PRESS

Alex James are the world’s first Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) fronted rock band based in the North-East of England. The 28-year-old musician and songwriter ‘Alex James’ Kennedy lives with the rare but life-limiting muscle wasting condition known as DMD. Yet, he turns his pain into triumph, creating and releasing meaningful music with the sole aim of working in collaboration with the local music scene to raise awareness around the importance of improving accessibility and representation for disabled gig goers, performers, artists, producers and anyone with access needs in the music industry. In the past, the band achieved what they previously thought to be impossible, making history by taking to the stage at The Independent in an electric wheelchair using a ramp and then having this story broadcast on BBC Look North. This made great impact at the time and the band gained traction being played on multiple radio stations and attending countless interviews.

 

After a health scare in 2024, Alex and his band return with a new project in April 2026, funded and supported by Youth Music’s NextGen Fund. Their next single ‘Quarantine’, OUT Wednesday 11th February, comes as part of a 4-track EP called ‘The Outcast’ which is a modern take on classic rock, thematically exploring experiences of life and the idea of being stuck in a bubble and wanting to break out to figure out ones place in this everchanging world. Quarantine focuses individually on the concept of being held prisoner inside one’s mind by their own anxiety and waiting for something to come around to give the opportunity to make an escape from what essentially feels like an internal ‘Quarantine’. This song was recorded in Blank Studios in Newcastle with the band and produced by both John Martindale and Alex himself. The separated drum recordings bring a massive sound that complements well with the repetitive guitar riffs and harmonic vocal line. Turning a once simple bedroom demo into a piece of anthemic rock which defines the bands vibe and sound.