Writers Write so Dancers can dance and readers can read.
Australian born writer James Lamont is a songwriter, author and artist. A master communicator who values presence and community. A brother, a son, an uncle and a good friend who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable.
My words are a reflection of realness.
Born in Adelaide, South Australia to parents Jacquie and Graham Lamont. The first Lamont to be born in Australia and with a great deal of charm and charisma. One of four brothers and the youngest by ten years. Promised not to be an accident but there are doubts. A childhood filled with skateboards, BMX bikes, motorcycles and a curiosity to climb. After multiple broken bones the curiosity is still rampant but it’s expressed through music and art and less petrol fumes.
Educated at Glenelg Primary School and Hahndorf Primary school and then Heathfield High School to eventually graduating from Brighton Secondary College in 2012 without an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank).
The last name ‘Lamont’ was originally ‘Lamond’ until a great-grandfather replaced the last letter to reduce the ‘Frenchness’ during their time in England. The smooth skin, brown eyes, dimples and slightly unique Australian accent are originally products of England, France, Spain and Scotland.
A night owl who writes at night with a lit candle, music playing and the keys being slapped is where the magic happens. Dedicated to writing lyrics for artists and producers while writing literature for children, teenagers and adults gives life meaning and purpose. When my number is drawn and I’m long gone… my words, music and art will continue to live.
Why Do I Write?
I write because I was gifted the experience of hardship and struggle. Pain is a funny motivator and when you’re in a physical or mental place you cannot bare to live… the fire to escape burns until you either disappear or find a reason to live.
My reason to live is to write
Five weeks after finishing twelve years of schooling in 2012 and finally being ‘free’ I had my eyes set on adventure. My life took a completely unexpected and agonising turn at the age of eighteen (I’m now twenty-nine) which left me in great pain.
On my way to a New Year’s Eve party I had the unfortunate experience of being involved in two attempted murders and one murder. I stared down the barrel of a smoking gun and watched my best friend killed. I held my best friend in my arms as he drew his last breath. I squeezed his weakening grip and assured him I would not leave. I felt the strange sensation of a soul, spirit, whatever the fcck you want to call it leave the body. It wasn’t visual it was a feeling.
Two weeks after the murder of my best friend, my last grandparent, my Nana died of a heart attack. Three weeks later I lost my license doing 95kmh in a 60kmh zone. A few weeks after that I received a call confirming that my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dementia. I was told my father will never be there for me. He will never be at my wedding and he will never be there for my children. Their predictions ten years ago were right and I’m currently his guardian and care for some basic needs.
In the span of a few short months my happy, positive and care free world was obliterated and a deep anger and hatred towards the world unfolded inside me. I had no tools or guidance. No one I knew had the answers. I got deeply involved in hard drugs and ended up moving towards crime. I never hurt anyone but my late night activities were sending me in a direction where my showers and shits would soon be under watch with or without my permission. A loose cannon who was pretending to keep it under control from time to time.
The only thing that saved me from suicide were my family, friends and writing. It didn’t save me from depression but it kept me alive.
I went from finishing high school and excited to take on the world to being angry and misunderstood. Almost overnight I no longer had independence, my father, my nana, my best friend, my sanity and my once loving and kind heart. I was dark. I hated myself and everyone in it.
Time & SELF-Discovery
I decided enough was enough. I needed to get away. I thanked my family and friends and told them I had to go process everything that was happening. I packed my bags and my American staffy and was dropped into the rural bush.
I had a tin shed for shelter and a rainwater tank for water and all I did was think. I thought about my upbringing and the loving home we had but I also thought about the financial hardship we experienced. Like not going to my graduation valedictory because I couldn’t afford a shirt. I thought about all the school trips I missed because we couldn’t afford it. I thought about the bullet that missed my head by a mere thirty centimetres. I thought about my best friend, my father and my nana and how life can just be brutally ripped away in seconds.
I spent week after week contemplating life on my own. Just myself and my dog staring at the Australian bush and its harsh conditions. I could never understand why such a loving man like myself could get dealt the cards he was handed. None of it made sense, none of it needed too because after a month and a half of emotional processing and yelling… a question arose.
If I died THAT NIGHT and had the chance to start over… what would I do?
The Journey
I envisioned many answers to such an intriguing question. Some answers sounded nice but didn’t hit me hard enough to take them seriously. That was the case until a deep realisation sparked a lifelong journey. A seed was planted that unbeknownst to me would later bloom into something beautiful and extremely meaningful.
In the hot tin shed sitting next to my tan and white chested dog Mia. I was confronted with a truth. I don’t believe it’s a universal truth for everyone but it was, and continues to be, undoubtedly my truth.
The most profound thing I could do with my life was to help others. And I could do it through the guiding hand of collaborating with artists to make music and giving people great stories to immerse themselves in.
The act of helping others, strangers included meant even if this burning pain lived in me forever I could look back at my life and be filled with joy because I would have left the world a little better than how I found it. That was it. It was that simple; help others.
From that day on my journey into helping others began. It has been a rollercoaster learning how and when to help. To learning I don’t owe anyone anything and when I don’t have the energy I don’t need to be anything or write music or be important. It has evolved from kind acts in person to spending years slaving behind a keyboard and laptop to promote positive and significant messages to Australians, readers and partygoers.
Helping others is a complex masterpiece of self-love, understanding, selfless selfishness and knowing that at the end of the day no-one not even the greatest sages and monks really know what the fcck is going on. We’re all winging it and I just plan to wing it with incredible lyrics and great novels that can help people dance, sing and smile.