There are three version of the band that were part of the Dead Men Walking story from 2001 to 2015 the core of it was Mike Peters and Kirk Brandon. In 2015 Mike and Kirk went their separate ways, initially Mike’s version used the Dead Men Walking name before changing it to The Jack Tars
Dead Men Walking (2001-2015)
Dead Men Walking (post 2015)
The Jack Tars (post 2015)

The Jack Tars was the current version that fans of The Alarm would most focus After 2015 Dead Men Walking as different but related band front by Kirk Brandon. (See The Jack Tars page for updated information).

In 2001 Mike Peters and his tour manager had an idea to put together starting in 2001 to make a mockery of ageism in the record business and show that old punk rockers could put on an amazing performance. This was after the time The Alarm MM had been touring at the end of 2000 with Spear of Destiny. The original line up was a four piece mainly acoustic line up of Mike Peters, Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny), Pete Wylie, (Mighty Wah!) and Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols). The first Dead Men Walking date was at the Loft Aberdeen, Scotland on 27th March 2001.

The line-up of Dead Men Walking has changed many times over the years. Along with on-off guest appearances at certain shows.

The line-up has changed many times over the years. The version of the band consisting of Mike Peters, Slim Jim Phantom, Captain Sensible, and Kirk Brandon had recorded an original album in 2008 that went unreleased for many years. Subsequently in 2015 Kirk Brandon and the band’s manager split from the other members. Ian McNabb of Icicle Works was one of the first people Mike Peters approached about Dead Men Walking, but he declined to join-up.

After laying dormant for almost 10 years, the remaining members from the last touring version Mike Peters, Captain Sensible, Slim Jim Phantom added Chris Cheney from The Living End and on 14th September 2014, they put on their most famous performance, a gig at the Troubadour in Los Angeles featuring Fred Armisen from Saturday Night Live and Duff McKagan from Guns and Rose.

When the album named “Easy Piracy”, now with Chris Cheney from The Living End as permanent member was released in 2015 in the USA, it did not include any of the original material recorded with Kirk Brandon in 2008, which led to further complications. This resulted in the Kirk Brandon taking on the Dead Men Walking name with a line up with of Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers), Dave Ruffy and Seg Jennings ( both The Ruts). The Mike Peters line up subsequently renamed themselves as The Jack Tars.

List Of All Members
Mike Peters (The Toilets, The Alarm) (2001-present) (Dead Men Walking, The Jack Tars)
Kirk Brandon (Theater Of Hate, Spear Of Destiny) (2001-2008) (Dead Men Walking, Dead Men Walking 2015)
Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids) (2001-2004) (Dead Men Walking)
Pete Wylie (Wah!) (2001-2002) (Dead Men Walking)
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats) (2003-present) (Dead Men Walking, The Jack Tars)
Bruce Watson (Big Country) (2002-2003) (Dead Men Walking)
Billy Duffy (2003) (Dead Men Walking)
Captain Sensible (The Damned): (2005-present) (Dead Men Walking, The Jack Tars)
Chris Cheney (The Living End) 2015-present (Dead Men Walking, The Jack Tars)
Jake Burns (Dead Men Walking post 2015)
Dave Ruffy (Dead Men Walking post 2015)
Segs Jennings (Dead Men Walking post 2015)

Guests
Daniel Wylie (Cosmic Rough Riders) (2002)
Mick Jones (The Clash) (2003)
Fred Armisen (2014)
Duff McKagan (2014)
Topper Headon (The Clash)
Brian Setzer (Stray Cats)
Lemmy (Motörhead)

Recordings
2001 – Dead Men Walking Live at Guildford RESISTANCE001
2003 – Dead Men Walking Live at Leeds 2003 RESISTANCE002
2004 – Dead Men Walking Live at Darwen 2004 RESISTANCE003
2005 – Dead Men Walking Live at CBGBs New York RESISTANCE004
2007 – Dead Men Walking – Graveyard Smashes Vol. 1 RESISTANCE005
2015 – Dead Men Walking – Easy Piracy THIN0084
2015 – The Jack Tars – The Jack Tars EP (No catalogue number)
The post 2016 line up of Kirk Brandon. Jake Burns, Dave Ruffy and Segs Jennings have released live albums

2001 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters – (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Kirk Brandon – (The Pack Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Glen Matlock – (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids, Vicious White Kids, Spectres, Hot Club, Glen Matlock & The Philistines, The International Swingers, Blondie) – Guitar & Vocals
Pete Wylie – (Crucial Three, Wah! Heat, Wah!, Mighty Wah!) – Guitar & Vocals



Dead Men Walking press release 4th July 2001
“The British answer to the Rat Pack, the Dead Men Walking Experience is an unforgettable one. Born out of friendship and mutual respect combined with Peters’s desire to create a contemporary Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Dead Men Walking is a collective of the UK’s rock’n roll’s finest; Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols, Pete Wylie from the Mighty Wah, Kirk Brandon from Spear of Destiny and Mike Peters from The Alarm. For an evening of acute entertainment, following on from DMW’s recent jaunt, look forward to a sprinkling of dates in August (dates to follow) and later in October/November when DMW will be embarking on an extensive tour of the UK. Please keep in touch for finalised dates.”

2002 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters – (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Kirk Brandon – (The Pack Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Glen Matlock – (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids, Vicious White Kids, Spectres, Hot Club, Glen Matlock & The Philistines, The International Swingers, Blondie) – Guitar & Vocals
Pete Wylie – (Crucial Three, Wah! Heat, Wah!, Mighty Wah!) – Guitar & Vocals
Roy Martin (Modern English) (tbc)

2003 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Kirk Brandon (The Pack, Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids, Vicious White Kids, Spectres, Hot Club, Glen Matlock & The Philistines, The International Swingers, Blondie) – Guitar & Vocals
Billy Duffy (Theatre Of Hate, The Cult, Colursound)
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, The Head Cat, Slim Jim’s Phantom Trio, The Barnestormers)
Bruce Watson (Big Country, Skids, WKW)
Billy Duffy joins, but got hurt playing soccer, so Bruce Watson filled-in for him on some UK dates

Dead Men Walking Press Release 28th May 28 2003
Dead Men Walking will be taking to the road again throughout September / October of 2003. Live and dangerous and presenting what for many will be the soundtrack of a generation. Dead Men Walking began out of a loose bond between friends and musicians whose aim is to perform familiar songs in a new and dramatic setting. Stripping the songs back to basics is what this tour is all about. Lyrics and melodies, voice and guitars.
The latest members to join Dead Men Walking are Billy Duffy who, as well as being co-writer of all The Cult’s massive world wide hits such as ‘She Sells Sanctuary’, ‘Rain’, ‘Love Removal Machine’ and last year’s US hit ‘Rise’ to name but four, is still regarded as one of the finest and most influential guitarists of modern times. The Cult are currently taking a sabbatical from touring, while vocalist Ian Astbury continues his work with reconstituted 60’s legends ‘The Doors’, enabling Billy to join Dead Men Walking and resume a musical relationship with Kirk Brandon which began in the legendary original line-up of ‘Theatre Of Hate’.
Billy Duffy will also be resuming a musical partnership with Mike Peters that began with ‘Coloursound’ – a band formed by Peters and Duffy that made one critically acclaimed album back in 1999 before the demands of The Cult and The Alarm intervened.
Slim Jim Phantom who is currently on tour in the US with The Stray Cats, will bring his unique stand-up style of drumming to Dead Men Walking. Phantom, who co-wrote some of the Stray Cats best known tracks like ‘Runaway Boys’ and ‘Rumble In Brighton’ with guitarist Brian Setzer, has recently made records with r’n’r legend Jerry Lee Lewis and Motorhead’s Lemmy.
Slim Jim’s connection with the various members of Dead Men Walking began when The Stray Cats came to London during the early 1980’s. In fact, Mike Peters’ first met Slim Jim when Seventeen supported The Stray Cats on their first ever ‘Runaway Boys UK Tour’. All five have remained friends ever since.”

2004 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Kirk Brandon (The Pack, Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids, Vicious White Kids, Spectres, Hot Club, Glen Matlock & The Philistines, The International Swingers, Blondie) – Guitar & Vocals
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, The Head Cat, Slim Jim’s Phantom Trio, The Barnestormers)
Bruce Watson (Big Country, Skids, WKW)

2005 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Kirk Brandon (The Pack, Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Captain Sensible (Johnny Moped, The Damned) – Guitar & Vocals
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, The Head Cat, Slim Jim’s Phantom Trio, The Barnestormers) – Drums & Vocals

Dead Men Walking Press Release 25th August 2005
Dead Men Walking will take to the road again with new member Captain Sensible (The Damned) who will join existing members Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats) Mike Peters (The Alarm), and Kirk Brandon (Spear Of Destiny). Four artists from some of the most influential bands of our time and individually, they can lay claim to having played a part in creating some of the finest songs of a generation. A combined chart rating of over forty UK Top 30 singles, 20 million record sales worldwide and over twenty Top 20 UK Hit albums – almost as many hits as The Beatles and Elvis Presley combined!!! Dead Men Walking will be taking to the road throughout September / October 2005. A CD on Resistance Records, catalogue number Resistance 004, of the live gig on 23rd September 2025 at CBGBs, New York City, USA was released in 2005

Set list : New Rose, Rock This Town, I Can See, Strength, Declare Yourself An Unsafe Building, Young Men, Glad It’s All Over, Never Take Me Alive, Spirit of ’76, Rumble In Brighton, 45 RPM, Stray Cat Strut, Do You Believe In The Westworld, Smash It Up, 68 Guns, Neat Neat Neat, Runaway Boys, I Fought The Law, Pretty Vacant, You Gotta Fight For The Right To Party

2006 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Kirk Brandon (The Pack, Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Captain Sensible (Johnny Moped, The Damned) – Guitar & Vocals
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, The Head Cat, Slim Jim’s Phantom Trio, The Barnestormers) – Drums & Vocals

2014 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Captain Sensible (Johnny Moped, The Damned)
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, The Head Cat, Slim Jim’s Phantom Trio, The Barnestormers) – Drums & Vocals
Chris Cheney (The Living End, The Barnestormers) – Guitar & Vocals

Dead Men Walking Press Release September 2014
The Infamous Dead Men Walking will once again tread the boards in California, USA this September 14th with a one off show at the world famous Troubadour in West Hollywood. 
This time out the line up will feature Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats), Captain Sensible (The Damned) and our own Mike Peters of The Alarm alongside debutants Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, Chris Cheney from Australian rock band The Living End and Saturday Night Live Alumni Fred Armisen who is also the star of hit US TV show Portlandia.
News about the return of the Dead Men has caused quite a stir in the USA and the Troubadour show is already the talk of the town in Los Angeles with news items appearing all over the net and in print including the LA Times.
In years past The Dead Men Walking has featured such illuminaries as Kirk Brandon (Spear Of Destiny), Pete Wylie (Mighty Wah!), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Bruce Watson (Big Country) and Billy Duffy of The Cult with one off guest appearances from Mick Jones (The Clash), Topper Headon (The Clash), Brian Setzer (Stray Cats) and Lemmy from Motörhead all taking place  at various times and cities across the globe between Los Angeles and London.
Without The Damned, Stray Cats and The Alarm, we most certainly wouldn’t have modern alternative rock. And one of the most influential rock bands of all time, Guns N’ Roses, may not have been the same if it weren’t for Duff McKagan’s punk roots, a direct result of Dead Man Walking band mates Captain Sensible, Slim Jim and Mike Peters. Naturally, they all became friends over time and what better way to connect than to do what they all do best—play music!  Now enter Fred Armisen. In a 2014 Entertainment Weekly piece on his favorite cult records, the Saturday Night Live alum and Portlandia star counts The Damned as one of his all time favorite bands. He grew up listening to cult classics from The Damned, The Stray Cats, The Alarm, Velvet Revolver, Guns N’ Roses and more. Fred even created a character in the likeness of all of his musical heroes, the undeniably charming and hilarious British punker Ian Rubbish. Together, they form Dead Man Walking, living proof that punk has truly stood the test of time and continues to inspire new generations every single day. It’s no longer just sub-culture – it’s OUR culture.”

2015 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Mike Peters (The Toilets, Seventeen, The Alarm, Coloursound) – Guitar & Vocals
Captain Sensible (Johnny Moped, The Damned)
Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, The Head Cat, Slim Jim’s Phantom Trio, The Barnestormers) – Drums & Vocals
Chris Cheney (The Living End, The Barnestormers) – Guitar & Vocals

Dead Men Walking Press Release May 2015
Dead Men Walking will release it’s debut album album entitled ‘Easy Piracy’ on 7th May 2015.
The record will be released on the Slimstyle label in the USA to coincide with an armada of West Coast concert dates beginning at the Crocodile Cafe, Seattle on May 5th and running through to May 10th at the Soda Bar, San Diego.
As always with Dead Men Walking you never know who might just show up on the night, but we can confirm that Dead Kennedy’s singer Jello Biafra will join the band on stage in San Francisco at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall on May 7th and a return to the Troubadour in Los Angeles with DMW alumni Duff McKagan (GNR) plus guest appearances from members of The Pogues and Foo Fighters, is scheduled for May 9th.
A date at Dante’s in Portland on May 6th will be MC’d by Jackass star Danger Ehren and an additional date at the Constellation in Santa Ana will also feature on May 8th.
‘Easy Piracy’ the album, is packed full of original material co-written by principal members Slim Jim Phantom, Captain Sensible, Mike Peters and Chris Cheney.
All the shows will feature original material from the ‘Easy Piracy’ album and a full broadside of hits from the four bands associated with the members of Dead Men Walking – The Damned (Captain Sensible), Stray Cats (Slim Jim Phantom), The Living End (Chris Cheney) and The Alarm (Mike Peters). This band can lay claim to literally providing the soundtrack for a generation, hits include ‘Rock This Town’, ‘Smash It Up’, ‘Prisoner Of Society’ and ‘The Stand’ to name but four…….

2015 The Jack Tars (see The Jack Tars)

2016 Dead Men Walking Line Up
Kirk Brandon (The Pack, Theatre Of Hate, Spear of Destiny) – Guitar & Vocals
Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers, Jake Burns & The Big Wheel))
Segs Jennings (The Ruts, The Ruts DC)
Dave Ruffy (The Ruts, The Ruts DC)

2020 The Jack Tars (see The Jack Tars)

(Page updated 5/09/2025)

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