Brian James, the founding guitarist of the vision and influential punk band of the United Kingdom The Damned, has died. He was 70 years old.
James's death on March 6 was confirmed on his official Facebook page, although no cause was listed. “With great sadness we announce the death of one of the true pioneers of music, the guitarist, the composer and the true gentleman, Brian James,” reads the statement.
The Damned have an exceptionally important place in the history of rock, launching “New Rose”, possibly the first single punk in the United Kingdom, in 1976. The Damned were also the first band of their scene in launching a studio album (“Damned Damned” of 1977) and touring the United States.
The James, born in London, began his musical career in the Band-Punk London SS band, which had future members of Clash and Generation X. He soon met another local band, Masters of the Backside, who presented the future leader of the future suitors Chrissie Hynde, vocalist Dave Vanian, the sensitive bassist and Drummer Rat Scabies. Minus Hynde, James formed the Damned with the other three members in 1976. The band made its debut that year, and opened for The Sex Pistols in 100 club, a notorious place in London that helped code the scene.
Five weeks before Sex Pistols launched “Anarchy in the United Kingdom”, the most famous early punk single, The Damned launched “New Rose.” The fast and frantic single written by James stripped and supercharged the British rock of the time, stained it with black eyeliner and lipstick, and announced a new sound and subculture to the world.
A punk audience spread to the stage seeing acting with a new alignment that includes Dave Vanian, Left and Brian James.
(Erica Echenberg / Redferns through Getty Images)
The damn would soon accompany the guns on a brief tour. After playing in the United States, possibly the cursed ones began the subcultures of Punk Hardcore and Goth-Rock in southern California, bands like Black Flag were inspired by their minimalism and ultra fast temples, while the proto-gods such as Christian Death and serious 45 were captivated by their transgressive aesthetics.
James was the main composer of the first two albums of The Damned, but after “Music For Pleasure” of 1977, the Damned broke briefly and form again formed without James. It was touring as a member of the live band of Iggy Pop, recorded solo material with Police Stewart Copeland in the battery and co -founded the Lords of the New Church with the summons. The Damned's original alignment occasionally met for live shows, first in 1988 and more recently in 2022.
“Always looking for new challenges and anxious to work with different musicians,” said his family's statement, James was “incessantly creative and a musical Force tour, throughout a career that covered more than six decades.”
James survives his wife, Minna, son, Charlie, and his daughter -in -law, Alicia.
