James Michael

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = James Michael

| image = JamesMichael.jpg

| caption = Michael in 2008

| birth_name = James Andrew Michael

| alias =

| origin = Holland, Michigan, U.S.

| instrument = {{flatlist|

Vocals
guitar
keyboards
drums

}}

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Record producer
sound engineer
mixer
songwriter
musician

}}

| years_active =

| associated_acts = {{flatlist|

Sixx:A.M.
The Last Americans

}}

| website = https://www.youtube.com/@JamesMichaelOfficial

}}

James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, sound engineer, mixer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.

Early life

He took piano lessons while growing up and sang in Holland High School's show choir, Vocal Dimensions. As a teen, he played in different local rock bands including The Way We Dress and Night Shift. In the late 1980s, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical career.{{Cite web |title=WATCH: James Michael of Sixx:A.M. is living the dream {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/1580847/watch-james-michael-of-sixxa-m-is-living-the-dream/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}

Career

James Michael has worked as a record producer, songwriter, and/or engineer and mixer with many rock and pop recording artists including Kelly Clarkson, Alanis Morissette, Meat Loaf, Mötley Crüe, HammerFall, Scorpions, Hilary Duff, The Rasmus, Papa Roach, Trapt, American Bang, Saliva, The Exies, Deana Carter, Sammy Hagar, Lillix, Sarah Kelly, Halestorm, Jack's Mannequin, Brides of Destruction, Marion Raven and Victoria Justice.

He put out his first solo album in 2000 titled Inhale.{{Citation |title=James Michael – Inhale Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/inhale-mw0000054701 |language=en |access-date=August 25, 2022}} Michael wrote, produced and mixed the entire album and often played all the instruments.

Michael is co-founder (along with Nikki Sixx and DJ Ashba) and lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.{{Cite web |date=October 1, 2014 |title=James Michael: "Sixx: A.M. has changed my life!" |url=http://www.radiometal.com/article/james-michael-sixx-a-m-has-changed-my-life,161817 |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=RADIO METAL |language=fr-FR}} The band's debut album, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack, produced by Michael, was on the Billboard 200 album chart for 26 consecutive weeks and featured the No. 1 rock track of 2008 and gold-selling single "Life Is Beautiful".{{Cite web |last=BraveWords |title=Producer James Michael On MÖTLEY CRÜE's Saints Of Los Angeles |url=https://bravewords.com/news/producer-james-michael-on-motley-crues-saints-of-los-angeles |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=bravewords.com |language=en}} He also co-wrote and handled production for the band's second album, This Is Gonna Hurt, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and its second track, "Lies of the Beautiful People", went No. 1 on Active Rock radio.{{cite web|last=Michael|first=James|title=About James Michael|url=http://www.jamesmichael.net/about.html|website=Jamesmichael.net|access-date=May 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029071240/http://www.jamesmichael.net/about.html|archive-date=October 29, 2012|url-status=dead}}

Michael produced, mixed and co-wrote (alongside Sixx:A.M. bandmate DJ Ashba) Mötley Crüe's last studio album Saints of Los Angeles that debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.{{Cite magazine |title=Mötley Crüe |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/motley-crue/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} He also co-wrote the song "Higher Than Heaven" for James Durbin's Memories of a Beautiful Disaster album released on November 21, 2011. He produced Papa Roach's new album, The Connection (as well as co-wrote the track "Where Did the Angels Go"), which debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 chart.{{Cite magazine |title=Papa Roach |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/papa-roach/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} Other projects from around this time include writing the track "People Like Us" for the Kelly Clarkson Greatest Hits – Chapter One{{Cite magazine |title=Kelly Clarkson |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kelly-clarkson/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} mixing Hinder's new album Welcome to the Freak Show and writing with and contributing vocals for Halestorm, plus writing and producing "Take a Hint" for Victoria Justice featured in the show Victorious.

File:Sixx A M Rock Im Park 2016 (7 von 15).jpg

He released a solo song "Learn to Hate You," which premiered on November 26, 2012.

Michael met up with Sixx and Ashba early in 2013 to start writing songs for a new Sixx:A.M. album, which turned out to be Modern Vintage, released in 2014. It debuted at #1 on the rock charts.{{Cite web |last=Chamberlainpublished |first=Rich |date=October 8, 2014 |title=Welcome Back: Sixx A.M. |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/welcome-back-sixx-a-m |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=loudersound |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Jackie |first=Full Metal JackieFull Metal |title=Sixx: A.M.'s James Michael Talks 'Modern Vintage' Album |url=https://loudwire.com/sixx-a-m-james-michael-modern-vintage-album-band-camaraderie-more/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=Loudwire |date=September 5, 2014 |language=en}} The band followed up in 2016 with two albums Prayers for the Damned{{Cite web |title=Sixx:A.M. Announce First Single From New Album |url=https://www.kerrang.com/sixxa-m-announce-first-single-from-new-album/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=Kerrang! |date=March 2016 |language=en}} and Prayers for the Blessed, before going on a successful USA and European tour.{{Cite web |last=Rockpublished |first=Classic |date=March 1, 2016 |title=Sixx:AM announce album, single and tour details |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/sixx-am-announce-album-single-and-tour-details |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=loudersound |language=en}} The following year, they decided to take a hiatus.{{Cite web |last=Blabbermouth |date=May 17, 2020 |title=JAMES MICHAEL Doesn't Rule Out More New Music From SIXX:A.M. |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/james-michael-doesnt-rule-out-more-new-music-from-sixxa-m/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |language=en}}

In 2019, Sixx:A.M. released their first song in three years, "Talk to Me," in support of the #TalktoMe campaign against opioid addiction.{{Cite web |last=Blabbermouth |date=September 27, 2019 |title=SIXX:A.M. Releases New Song 'Talk To Me' To Help Overcome Stigma Plaguing Opioid Use |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/sixxa-m-releases-new-song-talk-to-me-to-help-overcome-stigma-plaguing-opioid-use/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |language=en}} The following year, James performed on a remake of a Sixx:A.M. song, "Maybe It's Time," featuring Ivan Moody (Five Finger Death Punch), Tommy Vext (Bad Wolves), Arron Bruno (Awolnation), Joe Elliot (Def Leppard) and Slash (Guns N' Roses), all proceeds again were donated to the battle against opioid addiction,{{Cite web |last=s2global |title=Nikki Sixx's SIXX:A.M. Assembles Rock, Country, Metal All-Stars For a Great Cause |url=https://globalrecoveryinitiatives.org/nikki-sixxs-sixxa-m-assembles-rock-country-metal-all-stars-for-a-great-cause/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation |language=en-US}} a cause important to James throughout his career.{{Cite web |last=Munropublished |first=Scott |date=August 21, 2020 |title=Sixx AM share video for new charity single featuring Joe Elliott, Corey Taylor and more |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/sixx-am-share-video-for-new-charity-single-featuring-joe-elliott-corey-taylor-and-more |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=loudersound |language=en}}

In 2021, Sixx:A.M. released their Hits album,{{Cite web |last=Childers |first=Chad|title=Sixx: A.M.'s James Michael – For Now, 'Hits' Album Is 'Good Way to Wrap This Up' |url=https://loudwire.com/sixx-am-james-michael-for-now-hits-album-good-way-wrap-up/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=Loudwire |date=October 20, 2021 |language=en}} a compilation of fan favorites and a few new tracks most notably "The First 21."{{Cite web |last=Diggins |first=Mark |date=March 13, 2022 |title=SIXX A.M. – "HITS" Album Review |url=https://www.therockpit.net/2022/sixx-a-m-hits-album-review/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=The Rockpit |language=en-US}}

James Michael's 2022 releases include The Retaliators movie theme, "21 Bullets," written by James and Nikki Sixx.{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2022 |title=Hear Mötley Crüe, Asking Alexandria, Ice Nine Kills Members Team on "The Retaliators Theme Song" |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-m%C3%B6tley-cr%C3%BCe-asking-alexandria-ice-nine-kills-members-team-retaliators-theme-song |access-date=August 25, 2022 |website=Revolver |language=en}} He then released a solo recording, "California Smile." He is currently working in his recording studios in both the US and UK/Ireland developing new rock and pop artists, focusing heavily on his strengths as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, lead vocalist, producer, and mixer.