Alex James Band are the world’s first DMD fronted alternative rock quartet based in the North-East of England. The 26-year-old, Alex James Kennedy from Newton Aycliffe, lives with a rare but fatal muscle wasting condition known as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
Yet, Alex turns this pain into triumph as he takes to the stage in his electric wheelchair, where he and his band deliver an unexpected rock experience which treats the audience with an amalgamation of punchy bass lines, memorable riffs and unforgettable vocal melody lines.
This band, which takes influence from the likes of The Pale White, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, QOTSA, Royal Blood and The Black Keys, is not one to be missed.
Phase 2.0 of Alex James Band commenced on Friday 4th August, following the reveal of their new anthemic single ‘Waiting for Something’. Same band. New sound. This fuzz heavy track, entangled with pungent bass riffs, elegant harmonies and vivacious guitar solos/melodies, conceptualises the feeling and eagerness of waiting for something to happen that will change your life for the better and how, sometimes, we long for the day that the next door that opens will be the key to our success. ‘Waiting For Something’ or ‘WFS’ for short, is a track also written for those who like conceptual lyrics with a deeper meaning and for those who enjoy to dance and sing along, as this song will undoubtedly get stuck in your head.
The band also notably made history on 13th May 2023 at The Bunker CIC in Sunderland, where the band played a full set of original music as a DMD fronted Alt-Rock band. Kenny Sanger provided access to the stage by supplying a ramp, this was a small but vital step towards bringing wheelchairs to the stage, inspiring others to share their art (especially those who are disabled) and improving the accessibility across the music scene in general for performers and music lovers.
Alex said, “the reaction we got from this performance left the band and crowd with a buzz that I cannot explain, people seem to leave our gigs with a somewhat changed perception of disability and that, for me, is a win.”