Take a Chance on James

This is the story of a young man from Wisconsin who fetched up in New York in 1975 with dreams of becoming a jazzman. Trained as a saxophonist, James Siegfried ran into the turbulence of the city and the agents provocateurs of rock and metamorphosed into James Chance.

An iconic figure of the “No Wave” movement, he made a name for himself with his rough ways and his distinctive musical vision, which for a while really shook things up. The music of James Chance & the Contortions was passionate, even volcanic: a mix of jazz, funk, soul, disco, and punk that shattered preconceptions. Thirty years on, big James has had disciples in countless groups: the Rapture, !!!, LCD Soundsystem, and Hercules and Love Affair, for example, have all seized their Chance. We seized ours too and put a few questions to the man.

Your group’s name changes noticeably from one gig to another. What is the difference between The Contortions and Les Contorsions, for example?
James Chance: My group is an entity whose line-up varies. There is an incalculable number of Contortions. The original version was the 1979 one. These days I don’t get enough coverage in the media to set off on tour with my New York musicians. It would cost too much. I can’t afford it. Even in the USA, it’s becoming difficult to bring everyone along. So I organise things differently, putting Contortions together on the road. Seven years ago I came to play in France. That’s where I met “Les Contorsions”. They know my repertoire perfectly. We have just recorded an album together (Incorrigible!). It is they who will accompany me onstage in Brussels.

Your own name has changed too over the years. While everyone is agreed now on James Chance, history nevertheless records your namesake James White & the Blacks…
Chance: That pseudonym came from my collaboration with the New York label ZE Records. That set-up was run by two guys: an Englishman, Michael Zilkha, and a Frenchman, Michel Esteban. Michel was cool. The limey, on the other hand, was bad news, a real swindler. Of course, he was the one in charge of my project... One day, he suggested that I record a disco album, which I released under the name of James White & the Blacks. It was over the top, with a chorus, dancers, and extra musicians. The only concerts under that pseudonym took place in New York in 1979 and 1980. I came back to that stage name a few times, but it is finished now: James White has been pensioned off! The media these days sing the praises of ZE Records and all its avant-garde work. People see it as a legendary label. The downside was that that set-up never paid its artists. And that's sad.

You are seen as a leading light of the No Wave movement, whose influence is recognised by lots of musicians. At the time were you conscious of creating a style, a lasting aesthetic?
Chance: I was aware that I was part of a scene. All the more so because I got on really well with most of the groups who performed at the same gigs as me in clubs like CBGB or Max’s Kansas City. We were part of the New York rock scene. Unlike many projects, however, what we wanted was to make people dance. In those days, the record shops used to classify my music under the label of rock or punk. But in reality it drew on outside influences such as jazz, funk, and soul. I never had the impression of joining a movement. I saw myself as more of a maverick. The term “No Wave” came into general use a bit later. Journalists saw in it a contraction of the term “new wave” and the city of New York.

Have you ever listened to the Rapture or LCD Soundsystem?
Chance: No, but people often talk to me about them. In all honesty, I rarely listen to albums that came out after 1980. I don’t have the time to listen to the records made by all the guys who bring out new material every week. In general, if I come across their music, I know where it has come from. I just have the impression that they are recycling something – and not that well.

In the past, you often went down into the audience to provoke people. Does that still happen?
Chance: With age, I have calmed down. Those rages were back in my early days. The typical audience at my first concerts came from Soho: trendy intellectuals and contemporary artists. They would take up a position in front of the stage and analyse my performances as if they were working on a university thesis. That used to drive me mad! So I used to get down into the pit to shake it up, with a view to provoking and stimulating their true emotions. When I attacked them, I really had the impression that I was helping them. In Brussels I don’t intend to get down into the audience and hit people. I’ll be staying onstage. But it will be wild.

James Chance & The Contortions 26/2, 19.00, €10, MAGASIN 4, Havenlaan 51B avenue du Port, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-223.34.74, info@magasin4.be, www.magasin4.be