Chapter List:
The London SS in their new lineup, captured by London Filmmakers.
The band chose this photo as the cover of their album.
DISCLAIMER: THE LONDON SS neither supports nor condones nazism, neo-nazism, fascism, racism, sexism, bullying, homophobia, or random acts of violence.
London SS: The Origins
The London SS is a British punk rock group founded in March 1975 by drummer Geir Wade, bassist John Brown, guitarist Mick Jones, and guitarist Eunan Brady (formerly of the Hollywood Brats). Although they never had a stable lineup, never played a gig, and never released a record, the London SS was as crucial as the Sex Pistols in the birth of what would come to be known as punk rock. The band’s members included Mick Jones (The Clash), Tony James (Generation X), Geir Wade (The Boys), Brian James (The Damned), and Eunan Brady (Hollywood Brats).
There is some uncertainty about how the name “London SS” came to be.
In the book Last Gang in Town: The Story and Myth of the Clash, it is stated that Geir Wade claims to have been the person who first proposed the name:
“Andrew Matheson begs to differ, even though every other band member insists that it was immediately following Geir’s arrival that the band’s old name, ‘The Delinquents‘, was dropped. Brady confirms it was Geir who came up with the replacement name, but John insists it was the result of a general brainstorming session with a dictionary and thesaurus. Obviously, the London prefix was a nod in the direction of The New York Dolls and The Hollywood Brats.”
There’s another great book called Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer in which Tony James states: “We hadn’t thought at all about the Nazi implications. It just seemed like a very anarchic, stylish thing to do.”
No Beards, No Beerguts, No Beginners
Early in 2012 after going for a pint with Mick Jones in a Portobello Road pub, Brady decided to resurrect the name and form a new lineup. New members of the band are Jimi McDonald (Vocals), Taj (Guitar), Eunan Brady (Guitar), Richard Grealish (Bass), and Michael Kieran Kane (Drums).
The London SS has now released the first EP “No Beards, No Beerguts, No Beginners” featuring 4 explosive new tracks. Here you can listen ‘Star’ produced by Pat Collier (The Vibrators).
A Day With The Band That Never Was And Is Again!
It was April 2015, and we had just finished a photoshoot with the punk band Blatoidea when we suddenly received a call from the French label Combat Rock. They were impressed with our photos and wanted us to do a photoshoot with the legendary London SS.
We were thrilled with the idea, and in no time, we organized everything. We found ourselves in Camden Town, immersed in London’s punk rock culture, ready to take the photos that would immortalize the band.
The photo session was incredible: the band radiated extraordinary energy and power, and we enjoyed capturing every moment, every gesture, every expression. It was as if the camera could capture the true soul of punk.
After wrapping up the shoot, we headed to a charming pub along the canal with the band. Over beers, the singer shared some wild stories about the ashes he wore around his neck, and the rest of the group regaled us with their own charismatic personalities and entertaining anecdotes.
That day was an unforgettable experience: we felt like we were part of something great, a historic moment in punk culture. We are happy to have contributed to the realization of that work, knowing that our photos would remain forever in the collective imagination of all punk music enthusiasts.
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LATEST POSTS
The London SS New Album is OUT NOW
Fascinating story of London SS.
Their crowning glory is their brilliant name, pre dating the 76 punk explosion and the ioriginal punks flirtation with swastikas and confronting the older generations with such shock tactics.
One question, can someone put a date of the month and year of the inception of the original line up and band name?
Neil McGuigan
Thank you for reading our article, Neil! We appreciate your interest in their fascinating history. We have just updated the article with the information you requested, including the date of the original lineup and band name. We hope you find it helpful and enjoyable!