James Shears

A sound engineer by training, James spent most of his childhood in Johannesburg, growing up on a diet of his father's American West Coast country rock music and teaching himself to play the acoustic guitar. Taking up the bass as a teenager he discovered a liking for a totally mixed bag of music and thrashed around in various bands with his school mates. He was, in time completely blown-away by the arrival of Level 42 and old 'Thunder Thumbs' himself, Mr Mark King which led to many hours spent learning to 'hit' the bass guitar rather than to actually play it. Fortunately for his calloused right thumb and the world at large, Jamesbought an acoustic bass guitar, stumbled back to his folk rock roots, and enjoyed success in South Africa during the 90's as 1/3 of the South African Music Award winning trio 'Case, Ball & Shears'.

In 1999 having had enough of BBQs, endless sunshine and beers around the swimming pool,James returned with his young family to the UK. 5Catfish provides an opportunity for James to bring his eclectic mix of musical abilities to the fore by hitting, shaking and plucking various musical instruments. (Ed's note - and singing from time to time!)

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