James C Hughes is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

bassist who has played with many punk rock and new wave bands, and whose career as a rock musician and writer continues to this day. Born to Irish parents in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, Hughes, inspired by the

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...

sensibilities of his hero Ziggy Stardust, and the bass playing of Free's

Andy Fraser Andrew McIan Fraser (3 July 1952 – 16 March 2015) was a British musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist and co-composer for the rock band Free, which he helped found in 1968 when he was 15. He also founded the rock band Sharks ...

, began his career in music at the birth of punk rock with the Banned, enjoying immediate success as their first single "Little Girl" broke into the UK top 30. After the Banned dissolved, Hughes joined Cowboys International, forming a rhythm section with drummer

Terry Chimes Terence Chimes (born 5 July 1956, Stepney, London, England) is an English musician, best known as the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again fro ...

, formerly of

the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...

, together playing on the album '' The Original Sin'' in 1979, and the subsequent tours, television and radio appearances of the band. After a final TV appearance on ''

The Old Grey Whistle Test ''The Old Grey Whistle Test'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''Whistle Test'' or ''OGWT'') is a British television music show. The show was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers, commissioned by David Attenborough and aired on BBC2 from 1971 to 1988. ...

'' (22 January 1980), Hughes left Cowboys International and joined

Nick Kent Nick Kent (born 24 December 1951) is a British rock critic best known for his writing for the '' NME'' in the 1970s, and his books ''The Dark Stuff'' (1994) and ''Apathy for the Devil'' (2010). Early life Kent, the son of a former Abbey Road S ...

's group The Subterraneans, subsequently appearing on their only single "My Flamingo" which was released in early 1981. In 1980, having turned down audition requests from

Woody Woodmansey Michael "Woody" Woodmansey (born 4 February 1950) is an English rock drummer best known for his work in the early 1970s as a member of David Bowie's core backing ensemble that became known as the Spiders from Mars in conjunction with the rele ...

Alex Chilton William Alexander Chilton (December 28, 1950 – March 17, 2010) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial success in the 1960s ...

's Big Star, and

Marco Pirroni Marco Francesco Andrea Pirroni (born 27 April 1959, London, England) frequently credited simply as Marco, is a British guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He has worked with Adam Ant, Sinéad O'Connor, Siouxsie and the Banshees and man ...

of Adam and the Ants, he joined

Ian Broudie Ian Zachary Broudie (born 4 August 1958) is an English musician and singer-songwriter from Liverpool. After emerging from the post-punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to produce albums (somet ...

's band

Original Mirrors Original Mirrors were a British new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. Featuring members of several earlier punk/new wave bands, they signed to Mercury Records and released two albums before splitting up in 1981, with members going on to play ...

, playing on an album and two singles including "Dancing with the Rebels". In 1981, he joined Department S, in time to play on their unreleased album ''Sub-Stance'', produced by David Tickle. Hughes' subsequent work includes taking part in the first rock tour of the Middle East with the theatre rock band Famous Names; guesting on tracks for the

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blu ...

band Whirlwind;

Alan Wilder Alan Charles Wilder (born 1 June 1959) is an English musician, composer, arranger, record producer and former member of the electronic band Depeche Mode from 1982 to 1995. Since his departure from the band, the musical project called Recoil b ...

's solo album ''Hydrology Parts 1 and 2''; as writer and performer on ''Paradise Now'' for the Norwegian rock band Oceans Apart; television appearances with

La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons'', ...

; and playing with a diverse range of musicians including

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

, Jeff Beck, members of Cameo,

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

, and

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Journey, Kate ...

. Hughes' own band

Boardwalk Isabella A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of brid ...

released the ''Clear the Decks EP'' in 2015 and the single "Freedom (Step Up My Desire)" in 2016. Jimmy Hughes toured the UK with the Bee Gees' musical and West End hit, You Win Again throughout 2017 before becoming bass player and MD to Serbian band, The Gift, based in Belgrade. He is currently the bass player for award-winning act Absolute Bowie touring the UK and Europe

References

External links

*https://neonleonmoore.wixsite.com/jimmychughes
BoardwalkIsabella.com
Boardwalk Isabella official site
Boardwalk Isabella FacebookBoardwalk Isabella Myspace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Jimmy C Living people English bass guitarists English male guitarists Male bass guitarists English new wave musicians English songwriters English people of Irish descent Musicians from London Year of birth missing (living people) British male songwriters