Cape Breton Post
January 28, 2005
By T.J. Colello

Thanks to a tight touring schedule, blues stylist Colin James won't be taking the stage on the brink of insanity.

"I love what I do and when I don't tour, if I stay home for a month, I start getting squirrelly and I have to play," said James, who performs at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, Sunday at 8 p.m. "After 20-some years of doing this, you kind of get hooked to the adrenaline of having to run on empty, keep getting up and get going.

"In some weird way, I like it."

James, who has released nine albums covering a spectrum of musical varieties, including blues/rock, big band and contemporary, has been recognized with a number of Juno awards for his work.

He is currently on a whirlwind marathon tour, with Glace Bay being his 18th stop this month alone.

James burst onto the scene with his self-titled debut in 1988, which featured one of his more recognizable pop cuts, ‘Voodoo Thing’. Over the years, he's delved into swing music with the Little Big Band project in both 1993 and 1998.

As of late, he's cut some more contemporary work, including Fuse in 2000 and his last release, Traveler in 2003.

"There are types of records I've never made yet," James said of what brands of music he may delve into next. "I've never made a straight blues record - not a big band but a Chicago blues record. I've never made a soul record, where I'm doing mostly soul songs in the Wilson Pickett way. Those are two things I haven't done yet."

Along with the tunes, James is also looking to branch out into television.

Infected by the motorcycle bug two years ago, he's been pitching the idea of a hog traveling show, he describes as "bikes, scenery, good food and a song thrown in for good measure."

James will also appear as himself on the Feb. 21 ’05 episode of Corner Gas when he tries to land a spot in Brent Butt's fictional band Thunderface.

Despite his talent, he gets rejected.