Greece at the end of the month. [36] On 29 October, Booth announced he would be leaving the band after their current tour engagements, with the band aiming to continue recording. [38] At the end of November, the band played a few shows in Spain and Portugal, [36] leading up to a UK tour in December. [33] Ben Folds was initially scheduled to support the band for their UK stint, but was replaced by Turin Brakes. [36] Coinciding with this, the B-side compilation B-Sides Ultra was released on 3 December. [39] On 24 December, a remix of "Fine", done by Hunter, was available from the band's website. [40] The final show of their December tour was filmed, [41] and later released as the live/video album Getting Away with It...Live in June 2002. [40]

"English Beefcake" and "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" were included on the band's third compilation album The Collection (2004). [42] "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" was included on the band's fourth compilation album Fresh as a Daisy – The Singles (2007). [43] "Scratchcard" and "I Thought You Were", outtakes from the album's sessions, were included on the career-spanning box set The Gathering Sound (2012), alongside the music video for "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)". [44] Pleased to Meet You was pressed on vinyl for the first time in 2017. [45]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 65/100 [46]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [27]
The Guardian 3/5 [47]
NME 6/10 [20]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [48]
Playlouder Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [49]
Martin C. Strong 6/10 [50]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [51]

Pleased to Meet You was met with generally favourable from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 65, based on six reviews. [46] AllMusic reviewer Andy Kellman said it wasn't "just another good James record -- it's their best." [27] He expanded: "It's their tightest, freshest, most contemporary batch of songs, weatherproofed to stand the test of time." [27] ChartAttack wrote that fans of the band's earlier hits, such as "Sit Down" and "Laid", would be "disappointed with this disc," however, "longtime James fans should find much to enjoy." [52] Though noting it wasn't as "adventurous" of a release as Wah Wah is, the band made a record "whose songs are often times spacious and funky at the same time." [52] Dotmusic writer Dave Jennings wasn't fond of the band leaving pop; "it's just unfortunate that their chosen alternative often seems to be stadium rock." [14] He said the band's attempts at taking risks produced the record's "best moments." [14]

Playlouder's Sarah Bee considered it a "more low-key" affair that was "less brash" than Millionaires. [49] The high moments are "safer and its lows more thoughtful and safe." [49] Though, this "doesn't mean it's not rather good. Cos it is." [49] Andrew Paine of NME considered it the "best James record in a long while and there are some near-inspirational moments." [20] It was a "smartly dressed record" that could make the band "feel at least slightly relevant again. Ultimately, though, there's a more brutal solution to that problem." [20] In a review for The Guardian , Caroline Sullivan wrote that the band "continue their run of mini-symphonies by and for men who don't cringe at terms such as 'birthing partner'." [47]

Pleased to Meet You reached number 11 on the UK album chart. [53] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). [54] "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" charted at number 22 on the UK singles chart. [53] It was certified silver by the BPI in September 2023. [55]

Track listing

All tracks written by Tim Booth, Jim Glennie, Saul Davies, Mark Hunter, David Baynton-Power. [7]

No.TitleProducerLength
1."Space"4:49
2."Falling Down"
  • Eno
  • KK
3:36
3."English Beefcake"
  • Eno
  • Davies
5:46
4."Junkie"
  • Eno
  • Davies
4:56
5."Pleased to Meet You"
  • Eno
  • Davies
5:37
6."The Shining"
  • James
  • Eno
4:26
7."Senorita"
  • Eno
  • Davies
3:10
8."Give It Away"
  • James
  • Eno
3:05
9."Fine"
  • James
  • Eno
  • KK
3:41
10."Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)"
  • James
  • Eno
4:29
11."Alaskan Pipeline"
  • James
4:28
Total length:48:05
UK special edition bonus tracks
No.TitleProducerLength
8."Gaudi"3:17
9."What Is It Good For"James4:12
Total length:55:32

Personnel

Personnel per booklet. [7]

Charts and certifications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James (band)</span> English rock band

James are an English rock band from Manchester, who were formed in 1982. They had popularity throughout the 1990s, with four top 10s on the UK Singles Chart and nine top 10s on the UK Albums Chart. The band's best-known singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", "She's a Star" and "Laid", which also became a hit on American college radio.

<i>The Remote Part</i> 2002 studio album by Idlewild

The Remote Part is the third studio album by Scottish rock band Idlewild, released on 15 July 2002 by Parlophone. As they were becoming increasingly aware of their label's interest in them and their demos, the band's musical direction was being steered by guitarist Rod Jones. For the first half of 2001, the band recorded songs with producers Stephen Street and Lenny Kaye. Due to the uneven nature of the songs done between tours, they spent some time reworking 20 tracks in the Scottish Highlands. They recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, RAK Studios in London, and Sawmills Studios in Cornwall with producer Dave Eringa. Described as an alternative rock and indie rock record, it lacked the punk rock elements of their previous work.

<i>Up at the Lake</i> 2004 studio album by the Charlatans

Up at the Lake is the eighth album by the British alternative rock band The Charlatans, released on 17 May 2004 through Universal and Island Records Group. As promotion wrapped up for their seventh album Wonderland (2001), Universal wanted them to follow it up with another one quickly. However, frontman Tim Burgess began working on his debut solo album in late 2002. At the end of the year, the band reconvened to write songs; by March 2003, they relocated to their own studio, Big Mushroom in Cheshire, Greater Manchester with them and James Spencer serving as producers. Recording halted in May 2003 to allow for Burgess to finish on his album, I Believe (2003); sessions would resume by the end of the year, and finish in February 2004. Up at the Lake is a pop rock album that pursues the country rock direction that they had first explored on their sixth album Tellin' Stories (1997).

<i>Laid</i> (album) 1993 album by British rock band James

Laid is the fifth studio album by British rock band James. It was released on 27 September 1993 through Fontana Records. The album's sound, which is "stripped-down" as compared to their prior releases, was inspired by their recent experience touring as supporting act to Neil Young. Enlisting Brian Eno as producer, James recorded for six weeks at The Windings in Wrexham, Wales, and Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire. The sessions also resulted in the experimental sixth studio album Wah Wah (1994). Laid is a folk and pop rock album that was reminiscent of their earlier releases with its atmosphere and minimal arrangements.

<i>Love Is Here</i> 2001 studio album by Starsailor

Love Is Here is the debut studio album by rock band Starsailor, released on 8 October 2001 by Chrysalis Records. After finalising their line-up, a positive review from NME started a bidding war between record labels that eventually saw the band sign to EMI. Following the making of some demos, "Fever" and "Good Souls" were released as singles on 4 February 2001 and 23 April 2001, respectively. The band recorded their debut album at Rockfield Studios with producer Steve Osborne over the course of six weeks. Love Is Here features acoustic guitars accompanied by gentle piano chords, earning it comparisons to the albums Parachutes (2000) by Coldplay, and The Invisible Band (2001) by Travis.

<i>The Good Will Out</i> 1998 studio album by Embrace

The Good Will Out is the debut studio album by British rock band Embrace, released on 8 June 1998, by Hut, Mobetta and Virgin Records. The band formed in 1993; by 1996, they consisted of vocalist Danny McNamara, his brother, guitarist Richard McNamara, drummer Mike Heaton and bassist Steve Firth, and Tony Perrin had become their manager. A single, "All You Good Good People", was released through Fierce Panda in February 1997, attracting music media and record label interest, resulting in the band signing to Hut. Produced by the band, Dave Creffield and Youth, sessions for their debut were held at the Hook End, Whitfield Street and Metropolis studios. Other production staff included Jonny Dollar, who almost produced the album, Steve Osborne, who did additional production on one song, and Hugo Nicolson, who handled recording on another.

<i>Drawn from Memory</i> 2000 studio album by Embrace

Drawn from Memory is the second album by English rock band Embrace, released on 27 March 2000 by Mobetta, Hut, and Virgin Records. Following the release of their debut studio album The Good Will Out (1998), touring keyboardist Mickey Dale became an official member. Frontman Danny McNamara began suffering from writer's block, leaving guitarist Richard McNamara to handle the writing. Sessions were done at Batsford Park Manor in Gloucestershire, Olympic Studios in London, and Soundworks Studios in Leeds. Tristin Norwell and the band producer the entire album, bar "You're Not Alone", which was produced by Hugo Nicolson. Songs on the album centred around the arrangements and the interplay between instruments, instead of being melody-driven.

<i>Wonderland</i> (The Charlatans album) 2001 studio album by the Charlatans

Wonderland is the seventh album by British rock band the Charlatans, released on 10 September 2001 through Universal. Following promotional efforts for their sixth studio album Us and Us Only, vocalist Tim Burgess and guitarist Mark Collins wrote new material at the former's house in Los Angeles, California. Cocaine would be an impact on the writing, and later on recording; sessions were held at producer Danny Saber's house studio, Krevorkian's Lab, also in Los Angeles. The band worked with him for seven weeks from October 2000, only completing five tracks, and later went to their own studio, Big Mushroom in Cheshire, Greater Manchester, in early 2001. Wonderland is a funk-soul and electronica record, evoking the work John Mellencamp, Oasis and Primal Scream. Burgess remarked that Los Angeles itself became a member of the band; critics referred to it as a drug-enhanced party album. He employed a falsetto in the vein of Curtis Mayfield and Kurt Wagner.

<i>Free All Angels</i> 2001 studio album by Ash

Free All Angels is the third studio album to be recorded by Northern Irish rock band Ash. It was released on 23 April 2001 through Infectious Records and Home Grown. Due to the mixed reaction to the band's second studio album Nu-Clear Sounds (1998), frontman Tim Wheeler suffered from depression. He went to his parents' house in Northern Ireland to write material for the band's next album. Free All Angels was co-produced by the band and Owen Morris, and recording sessions were held at El Cortijo in Puerto Banús, Spain, then moved to The Wool Hall in Beckington and RAK Studios in London. The album was described as pop punk, power pop and punk rock, and drew comparisons to the works of China Drum, Compulsion, Hüsker Dü, and the Replacements.

<i>Stutter</i> (album) 1986 studio album by James

Stutter is the debut studio album by English rock band James. Blanco y Negro and Sire Records released it on 28 July 1986. After going through multiple vocalists and guitarists, the band caught the attention of Factory Records. James released two EPs with the label; between them Larry Gott replaced guitarist Paul Gilbertson. The band supported the Smiths twice, before eventually signing with Sire. Between January and March 1986, the band recorded Stutter with Patti Smith live guitarist Lenny Kaye and engineer Gil Norton. Described as a folk rock album, the songs on Stutter tackle the topics of insects, reincarnation and being a tortured artist.

<i>Strip-mine</i> (album) 1988 studio album by James

Strip-mine is the second studio album by English rock band James. It was released on 26 September 1988, through Sire and Blanco y Negro Records. After minimal touring and lack of success for their debut studio album Stutter (1986), the label was apprehensive about letting them record another album. Sessions for it were held in early 1987 at Rockfield Studios with Hugh Jones producing the majority of the album, except for "Are You Ready", which produced by Steve Power and Steve Lovell. After the recording, the release was delayed a number of times, until it was eventually remixed early the following year at London's Battery Studios. Described as a folk-pop album, the songs on Strip-mine tackled the topics of misinformation, addiction, and human mortality.

<i>Gold Mother</i> Album by James

Gold Mother is the third studio album by English rock band James. It was released on 4 June 1990 on Fontana Records. With the addition of drummer David Baynton-Power, violinist/guitarist Saul Davies, and keyboardist Mark Hunter, James released the single "Sit Down" in June 1989, before going to record their next album. Sessions were held at Out of the Blue in Manchester, The Windings in Wrexham, Wales, with three band members and Nick Garside producing. Described as an arena rock and indie rock album, Gold Mother was compared to the likes of U2 and the Waterboys.

<i>Seven</i> (James album) 1992 studio album by James

Seven is the fourth studio album by English rock band James. It was released on 17 February 1992, through Fontana Records. After writing new material in their practice space, the band began recording at The Manor Studios. The sessions lasted for several months, with the band producing the proceedings themselves. After a lack of progress, Fontana halted the sessions, and sent them to work at Olympic Studios with Martin "Youth" Glover. Half of the songs were produced by Youth, while the remainder was produced between James and Steve Chase. Described as a stadium rock album, Seven drew comparison to the likes of Simple Minds and U2.

<i>Wah Wah</i> (album) 1994 studio album by James

Wah Wah is the sixth studio album by the Manchester-based English indie rock band James. After the success of their fourth album, Seven (1992), the band entered Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire, to record their fifth album Laid in early 1993 with producer Brian Eno, with whom the group had longed to work. Prior to recording Laid, Eno observed the band's jam sessions at their Manchester rehearsal room, and considered these improvised pieces to be as important to the band's music as their eventually crafted songs. He requested to the group that whilst they were recording Laid, they would also concurrently record an album of their improvisations which Eno and, by Eno's request, second producer Markus Dravs would produce in a secondary studio in the Real World complex. Each composition started off with the band's improvisation being recorded, which Dravs would then edit, generally alone whilst James and Eno were recording Laid. Eno and Dravs would take a "promising" part of a recording and then mixed them only once. Tim Booth's desire to re-record some of his vocals caused friction in the studio.

<i>Whiplash</i> (album) 1997 studio album by James

Whiplash is the seventh studio album by English rock band James. It was released on 24 February 1997, through Fontana Records. Following the release of the band's experimental sixth studio album Wah Wah (1994), they began working on a follow-up in 1995 at drummer David Baynton-Power's home studio. Over the course of 1995 and 1996, James recorded at several studios – Westside, The Windings, Cafe Mullet, Real World, RAK, and Foel – with producers Stephen Hague, Brian Eno, and Baynton-Power. Described as electronic and folk rock release, the album mixed in elements of the band's previous two studio albums.

<i>Millionaires</i> (album) 1999 studio album by James

Millionaires is the eighth studio album by British alternative rock band James. During the Whiplash release cycle, guitarist Adrian Oxaal replaced founding member Larry Gott, and guitarist Michael Kulas joined the band. Touring to promote the release was cut-short when Booth injured his neck. With the release of The Best Of in early 1998, the band began recording their next album in May 1998. The sessions continued into February 1999 at a variety of studios: Ridge Farm, Hook End, Townhouse and Metropolis. While Brian Eno produced most of the record, the producer credit was also given to guitarist/violinist Saul Davies, keyboardist Mark Hunter, Steve Osborne, drummer David Baynton-Power and Faithless. Millionaires is an indie rock and pop release that drew comparison to Lou Reed and New Radicals.

<i>Hey Ma</i> (album) 2008 studio album by James

Hey Ma is the tenth studio album by British rock band James. After reuniting in 2007, James went on tour until September that year, when they began recording their next recording. Taking up residence in Château de Warsy in France, the band worked on 120 pieces of music. While extra recording was done in England, sessions concluded by December. Hey Ma was a return-to-form for the band as they continued their signature sound of loud guitars and big choruses, with occasional trumpet appearances. Before the album was released, the cover was banned due to its depiction of a baby with a gun close by.

<i>The Night Before</i> (James album) 2010 studio album by James

The Night Before is the 11th studio album by British rock band James, serving as the first of two mini-albums. Following the release of their 10th studio album Hey Ma (2008), the band sought to experiment and take risks for their next record. They worked on material and uploaded it to a FTP server, for download by others. After three months, Lee Muddy Baker pieced the tracks together. The Night Before is a power pop and space rock release, with individual track comparisons to U2, Joy Division and Cocteau Twins. Preceded by a UK tour, The Night Before was released on 19 April 2010. The album reached number 20 in the UK, and received a mainly favourable response from music critics, with a few of them finding it an enjoyable record.

<i>Girl at the End of the World</i> Album by James

Girl at the End of the World is the 14th studio album by British rock band James. It was released on 11 March 2016, through BMG. The band spent three weeks in the Scottish Highlands working on new material for their album. Re-enlisting producer Max Dingel, who produced their previous studio album, La Petite Mort (2014), James spent five months between May and September 2015 recording in separate blocks. Long-time collaborator Brian Eno, and former member Adrian Oxaal, contributed instrumentation to the sessions. The album reprised its predecessor's electronic-centred songs and dance rhythm sections.

<i>Living in Extraordinary Times</i> Album by James

Living in Extraordinary Times is the 15th studio album by British rock band James. It was released on 3 August 2018, through Infectious Music. A few months after the release of the band's 14th studio album, Girl at the End of the World in 2016, work began on a new album. Writing and three weeks of jam sessions followed, with engineer Beni Giles appearing partway through the sessions. Recording took place at Livingston and Iguana studios, both of which are in London, and lasted for four weeks, with Giles and Charlie Andrew handling co-production. Described as an indie rock record with elements of electronica, the album drew comparisons with the music of U2, the Killers, and the Courteeners. The music incorporates grooves, which were aided by bassist Jim Glennie, drummer David Baynton-Power, Andrew, and Giles.

References

  1. "Millionaires - James | Release Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  2. "James News". James. Archived from the original on 21 June 2000. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "James News". James. Archived from the original on 6 October 2000. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 "James Go Clubbing". NME . 1 September 2000. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  5. 1 2 "James Bonding!". NME. 6 September 2000. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  6. "New 'Sound' for James". NME. 24 October 2000. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pleased to Meet You (booklet). James. Mercury Records. 2001. 5861462.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. 1 2 Heath, Chris (29 June 2001). "James Interview". Dotmusic . Archived from the original on 2 December 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  9. 1 2 "James Become 'James'". Dotmusic. 19 June 2001. Archived from the original on 3 August 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  10. Booth, Tim (12 June 2020). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'Ha ha - I love the breeziness of this song, very...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  11. 1 2 "James News". James. Archived from the original on 8 February 2001. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Interview with Tim Booth". James. 19 June 2001. Archived from the original on 20 August 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 "James News". James. Archived from the original on 6 June 2001. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jennings, Dave (2 July 2001). "James - Please to Meet You (Mercury)". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 24 November 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  15. "'Space' – The Final Frontier". NME. 16 March 2001. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  16. Booth, Tim (9 June 2020). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'I knew this would be our last record before leaving...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  17. Butscher, Vicky. "Pleased To Meet You" (in German). laut.de. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  18. Booth, Tim (7 December 2018). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'Scientifically we are made up of about 96% space...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  19. Holland, Jools (18 May 2001). "James". Later... with Jools Holland (Interview). London, UK: BBC.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Paine, Andre (3 July 2001). "James : Pleased To Meet You". NME. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  21. Booth, Tim (4 June 2020). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'The inevitability of pain and misunderstanding in all relationships...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  22. Booth, Tim (14 October 2019). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'There's a majesty in this song that justifies it feeling...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  23. Booth, Tim (11 May 2020). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'A constant reminder to keep letting go - it's all transitory'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  24. Jaymes, Cyd (27 June 2001). "James - 'Getting Away with It' (All Messed Up)". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 8 November 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  25. 1 2 Carl (June 2001). "Q&A with Tim Booth" (Interview). CompuServe.
  26. Booth, Tim (16 August 2018). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'Never understood this lyric - just followed the thread...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  27. 1 2 3 4 Kellman, Andy. "Pleased to Meet You - James". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  28. Booth, Tim (10 June 2020). "Tim Booth on Twitter: 'I believe this song was named as a reference to...'". Twitter. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  29. 1 2 "Brand New Single & Album". James. Archived from the original on 18 June 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  30. 1 2 "Ohmigod James Is Back with a New Album: But Not Here". Spin . 31 May 2001. Archived from the original on 8 August 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  31. "Singles". James. Archived from the original on 24 August 2003. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  32. Fresh as a Daisy – The Videos (booklet). James. Fontana Records. 2007. JIMDVD1/984 836-2 (6).{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. 1 2 "Home, James!". NME. 30 June 2001. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  34. "James News". James. Archived from the original on 3 August 2001. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  35. "Witnness Will Go Ahead". Dotmusic. 10 May 2001. Archived from the original on 20 December 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 "James News". James. Archived from the original on 20 October 2001. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  37. "No Home James!". NME. 10 September 2001. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  38. "'We're Going to Miss You', Tim!". NME. 29 October 2001. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  39. "B's Here Now!". NME. 19 November 2001. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  40. 1 2 "James News". James. Archived from the original on 3 April 2002. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  41. "How Was It for You?". NME. 14 December 2001. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  42. The Collection (booklet). James. Spectrum Music. 2004. 9824088.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  43. Fresh as a Daisy – The Singles (booklet). James. Mercury Records. 2007. 1731846.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  44. The Gathering Sound (booklet). James. Universal/Mercury Records. 2012. 2753129.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  45. Pleased to Meet You (sleeve). James. Mercury Records. 2017. 5712915.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  46. 1 2 "Pleased To Meet You - James". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  47. 1 2 Sullivan, Caroline (28 June 2001). "Shady escapades". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  48. "Reviews". Q (August 2001): 130.
  49. 1 2 3 4 Bee, Sarah (9 July 2001). "Pleased To Meet You by James". Playlouder. Archived from the original on 26 July 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  50. "Reviews". The Essential Rock Discography - Volume 1: 550. 2006.
  51. "Reviews". Uncut (September 2001): 92.
  52. 1 2 "James – Pleased To Meet You". ChartAttack . 10 July 2001. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  53. 1 2 3 "James | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  54. 1 2 "British album certifications – James – Pleased to Meet You". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 9 June 2020.Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Pleased to Meet You in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  55. "James Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.