RIP BRIAN JAMES (née Robertson) THE RIFFMEISTER FOUNDER OF THE DAMNED & CO-FOUNDER OF THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH
It seems like a lifetime ago when me and my mate Bob the Gnome met the Damned at the music machine Camden Brian was the only one in the band who took time to speak to us and at one point helped us take down some of the bands equipment A really nice guy , the only time I met him and this is how I will remember him
I took my 2 yr old grandson out for a stroll in the park this morning, we sniffed some flowers , stomped in some mud ( him not me ) and then stopped for coffee , double espresso livened him up ,not really he had a babychino, and I heard this on the radio , a perfect sunny day song to be shared on here
I'm not big on chatting with band members. I've met Captain alot more than others, partly through living in the area of Selhurst Park. I only met Brian once. It was just over a decade ago. We were in Brighton, on a sunny day, walking along the front. There was a guy sitting in a doorway of one of the arches, playing a guitar. I stopped to watch and listen...and it was Brian. I was wearing a Damned t shirt, which must have helped, as he waved us over. A thoroughly nice guy. We had seen him, Rat and Texas Terri touring Damned Damned Damned the previous year, which took up a fair amount of the chat. A charming man, beloved by all. When I can, I'll post up Captain's thoughts on the man (he loved him...and would credit him with making his dreams achievable at pretty much every gig). Mick Jones always said that from the moment he met him in '75, Brian was a fully formed prototype of what Punk was to be. The songs, the stance, the haircut, the clothes, the looks, everything. He was ****ing brilliant guitar player, too. Even in the last couple of years, when he was increasingly frail, his guitar playing was still scorching hot. Cheers and thanks for...everything, Brian.
The draw for tickets for next Friday's, short notice warm-up Pistols & Frank Carter gig @ 100 Club has just closed. I've got a few entries in it. Fingers crossed...but I'm not overly hopeful. I never won a cup final ticket via a ballot, despite having most of the ****ing alphabet for most of them...
My 100% failure rate remains in place. No 100 Club gig for me and Mrs B. Still, The Smyths tonight and Pogue Traders on Monday, both @ The Half Moon. You can't complain at that.
In a new edition of 'Well, he would say that, wouldn't he!', the threads only prog fan here is giving a shout out to the new Steven Wilson album, The Overview. A concept album (yes, really ) 42 minutes, 2 sides of music subdivided into various songs and movements. Stunningly beautiful, powerful and creative. It's like Bowie joined with Pink Floyd and Vangelis to create the 21st centuries Dark Side of the Moon. Here's a sample featuring lyrics by XTC's Andy Partridge. The gig in May should be spectacular.
3 members of The UK Subs refused entry into the US . Only Charlie Harper allowed in. The Damned have a US tour coming up, I wonder if Cap will get in... ...yes, he's a bat **** crazy anti-vaxxer, but he's like Zippy from Rainbow on the subject of Americans and Trump.
It seems that a couple of mates got tickets to last night's Pistols FC gig. LOTS of faces there, including Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, Bobby Gillespie and Pogo Pete...who didn't tell me on advance that he was going. If there was merchandise, I shall be ever so slightly miffed!!! Will check out YouTube when I'm less jealous, which should be after I've seen them twice in June.
Friday night BBC 4 had an Ian Dury evening 2 gigs and a documentary all on the I player and all worth a watch
I heard an interview with Chas Jankel the same day and I was amazed that Ian Dury died 25 years ago this week , which stopped me in my tracks and made me think " where the **** did that go "
The Blockheads are playing 2 consecutive nights at 229 The Venue in early June. I haven't bought tickets yet, but I'm sure I'll be at one of them.
So, yesterday Mrs B hung up the blues for good. No more missed Christmases or weekends. No more night-shifts, nor on-call dashes at unsocial hours. She got congrats and best wishes from 2 current members of The Damned and also their partners, which is lovely of them. Also myriad (over 50) fellow fans, some of whom had no idea what she did... It really is a second family! If her life was a Venn Diagram of work and musical taste, step forward Vernon, a member of The Damned inner circle, a former officer and the only mate who I have to physically look up to!! Cheers, Vernon...and "Good health!" Now, let the fun begin!!!!
Now that's a real shock! I saw him a couple of years ago, playing with Raw Power and he looked great. That's definitely the song that I think of him playing, too. RIP
Sad news indeed! He was a drummer out of the Keith Moon maverick school. Perfect for the band and the time.
