Tag Archives: Brian James

Brian James

On March 6, 2025, Brian James died aged 70. He was songwriter, musician (guitar) and singer, member of the bands London SS, Tanz Der Youth, Bastard, The Dripping Lips, The Racketeers, The Lords of the New Church, The Brian James Gang, but was best known as the founding member of Damned. As leader, James released five albums.

Guns N’ Roses: The Spaghetti Incident?

On November 23, 1993, “Geffen” label released “The Spaghetti Incident?, the fifth Guns N’ Roses studio album. It was recorded 1990 – 1993, at “A&M Studios”, “Record Plant Studios”, “Rumbo Recorders”, “Can-Am Recorders”, “Sound Techniques”, “Triad Studios” and “Conway Recording Studios”, and was produced by Jim Mitchell, Mike Clink, Duff McKagan, Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum.

Personnel:

  • Axl Rose – lead vocals, keyboards, kazoo
  • Slash – lead guitar, co-lead and backing vocals, talkbox
  • Duff McKagan – lead, co-lead and backing vocals, bass, drums
  • Matt Sorum – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Carlos Booy – acoustic guitar
  • Gilby Clarke – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar
  • Mike Staggs – additional guitar
  • Richard Duguay – lead and rhythm guitars
  • Dizzy Reed – keyboards, piano, percussion, backing vocals
  • Michael Monroe – co-lead vocals
  • Mike Fasano – percussion
  • Eddie Huletz – backing vocals
  • Blake Stanton – backing vocals
  • Eric Mills – backing vocals
  • Rikki Rachtman – backing vocals
  • Stuart Bailey – backing vocals
  • Bill Price – mixing
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Kevin Reagan – art direction, design
  • Dennis Keeley, Gene Kirkland, Robert John – photography

Track listing:

  1. Since I Don’t Have You – Joseph Rock, James Beaumont, Jackie Taylor, Janet Vogel, Joe Verscharen, Lennie Martin, Wally Lester
  2. New Rose – Brian James
  3. Down on the Farm – Alvin Gibbs, Charlie Harper, Nicholas Garratt
  4. Human Being – Johnny Thunders, David Johansen
  5. Raw Power – Iggy Pop, James Williamson
  6. Ain’t It Fun – Cheetah Chrome, Peter Laughter
  7. Buick Makane (Big Dumb Sex) – Marc Bolan, Chris Cornell
  8. Hair of the Dog – Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, Manny Charlton, Darrell Sweet
  9. Attitude – Glenn Danzig
  10. Black Leather – Steve Jones
  11. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory – Johnny Thunders
  12. I Don’t Care About You – Lee Ving
  13. Look at Your Game, Girl (hidden track) – Charles Manson

The Damned: Music for Pleasure

On November 18, 1977, “Stiff Records” label released “Music for Pleasure”, the second Damned (The) studio album. It was recorded in August 1977, at “Britannia Row Studios” in London, and was produced by Nick Mason.

Personnel:

  • Dave Vanian – vocals
  • Brian James – lead and slide guitar, backing vocals
  • Lu Edmunds – rhythm guitar
  • Captain Sensible – bass, backing vocals,
  • Rat Scabies – drums
  • Lol Coxhill – saxophone
  • Nick Griffiths – engineering

Track listing:

All tracks by Brian James, except as noted.

  1. Problem Child – Brian James, Rat Scabies
  2. Don’t Cry Wolf
  3. One Way Love
  4. Politics
  5. Stretcher Case – Brian James, Rat Scabies
  6. Idiot Box – Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies
  7. You Take My Money
  8. Alone
  9. Your Eyes – Brian James, Dave Vanian
  10. Creep (You Can’t Fool Me)
  11. You Know

J. J. Burnel: Euroman Cometh

Jean_Jacques_Burnel_-_Euroman_Cometh

On April 6, 1979, “United Artists” label released “Euroman Cometh”, the debut  J. J. Burnel album. It was recorded in 1978 at “TW Studios” and “Eden Studios” in London, and was produced by Alan Winstanley, Martin Rushent and J.J. Burnel.

Personnel:

  • J. Burnel – vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, beatbox, mixing sleeve concept
  • Brian James– guitar
  • Lew Lewis – harmonica
  • Peter Howells – drums
  • Carey Fortune – drums
  • Alan Winstanley – engineer
  • Martin Rushent – engineer, mixing
  • George Peckham – mastering
  • Allan Ballard – photography of Pompidou Centre, Paris
  • Tracy Gerard – inner sleeve map
  • Kevin Sparrow – design co-ordination

Track listing:

All tracks by J.J. Burnel, except where noted.

  1. Euroman
  2. Jellyfish
  3. Freddie Laker (Concorde and Eurobus)
  4. Euromess
  5. Deutschland Nicht Uber Alles
  6. Do the European
  7. Tout Comprendre
  8. Triumph (Of the Good City)
  9. Pretty Face – Chris Boyle, Gavin Daneski, Ralph Worman and Vic Sendall
  10. Crabs
  11. Eurospeed (Your own Speed)

Damned: Damned Damned Damned

Damned_-_Damned_damned_damned

On February 18, 1977, “Stiff” label released “Damned Damned Damned”, the debut Damned studio album. It was recorded September – December 1976 and January 1977, and was produced by Nick Lowe. “Damned Damned Damned” was the first full-length album released by a UK punk group

Personnel:

  • Dave Vanian – vocals
  • Brian James – vocals, guitar
  • Captain Sensible – vocals, bass
  • Rat Scabies – vocals, drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Brian James, except where noted.

  1. Neat Neat Neat
  2. Fan Club
  3. I Fall
  4. Born to Kill
  5. Stab Your Back
  6. Feel the Pain
  7. New Rose
  8. Fish – Brian James, Tony james
  9. See Her Tonite
  10. 1 of the 2
  11. So Messed Up
  12. I Feel Alright – The Stooges