James Adrian Brown – Forever Neon Lights: Live4ever’s Inside Track

Live4ever 6 February, 2026

Artwork for the James Adrian Brown album Forever Neon Lights

Following its release on January 30th, Pulled Apart By Horses’ James Adrian Brown gives Live4ever the exclusive track-by-track inside guide to his debut solo album ‘Forever Neon Lights’.

It’s a pilgrimage which, despite the many distractions that people are confronted with, still resonates in certain quarters.

For almost 150 years the seaside town of Blackpool has played host to a famous light show, a vast installation which now extends in ambition and scope well beyond its humble Victorian origins.

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Like children of many generations before him, a young James Adrian Brown was dazzled by the spectacle when visiting, an impression so powerful that he later told classmates he believed the lights wrapped their way all around Britain’s shoreline.

Firstly though a little history: Brown became prominent first as songwriter and lead guitarist for screamo post-hardcore outfit Pulled Apart By Horses, a role for which apparently stagecraft-wise he possessed little regard for his personal safety.

That’s less of a good look as you head towards your 40s, and partially as a response to the mental health challenges caused by the pandemic, an opportunity for renewal of sorts presented itself in the domain of electronic composition.

A string of releases followed – latterly for the revered Castles In Space label – whilst further recognition arrived in the guise of a role as producer for Benefits’ sophomore album Constant Noise.

As unlikely as it might’ve sounded, the transition from making pure noise to pausing for thought had been made real.

When it came to recording his debut album, there was only place to return to. Using the illuminations as inspiration, the bulk of Forever Neon Lights was laid out in Blackpool, with Brown spending most nights on the promenade catching the ambience as well as its other sights and sounds.

Click here for Live4ever’s ‘Forever Neon Lights’ review in full

Forever Neon Lights

Forever Neon Lights was purposely created as the welcoming doormat to the record. When I arrived in Blackpool I spent two days capturing field recordings, noises and atmospheres with a handheld recorder.

Much of what you hear is layers of arcades, the sea, birds, power lines and radio interference. I also used a device called a Photon Smasher, which turns light into sound. The tone and pitch of the device were directly informed by light sources from the illuminations themselves.

Generator

This was written and recorded on day one and carries a real sense of momentum and urgency. I was feeling incredibly excited and motivated by the flood of ideas that started flowing as soon as I arrived and saw the lights beaming brightly in the cold night air. That energy really shines through in the track. I felt completely energized at the beginning of the process.

Sidestep

There were moments along the way where I lost my footing and momentum. Things began to feel uncertain and I started to feel overwhelmed by the scale of trying to create an album so closely tied to its concept. As the process continued and I took time to understand the project more deeply, I found my footing again. Sidestep was born from these feelings: walk, run, wobble, fall and get back up.

The Firing Range

I’d written this melody about a year before starting the record and it wasn’t going anywhere. It felt destined for the trash. While visiting the South Promenade, I came across one of those shooting gallery games where you fire at moving targets. Returning to the melody, I realised it shared that same repetitive motion, much like the targets sliding back and forth. I leaned into that idea and built layers around it to create a sense of intensity and movement.

Promenade

I spent many evenings walking up and down the promenade, taking long-exposure photographs of the seafront lit up at night for inspiration. It wasn’t until I began looking through those images that this piece emerged. Hearing it now instantly transports me back to those misty, illuminated, chilly nights on the promenade.

Northwestern

This piece was written and recorded once I got home from Blackpool and ended up being the final track completed. I’m originally from the North West, and it wasn’t until I returned home that I felt an intense pull back, like going home to family at Christmas. We all have multiple places that instill a sense of home. There will always be a part of me rooted in the North West, and this track is my teary-eyed ode to it.

Poster Child

The intention behind Poster Child was to create a reflective tone, looking back at days gone by and trying to summon sounds from memory. It tries to capture that feeling of being a wide-eyed youngster, excited about becoming an adult and exploring the wider world. The illuminations felt like the greatest thing on earth to me as a child. They engraved a sense of hope in me that I still carry with me all these years later.

Up In The Nest

Climbing to a great height, losing your grip and falling. This track is a nod to reaching where you want to be, only to fall and have to figure out a way back up into the nest. It took some time to find its final form, but I think you can clearly hear both the ascent and the descent within it.

Somewhere I’m Not

I really wanted to create something ambient, atmospheric and electronic, but with mainly using just guitars. Having been primarily a guitar player for many years, there were moments of confusion and uncertainty along the way with the record. This track grew out of those feelings. It’s made up of many layers of guitars run through a crazy maze of fx pedals.

Remember

I recorded most of the album in a room at the Showtown Museum with a huge window overlooking the sea and promenade. The sky was dark and the sea was illuminated red and blue from the lights stretching along the seafront. I’d packed away most of my gear and began playing the main chords on a synth through headphones while watching the ocean.

It felt like an out-of-body experience, so I hit record and let it unfold.

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