By Bianca Sierra
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Brian James (born Brian Robertson, 18 February 1955 – 6 March 2025) was an English punk rock guitarist, who was best known for being a founding member of the Damned as well as of the Lords of the New Church.
James died on 6 March 2025, at the age of 70.
James was born in Hammersmith, London on 18 February 1955. He began his musical career playing in several proto-punk and second rate heavy metal bands including London SS and Subterraneans, in addition to garage rock band Bastard. James moved on to 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.
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. 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.
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.
