Meet Tonic Music’s New Ambassador – James Atkin
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Singer James Atkin talks about his time in EMF, getting into teaching, and becoming a Tonic Music ambassador.
Dancing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in hand is what you would expect to see of James Atkin growing up, only ever dreaming of becoming a musician.
Despite being in a band with friends from school, it was until James met guitarist Ian Dench, in the record shop he was working in, that EMF clicked into place.
After a year of the band forming, their first single Unbelievable crashed into the US charts at number one, and made it to number three on the UK charts.
“We were touring America, and as we went from town to town the record started going up the charts really slowly,” he said, “I sent postcards to my friends saying ‘we’re number 90’, then ‘number 60,’ then ‘number 40.’”
“It was just before we were coming home when it had gone to number one. I remember partying very hard!”
In the same year, the dance-rock band released their debut album Schubert Dip, including the band’s hits Children, I Believe, and of course Unbelievable.
Two albums and multiple headlining tours later, the band came to an end.
“All I ever wanted to do was be in a band,” he explained, “to not have that all of a sudden was really difficult. I felt lost – I didn’t know what I was doing and all the bad things crept in, like partying too hard.”
With James only being in his mid-twenties when the band split, he later dubbed this period of his life “the wilderness years,” due to losing any “creative motivation for a while.”
After “the wilderness era lasted a long time,” James eventually moved away from the hustle and bustle of London and into the countryside, where he initially planned to live a quiet life of early retirement.
This idea went out of the window when the singer gradually fell into teaching, a career that would last fifteen years.
“I was just helping out at some workshops with DJs, and then I was asked to go into schools and help with compositions,” he explained, “after I did this I thought, oh this is quite cool. So I went back to university, got a teaching degree, and then got a job. It was the best thing I ever did.”
“I never planned on teaching, nothing inspired me to teach, I was just a little bit lost in what to do in life. It felt nice to give something back and to be part of society.”
When asking James whether his students ever knew who he was, he simply replied, “no, but the parents’ evenings were always interesting!”
In 2015, whilst teaching, the singer released his debut solo album A Country Mile, a creative spark that continued to grow as he produced more solo material alongside his work in the classroom.
It was when EMF reunited and began touring again in 2021 that “going to school on a Monday morning after doing a weekend of gigs was becoming harder to do.”
“Something had to give,” he said, “and that was teaching. It feels like I am on a constant half term!”
“All of my life, I have had anxiety before going on stage. It took me ages to work out how to deal with that. I wish there were opportunities for professionals to have helped me with that, like Tonic Music.”
JAMES ATKIN
Over the past couple of years, James has joined us at Shiiine On Weekenders in Minehead and Skegness by DJing in the Tonic Music Lounge.
“At my first Tonic Music DJ set in an ice cream parlour at Shiiine On, I did not know what to expect,” he admitted, “I turned up with a few records and I found there to be a really good vibe.”
“I liked what Tonic Music was up to and what they were achieving.”
The singer is not easing off any time soon, as he has a full-on year ahead of him touring with EMF once again. Kickstarting the UK clubs leg of the tour in Newcastle, the band will soon venture to the US east coast, return home for more UK dates, and back to the US touring the west coast.
Amid the touring hubbub, we are pleased to have James part of the family as a Tonic Music Ambassador, sharing his experiences being “older and wiser” than he once was, and has “certainly been through a lot of trauma along the way.”
“I wish someone told me this when I was younger,” he said, “enjoy yourself. I was so wrapped up in my own worries and what people thought of me, I did not enjoy myself much. But, I am doing it now!”
Upcoming EMF shows:
2nd June - Gorilla, Manchester
3rd June - Factory Live, Worthing
4th June - Kola, Portsmouth
5th June - Chinnerys, Southend
6th June - The Garage, London
7th June - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
Catch Tonic Music at EMF’s show at Kola in Portsmouth on 4th June, and Chinnerys in Southend-On-Sea on 5th June. See you there!
Don't forget to check out all our Courses, Groups and Workshops currently open for registration for working musicians and those working within the music.
