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“I started my musical life as a guitar player who never sang a single note” James Bay tell HollywoodLife when discussing his partnership with Fender and the launch of American Vintage II Series. Honoring Fender’s legacy with a line of guitars and basses that showcase vintage-inspired style and sound, the American Vintage II Series seems tailor-made for musicians and players like James. James said: “A few years later, I started singing because we started playing in bands. “And despite that, I consider myself a guitar player first and foremost.”
As James said in this EXCLUSIVE interview, being a guitar player is more than just learning musical notes and theory. It’s also about having a sense of style. “In the 50s, 60s and 70s, a lot happened in popular culture and fashion. We can’t argue with how timeless it feels,” he said. “A guitar for beginners – or 10-20-30 years old – there’s something about the process, the experience of finding a new one. [guitar] or another, like wanting a new coat. You go around those things; you go see savings; you go to timeless places. Fender, of course, is on a map like Levi’s or Saint Laurent is. You won’t make any mistakes if you go with them.”
“I think what’s exciting about this new American Vintage II Series is like they’ve taken that closer than ever,” says James. “They copied the ’50s stuff and ’60s stuff and ’70s stuff. But that’s it. [this line] has really resonated with me. The way they have their own fun is not shy, and that attracts me even more. I think, as a guitar fan, a guitar player and a Fender fan, I love seeing them and I want to go to them.”
James and Fender went hand in hand – literally – as he established himself as a modern six-string slingr. James collaborated with Fender for his one-of-a-kind guitar, the Master Built Pink Lemonade Mustang, named after the song from his 2018 album, Light. In July, James released Leapnext part Light. When asked if there is a possibility of an instrumental album in his future – his version Surfing with Aliens, Shut Up ‘N Play Yer Guitar, or so – he said it was more likely than we thought.
“I bottled this version of me, this version of me as a musician, for a while to show the world that I am the best musician I can be. In a way, I suppose I will sometimes say, I think I may have neglected the instrumental person I am. And as a result, I don’t know if an all-instrumental album is in the works. I know that there’s more to it [music]. I just ordered album three, and I’m ready, I’m working on album four. “
“I feel more resigned than ever – and that’s a strange word to use, because I mean this in a very positive way – I feel more resigned and excited about the guitar solos in my life. this next album,” James said HollywoodLife. “There are many other tools [music] from me in the future. I spoke to a few guitar magazines recently and they asked me some questions because, live, I’m performing more guitar solos than ever before. I have one song out of three solos – Intro, Middle Solo, outro. “
Those solos come from a custom Fender guitar, so James is the perfect candidate to partner with the brand on the American Vintage II Series premiere. There is no other guitar like it, which means it will one day be put in a museum. “
“To think he’s playing on a living piece of history is ‘a huge thing’ to consider,” James said. “It’s just ‘my little guitar,’ that’s how I think about it. And you know, I wasn’t trying to push boundaries or anything. It was a strange scenario when it all started to really come to life. Paul Waller, the master builder, just hit me on Instagram and said, ‘Do you still want these?’ And that’s a photo of the laminate that will be mounted on the headphones. So it says ‘Fender Pink Lemonade.’ And, in that moment, I said, ‘Oh, yes! Yes, it would be great. Is that even like, possible or allowed? ‘ It disappeared from me, its full potential, because the man who started developing it at Fender on my behalf left Fender. “
“So from that kind of maybe/nothing perspective to the possibility that it belongs in a museum someday or the like, that’s a huge jump,” James said. He says his Fender won’t be an exhibit any time soon. “It’s too far on the road,” he said HollywoodLife. “The guitar needs a lot of play and I want to play a lot on it first.”
Click here for more information on Fender’s American Vintage II line.
