James Kennedy

James Kennedy is a rock solo artist, author & podcaster from South Wales, UK. Kennedy was formerly the front man of the Alternative Rock band Kyshera. Through his writings, interviews and song lyrics, Kennedy has spoken extensively about politics, society, mental health, power, protest and the human condition. His latest book is 'Noise Damage : My Life as a Rock'n'Roll Underdog' (published by Eye Books 2020) and his latest album is 'Make Anger Great Again' (released on Konic Records 2020).

Noise Damage

 * "The fifth law of thermodynamics states - the bigger the prick, the lesser the talent"
 * "There is no glory in being poor"
 * "Those guys at the top aren't happy either. They're pretty fucked up, in fact. You - we - are not missing anything at that party, trust me. I've been to the party and it was shit"
 * "It just goes to show, as the old saying goes: behind every fortune lays a wanker in debt"
 * "The solution I realised, is having something that means more to you than facing the fear"
 * "There is absolutely no shame in failure, it's the honourable trophy of those who tried"
 * "Poverty is a ruthless motivator"
 * "Money talks and talent is cute"
 * "Being a winner is easy. It's being a failure that's hard. Trust me"
 * "I hated Tony Blair. I hated him more than Thatcher. Which for a Welsh man, is a lot of hate"
 * "The bombardment of photoshopped taunting about us not having enough or being enough is a virus running through the veins of society, making us all sick"
 * "Here's another truism that I've witnessed first hand - those guys at the top, aren't happy either"
 * "We're indoctrinated as a society to believe that unless we're achieving at the highest level possible, then what we're doing isn't of value"
 * "Ultimately, there is a freedom in accepting your own insignificance"

Interviews & articles

 * "Art created around a marketing strategy has always sucked"
 * "All seekers of truth should seek out information that challenges their belief system, not confirm it"
 * "Nobody realised until digital came along that music in itself had never really been worth anything – people were paying for the plastic it was played on"
 * "For many, many years I lived a one dimensional, all-encompassing life that was worryingly depressing for anyone looking in. I owned nothing, was chronically in debt, lived in a little square room where I would stay all day and night working on band stuff, I hadn’t been on holiday in over a decade, I worked 80 hour weeks on the band (unpaid), had insomnia, was overweight & drank every night. I couldn’t keep a relationship, I neglected my friends and was just a generally angry, frustrated, intense person to be around. The band did well though"
 * "If we want to still be around enjoying our passions for years to come, we HAVE to take care of our mental, physical, emotional, social & financial health"
 * "Maybe the armed people of the world should make a pact with their governments : “we’ll give over our Guns if you nationalise the Central Bank & remove all forms of corporate influence from Politics”
 * "Ultimately my main criteria is to be honest – as long as I feel that my intention was pure, I can stand behind it"
 * "If you’re scared of criticism then this isn’t the business to be in!"
 * "Primadonna’s and Axl Rose wannabe’s start to grate on everyone pretty fast. Don’t be that guy. We ain’t saving lives out there…"
 * "The leaders of all nations know that Capitalism isn't a durable system without a steady influx of borderline slave labour"

Lyrics

 * "The heroes for the flag, as martyrs for religion, are just sacrificial lambs, for another mans prize"
 * "The manoeuvres of entangled interests, is how the world is run no less"
 * "The most powerful weapon, only costs a question"
 * "Wants before needs and shares before votes. Politics before justice, bombs before talks. Pillage before trade, arms sales before peace. Deceit before truth & fear before reason"
 * "Your moral high ground's nothing more than an insurance agenda"
 * "Silence is compliance with the criminals"
 * "Beware a leader, of any kind"
 * "By showing The Dark may I give you The Light"
 * "The road to evil metamorphosis, goes in steps so little we don’t even notice"
 * "We are many and they are few. And we are their biggest fear. We don't need to know the answers, just know your enemy"
 * "When you’re at war with the world, everyone around you becomes a refugee"
 * "Look in to the eyes of your demons. You’ll be looking at you as an infant. You can never kill all your demons. You can only set them free"
 * "When they still use the eyes of a hunting man. With the tools of Apocalypse"
 * "Who needs enemies, when we do their deeds better to our self"
 * "As we play Follow the Leader once more, over the edge"
 * "When you have hoarded all there is to hoard. And you’re the only master of the board. There’s one thing that always remains. The box that it all goes in at the end of the game"
 * "And a game needs more than just winners. You learn better lessons from good losers. We are the sky between the stars"
 * "When you’re on top of the world, the only way is down"
 * "In this democracy of hypocrisy, it really ain't that hard to see. It lives by Gangsters' rules"