This coming February sees the release of Kicks And Diabolik Licks, the final studio album by legendary The Damned founder Brian James, and ahead the release his final single, In The Blood, has been released. Brian sadly passed away on the 6th March 2025, a tragic event marked by an outpouring of love from across the punk and rock spectrum, from musicians, critics, fans and others; many of them having been on the receiving end of an electrifying epiphany, the first time they heard the needle click into the groove of New Rose all those decades before. In recent years, Brian had had his battles with illness, but remained active, taking to the stage with The Damned and the Lords Of The New Church in 2022. Throughout this period, Brian was putting together Kicks And Diabolik Licks, inspired by his love of Italian culture, the album takes its title from Angela and Luciana Giussani‘s popular comic character Diabolik.
For the sessions, Brian was surrounded by friends, including longtime bassist and engineer Austen Gayton and drummers Malcolm Mortimore, Dave ‘Caveman’ O’Brien and Steve Murray, while Dirty Strangers frontman Alan Clayton sings backing vocals and ex-Modettes singer Ramona Wilkins Carlier takes the lead on a very different version of the Lords of the New Church‘s Dance With Me. Kicks And Diabolik Licks will be released on the 20th February and can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl via Easy Action Records.
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