James Bourne’s journey through music has taken him from conquering arenas with Busted to writing hits for everyone from McFly to the Jonas Brothers and 5 Seconds of Summer. It has made him one of the most successful songwriters of his generation, with five #1 hits and countless Top 10 singles. Having previewed his debut solo album with the tracks ‘Everyone Is My Friend’, The Beatles and title track ‘Safe Journey Home’, James Bourne now shares the full album via his own Bad Apple label in conjunction with ADA.
‘Safe Journey Home’ is a celebration of the classic songcraft. It echoes the timeless songwriting of the Laurel Canyon scene through to modern alternative rock. At times you can hear a country twang flavoured by his time spent in Nashville, at others lyrical references to NYC and LA. In short, it’s a globe-trotting, multi-genre experience that feels right at home in 2020 while also reflecting some of the great music of the past half-a-century. It’s a culmination of experiences from a man who is most at home when he plugs his guitar into an amp.
“Music has given so much and it’s been a very natural way of life for me,” he explains. “There have been times when Busted weren’t killing it in arenas and in everyone’s face, but I was still making a living from my songs. I enjoy making music and writing songs. Now I’m doing the same thing I do in Busted, I’m just doing it without Busted.”
Bourne had intended to release a solo album for years. In fact, the first solo songs he wrote ended up featuring on the McBusted album back in 2014. Bourne and his old friend, producer John Fields (Jimmy Eat World, Selena Gomez), co-wrote all ten of the album’s songs, and were joined on three tracks by the veteran hitmaker Stephen Bishop (whose countless hits include Phil Collins’ Oscar-nominated ‘Separate Lives’). And once the songs were ready, Bourne and Fields
‘Safe Journey Home’ has been released on streaming, download, CD and Limited Edition vinyl.
