[kj] OT: The Damned (was: Top 50 of 2000-2010)

[TB]

B. Oliver Sheppard wrote:


> Man, I hate to hear to that, about Dave Vanian and Patricia Morrison, as

> I generally respect them more than Bryan James. But everyone has their

> "off" nights, no?

> 

> Bryan James I do have an incredible amount of respct for. Maybe most

> underrated songwriter, ever? He pretty much single handedly wrote The

> Damned 1st 2 LPs. I have also learned the hard way that incredibly

> intelligent, amazing, etc., talents can also be asshole douchebags in

> person. I'm on the Killing Joke email list, after all ;) haha


I've corresponded with Brian James a few times, mostly through his now ex-manager (James, like most older musicians are completely
internet illiterate) between 2001 - 2005 when he was trying to make something of his Lords Of The New Church "comeback" band and I
was helping with several compilation projects that mostly never saw release.  I also talked with him a few times in the mid 80's
when The Lords were living and playing primarily in Southern California around the time they lost their record contract with I.R.S.
and he's always struck me as a fairly nice guy although almost always stoned, something which has taken it's toll on him the past 5
years.  Last I heard, he was not in the best of health or finances and from just about everyone that's worked with him the past
decade, he is *very* hard to motivate to get anything done.

There is a really fascinating 1 hour live and interview promotional program that Brian and Stiv Bator did back around 1988 when they
were giving it one last shot at trying to get The Lords back on track fishing for a new record label deal that very few people have
seen that I may start putting up on YouTube or torrenting since it's clear that it will never be officially released now.

T.B.