RIP Brian James (The Damned)

Just announced on his social media accounts. He was a founding member of the Damned, their guitarist, and also primary songwriter. "New Rose," the very first single by a British punk band, was written by him. I always wanted to see the Damned in their original configuration and thought that was possible as they reunited for a run of shows in the UK fairly recently. Unfortunately that reunion never reached the States...

[www.facebook.com]

The Lords of the New Church kind of get a short shrift when James' career gets discussed. It's understandable, given how iconic the Damned are. But James himself has called Stiv Bators the best co-writer he ever had. That first Lords album was pretty spectacular.

I remember hearing James' solo cut "Ain't That a Shame" on an IRS compilation and being gobsmacked by what a perfect pop song it was and getting angry all over again at the radio programmers of the time for wanting nothing to do with what, to me, was an obvious top 10 hit.

I think that was I.R.S. Greatest Hits Vols. 2 & 3 which I haven't heard myself but everyone I know who has thinks it's a great compilation.

It's a terrific compilation, it's where I discovered so many new wave acts like Payolas, The Damned, Jools Holland (solo stuff), John Cale (ditto), Chelsea, Fleshtones and more. Interestingly enough, Stewart Copeland played drums on "Ain't That A Shame." The members of the Police weren't big fans of punk (even though they started out as ones), so it was a bit of a surprise when I found that out, although I do remember Stewart Copeland mentioning in an interview that Sting struck up a friendship with Paul Simonon while exchanging notes about playing bass.

Interesting story involving this compilation: I bought a good friend of mine who managed a Camelot Music store a copy of it on cassette, knowing he had grown up in the early new wave movement; in turn, he introduced me to Trouser Press. And the rest, as they say...

R.I.P Brian.

Rest in peace, Brian, and thanks.

Never got to see the Damned with Brian in the lineup either and am sad I won't get the chance. Like many of you, I was completely smitten with that IRS comp, and though I think I had a Damned best-of and the first Lords by the time I got it, I was really impressed by "Ain't That A Shame." I'm not a guitarist, but I always thought he had a pretty distinctive style. RIP, Brian - you'll be missed!

Brian James has been buried at sea:

[parade.com]

I had no idea Parade magazine still existed, even in online form. The last place I would've expected to learn the details of a member of the Damned's final resting place is in the stodgy old free magazine that used to come with the Sunday paper.

breno Wrote:
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> Brian James has been buried at sea:
>
> [parade.com]
>
> I had no idea Parade magazine still
> existed, even in online form. The last place I
> would've expected to learn the details of a member
> of the Damned's final resting place is in the
> stodgy old free magazine that used to come with
> the Sunday paper.

Yes, but if there's no Marilyn vos Savan column (the high-IQ columnist) in it, is still Parade magazine? (I seriously clicked everywhere on the web site and don't see her anywhere.) I don't think The Sundays showing up in airline magazine is the most unusual sighting anymore.

> I don't think The Sundays showing up in airline
> magazine is the most unusual sighting anymore.

From what I've experienced, airline magazines are becoming quite an unusual sighting these days. The little holder on the back of the seat usually holds a safety card, a drink menu, a barf bag, and nothing else.