’70s Rock Band’s Version of a Classic Anthem Named One of the Best Covers of 2026 So Far
The greatest songs don’t stay with one artist for very long. From Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” to Sturgill Simpson’s “In Bloom,” the best tracks are built to survive different voices, genres, and generations. And this year is full of stellar reimagined rock standards.
According to Grunge, there are a few covers that stand out among the rest. One in particular is from the ’70s-era post-punk/Gothic rock band The Damned. Their rendition of the 1966 debut single from The Creation, “Making Time,” takes a freakbeat classic and transforms it into a “gritty party song.”
“Cool and crunchy, ‘Making Time’ became fully unrestrained and rollicking when The Damned got ahold of it and made it into a gritty party song,” Grunge wrote, praising the track for transforming a cult '60s favorite into something louder, looser, and unmistakably Damned.
Formed in June 1976, The Damned have evolved from pioneers of the U.K. punk scene and architects of ’80s Gothic rock to today’s theatrical punk-rooted, dark-psychedelic pop rockers. With their latest LP, a covers album celebrating hits originated by Pink Floyd, TheKinks, The Rolling Stones, and more, they also pay tribute to The Creation, who bridged '60s mod rock and '70s psychedelic rock.
Originally released in 1966, “Making Time” became one of the defining songs of the British freakbeat movement, influencing generations of garage rock, punk, and alternative rock musicians. These days, it’s perhaps best known for its inclusion in Wes Anderson’s 1998 cult classic, Rushmore. That, or the fact that the track is one of the first to feature a guitar played with a bow, courtesy of The Creation’s trailblazing guitarist, Eddie Phillips. It’s a trick that was later perfected by the great Jimmy Page.
Grunge’s praise comes at a fitting time. Nearly 50 years after helping launch the U.K. punk movement, The Damned are celebrating the music that inspired them with their new covers collection. Not Like Everybody Else, which is also an homage to the band’s late founding guitarist, Brian James, who passed away in March 2025, features 10 tracks, all renditions of James’ favorite songs, recorded over five days with producer Mikal Blue at Revolver Recordings in Westlake Village, California, Billboard reported.
“We just thought that since Brian was such a big influence on pretty much a whole generation, and us in particular, wouldn’t it be good to do an album that was an homage to the people that influenced him,” drummer Rat Scabies, whose contribution marks his first time in the studio with The Damned in 30 years, said. “We chose a set of songs that were specifically by people that influenced Brian, and in turn influenced us.”
The Damned’s current lineup includes Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Paul Gray, and Monty Oxymoron. Not Like Everybody Else marks the band's first album in three years. And it's available now in multiple formats.