Brian James of The Damned performs on stage at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, October 29, 2022. Photo: Getty Images
Punk made Brian James famous but the Londoner was no one chord wonder. Kicked out of school at 15, playing guitar was all that the then Brian Robertson could do (he changed his name to avoid being confused with Thin Lizzy’s guitarist). He started out playing blues and jazz before discovering proto punks The Stooges and helped found a heavily influenced band called Bastard. After that outfit’s demise James finally got his timing right, joining a band called The Damned and playing on what is regarded as the first punk single, New Rose. The band, briefly, split in 1978 (James did not rejoin when The Damned reformed, although he did play two shows with them in 1988 and at various reunions thereafter). In 1980, James formed the Lords of the New Church with the former Dead Boys vocalist Stiv Bators, a group which enjoyed modest success on the indie charts, and then The Dripping Lips. In 2000, under the name Racketeers, he and Clem Burke (Blondie), Stewart Copeland (the Police), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) and Wayne Kramer (MC5) released an album. James also released five solo records. Brian James died on March 6 aged 74. — APL/agencies
