Described as both 'raw rock 'n' roll' and 'pretty crap' depending on which ex-member you are listening to, reports descibing their sound tend to confirm a mutual liking for the New York Dolls. They periodically featured Tony James (Generation X/Sigue Sigue Sputnik), Mick Jones (Clash/Big Audio Dynamite), Brian James (Damned/Lords of the New Church), Casino Steel (ex-Hollywood Brats, later joined The Boys) and Matt Dangerfield (also later joined The Boys) whose converted basement flat was the rehearsal/recording studio where all these musicians met up. Paul Simonon (Clash bass player) also auditioned as vocalist, but failed, although Jones called him immediately when forming his next band, with the sole basis being that he liked the way he looked, and taught him how to play a bass! The SS part of their name referred to the UK Social Security system rather than the Nazi secret police, and Dangerfield's home studio was also the venue for the first recordings of the Damned, The Clash and the Sex Pistols.
Their only known recording was a demo tape, and as the various stable band members left, London SS fragmented and disappeared altogether, with the punk apprentices being employed in the ranks of the Clash, Chelsea, Generation X and The Damned and beyond.