One of the edgiest, most creative and calculated
managers around, Jake was intent on one-upping
Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, by
ensuring The Damned was the first British punk band
to release a single (“New Rose”), an album (“Damned
Damned Damned”) and perform in America. Jake
booked The Damned for three nights at the Whisky A
Go Go, opening for Television. But, at the last
minute, the band was dropped from the bill. In a bit of
a bind, Jake needed to work his managerial magic and
shift to Plan B — sorting out where to stay, where to
play, how to feed the entourage and most importantly,
how to spin the setback as advantageously as
possible.

Gen and I met Jake separately during the
previous two years and were captivated. He was cute
as hell, razor sharp, wildly ambitious and hysterically
irreverent. As Gen recalled, “Jake was at once,
alienating and charismatic.” He was unlike anyone
either of us had ever known. She met Jake in 1975
when he was the tour manager for Dr. Feelgood. I was
introduced to him almost a year later at the Palomino
Club, a country music joint in the San Fernando
Valley, then later let him pick me up at an A-list party
for the Pretty Things at Jane Mansfield’s pink Beverly
Hills mansion with its legendary heart-shaped
swimming pool.

Jake would intermittently check-in at our
Courtney apartment, insisting we answer our phone,
“Stiff Records.” Our humble abode was, ever-so-
briefly, the company’s original North American
headquarters. On that first trip with The Damned,
Jake was intent on sealing a U.S. distribution deal for
the Stiff label and landing a recording contract for
Elvis Costello. Losing the television dates was a
financial blow. However, we, and our friends in the
band, The Screamers, were all too happy to provide
places to stay.

Although Gen and our bass player, Joanna,
initially had crushes on lead singer, Dave Vanian,
Brian James and Jake stayed with Gen and me,
respectively. Captain Sensible and Vanian lodged at
The Screamers place, while Rat Scabies moved in
with Joanna. One night at the Whisky, Dave Vanian
was talking to Rat and referring to Joanna, a diehard
Star Trek fan, remarked, “She even looks like Spock.”
The realization stuck and so did the name. To this
day, most people still call Joanna, Spock.