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Brian James (guitarist)

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Not to be confused with Brion James.
Brian James
James performing in 2012
James performing in 2012
Background information
Birth nameBrian Robertson
Born(1955-02-18)18 February 1955
Hammersmith, London, England
Died6 March 2025(2025-03-06) (aged 70)
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1974–2025[1]
Labels
  • BJ
  • Illegal
  • New Rose
  • Easy Action
  • Devils Jukebox
Formerly of

Brian James (born Brian Robertson, 18 February 1955 – 6 March 2025) was an English punk rock guitarist, who was a founding member of the Damned as well as of the Lords of the New Church.[2]

Life and career

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James was born in Hammersmith, London on 18 February 1955.[3][4] He began his musical career in 1973 by forming garage rock outfit Bastard, which James eventually decamped to Belgium to get gigs as there were few bookings in the UK on account of the band’s name[5]. James went on to play in proto-punk group London SS, alongside Mick Jones, later of The Clash. James then co-founded The Damned, writing almost all the material on their first two albums (Damned Damned Damned and Music for Pleasure) before leaving at the end of 1977.[6]

In the following years James formed the short-lived Tanz Der Youth together with Andy Colqhoun on bass, Alan Powell (ex-Hawkwind, ex-Chicken Shack) on drums, and Tony Moore (previously of Iron Maiden) on keyboards. They toured with Black Sabbath on the Never Say Die! Tour and released the single "I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry" / "Delay" in 1978.[7][8] James then played in Iggy Pop's solo touring band (1979) and recorded his first two solo singles, "Ain't That a Shame" (1979) and "Why? Why? Why?" (1982), both with Stewart Copeland on drums. He also guested on proto punk forerunners The Saints' 1982 album, Out in the Jungle.[9]

He would later co-found and play in The Lords of the New Church with Stiv Bators. The band recorded three studio albums and one EP, along with several live albums, from 1982 until their break-up in 1989.[10]

In June 1988, James reunited with The Damned for two shows at The London Town and Country Club UK (now renamed O2 Forum Kentish Town).[11]

Over a decade after his first solo single, he used the time without a band to record his eponymous solo debut album for the New Rose label in 1990. It featured long-time collaborators Malcolm Mortimore on drums and Alan Lee Shaw on bass.[12]

From 1992 to 1996, James then played guitar with the Brussels-based band the Dripping Lips. In 1992 he was invited by Scottish vocalist Robbie Kelman to co-write the soundtrack for the film Abracadabra, directed by Harry Cleven. The subsequent soundtrack album, produced by Kelman, was released in Benelux by EMI/INDISC. The band was composed by Robbie Kelman on vocals, James on guitar, Alan Lee Shaw on bass and Paul Zahl (ex-Flamin' Groovies) on drums. Kelman brought in his friend and record producer Jimmy Miller to helm their second album, Ready to Crack. Shaw had moved on to play guitar in The Damned, and Nico Mansy replaced him on bass.[13]

In 2001, James recorded the album Mad for the Racket with MC5's Wayne Kramer (guitar), Duff McKagan (bass), Stewart Copeland and Clem Burke (drums) as Racketeers.[14] Following that, James, together with Dave Tregunna, reformed The Lords of the New Church in 2002–2003 with vocalist Adam Becvare. The lineup recorded the ten-song unreleased CD Hang On and toured Europe in spring of that year.[15]

When this incarnation of the Lords was over and done, Brian formed another solo outfit: The Brian James Gang. With Brian James on vocals and guitar, the remaining rhythm section of Dave Tregunna (bass) and Steve Murray (drums), the band was completed by Austen Gayton as additional guitarist. Within a year they released the Single New Rose 2006 and a self-titled full-length album.[16]

In 2012, he released a solo acoustic album Chateau Brian with former Lords of the New Church touring keyboard player Mark Taylor.[17] In 2013, he revisited the material he played in his Damned years, both live by performing throughout the UK with Damned bandmate Rat Scabies and by re-recording nine Damned songs for his third solo album, Damned If I Do.[18] In 2015 he released a new studio album, The Guitar That Dripped Blood, which features guest appearances from Cheetah Chrome and Adam Becvare.[19]

In October 2022, James reunited with Scabies, Sensible and Vanian for five Damned shows in the UK.[20]

James died on 6 March 2025, at the age of 70.[21]

Discography

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[22][23][24][25]

With the Damned

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With Tanz Der Youth

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  • "I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry" (Single, 1978), Radar

With the Lords of the New Church

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With the Dripping Lips

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  • Abracadabra (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1993), Indisc
  • Ready to Crack? (1998), Alive Records

With the Racketeers

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Solo

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Albums
  • Brian James (1990), New Rose Records
  • The Brian James Gang (2006), Easy Action
  • Chateau Brian (2012), Devils Jukebox Records
  • Damned If I Do (2013), Easy Action
  • The Guitar That Dripped Blood (2015), Easy Action
Singles
  • "Ain't That a Shame" (1979), BJ Records
  • "Why? Why? Why?" (1982), Illegal
  • "New Rose 2001" (2001), Boss Tuneage, Fuxony Records (with Flatpig)
  • "New Rose 2006" (2006), Easy Action
  • "Walkin' Round Naked" (2015), Easy Action
  • "Too Hot to Pop" (2017), Easy Action
Extended Plays
  • "Anniversary Waltz EP" (2016), Easy Action

References

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  1. ^ "Bastard". punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  2. ^ Prato, Greg. "Biography: Brian James". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  3. ^ Clarkson, John (23 March 2007). "Brian James – Interview Part 1". www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  4. ^ Hutchinson, Barry (May 2007). "An interview with...Brian James May 2007". Second Time Around. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Brian James Obituary - The Guardian". 9 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  6. ^ "Brian James Obituary - The Guardian". 9 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  7. ^ "Tanz Der Youth". Punk77. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Tanz Der Youth". Discogs. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Brian James Discography at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Lords Of The New Church". Discogs.com. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  11. ^ https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-damneds-founding-guitarist-brian-james-has-died-aged-70-3844318
  12. ^ "Brian James – Brian James". Discogs. 1990. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  13. ^ "The Dripping Lips". Discogs.com. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  14. ^ "The Racketeers (2)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  15. ^ Thompson, Dave. Hang On – The Lords of the New Church at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  16. ^ "Brian James – The Brian James Gang". Discogs.com. 9 August 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  17. ^ "Brian James and Grand Cru – Chateau Brian". Discogs.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  18. ^ "Brian James – Damned If I Do". Discogs.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  19. ^ "Brian James – The Guitar That Dripped Blood". Discogs.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  20. ^ Orshoski, Wes (30 October 2022). "The Damned's Original Lineup Performs for First Time Since 1991". Spin.com. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  21. ^ "Founding THE DAMNED Guitarist Brian James Dead At 70". Blabbermouth.net. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  22. ^ "Brian James". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  23. ^ "Tanz Der Youth". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  24. ^ "The Dripping Lips". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  25. ^ "The Racketeers". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
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