Fred Burnsson of the British guitarist and composer Raymond Burnsbetter known by his stage name Captain Sensible and for being the co-founder of the band The Damnedis today a director successful man who mainly makes documentaries on the theme of the English punk scene of the early 80s. Thanks to the experiences gained in his family, Fred has become a collector and enthusiast of this genre which marked an era, not only in music but also in style of life characteristic of his followers.
Burns directed the documentary, which was released on Netflixwinner of some awards, entitled “Basically Johnny Moped“, in which he resumes, through his father’s stories since he was a child, the stories of suburban characters and their families in the midst of theexplosion of punk at the end of the 70s. In fact, the events of the protagonist of the film, as Burns himself admitted, come precisely from the bar chatter that he listened to when he was at the pub as a child.
Raymond Ian Burnsin arte Captain Sensible he was the founder and composer of the punk band The Damned, now his son Fred Burns, retraces the main stages of the 70s and 80s music scene, through successful films and documentaries, inspired by his experiences as a child and his father’s stories. In particular for the successful documentary “Basically Johnny Moped”, which was also broadcast on Netflixhe stated, which on first viewing it was terrified that his father would see himbut then he said: “It was a great emotion watching him sitting next to dad“.
In the 1980s, he achieved breakout success in the UK with his version of “Happy Talk”reaching first place in the charts.
His solo career was dotted with other successes, such as “Wot”, “One Christmas Catalogue” e “Glad It’s All Over”. However, Sensible did not limit itself to music, but also demonstrated a strong political commitment founding the “Blah! Party” in 2006, as a protest against the political establishment.
Personal Life of Fred Burns
On the personal front, Captain Sensible has had a long relationship with Rachel Bor dei Dolly Mixture, from which he got three children, before getting married to Mayumi
His stage name, chosen ironically to describe himself as a “dissolute maniac”has undergone a change over the years, especially after spending time with the anarcho-punk band “Crass,” embracing a vegetarian philosophy and supporting pacifist causes.
Today, Captain Sensible continues to push forward passion for music, performing both as a solo artist and with “The Damned.” His legacy is evident in the British music scene, while his commitment to music, politics and animal rights makes him an unforgettable figure in the UK’s cultural landscape.