The Damned guitarist Brian James has been buried at sea.
James passed away on March 6, 2025, at the age of 70, and on April 28 Brian’s family, including his widow Minna, son, Charlie and daughter-in-law, Alicia – and nine of his closest friends laid him to rest on the ocean floor in a “very emotional” private ceremony that took place off the coast of Newhaven, East Sussex, England.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Minna – who had been with Brian since she was 18 – revealed: “It was a beautiful day and the sea was calm.
“We’ve been together since I was 18, so it was very emotional.
“A burial at sea is pretty unusual, but it was in his will so we had to do it.”
After the attendees went out to sea in a boat for “around three hours” from Eastbourne, they held a small memorial service at a church near Brian and Minna’s home in Brighton.
A source told the publication: “Brian now sleeps with the fishes, which is what he wished for before he died.
“He was a true original in life and has carried that on in death.
‘’The spirit of punk never left him and he was adamant he wanted his final resting place to be at sea.
‘’A few loved ones went out on the boat for around three hours and watched as his coffin was dropped into the drink.’’
James died on March 6 after a six-decade long music career.
A statement posted on his Facebook account said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of one of the true pioneers of music, guitarist, songwriter, and true gentleman, Brian James.
“Incessantly creative and a musical tour de force, over a career which spanned more than six decades, with his music also gracing film and television soundtracks, in addition to The Damned and The Lords of the New Church, Brian worked with a plethora of punk and rock ‘n’ roll’s finest, from Iggy Pop to Wayne Kramer, Stewart Copeland to Cheetah Chrome.”
After forming The Damned, he went on to establish Tanz Der Youth before co-founding The Lords of the New Church with Stiv Bators.
The band released three studio albums and produced singles such as ‘Open Your Eyes’, ‘Dance with Me’, and ‘Method to My Madness’.
His career continued with The Dripping Lips and the Brian James Gang, releasing solo material and collaborating with a range of influential musicians.
Brian reunited with the original members of The Damned in 2022 for a series of UK shows, marking more than four decades since the release of ‘New Rose’.
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