Punk legends The Damned have released See Emily Play, the second single to be taken from their upcoming covers album Not Like Everybody Else. The track, a vivid re-imagining of the Pink Floyd psychedelic classic, is out now ahead of the album’s arrival on 23 January 2026 via earMUSIC.
Sung by guitarist Captain Sensible, this new version of See Emily Play blends The Damned’s trademark punk energy with the kaleidoscopic spirit of the original. It is one of a carefully chosen set of songs that pay tribute to the band’s late founding guitarist Brian James and the music that shaped him, turning the record into a very personal celebration as well as a full bore rock and Heavy Metal party.
Recorded in just five days at Revolver Studio in Los Angeles, Not Like Everybody Else finds the classic line up of Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, Paul Gray on bass and longtime keyboardist Monty Oxymoron reconnecting with the raw spark that first launched them out of London.
The album also marks the first time in forty years that Rat Scabies has joined the band in the studio, adding extra bite to an already feral sound.
The record tears into R. Dean Taylor’s There’s A Ghost In My House, Summer In The City, Making Time, Gimme Danger, See Emily Play and more, before closing with The Last Time by The Rolling Stones. That final track features Brian James himself, captured at his last shows with The Damned, including their farewell at the O2 Academy in Birmingham, and lovingly remixed for this release.
To celebrate the album, The Damned will play one off covers shows at Albert Hall, Manchester on 28 January 2026, Bataclan, Paris on 1 February 2026 and Essigfabrik, Cologne on 3 February 2026, performing songs from Not Like Everybody Else alongside fan favourite covers that have peppered their career.
Set to coincide with the band’s 50th anniversary, the shows promise an unforgettable salute to Brian James and to five decades of punk rebellion.
Fans who order the album through the Official Album Store can also pick up three exclusive 7 inch singles featuring previously unreleased B sides, while The Damned’s 50th year will peak with a huge anniversary show at OVO Arena Wembley on 11 April 2026.
Joined by special guests The Loveless featuring Marc Almond, Peter Hook And The Light and The Courettes, The Damned will underline exactly why they remain one of punk and Goth rock’s most influential Heavy Metal friendly outsiders.
The Damned release Not Like Everybody Else on 23 January 2026 via earMUSIC. For more details, visit damned.lnk.to/NotLikeEverybodyElsePR.
