The Damned
The Damned formed in London in 1976. Former undertaker Dave Vanian
(real name Dave Letts) met up with Rat Scabies (Chris Miller),
Captain Sensible (Ray Burns) and Brian James (real name Brian
Robertson) and the band were signed to the new Stiff label by Jake
Riviera.
They released the classic track New Rose, produced by
Stiff stablemate Nick Lowe and became the first punks to release
and chart with an album, the enduring Damned Damned Damned,
in 1977. One of the classic punk debuts, the LP pogoed and
thrashed through a collection of three-chord wonders.
Live, the band were one of the major attractions on the London
scene with Vanian's Goth affectations, Sensible's beret-topped
antics and Scabies' demented drummer persona all competing
against each other. The Damned were indeed a motley crew.
Their musical assault was bolstered later that year by a second
guitarist, Lu Edmonds, who debuted on the flaccid Music For
Pleasure (1977). The album was universally derided and
Scabies left for pastures new.
Although future Culture Club man Jon Moss was drafted in
briefly as a replacement, the band splintered early the following
year.
The original band regrouped as The Damned early in 1979 and
emerged rejuvenated into the UK Top 20 with Love Song.
With Algy Ward completing their line-up, the band scored a second
chart hit with Smash It Up, releasing their lauded Machine
Gun Etiquette album later that year. A third single, I
Just Can't Be Happy Today, followed.
Paul Gray replaced Ward for 1980's Untitled (known as
The Black Album), an even more surprising ambitious double set
which flew in the face of punk convention with its rampant
experimentation. The poppy Strawberries (1982) marked the
last stand of Captain Sensible who had scored a solo hit with the
annoying Happy Talk earlier that summer.
Vanian and Scabies continued on with Roman Jugg and Bryn Gunn,
enjoying major chart success with a string of extremely commercial
pseudo Goth rockers, the biggest of which was a cover of Barry
Ryan's Eloise which made the Top Three.
Phantasmagoria (1985) became their biggest selling
album to date, catering to a whole new generation of fans. By now,
The Damned had changed almost beyond recognition (with Vanian
adopting a Zorro persona in place of the old Goth) and finally
faded in the late 80s.
Dave Vanian Vocals; Brian James
Guitar; Captain Sensible Bass, guitar, keys; Rat
Scabies Drums; Dave Berk Drums; Lu
Edmonds Guitar; Henry Badowski Bass; Jon
Moss Drums; Algy Ward Bass; Paul
Gray Bass; Roman Jugg Guitar, keys; Bryn
Gunn Bass
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