James Van Cooper
James Van Cooper
James Van Cooper is a charismatic young man who creates music that sometimes conceals deep wounds referencing a time when he relinquished power to his demons, now a James is liberated, rejoicing in life's rich pageantry. Life's wrong turns are fertile ground for story telling and James Van Cooper harnesses that past darkness telling tales of misfortune and redemption. James music as well as being rooted in melancholy is also loaded with a new found optimism and gentleness that's disarmingly incendiary and subversive. For James his music career commenced in full throttle when threw himself head first into the assorted over indulgent cliches that bestow a young rock God in the making. James now 21,had since the age of 15 been lead singer/guitarist in an Australian hard rock band. His band toured with Bruce Kulick of KISS and other rock luminaries but by the still tender age 21 James abandoned a lifestyle of Rock N Roll excess and retreated to a safe harbour working behind the scenes on Australia's The X Factor. It was not long after that James made a journey to Australian Country Music heartland of Tamworth and had chance meeting with the legend Bill Chambers.
James shared a story and a laugh will Bill and discovered they we kindred spirits. James found a mentor in Bill and although on first glance they may have seemed from different planets their worlds had collided. Bill recognised talent and set about developing James songwriting craftsmanship, Bill also fine tuned James remarkable yet raw guitar playing. James an eager student absorbed Bills sage advise and was exposed to different artistic influences. James gravitated towards new sounds especially The Alt Americana styling of Justin Townes Earle and former “Drive By Trucker” Jason Isbell. The seemingly incomprehensible event of the aligning of James and Bill soon began bearing musical fruit and the two collaborated on James debut EP, Bill producing and playing on James 6 track solo recording "Highrise Skyline” released in August 2017 Since the beginning of 2017 James has performed over 100 shows all around Australia as well as touring Europe supporting Bill. In a world often starved of originality James is breathing a fresh take on Americana songwriting, all brought together by his starkly truthful and personal lyrics depicting a man who was once cloaked in darkness but can now see an ever widening clear sky. James music is a tapestry coming face to face with spiteful self awareness while blissfully embracing a new found optimism, championing a celebration of life. Take a listen to James Van Cooper.
