Video Premiere & EP review
Andy Blade
Ain’t That A Shame EP
(Includes The Elephant Studio Sessions ’78 with Brian James)
Vinyl / DL
Release Date – 24.04.2026
Following last months Andy Blade Interview here is the long awaited Ain’t That A Shame EP. The title track a re-recording of the song co-written with Brian James after he’d left the Damned and the other two tracks, the original Blade/James/Laff demos. The phrases ‘bittersweet grandeur’ and ‘melodic ache’ have been deployed in the publicity – and are absolutely spot-on says Ged Babey.
Sometimes you play a song, and it feels like you’ve known it your whole life.
Brian James was always the coolest member of the Damned. I’m glad he got his lap of honour with the band before he moved-on-up.
I was one of those teenage fans that loved the Music For Pleasure album when all the critics told us to hate it. Some of James best songs are on it.
After he left the Damned everyone so wanted Tanz Der Youth to be great, but they weren’t. The Aint That A Shame single that came out in 1979 on IRS Records (Miles Copelands label, Stuart drummed on it) and was OK. Brians vocal was a bit Thunders-like and the guitar-hook was plaintive and sounded great. But it wasn’t as good as it could’ve been somehow. Until now… (cue press release…)
In 1978, during a late-night, alcohol-fuelled studio session, Andy Blade (formerly of Eater), Brian James (founding member of The Damned) and Mark Laff of Generation X came together for an all-star collaboration. The trio recorded two tracks of the four Blade/James songs they had written together – “Lying Again” and “Death Awaits” – showcasing a psychedelic new wave edge driven by James’ unmistakable guitar and Blade’s urgent vocal delivery.
Shortly after the session, the short-lived union dissolved. James would later revisit one of the songs they’d worked on together “Ain’t That A Shame” (originally titled “Im Not Taking All The Blame” with Blade’s lyrics) – reshaping it for his first solo single before going on to form The Lords of the New Church with Stiv Bators.
For decades, that could have been the end of the story but in 2025 Andy Blade decided to re-record the original version with Billy King (John Mckays Reactor) playing Brian’s parts.
“Ain’t That A Shame” channels the bittersweet grandeur of classics like “Ain’t It Fun” by Dead Boys, “Baby Baby” by The Vibrators, and “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” by Johnny Thunders, alongside the melodic ache associated with The Only Ones.
Sometimes you play a song, and it feels like you’ve known it your whole life.
Nearly 50 years after it was first written, ‘Ain’t That A Shame’ finally emerges as the 24-carat earworm it was always destined to be — a lost punk era classic reborn.
Yeah that’s right. It really is. Not hyperbole for once, although, this Babey has doubts that ‘Baby Baby’ should appear in that list.
The result is nothing short of a revelation – an irresistibly catchy song, driven by a nagging, poignant guitar coda and Blade’s characteristically emotive vocal. It is a fitting tribute to the late Brian James, complete with a solo that captures James’ distinctive, razor-sharp style. “I am sure Brian would approve. It is my tribute to him”, says Blade.
Here’s the promo video, exclusively brought to you by Louder Than War.
Not a trace of homo-eroticism between the two of them…. (1970’s schoolboy snigger).
It really is such a beautiful song though: narcissistic punk sneer and a dark, doomed romance. It has the downbeat, narcotic glamour of Thunders and Perrett and pre-shadows the post-punk romantic gothic of Psychedelic Furs, Wasted Youth and a load of other bands. You can even almost imagine a Guns ‘n Roses version of the song given a bombastic sheen too.
Truly, a lost classic.
Blades original lyric, considering he was still a teenager, is far better than Brian’s re-write which included the classic, but hilarious, ‘I’d eat fried rice for the rest of my life, for you’. Detailing a toxic, doomed relationship in the form of insults and apologies tied into a narrative, I mis-read this as misogyny in an earlier draft which Blade refuted in no uncertain terms: “You’re not the only one who’s not right in the head, applies to the male AND female characters in the song. “You’re always right” is equally her talking to him. There is no misogyny intended whatsoever.”
The other two tracks are Holy Grails for ‘collectors’/punk purists who must have everything from the era – and really are classic period pieces that sound amazing 48 years on.
Death Awaits is pure Velvet Underground meets Transformer and a dark nursery rhyme.
Lying Again (aka Post Office) is like a Damned MFP off-cut but has, to me, a Devoto vibe (due to the Post Office location being used, same as in Spiral Scratch’s Times Up) and some wonderful double-speed guitar from James.
If like me, you loved the Damned and Eater as a teenager, then these songs are like a lost transmission from a distant past that take you right back to those years… and the time that music and songs like these were the Only Things That Mattered.
The packaging of the single comes with the full story of the one off recording session, coloured vinyl and so on.
I try desperately not to live in the past – but this release is a very welcome trip back there….
The first 150 are limited edition clear vinyl with a numbered postcard of the single’s lyrics. The remainder on are on berry coloured vinyl.
“Ain’t That A Shame EP” – 3 track 33rpm EP out on 24 April 2026 on Antenna Records
LIVE DATES
28 April 2026 – Andy Blade (solo band) The Union, Greek St, Soho Ain’t That A Shame EP launch. (Invite Only – DM Andy online if you want to come. No tickets on the door)
Eater play Rebellion Festival, Blackpool on the Friday.
7 Oct 2026 – Eater play Highbury Garage with Wasted Youth & Quick Romance – Tickets
Previously on LTW
Outside View: The Secret Life of a Teenage Punk Rocker: Andy Blade – book review
Andy Blade: Tiny Specks in a Huge Abyss – Album Review
Eater: Ant – album review – 45 years on, the album how it should’ve sounded
A lot of Press Release plus original content by Ged Babey for LTW
PS I can’t write about Brian James – one of my all-time heroes, without mentioning this…
The only time I briefly met Brian James incidentally, he threw a punch at me and told me to ‘Fuck Off!’. Probably my proudest Punk Rock moment – and it happened at the 100 Club at an Eater ‘reunion’ gig in 2006. He was very, very pissed and I had made the mistake of talking to his wife. (I had only asked her if she knew where the bogs were…) Luckily this was all witnessed by Reservoir Droogs head honcho Mainy – or I would never have believed it actually happened myself. ‘Brian must’ve been seeing-double cos his punch missed the real Ged completely, hitting the blurry-double next to him’. (GB)
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO LTW
Leave a comment