Biography

I don’t really want to play the same sort of music for years and years. I like to evolve. Musical progression is very important to me
James Ray

In 1989 James Ray moved from his previous incarnation in James Ray and The Performance to a new project, bringing the heavy goth-influenced rhythms of his previous work to a new trance/dance oriented sound. Already established on the Merciful Release label, James Ray had sung on Andrew Eldritch’s side-project Sisterhood album Gift, a collaboration that added to his reputation. With Karl Harrison of The Performance he released the compilation album A New Kind of Assassin in 1989, characterised by driving rhythms and vistas of sound, overlaid with Ray’s heavy, mesmerising vocals.

When this project disbanded Ray formed James Ray’s Gangwar with Damon Vingoe (bass/keyboards) Travis Earl (guitars) John Bainbridge (guitars). Gangwar are a very strong team, which shares the writing, producing and performing duties. Beginning to gig in late 1989, Melody Maker described hearing them live as “like discovering sex for the first time”.

The band created sounds that cross the decades, consistently offering something new and exciting. From Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado in 1992, and Third Generation 1993, Gangwar reached a peak with the truly outstanding Psychodalek album in 1996, characterised by steady, up-tempo dance rhythms and an infectious subterranean structure to the music. The relentless beats arrest the senses and grab the attention with guitars riff that assault as they ride, and aggressive, unsettling vocals. The lyrics reflect Ray’s concerns with social and political matters and regularly involve Christian iconography, samples, Americana kitsch and European social decay. The result is a crazy worldview, capturing stills of life on the verge of a new millennium. The gothic heritage is visible and its convergence with synth-based eighties sounds and nineties techno and trance forms a complex, intoxicating sound that has been described as “technogoth”, “electrogoth” and “new age techno”.

Whilst working in Gangwar, James Ray has also produced two solo albums under the name MK Ultra. This is This and Beluga Pop, both on Merciful Release Records. He has written novels and screenplays, most notably “Psychodalek” which goes hand in hand with the album of the same name. Both works explore the theme of schizophrenia and reflect Ray’s versatility and focus within the creative process. When asked about his opinion on trance music he responded by stating Trance is modern goth without the horror. It is this ability to broach boundaries, see connections and meld the diversities of life into something new and whole, that makes James Ray a creative artist of some note.

When “Psychodalek” was released Melody Maker dubbed Mr Ray “one of the coolest curmudgeons” in the rock business, a title which is arrogantly worn by the man behind the music. Ray has described himself as an “Electroassassin” and a “Cyberchrist”, but his canny observations of the contemporary music scene make it possible to bypass his arrogance and reach for the products of his eccentric but astute mind.

Gangwar have split temporarily, but their output is still available internationally and they are involved in other projects.

Valerie Palmer. Used with permission

Taken from the Rough Guide to Rock. © Rough Guides Ltd. First edition published Aug 96 / Nov 96 (USA). Distributed by Penguin.

Web Links

• 4080 Peru — James Ray’s ‘avant goth’ project
• Free MP3 back catalogue

Discography

Albums

• Psychodalek (1996; 24:24)
• Third Generation (1993; Surgery)
• Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado(1992; Merciful Release)

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