More than any other music, Rock-n-Roll is about the energy. It is something that most of us are drawn to in our youth as a place to express ourselves and, very often, feel like we belong on the outskirts of the mainstream. The story of many bands making noise in a cluttered garage or dusty basement, England’s The Damned came together in 1976, seeking to bring an attitude back to Rock-n-Roll. Exhausted by the technical and overproduced bands that dominated much of the ‘70s era, they wanted to shake things up, and the catalyst of it all was founding Guitarist Brian James.
James, who was in several bands before forming The Damned, was a guitarist with a blistering approach to his playing that many believe blurred the lines between Punk Rock and Classic Blues Rock styling. Someone who helped shape the sound of the Damned in their formative years, his influence is all over their legendary Damned Damned Damned 1977 debut, as well as the later year release Music for Pleasure. A band that has progressed through the years, while James may not be the longest tenured member in their fifty-year history, he is one of the most vital.
Someone all The Damned fans should recognize, sadly, Brian James passed away at the age of 74 on March 6, 2025. Highly respected among his peers, original Guitarist Captain Sensible refers to James as “riffmeister.” At the same time, the rest of the band (Vocalist David Lett, Drummer Rat Scabies, Bassist Paul Gray, and long-tenure Keyboardist Monty Oxymoron) also sorely miss him. Looking to pay tribute to his memory and celebrate his impact on them and The Damned, on January 23, 2026, they will release the tribute album entitled Not Like Everybody Else via earMUSIC.
An album of covers, it was following the passing of Brian James that the band decided to make it a celebratory record of songs that are shared influences, but also very much those that inspired their original guitarist’s playing. A very cool homage, and quite personal, it is an album of 10 tracks that the band allegedly recorded over five days after a long tour, perfectly capturing the hyper-energy that comes from over-exhaustion. Also, the first studio recordings featuring Rat Scabies with The Damned in four decades, the album has a potent rawness and electricity that runs throughout.
Fun and lively, the songs selected include R. Dean Taylor’s 1966 song “There’s a Ghost in My House” (for which The Damned opted to release as a single), The Lovin’ Spoonful’s 1966 classic “Summer in the City,” The Stooges’ 1977 song “Gimme Danger,” as well as Pink Floyd’s 1967 track “See Emily Play” (which was picked as the album’s second single). Joining these, other interesting takes are given on The Yardbirds’ 1965 song “Heart Full of Soul,” The Kinks’ “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” from 1966, and The Animals’ 1967 hit “When I Was Young.”
Each performed with a vigor of Rock-n-Roll’s roots, this is an album that you can put on, turn up the volume, and enjoy favorites and deeper cuts channeled through The Damned. Capping it all off, the record concludes with a live cover of The Rolling Stones’ 1965 song “The Last Time,” which is perfect, considering it was recorded in 2022 during Brian James’ last performance with the band.
Continuing to celebrate Brian James’ life, The Damned will also be performing three headlining shows in England, January 28th, February 1st, and 3rd 2026, where they will be playing this entire covers record back to front, along with other fan-favorite covers. In the broader frame, The Damned will also be celebrating their landmark 50th anniversary with a show at OVO Arena Wembley on April 11, 2026. So, dig into the songs that made The Damned, because Cryptic Rock gives Not Like Everybody Else 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment