Rock Music Legend Brian James Has Died

Brian James, founding guitarist of the legendary British punk band The Damned, has died. He was 70. His passing was confirmed in a statement shared to his official Facebook page on March 6, though a cause of death was not disclosed.

“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,” the post read. “With his wife Minna, son Charlie, and daughter-in-law Alicia by his side, Brian passed peacefully on Thursday 6th March 2025.”

Born in Hammersmith, London, in February 1955, according to The Guardian, James got his start in the proto-punk band London SS alongside future members of the Clash and Generation X. He went on to co-found The Damned in 1976 alongside vocalist Dave Vanian, bassist Raymond “Captain Sensible” Burns, and drummer Christopher “Rat Scabies” Millar.

The group went on to perform their first show in June 1976, opening for Sex Pistols at London’s infamous 100 Club, and released their debut single, “New Rose,” that October. The track, written by James, is considered to be the first-ever British punk single. The group also became the first U.K. punk rock band to release a studio album when 1977’s Damned Damned Damned dropped, and were the first to tour the United States, Pitchfork reported.

Paying tribute to James online, his Damned bandmate Captain Sensible said he was “shocked to hear that creator of the Damned, our great chum Brian James, has sadly gone.” He added, “A lovely bloke that I feel so lucky to have met all those years ago and for some reason chose me to help in his quest for the music revolution that became known as punk.”

James played with The Damned for their first two studio albums, for which he wrote most of the songs, before he left the group following their 1977 sophomore album Music for Pleasure. He later reunited with the band for a string of concerts in 2022.

Outside of his work with The Damned, James also played in Iggy Pop’s touring band, recorded his first two solo singles—1979’s “Ain’t That a Shame” and 1982’s “Why? Why? Why?”— featuring the Police’s Stewart Copeland, and co-founded the Lords of the New Church with Dead Boys vocalist Stiv Bators, Sham 69 bassist Dave Tregunna, and ex-Barracudas drummer Nick Turner. The group released three studio albums in the 1980s, as well as a reunion record, Hang On, in 2003.

James is survived by his wife, Minna, and son Charlie.