James Sullivan

Bio:

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..James started writing his music on the upright family piano around the age of 16, he started to write songs on a beaten up right handed classical guitar(he is left handed so he turned it upside down which is the way he still plays today) found at home at 20, which he strung with steel strings. He wrote music intermittently up until the age of 29, when he met Ross Kearley who gave him the much needed push to perform his music in public. Over the next few years he joined Ross promoting his Album "The fall of Icarus" as a keyboardist & backing vocalist around Ireland. This very exciting time in his musical career inspired him to write some of his best music to date, where he has co-written songs such as "Angels are Smiling" and "Hopes and Dreams" with Ross. In Jan 2000 James was subjected to a near death experience which was the result of a violent kidnapping. This experience vastly changed the way he looked at the world and the purpose of life itself. This dramatic time of his life can be felt and heard in his debut album directly and indirectly through the instrumentals and song. The theme of this album is spiritual as a direct result of his life experience and current spiritual beliefs. After much gentle persuasion from friends and family, he decided to record his debut Album "This is Joy" in September 2007. Its a mix of piano led modern classical arrangements, infused with Irish traditional flutes,low whistles, violins and the classical chello.There are also a blend of ballads and light rock songs. James is currently promoting his album nationwide in Ireland on radio and as part of special gigs. An Irish blogger Peter N has commented " From the songs on the page and the tunes James has sent me to review I think this is an artist worth watching out for. He has charm, wit, vocals and the tunes to be a real success in Ireland for a start. It is only a matter of time before James makes a serious impression in the music world internationally as his music bridges all generations and indie tastes. When I look around for comparisons I don't think a Damien Rice comparison does James justice. Neither would I suggest a comparison to say Mundy or David Gray. I'm thinking if James can mirror the career choices of Tom Baxter then he will be a real success." "This is Joy" has been described as having tracks which have "Mind Blowing Melodies(www.musicreviewunsigned.com)". His debut album is available on iTunes. See widget above.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JOHN MEAGHER IRISH INDEPENDENT ARTICLE Wednesday October 29 2008: How a near-fatal beating gave me a new appreciation of life... Eight years ago, James O'Sullivan was attacked with his own golf clubs by two robbers. John Meagher hears how songwriting and his son helped to mend his wounds It was the night of January 16, 2000, and James O'Sullivan -- working a solo shift at a filling station just outside Waterford -- was getting ready to close up. He didn't see the two men hiding in a dark corner of the forecourt until it was too late. Wearing balaclavas and brandishing a handgun, they made the young Tramore man empty the till. But they were not content with the night's takings and refused to accept his truthful pleadings that there was no further cash on the premises. It was then that James's ordeal began in earnest. The pair forced him to drive his own car to a remote wooded area. The gun was cocked and held against his neck the whole time. When they got him there, they attempted to extract information about the non-existent extra money at the forecourt. Discovering his golf clubs in the bag, they beat him. The blows were so severe that his leg was broken and the clubs were bent from the impact. He also sustained very severe facial injuries. "There were moments during the whole thing when I wished I was dead," James says. "And there were moments where I thought it was certain that I would die. Words can't describe how terrified I was -- you never expect to be in a situation like that and when you find yourself in it, all you can think about is survival." He was very fortunate to survive. Not only was he badly injured, but he was also tied up and locked in the boot of his speeding car for hours. His attackers -- high on drugs and adrenaline -- crashed the car a number of times as they panicked about what to do with their captive. And it was the bashed-up car that alerted a passing squad car. "Who knows what would have happened to me if the guards hadn't been there at the time," he says. "They had to prise open the boot because it was so badly damaged and they probably got the fright of their lives when they saw me. "I'm told I was covered with blood and my face was unrecognisable. The bruise over one of my eyes was so bad that I couldn't see on that side." James (32) now divides his time between the incongruous activities of working as a farm supplies sales rep and as a singer-songwriter. His trauma -- which made national headlines at the time -- and his subsequent spiritual enlightenment has proved to be potent material for his debut album, This Is Joy. A classically trained pianist, the album is likely to strike a chord with many, especially those who enjoy the spiritual music of the likes of Josh Groban. "It's a cliche to say that channelling your feeling into songs or some other art form is cathartic, but it's actually true," he says. 'But it took me a long time to reach the point where I could write songs about how it's affected me, how it's helped me look at life in a different way -- in a positive way." The road to recovery was a tortuous one. James spent two weeks in intensive care in hospital and it took almost four months for the worst of his injuries to clear up. But the mental scars didn't heal as quickly. "I was paranoid for years," he says. "I wouldn't want to be alone or in the dark or in a small space. I kept getting flashbacks of that night -- I was re-living it all in my head. I'd wake up with nightmares every night for months. I didn't actually try to kill myself, but I was suicidal for a long time. My world had collapsed -- I was afraid of trusting anyone." James had been living a carefree existence prior to the attack. "I was a bit of a jack-the-lad. I lived for weekends, for drinking with the lads. I suppose I didn't really appreciate life -- you take it for granted." His healing process started when he became fully aware of how lucky he was to be alive. "There are only two ways you can go when you go through a trauma like I did -- you can either go under completely, or you can decide that life is wonderful." With the help of a series of self-help books -- most notably Susan Jeffers' Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway -- and much study of a wide variety of religions, James started to make sense of the world. "I wasn't particularly spiritual before the attack happened, but without having a positive outlook on life today, I don't know where I'd be. Friends and family helped me hugely, but I had to help myself most of all." James pays special tribute to a friend of his, Ross Kearley, a local musician who encouraged him to channel his new-found positivity into music. "I wouldn't have made this album without Ross," he says. "Everybody needs somebody to believe in them, and he believed in my music. He believed that I had songs in me that were worth bringing out. This Is Joy is a testament to him and many more of my friends who also contributed to the songs." The album cover features angel-like figures -- no doubt a reference to one of the most striking songs, Angels are Smiling -- as well as a photo of his smiling five-year-old son, Tommy. "Tommy is my world," James says, of the child he had with an ex girlfriend. The former couple are still friends, and one of the songs on his album was inspired by her help in difficult times. "He makes life so sweet for me. I look at him today and think that he wouldn't be here today if I hadn't survived that night, nearly nine years ago. When you have a child, it adds so much colour to your world." James Sullivan -- he drops the O' for his stage name -- says his strong spiritual awareness may flummox some. "These are materialistic times," he says, "and a lot of people have no interest in the spiritual world. I'm not a preacher and I'm not trying to ram my views down people's throats. "I look at the world differently than I used to and being more aware of the spiritual elements of lots of different religions has helped me greatly. Now, even the smallest things mean so much to me, even a casual hug." The men who almost killed him received lengthy jail terms. Remarkably, he bears no malice towards them. "I don't hate them," he says. "I don't want vengeance. I had thoughts about retribution before, but that's the sort of thing that can consume you and crush you. I bear them no ill will now. I believe that everyone is capable of good, although some veer off the path. "Obviously, I wish that that dark episode of my life never happened. But if it hadn't, I wouldn't appreciate life as much as I do now -- I'm certain of that. I've become so much wiser as a result -- I don't take life for granted. "Every day is special and I'm happy just to be here." James Sullivan's album This Is Joy is available from Itunes. See widget above.

Member Since:

February 08, 2008

Members:

James, Ally, Annie

Influences:

So many and varied, Early influences would include, U2, Nirvana, The Doors, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Radiohead, Oasis, Pink Floyd, Green Day, Johnny Cash, Christy Moore, Ennio Morricone(Composer),Johnny Williams(Composer), REM, Neil Young, The Police, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Beethoven, Mozart. More Recent: M&M, Stereophonics, Ray lamontagne, Damien Rice, Enigma, Tom Baxter, DJ Shadow, Ross Kearley, Green Day, Declan O'Rourke, Evanescence, Fun Loving Criminals, Jack Johnson, The Frames, Director, Norah Jones, Jeff Buckley, The Eels, Faithless and many more

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My debut album "This is Joy" is now available for download from Itunes. See widget above.

Sounds Like:

Has been compared to Morrissey and Christy Moore in tone.

Record Label:

unsigned