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| James Iha | |
|---|---|
| Name | James Iha |
| Background | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth name | James Keiichi Iha |
| Birth date | 1968-03-26 |
| Birth place | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass, keyboards |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Associated acts | The Smashing Pumpkins, A Perfect Circle, TLC (band), Fiona Apple, The Jesus and Mary Chain |
James Iha James Keiichi Iha (born March 26, 1968) is an American rock musician, songwriter, and producer known primarily as a founding member and guitarist of The Smashing Pumpkins. He has worked as a solo artist, collaborator, session musician, and record producer with artists across alternative rock, pop, and indie music, and has been involved with acts such as A Perfect Circle, Fiona Apple, TLC (band), and The Smashing Pumpkins reunion projects. Iha's career spans landmark releases, studio production, and art-world involvement tied to galleries and museums.
Iha was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Japanese immigrant parents and grew up in the Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect, Illinois. He attended Rolling Meadows High School and later studied at Northwestern University where he met future bandmate Billy Corgan through the local Chicago music scene and venues like Metro (Chicago venue). Early influences included exposure to Japanese rock, Britpop, and American alternative acts; he was attentive to albums by The Beatles, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, and The Velvet Underground, and frequented record stores and college radio stations such as WXRT and WLUW.
In 1988 Iha co-founded The Smashing Pumpkins with Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, forging a lineup that released seminal records on labels including Virgin Records and Sire Records. Iha contributed guitar, backing vocals, and songwriting to landmark albums such as Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and the Adore era, participating in tours with Nirvana, Oasis, and Pearl Jam. During the 1990s Pumpkins period he worked with producers and engineers including Butch Vig, Flood, and Alan Moulder, and played at festivals such as Lollapalooza and Reading Festival. After the initial breakup in 2000 and various line-up changes, Iha rejoined reunion initiatives and anniversaries tied to the band’s catalog and retrospective releases managed by entities like Universal Music Group.
Iha released solo material, notably the album Let It Come Down (2001), blending pop and indie influences and featuring collaborations with musicians from Graham Bonnet, Ned Brower, and others. He contributed guitar and songwriting to recordings by Fiona Apple, TLC (band), A Perfect Circle, Izzy Stradlin, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and worked on soundtrack and compilation appearances connected to films distributed by Miramax and Warner Bros. Pictures. Collaborations extended to artists across styles such as Chad Smith, John Frusciante, D'arcy Wretzky (in Pumpkins-era contexts), and members of Sonic Youth at various benefit concerts and studio sessions.
Beyond performance, Iha has produced and co-written for acts including TLC (band), Sky Ferreira, Katy Perry, and indie labels such as DGC Records and Domino Recording Company. He has provided session guitar and arrangement input for albums by Fiona Apple, Aaliyah, Marina and the Diamonds, and Tori Amos, and worked with producers like Rick Rubin, Linda Perry, and Jacknife Lee. Iha’s songwriting credits appear on releases under publishing entities such as BMI and ASCAP, and he has been involved in licensing tracks for television series on networks like MTV, HBO, and Netflix.
In the 2010s Iha participated in reunion tours and recording projects with The Smashing Pumpkins, culminating in anniversary tours and studio albums released through BMG Rights Management and independent distribution channels. He formed new collaborations with members of A Perfect Circle, joined benefit shows alongside artists like Beck, St. Vincent, and Jane’s Addiction, and engaged with festival circuits including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and SXSW. Iha also curated and contributed to art and music crossovers with institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago and galleries in Los Angeles and New York City.
Iha’s playing integrates jangly and textured guitar approaches influenced by The Smiths, The Cure, The Velvet Underground, and shoegaze acts like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. He frequently used instruments including the Fender Telecaster, Fender Jaguar, Gibson ES-335, and effects from manufacturers like Boss (company), Electro-Harmonix, and MXR. In studio settings he recorded through amplifiers such as Vox (company), Marshall, and boutique tube amps, and worked with production tools by Pro Tools developers and analog consoles from engineers associated with Sunset Sound and Sound City Studios.
Iha has been active in cultural advocacy and philanthropy, supporting organizations such as Japanese American National Museum, Rock for Relief benefit events, and arts education initiatives connected to Los Angeles County Museum of Art and community music programs in Chicago and Los Angeles. He has maintained residences and professional ties in Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago and has participated in interviews and panels at institutions like SXSW, NPR Music, and university music departments including UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
Category:1968 births Category:American rock guitarists Category:American people of Japanese descent Category:Living people