In 1983, only 1,000 people bought James’ debut EP. But two famous fans would save the band

James’ debut EP, *Jimone*, sold only about 1,000 copies after its release in November 1983, despite receiving favourable reviews. Two buyers were Johnny Marr and Steven Patrick Morrissey, whose interest helped lead to James supporting The Smiths on tours in 1984 and 1985, giving the Manchester band valuable exposure.

The article presents the purchases as an early connection that helped James reach a wider audience, while noting the band had already begun building a profile through John Peel sessions and support slots with New Order. James later became a regular on the festival circuit, and “Laid” has more than 270 million streams; *Jimone* remains unavailable to stream. In 2024, Marr toured North America with James and said he had been a fan for decades.