James Righton

James Righton – Life, Career, and Creative Voice

Delve into James Righton’s journey—former Klaxons keyboardist turned solo artist and composer. Discover how he evolves his musical identity, composes for film and theatre, and balances personal and public life.

Introduction

James Nicholas Righton (born 25 August 1983) is an English musician, songwriter, and composer. He first gained prominence as the keyboardist and vocal contributor in the “new rave” band Klaxons, but since their disbandment has carved a distinctive solo path—releasing projects under Shock Machine and under his own name, composing for film and theatre, and collaborating across genres. His career reflects a restless ambition, a reconciling of pop energy with introspection, and a deepening of his artistic voice over time.

Early Life & Musical Roots

• Birth and upbringing
  James Righton was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England on 25 August 1983.

• Family influence
  His father was a musician, encouraging James to join bands and explore music from a young age.

• School and forming early bonds
  While in high school in Stratford, he met Simon Taylor-Davis, whom he taught guitar. Over time, this connection (plus meeting Jamie Reynolds in London) would form the core of Klaxons.

• Early career direction
  Before full commitment to music, Righton worked as a music teacher and played in local ensembles as he refined his musical vision.

Rise with Klaxons & the New Rave Era

• Formation and style
  In the mid-2000s, Righton, Taylor-Davis, and Reynolds formed Klaxons (originally “Klaxons (Not Centaurs)”). Their sound fused indie rock, post-punk, electronic, and rave aesthetics—becoming central to the new rave movement.

• Commercial and critical breakthrough

  • Their debut album, Myths of the Near Future (2007), won the Mercury Prize.

  • Subsequent albums included Surfing the Void (2010) and Love Frequency (2014).

• Role within the band
  As keyboardist and vocalist, Righton contributed significantly to the band’s identity—often combining synth textures, lyrical contributions, and a visual sensibility.

• Disbandment
  In 2014, Klaxons announced their ongoing tour would be their last. By 2015 the band had effectively dissolved, opening the door for Righton’s next phase.

Solo & Post-Band Work: Shock Machine and Beyond

Shock Machine Project

• In March 2016, Righton unveiled Shock Machine, a solo project whose aesthetic leans toward more experimental art rock and psychedelic textures.

• The first EP, Open Up the Sky, was recorded in a cabin in the south of France with producer James Ford.

• His aim was to distance himself from overly formulaic pop structures:

  “I was just trying to get as far away as I could from the three-minute, four-chord thing, though I’ll always love that.”

• The full Shock Machine album dropped on 25 August 2017.

Solo under his own name

• In 2020, he released The Performer, his debut album under his own name, via the Deewee label.

  • The album was well received, drawing praise for emotional lyricism and cinematic scope.

• In more recent work, he created a quasi alter ego, Jim, I’m Still Here, tapping into ideas of identity, reinvention, and performance.

  • He described “Jim” as a character born from the constraints of pandemic lockdown and virtual performances.

  • He cited working with Soulwax as a creative highlight.

Compositions, Theatre & Score Work

• Righton has expanded into scoring and composition:

  • He scored the short film William (2015) and later Benjamin (2018) by Simon Amstell.

  • He was involved in theatre, collaborating (e.g. with Tom Rowlands) on The Life of Galileo at Young Vic.

  • He also composed for Amstell’s Netflix special Set Free.

  • In 2021, he began working with ABBA on their ABBA Voyage concert show in London.

  • In 2024, he provided the soundtrack for a Selfridges / Tiffany project transforming Oxford Street into a public art installation.

Collaborations & Contributions

• He co-wrote “All Rights Reversed” for The Chemical Brothers’ We Are the Night.

• He contributed instrumentally to Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.

• He co-wrote “Deeper” (with MNEK) and other songs for contemporary artists.

• He also co-wrote “The Third Degree” for Honeyblood’s 2019 album In Plain Sight.

Artistic Evolution & Themes

• From collective to individual
  Righton has discussed how being in a band can lead to following patterns or losing personal voice. From his solo work, he aimed to reclaim creative agency.

• Reinvention and alter ego
  Through Jim, I’m Still Here, he grapples with identity, aging, performance, and the place between public and private selves.

• Sound as mood, texture, story
  Rather than adhere to genre boundaries, his albums experiment with cinematic, ambient, psychedelic, and retro influences—blending mood with lyricism.

• Spatial and public art
  His engagement with public installations (e.g. the Oxford Street / Tiffany project) shows interest in how music lives in shared urban space.

Personal Life

• Marriage & Family
  James Righton married actress Keira Knightley on 4 May 2013 in Mazan, in the south of France. They have two daughters: Edie (born May 2015) and Delilah (born September 2019). Their home is in Canonbury, Islington, London.

• Public persona and privacy
  Righton maintains a relatively low public profile, balancing his creative visibility with family privacy.

Memorable Quotes & Insights

1. On leaving band constraints

   “In a band you never really are thinking for yourself … There comes a point where it can start to feel like you are in a cult … you follow a pattern … you end up forgetting how to think for yourself.”

2. On redefining sound

   “I was just trying to get as far away as I could from the three-minute, four-chord thing.”

3. On new work and ABBA collaboration
   He described working on the ABBA Voyage project as a highlight in his musical life.

Legacy & Lessons

• Evolution over rest
  Righton’s career shows that longevity can come from reinvention, not resting on past success.

• Balancing pop and art
  He has navigated the tension between accessible music and experimental ambitions.

• Writing with sound
  His trajectory suggests that musicians today can be composers, curators, and public sonic storytellers—not just perform.

• Agency in identity
  Choosing to step into alter egos and solo work reflects striving to control how one is perceived.