Veteran Manchester rockers James got an early break when singer Morrissey asked them to open for The Smiths’ 1984 tour of Ireland. ∙ From 1990’s Gold Mother to 2018’s Living in Extraordinary Times, the band had a streak of 13 Top 20 albums in the UK. ∙ Produced by Brian Eno, the 1994 album Laid went Gold in the US, and the band spent most of that year touring the States. ∙ In 1998, their UK chart-topping collection The Best Of went triple-Platinum and prompted a sold-out arena tour. ∙ James was one of the first Western rock bands to play in China, headlining Beijing’s 2000 Heineken Beat Festival to more than 10,000 people. ∙ In 2011, composer Joe Duddell reworked selections from every James album for orchestra-and-choir concerts tailored to specific venues, including London’s Royal Albert Hall.