Brian James, founding guitarist of UK punk-rock band the Damned, died on March 6, 2025. His death was announced via a touching post on social media.
Brian James passes away at 70
Brian James, known as one of the pioneering figures of the punk rock scene in the UK, has died at 70. In the official post on Facebook, the caption read, “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of one of the true pioneers of music, guitarist, songwriter, and true gentleman, Brian James. Founding member of The Damned, writer of the first ever UK punk single, New Rose, Brian was the principal songwriter of the band’s debut album, Damned Damned Damned, which was released in February 1977.”
At the time of his death, he was surrounded by his wife Minna, son Charlie, and daughter-in-law Alicia.
James started playing guitar in his twenties. He earned his major recognition as the main songwriter of the Damned. Before establishing the band, he was a member of the proto-punk group London SS.
James looked back at the beginning of his career and his journey as a punk pioneer in a 2019 interview with Peek-A-Boo magazine. The guitarist shared, “Before The London SS I had a band called – Bastard. And we had a lot travel getting gigs in England. A lot of travel! No promoters would book us for a regular gig, because of the name of the band. And also, we were kind of playing punk music. And everybody wanted to hear prog-rock recorded stuff, glam music was popular. We didn’t fix anywhere.”
Establishing a relatively new genre and solidifying its legacy wasn’t easy. James reflected at the journey, gushing, “I played in Brussels with my band – Bastard. We lived there for…a year and a half. When I came back to England, I saw the ad in Melody Maker. Which were put in by two guys. That was the beginning of London SS thing. So I was happy to be able to play and meet people in London. Finally, they were into the same kind of music as me!”
The early years of his exploration ultimately paid off as he found his true calling with the Damned. Apart from his work with bands, James also released five solo albums and multiple singles.
