Brian James: The 70-Year-Old Guitarist and Founder of The Curse

Brian James Passes Away

Brian James, the founder and guitarist of the legendary British punk group The Damned, has passed away at the age of 70.

James’s death was confirmed on his official Facebook account on Thursday evening (March 6). The cause of death has not been disclosed, though the message indicates that he died “peacefully” with his family by his side.

Legacy of a Punk Icon

The post also reflects on the illustrious career of this punk icon, including his significant contributions as a writer in what is considered the “first British punk” era in history. It highlights his work with the Lords of the New Church, The Brian James Gang, and others.

See the full post below.

Former bandmate Brian Raymond “Captain Sensible” reacted to the news by sharing a photograph with Brian on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote: “We were shocked to hear that the creator of The Damned, our great friend Brian James, has unfortunately passed away. A wonderful guy who I felt lucky to have met all those years ago, and for some reason, he chose me to help in his quest for a musical revolution that became known as punk.”

We were shocked to hear that the creator @TheDamned, our great friend Brian James, has unfortunately left us. A wonderful guy who I was lucky to meet all those years ago, and for some reason decided to let me assist in his search for a musical revolution, known as punk. Hooray, BJ! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/huldymvi3z

– Captain Sensible (@CaptainSensible) March 7, 2025

Brian co-founded The Damned with vocalist Dave Vanian, bassist Raymond “Captain Sensible” Burns, and drummer Christopher “Scabies” Millar in 1976.

The band released their debut single “New Rose” in October of that year, followed by their first album “Damned Damned Damned” in February 1977. The record received an 8/10 review from NME. Their subsequent album “Music For Pleasure” was released in November 1977 after Brian James left the group.

Following his departure from The Damned, he formed a short-lived group called the Brian James Gang before joining Iggy Pop’s band in 1979. James recorded two solo singles, “Not a Shame” and “Why, Why?” in 1979 and 1982, respectively, featuring Steuart Copeland on drums.

He later founded the Lords of the New Church with other punk legends, and they released three albums and one EP between 1982 and their split in 1989. In June 1988, Brian James briefly reunited with The Damned for two concerts in London and the UK (now known as the O2 Kentish Town Forum).

From 1992 to 1996, James played with Living Legends in Brussels. In 2001, he joined Wayne Kramer from MC5, GUNS N’ ROSES’ Duff McKagan, Stewart Copeland, and Clem Burke to form the supergroup The Racketeers, releasing the album “Mad For The Racket.”

In 2013, he revisited his work with The Damned, reworking nine songs for his third solo album “Damned If I Do” and performing them across the UK with former bandmate Scabies.

In October 2022, James reunited with Scabies, Sensible, and Vanian for five Damned shows in the UK. The English rockers initially announced their reunion tour in 2020, with dates scheduled for the following year. However, the tour was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and rescheduled for late 2022.

In the wake of his passing, an outpouring of tributes has emerged in honor of Brian James. See several of them below.

In a heartfelt post accompanying his reaction on X // Twitter, Captain Sensible reflected on James’s influence on his life and career, adding that the original members of The Damned “all did it again… but this will never happen again, unfortunately.”

He noted that today (Friday, March 7), The Damned will perform in honour of Brian in Paulo, Brazil, dedicating their set and several songs to him—without whom The Damned would never have existed.

Dave Treganna, who played in the Brian James Band, stated: “I am in shock upon hearing that Brian James has passed away. The most talented and original guitarist, songwriter, and a pioneer of the punk scene. I have known this man for over 40 years and shared some of the most fun, wild, and creative times of my life. Brian was a true gentleman, a wonderful father, and husband. He will be missed more than words can express.”