JAMES : MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 8.4.08

WHILE The Courteeners are indisputably the 'new' sound of the Rainy City, one of their biggest fans is the singer of one of Manchester's most legendary pop bands.

Tim Booth, the frontman of James, even compared Courteeners frontman Liam Fray to Manc legend Morrissey when he spoke to the M.E.N.

After a special in-store gig at the HMV store in the city centre - which hundreds of fans queued for hours to watch - Tim said: "It is fabulous to be back with a new album. The music scene here is so healthy these days and there are some amazing bands around.

"I love the Courteeners album. Liam has the swagger but he is also a really perceptive lyricist too. I think he is very much like Morrissey when it comes to his lyrics.

"To have Liam quoting us and name-checking James is great. It means a lot of young fans are now coming on board who probably wouldn't have listened to James otherwise."

Winning over new young fans doesn't seem to be a problem though.

Caitlain Smith could well be the youngest fan of the band. Aged 6, she is such a huge fan that she and her mum Dawn, 36, from Droylsden, pitched up a tent and camped outside HMV in Manchester from 5pm on Sunday - just to make sure they got to se the band perform yesterday (Monday).

Mum Dawn says: "She knows all the songs on the new album - and it's only just been released today [Monday]."

Joining the Smiths for a chilly overnight stay outside the store was another mum and daughter - Michelle Sutherland, 38, from Stockport, and daughter Natalie, 18.

Michelle said: "Natalie was a fan before she was even born. She came out singing Sit Down."

The reunited band was in Manchester for the launch of their new album, Hey Ma - their first recording for seven years.