James Company Karaoke - an introduction
Hello and welcome to the next few hours of your life. It's karaoke time once again! Hi, my name is Steve Lovell and I'll be guiding you through this function. I'm 35 and have been involved in running entertainments since 1996. I first started with karaokes in May '03 after being employed by the world famous Ush and Son karaoke in Rhodes. In October '04, I came home with dreams of starting my own business. Little did I know that within a day of landing back in England that I would win SEVEN THOUSAND POUNDS on Richard and Judy's You Say We Pay feature. Yes, the people who enter ARE real, I was one of them and boo hoo to all the people complaining about losing 25p! From the date I won to the date I set up the business and was performing, it was a total of less than five weeks, an amazing turn around from having nothing. My first show as James Company Karaoke was at the Ball Tree Public House, Sompting on November 21st, 2004, with the first singer, Jo Giggs, performing There You'll Be by Faith Hill. I am now a full time self employed entertainer/host/DJ and I can thoroughly recommend the lifestyle, although it does kill of any chance of relationships! My business name of Steve James is a nod towards my old boss Mark Usher in Greece, who mistakenly called me James one night. The legend of Steve James was born. As a tribute to him, I said if I ever get started in the business, I would call it James Company Karaoke. On a personal note, I love my music (I have a huge collection of discs), going to gigs, collect retro football jerseys, play darts and enjoy having the odd pint in a country pub somewhere. I live in Sompting, West Sussex and am currently in a relationship. I support Brighton and Hove Albion.
James Company Karaoke - my commitment to you
I believe that everyone has the right to sound as good as possible whilst singing, which is why you will constantly see he hunched over the mixing desk. This is why I buy the best equipment that I can afford. The microphones are SHURE SM58's, the kind you see on most Top Of The Pops performances or at gigs. The speakers are Wharfedale, which I have used since the last century. The PA is Warrior 900w, and quite frankly, the best thing I have ever used. All of my equipment is PAT tested, last tested November '08, and so meets all safety standards. I am also a member of the musician's union, which allows 10 million pounds worth of Public Liabiliity Insurance. The PAT and PLI are legal requirements. I am constantly looking to improve on what I have already and try to get in the songs that you want to sing. I currently, as of March '10, have nearly 16,000 different songs. If there is a song that I don't have, please mention it. I will do what I can to track it down. I want to make as many people as possible happy via the medium of karaoke.
James Company Karaoke - did you know?
Did you know that as well as karaoke, I can also provide DJ services, pub games events, quiz nights and the Nintendo Wii (including Rock Band and Wii Fit)? Well now you do.
James Company Karaoke - rules
I don't have many rules but they are all there for your safety and enjoyment. I'll start with the DON'T's. DON'T give an excuse of why you need to be bumped up the order of singers. I've heard them all and you are no more important than anyone else singing here. I work on a rota and you will get one song per round, if you sing as part of a duet, that IS your one for the round. Persistence will simply push you one further DOWN the order. It doesn't matter if you are friends of the landlord, you are quite frankly not that important. DON'T ask me to play on after I've finished. More than likely, it is against the premises licence conditions and if caught and in extreme circumstances, the pub CAN be shut down. DON'T ask me to pick your songs for you. No one picks mine and I would never do it to anyone else. DON'T wander up to the stage unless asked to do so by the singer. Any unwanted attention will result in you being thrown out of the premises. I will make sure of it. DON'T bring alcohol up to the stage area when you sing, I will not start the music unless you adhere to this. If you blow something up by dropping drink on it, you will be paying for it out of your own pocket, that is if you haven't killed yourself. I'm insured! DON'T get drunk. I will just refuse to let you sing. If you try and get others to write songs down for you because of your inebriation, I will know. I don't spend thousand of pounds for some idiot to abuse. DON'T throw things or heckle the singer. Throwing will result in automatic ejection. No one likes a heckler. No one is professional here.
Now onto the DO. DO write your name, song and code of the song down on the paper provided. If you can't read the book, you'll have no hope of reading the screen! DO hand up requests early. Traditionally, people wait until near the end of the night and you may not get to perform all of the songs you want to. If I say no more requests, it actually means NO MORE REQUESTS because there is no more space. On average, about FOURTEEN songs an hour get sung. DO wait patiently until you are called up. DO treat the equipment as if it was your own. What this means is no mike swinging and a little bit of consideration and respect. DO try new songs out. No one really wants to hear the same old songs every week. I will always encourage you. You maybe surprised at what you know. If any of the above is too much for you to follow, shut the door on the way out.
James Company Karaoke - thank yous
To Pete, Carol, Pete and Paul and the staff at the Warwick, Worthing. To Brian, Stacy and the staff at the Marquis Of Granby, Sompting. To Matt, Tasha and the staff at the Six Bells, Billingshurst. To Mike, Dawn and the staff at the Beacon, Basingstoke. To Sue and the staff at the Lamb, Angmering. To Alan, Sharon and the staff at the Anchor, Storrington. Rafe Harwood. Big Andy. Chris Moon. Mark and Lynn Usher. Paul Usher. Peter Rowley. Russell Knight and Chris Painter at Rhubarb Design. Fat Flyers. Nigel Fenter. Lucy Ballard. Liam Baines. Jonathan Hall. James Davis. Dean Walker. Duncan Newton. Jo Adams. Hayley Light. Cookies. All the pick and mix sites. All of you singers that have supported me through my first 750 shows. All my close friends and family who have stood by me.
James Company Karaoke - contact details
www.jamescompanykaraoke.co.uk. Mobile number 07790 946185 (strictly business use only. No jokers and time wasters). E-mail hungdonkeymanofcourse@yahoo.co.uk. Facebook STEVE LOVELL (Brighton and Hove network). JAMES COMPANY KARAOKE.
James Company Karaoke - in loving memory
Martin Brewer 1974-2005
Steve Clarke 1963-2006
Vicki Coyne 1984-2007
Dean House 1985-2008
Alun Jones 1981-2007
Famous singers on my karaoke.
Keith Stevens (Edison Lighthouse)
Luke Wright (Sussex and England Cricketer)
Dr David English (creator of the Bunbury foundation and former manager of the Bee Gees)
Thomas Craig (Where The Heart Is, Coronation Street)
Paul Usher (Brookside, The Bill)
Ortis (CBBC)
Charlie Gallagher (ex-Cetlic FC)
Keith Emerson (Emerson Lake and Palmer)
Ade Webb (UK mens karaoke champion 2006)
Jakki Brown (Muzzy in the stage production of Thoroughly Modern Millie)
Richard Amey (local god in the world of Sports Writing for the Herald)
Kai (Winner Of Junior Pop Idol 2003)
Mark Usher (world guru of karaoke, www.ushandson.com)
Nearly had Barbra Streisand sing on my karaoke. The story goes that when I did the Bunbury gig in 2006 at Nando's in Brighton, I was speaking to David English. He was gutted that there were a couple of places left over around his table and said that Barbra Streisand had her flight delayed, otherwise she would have made it down. That would have been some surreal stuff. And I had my camera on me that night.
Despite all the recent changes in the smoking laws, I am happy to confirm that all SEVEN of my pubs have made bookings for at least the next six months.
Major thanks to the following establishments.
Bader Arms, Tangmere.
Warwick, Worthing.
Marquis Of Granby, Sompting.
Six Bells, Billingshurst.
Beacon, Basingstoke.
Lamb, Angmering.
Anchor, Storrington.
John Selden, Worthing.
Many thanks to Rafe Harwood for his hard work and dedication to this website.