A Certain Stranger

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Life was looking all rather differently just over 12 months ago - ready to put away his guitar and give up on music - but something was telling him that there might still be more to give.

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James O’Hurley – The Bexleyheath troubadour with strong Celtic roots has been building
momentum throughout 2024 with a series of fantastic singles that may never have seen the light of day.

Based in South London, the singer-songwriter had determined that a decade of touring
and performing in various different bands and working in the live events industry had left him at a crossroads, both musically and personally.
From a fresh start, both personally and professionally, James reached for his guitar in one final act of love for the instrument and music that had been his companion throughout his life. “I just started playing and let what was in me come out”.

In a single session James penned two extraordinary songs, ‘Wolves’ and ‘Evil’. The next day he sat down again and more songs flowed out him.
Whilst Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Tracy Chapman are all influences, James also draws inspiration from a diverse family of artists including Mary Black, Muddy Waters, Grant Green, Luke Kelly, Nina Simone, John Martyn and Howlin’ Wolf.

 

His openness to new sounds and directions is also reflected in his own creative process with his debut album featuring production and additional instrumentation from the likes of Erim Ahmet (of Kent Alt Rockers Salvation Jayne), Pete Briley and Graham Waller (Strike Eagle, Producer for Pete Doherty of The Libertines)...

Drawing on these resources, the song writing has created a broad catalogue of intelligent and emotively driven songs to build a sound sometimes referred to as ‘Jimi Cash’ or ‘the Countryfied Joy Division’, but is actually built on a much deeper authenticity which is as organic as it is distinctive.

From the darkest shadows, O'Hurley has emerged to stand on his own and share his music. “The last few years have been so difficult, for all of us, that this feels like a conclusion and a beginning at the same time for me personally. I’m excited to share my music, at long last.”

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Along with the debut album, James has chosen "GRACE" as an accompanying single - he tells us "Grace is a song that I am really proud of. It’s a song about leaving the past in the past. It’s got a great hook and a stomping, driving rhythm that sounds massive with the band behind it. 

The arrangement took a little bit of time to structure but once Pete (Briley) had added his guitar lines to the final version, it became a really huge, ‘movie script ending’ type tune. I love the playing and production from Erim (Ahmet) on this one and it’s got a real Motown feel to it that I wanted. The early Stevie Wonder hits like ‘I Was Made To Love Her’, are probably the main influence on the song.

Lyrically, it was a combination of songs and poems that I had, cut up and stuck together. The chorus came to me one night, sitting in my flat, listening to the storm outside battering the windows and howling around."

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James O’Hurley is available for further interviews and press coverage.