ONE of the headliners of this summer's Bingley Music Live festival has said the "cool" event is in the spirit of what a festival should be about.

James will become the first headliner in the festival's history to return to the Myrtle Park music extravaganza to top the bill for a second time.

The Manchester veterans first headlined the festival in 2010, and came top in an online poll by organisers to determine which act festival-goers most wanted to see return.

The band, famous for hits like Sit Down, Laid and She's a Star, has sold 25 million albums in its 33 year career, and released its acclaimed latest album La Petite Mort last year.

James will be playing the festival while in the midst of recording its next album, due for release next spring, and Bingley will likely be its last big gig of the summer.

Saul Davies, guitarist for the band, spoke to the Telegraph & Argus about the band's return to the festival.

He said: "It is a really cool little event. I love the location of it. It is almost in the town centre, but is in this great park location and it has a good atmosphere.

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"We're not doing a huge amount of gigs this summer because we're in the process of making our new record. We've spent a lot of time recently in the studio so festival performances like this will be a nice opportunity to get away from the studio.

"It will be an important gig for us because we're not doing that many this year. It is really important playing festivals like this. We've played bigger festivals, but these small to medium festivals are a bit more family oriented, more relaxed and a bit less corporate. They are a bit more in the spirit of what a festival should be about."

He said one of the benefits of festivals such as Bingley was the opportunity to see artists and bands on the cusp of fame.

He added: "You get bands like us that have been around for 33 years, and while the new acts might be really enthusiastic they don't have those years of experience on the stage."

While the band will not be playing a greatest hits set, Mr Davies said it would be playing plenty of songs that even non James fans would be familiar with.

"It will be a good cross section of our work. We did decide to rest Sit Down for a couple of years, but we have been playing it again at some recent concerts, and it has been great to play," he said.

The festival, which also includes headliners Idlewild, Labrinth and Super Furry Animals, runs from September 4 to 6.