With the release of the final single from their upcoming covers collection Not Like Everybody Else, punk veterans The Damned offer a fresh take on The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City”. Driven by sharp guitars and an urgent vocal delivery, the band pushes the song toward a darker, more street-level feel, emphasizing the tension and intensity of urban life through their own unmistakable style.
The album was recorded over five intense days at Revolver Studio in Los Angeles and captures The Damned reconnecting with the raw spirit that first defined them. The lineup features Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, Paul Gray on bass, and longtime collaborator Monty Oxymoron on keyboards. Not Like Everybody Else is especially significant as it marks the first time in four decades that Rat Scabies has returned to the studio with the band. Each track was handpicked as a personal tribute to the group’s late guitarist Brian James and the artists who influenced him. James passed away last year.
The tracklist opens with R. Dean Taylor’s “There’s A Ghost In My House” and moves through well-known selections such as Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play” and The Animals’ “When I Was Young”. The album concludes with a poignant closer, The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time”, featuring Brian James himself. That performance was recorded during the final shows he played with The Damned, including their last appearance at the O2 Academy in Birmingham, and was carefully remixed for this release.
To mark the album’s arrival, The Damned will perform a series of one-off covers shows, including Albert Hall in Manchester on January 28, 2026, Bataclan in Paris on February 1, 2026, and Essigfabrik in Cologne on February 3, 2026. These performances will spotlight songs from Not Like Everybody Else alongside well-known covers that have appeared throughout the band’s career, serving as a tribute to Brian James and the group’s shared history.
Released in conjunction with The Damned’s 50th anniversary, Not Like Everybody Else stands as both a tribute and a reminder of the band’s lasting influence. The group will also perform songs from the album exclusively live on BBC Radio 6.
Reaching the 50-year mark also means five decades since punk’s initial explosion in 1976. The Damned played a key role in that movement, releasing the first U.K. punk single in “New Rose” and the first punk album with Damned, Damned, Damned. Brian James wrote the debut single and served as the primary songwriter on the album before leaving the band following their second release, Music For Pleasure, in 1977.
Over the years, The Damned have continued to build a devoted following through their reputation as a powerful live act. Their darker lyrical themes and Dave Vanian’s distinctive baritone vocals also helped place them at the forefront of the goth-rock movement.
In addition to the album-related shows, The Damned have announced a major 50th-anniversary concert at OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday, April 11, 2026. The event will celebrate five decades since the band first emerged as pioneers of British punk and will include special guests The Loveless featuring Marc Almond, Peter Hook And The Light, and The Courettes.
The post THE DAMNED Shares Visualizer For “Summer In The City” From Their Upcoming Cover Album “Not Like Everybody Else” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
