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Jamie T is back! Need a refresher on the returning troubadour’s career to date? Fret not… Jamie first came to NME’s attention back in 2005, playing Whorefest in London. The one-day festival was put on by London indie club night White Heat, and saw a young Jamie Treays playing on the same bill as the Long Blondes, Blood Red Shoes, Les Incompetents and Vincent Vincent and The Villains.
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Playing an acoustic bass guitar, the teenager sang boozy tales of suburban London life like a delinquent Billy Bragg. He was soon branded ‘a one man Arctic Monkeys’ for his deadpan delivery and scuzzy sound.
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His first Top Ten single came in the shape of ‘Calm Down Dearest’, which was released just before his album. It was backed with ‘Fox News’ and came in at very respectable Number Nine.
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Jamie T was crowned Best Solo Artist at the NME Awards in 2007, beating Jarvis Cocker, Lily Allen and Thom Yorke. He was spotted hanging out with Billy Bragg at the ceremony.
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That spring, Jamie headed off to Austin, Texas for SXSW. He slayed the crowds at NME’s party at Stubb’s, playing on a bill alongside Lily Allen. Allen would go on to contribute backing vocals to Jamie’s song ‘Rawhide’ – the b-side to the re-released ‘Sheila’ – later that year.
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Summer 2007 saw Jamie T crowned unofficial king of the festivals, playing everything from Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds to Radio 1’s Big Weekend as well as a host of Euro fests.
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‘Panic Prevention’ was nominated for 2007’s Mercury Music Prize, given the prestigious nod alongside Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’, Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back To Black’ and Bat For Lashes’ ‘Fur & Gold’. All of which lost out to Klaxons’ debut ‘Myths of the Near Future’.
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‘Sticks ‘N’ Stones’ was the first track to be taken from Jamie’s second album, ‘Kings & Queens’, and was released as a four song EP, alongside ‘St Christopher’, ‘On The Green’ and ‘The Dance of the Young Professionals’. It hit Number 15 in the Official UK Singles Chart.
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Over the summer, Jamie T contributed a remix of Florence and the Machine’s ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’ to the song’s single release. Florence Welch also contributed backing vocals to Jamie’s second album, but they ended up on the cutting room floor.
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Another four-track release came ahead of ‘Kings & Queens’, the ‘Chaka Demus’ EP – which also featured ‘Forget Me Not (The Love I Knew Before I Grew)’, ‘Planning Spontaneity’ and ‘When They Are Gone (For Tim)’.
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‘Kings & Queens’ followed a week later, with a UK release on September 7, 2009. It went straight in at Number Two in the Official UK Album Charts, his highest ever chart position. Like ‘Panic Prevention’ before it, ‘Kings & Queens’ also reached Gold sales status.
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Jamie postponed his Australian, European and British autumn shows, after contracting laryngitis.
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In 2010 Jamie was named Best Solo Artist for the second time at the NME Awards. This time he beat Julian Casablancas, Florence and the Machine, Dizzee Rascal and Lady Gaga to score the gong.
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In December 2012 Jamie T broke his almost three year long silence. As part of Tim Timebomb and Friends, he was heard guesting on Tim Armstrong from Rancid’s side project, singing on a new version of the track ‘Wrongful Suspicion’. “It’s always fun being with Jamie, and playing music together – whenever we are lucky enough, and the planets decide to line up,” said Tim and his band.