British punk pioneers The Damned have announced details of their new album Not Like Everybody Else, a powerful collection of covers recorded in tribute to the band’s founding guitarist Brian James, who passed away in March 2025. The album is set for release on 23rd January 2026, marking both a poignant farewell and a full-circle moment for one of the most influential bands in punk history.
The Damned @ Alexandra Palace
Recorded in just five days at Revolver Studio in Los Angeles, Not Like Everybody Else reunites the band’s classic lineup — Dave Vanian (vocals), Captain Sensible (guitar), Rat Scabies (drums), and Paul Gray (bass) — with longtime keyboardist Monty Oxymoron. The sessions saw Rat Scabies rejoin his bandmates in the studio for the first time in 40 years, reigniting the creative spark that defined the band’s early years.
“This record was born from love, grief, and celebration,” says Vanian. “Brian’s energy was the catalyst that started everything for The Damned. We wanted to honour that by reconnecting with the rawness and spirit of those early days.”
The album pays homage to the songs that inspired The Damned and Brian James himself, opening with a fiery rendition of R. Dean Taylor’s There’s A Ghost In My House — also the record’s lead single, out 30th October. The track blends Northern soul swagger with gothic urgency, propelled by Captain Sensible’s jagged guitar and Vanian’s haunting baritone.
Other highlights include Pink Floyd’s See Emily Play, The Animals’ When I Was Young, and a soaring take on The Kinks’ I’m Not Like Everybody Else, which lends the album its title. The record closes with The Last Time by The Rolling Stones, featuring Brian James himself in a bittersweet final appearance. The song, taken from his last live performance with The Damned at Hammersmith, has been lovingly remixed for this release.
The Damned @ Alexandra Palace
The album’s release coincides with The Damned’s 50th anniversary, marking half a century since they helped ignite the British punk explosion with 1976’s New Rose — the first UK punk single — and their landmark debut Damned Damned Damned.
As part of the celebrations, the band will perform a one-off covers show at Manchester’s Albert Hall on 28th January 2026, featuring songs from Not Like Everybody Else alongside classic covers from across their career. Fans who order the album via the official store from 29th October will gain early access to tickets for the Manchester date.
The band has also confirmed a special 50th anniversary concert at OVO Arena Wembley on 11th April 2026, featuring guests The Loveless (featuring Marc Almond), Peter Hook & The Light, and The Courettes.
Brian James was not only The Damned’s original guitarist but also the primary songwriter behind New Rose and much of their debut album. His fearless approach helped define British punk’s early sound, and his influence continues to ripple through generations of alternative music.
The Damned @ Alexandra Palace
Captain Sensible reflects: “Brian was the spark — the chaos and the class. We all owe him everything. This record isn’t about looking back with sadness, it’s about celebrating what he gave us and how alive that music still feels.”
With Not Like Everybody Else, The Damned remind fans why they remain one of the most enduring and shape-shifting forces in rock. Five decades on, their defiant energy burns as brightly as ever — a fitting tribute to the man who helped start it all.
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