The Switch Is On: James Martin Powers Past Vega

The Switch Is On: James Martin Powers Past Vega

From the neon-lit echoes of Vega to the analog ambition of The Switch, James Martin has spent decades chasing the perfect melody—and the perfect moment. With No Way Out, the debut album from The Switch (out now on Frontiers Music Srl), Martin and his brother Tom have built a cinematic AOR dreamscape that channels the spirit of late-’80s movie soundtracks. In this exclusive interview, James opens up about the band’s formation, their elusive frontman Bobby John, the legacy of Vega, and the bittersweet art of starting over.

Introduce yourself and tell me what you do in The Switch.
My name is James Martin. I play synths in The Switch, and I’m also the co-producer and co-songwriter.

You and Tom have worked on other projects for years. How did The Switch come together?
Tom and I were always searching for the right voice. We didn’t go out hunting—it was more like, “We’ll know it when we hear it.” We wanted to create something entirely on our own terms. In the past, there was always someone else’s input. But when we heard Bobby sing, we just knew. That was the voice. That’s when The Switch really began.

Bobby’s incredible. Where did you find him?
We were writing a song with Eddie LaValle, an American musician. Eddie brought Bobby in to sing on the track, and when we heard the recording, we were floored. What a voice. That was the moment.

Is Bobby based in the States?
He’s actually from Quebec, Canada. He’s a busy session singer—constantly touring, writing, and recording with other artists. He doesn’t have a ton of time for The Switch, but he loves the project and gives what he can. Tom and I steer the ship, but Bobby’s a vital part of it.

How did Dennis “Butabi” Borg from Cruzh and East Temple Avenue get involved?
I’ve known Dennis for about ten years. We met on tour in Sweden and hit it off—same musical tastes, same vibe. We showed him some tracks, and he loved them. He asked if he could play bass on a couple songs, and that turned into the whole album. He’s a great fit.

Is there a concept behind the album title and the song “No Way Out”?
Absolutely. Tom and I wanted to challenge ourselves—to see if we could write a soundtrack that felt like it came straight out of the late ’80s. We imagined a whole movie around it, and that story is in the CD liner notes. Everything was done analog, every sound chosen to transport the listener back to that era. We wanted it to feel authentic, like something you’d find on a VHS shelf in 1988.

The cover art definitely has that cinematic vibe. Who designed it, and how involved were you?
It was designed by Alex Cooper, who played drums in our last project, Nitrate. He’s also a graphic designer and video editor. I sent him a reference image—something moody and atmospheric—and told him we wanted that same kind of heat and tension. What he sent back was spot-on. We added a few tweaks, but it was mostly his vision. Big credit to Alex—it’s a killer cover.

Would you ever want to score an actual film?
We’ve had songs placed in movies, but we’ve never done a full soundtrack. It’s something I listen for when watching films—I’ve got an ear for it. But no, we haven’t done one yet.

Would The Switch ever play live?
It’s tricky. Bobby’s in Canada and constantly working. If the right offer came along—like a festival that made financial sense—we’d definitely consider it. Bobby’s even suggested we could do a live version of The Switch with a different singer. It would still be the three of us, just with someone else fronting it. But you lose that signature voice, so it’s a trade-off. We haven’t put much thought into it yet, but we’d take it case by case.

Looking back on your time in Vega, how do you feel about it now?
Some of the best years of our lives. We were in Vega for 13 years—started the band, found the singer, got the record deal, wrote nearly every song. We had magical moments: Download Festival, charting in different territories, even Joe Elliott from Def Leppard was a fan. But we never quite broke through like bands such as H.E.A.T. or Eclipse. We stagnated. It was tough—we thought we were just as good, but couldn’t reach that next level. Still, I’m proud of what we did.

Did Vega ever play in the States?
No, we never had any interest from the U.S., so we didn’t make it over.

The first Vega album, Kiss of Life, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. What do you think of it now?
Funny you ask. At the time, we really believed in it. Nick Workman, our vocalist, had this edge we loved—his band Kick was a favorite of ours. We combined his style with our melodic sensibilities, and it worked. Classic Rock Magazine got behind it, flew us to London for a big shoot and interview. The AOR world embraced that album. As we moved forward, the band leaned more into mainstream rock, and the keyboards got pushed aside. But Kiss of Life is the one people still talk about. It’s got heart.

You were also involved with Nitrate. Are you still working with them?
No, we left about six months ago. It was a paid gig—we produced Feel the Heat and wrote most of it. It was our first time producing. Nitrate’s run by a businessman named Nick, and musicians come and go. Financially, it didn’t work out, so we stepped back to focus on The Switch.

James Martin via Zoom

And what about Khymera? That’s another credit on your resume.
That goes way back—maybe 20, 25 years. Tom and I were early writers for Frontiers, pitching songs for various projects. Khymera was one of the first. We sent in tracks, but weren’t thrilled with how they came back. Dennis Ward is a real talent, but some of the other guys didn’t want to polish the synths or tighten the timing. Dennis told us that himself. The final product felt a bit rough to us. Still, the AOR crowd seems to love it.

Are you working on any current bands or projects right now?
We’re just finishing production on the new Issa album. She’s my wife—she’s from Norway, I’m from England—so yeah, we’re a rock and roll family. We’ve got two kids, and I handle the writing and production with my brother Tom while Issa sings the songs.

Tell me a little about the upcoming album.
It’s the same process as usual—Tom and I each write about five songs, then we come together and refine them during production. We’re pretty tough on each other, but we respect each other’s ideas. Sometimes we’ll help finish off lyrics or tweak arrangements. Issa’s an incredible singer—one of the best I’ve ever worked with. She can sing anything, and she’s got a great ear for production too. She’ll say things like, “That reverb’s a bit cold,” or “You might want to tune that differently.” She’s got real instincts. We’re just a musical family, really. The album’s nearly ready to be delivered, so it should be out in the next six months or so.

Any message for fans who’ve followed you since your Vega days?
Just a big thank you. We’ve had some lovely feedback on The Switch, and that’s where our heart is right now. We’ve already started sketching out ideas for the next album—just taking our time and making sure it’s perfect. Thanks for all the years of support. We’ve had some great fun along the way.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

The Switch on Instagram