Yep, that was probably me (I'll never get used to being tracked on the Web)! Unfortunately I don't know your friend James. I Googled him and he's got quite an impressive resume. Did he work the recent OMD and the 2002 Sylvian shows at the Park West, I wonder?
I have to admit that I'm a casual OMD fan; I respect them greatly, but as a former disco kid I'll always gravitate toward those acts with a bit more emphasis on rhythm (I always maintained that Chic, Mondrian, and Mies van der Rohe were bedfellows in their sleek minimalism). Japan had one of the best rhythm sections ever in Mick Karn (RIP) and Steve Jansen. I was exposed to Foxx's work belatedly but came in shortly after Shifting City...and once I'd heard Metamatic I was hooked for good.