The Damned | ||
| Allmusic Biography : With punks history having entered a new millennium, the impact of the band initially judged "the least likely to" seems to grow ever more each day. The Ramones hold deserved pride of place for kick-starting the whole thing, while the Sex Pistols -- and to a lesser extent, the Clash -- helped take it to an even more notorious level, serving as role models for many young bands to this day. But arguably just as important and memorable were the Damned, London contemporaries of the Pistols and Clash that made their own mark from the start. Eschewing political posing, ill-fitting outside rhetoric, and simply doing the same thing over and over again, the group -- which lacked anything like a stable lineup -- took punks simplicity and promise as a starting point and ran with it. The end result, at the groups finest: a series of inspired, ambitious albums and amazing live shows combining full-on rock energy, a stylish sense of performance, and humorous deadpan cool. Not necessarily what anyone would have thought when Ray Burns and Chris Millar met in 1974, when both ended up working backstage at the Croydon Fairfield Hall. Burns and Millar -- more famously known in later years as guitarist/singer Captain Sensible and manic drummer Rat Scabies -- kept in touch as both struggled in the stultifying mid-70s London scene. Things picked up when Scabies talked his way into a rehearsal with London S.S., the shifting lineup ground zero of U.K. punk that nearly everybody seemed to belong to at one point or another. There he met guitarist Brian James, while in a separate venture overseen by Malcolm McLaren, casting about for his own particular group to oversee, Scabies first met theatrical singer Dave Vanian, still working through his New York Dolls/Alice Cooper obsession. Vanians own history allegedly included singing "I Love the Dead" and "Dead Babies" while working as a gravedigger, but whatever the background, he proved to be a perfect frontman. Scabies put Sensible in touch with Vanian and James and the Damned were born, with Sensible switching over to bass while James handled guitar and songwriting. Though the Sex Pistols became the most publicized of all the original London punk groups, forming and playing before everyone else, the Damned actually ended up scoring most of the firsts on its own, notably the first U.K. punk single -- "New Rose" -- in 1976 and the first album, Damned Damned Damned, the following year. Produced by Nick Lowe, both were clipped, direct explosions of sheer energy, sometimes rude but never less than entertaining. The group ended up sacked from the Pistols cancellation-plagued full U.K. tour after only one show, but rebounded with an opening slot on the final T. Rex tour, while further tweaking everyone elses noses by being the first U.K. act to take punk back to America via a New York jaunt. Things started to get fairly shaky after that, however, with Lu Edmonds drafted in on second guitar and plans for the groups second album, Music for Pleasure, not succeeding as hoped for. The members wanted legendary rock burnout Syd Barrett to produce, but had to settle for his Pink Floyd bandmate Nick Mason. The indifferent results and other pressures convinced Scabies to call it a day, and while future Culture Club drummer Jon Moss was drafted in to cover, the group wrapped it up in early 1978. Or so it seemed; after various go-nowhere ventures (Sensible tried the retro-psych King, Vanian temporarily joined glam-too-late oddballs the Doctors of Madness), all the original members save James realized they still enjoyed working together. Settling the legal rights to the name after some shows incognito in late 1978, the group, now with Sensible playing lead guitar (and also the first U.K. punk band to reunite), embarked on its most successful all-around period. With a series of bassists -- first ex-Saints member Algy Ward, then Eddie & the Hot Rods refugee Paul Gray and finally Bryn Merrick -- the Damned proceeded to make a run of stone-cold classic albums and singles. Thered be plenty of low points amidst the highs, to be sure, but its hard to argue with the results. Vanians smart crooning and spooky theatricality ended up more or less founding goth rock inadvertently (with nearly all his clones forgetting what he always kept around -- an open sense of humor). Sensible, meanwhile, turned out to be an even better guitarist than James, a master of tight riffs and instantly memorable melodies and, when needed, a darn good keyboardist, while Scabies ghost-of-Keith Moon drumming was some of the most entertaining yet technically sharp work on that front in years. The one-two punch of Machine Gun Etiquette, the 1979 reunion record, and the following years The Black Album demonstrated the bands staying power well, packed with such legendary singles as the intentionally ridiculous "Love Song," the anthemic "Smash It Up," and "Wait for the Blackout" and the catchy Satanism (if you will) of "I Just Cant Be Happy Today." On the live front, the Damned were unstoppable, riding out punks supposed death with a series of fiery performances laden with both great playing and notable antics, from Sensibles penchant for clothes-shedding to Vanians eye for horror style and performance. Released in 1982, Strawberries found the Damned creating another generally fine release, but to less public acclaim than Sensibles solo work, the guitarist having surprisingly found himself a number one star with a version of "Happy Talk" from South Pacific. While the dual career lasted for a year or two more, the Damned found themselves starting to fracture again with little more than a hardcore fan base supporting the group work -- Sensible finally left in mid-1984 after disputes over band support staff hirings and firings. Second guitarist Roman Jugg, having joined some time previously, stepped to the lead and the band continued on. To everyones surprise, not only did the Damned bounce back, they did so in a very public way -- first by ending up on a major label, MCA, who issued Phantasmagoria in 1985, then scoring a massive U.K. hit via a cover of "Eloise," a melodramatic 60s smash for Barry Ryan. It was vindication on a commercial level a decade after having first started, but the Anything album in 1986, flashes of inspiration aside, felt far more anonymous in comparison, the bands worst since Music for Pleasure. After a full career retrospective release, The Light at the End of the Tunnel, the band undertook a variety of farewell tours, including dates with both Sensible and James joining the then-current quartet. The end of 1989 brought a final We Really Must Be Going tour in the U.K., featuring the original quartet in one last bow, which would seem to have been the end to things. Anything but. The I Didnt Say It tour arrived in 1991, with Paul Gray rejoining the band to play along with the quartet. It was the first in a series of dates and shows throughout the 90s which essentially confirmed the group as a nostalgia act, concentrating on the early part of its career for audiences often too young to have even heard about them the first time around. It was a good nostalgia act, though, with performances regularly showing the old fire (and Sensible his legendary stage presence, often finishing shows nude). After some 1992 shows, the Damned disappeared again for a while -- but when December 1993 brought some more dates, an almost all-new band was the result. Only Scabies and Vanian remained, much like the late 80s lineup; their cohorts were guitarists Kris Dollimore and Alan Lee Shaw and bassist Moose. This quintet toured and performed in Japan and Europe for about two years, also recording demos here and there that Vanian claimed he believed were for a projected future album with both Sensible and James contributing. Whatever the story, nothing more might have happened if Scabies hadnt decided to work out a formal release of those demos as Not of This Earth, first appearing in Japan in late November 1995. Vanian, having reestablished contact with Sensible during the formers touring work with his Phantom Chords band, responded by breaking with Scabies, reuniting fully with Sensible and recruiting a new group to take over the identity of the Damned. Initially this consisted of Gray once again, plus drummer Garrie Dreadful and keyboardist Monty. However, Gray was replaced later in 1996 following an on-stage tantrum by, in a totally new twist, punk veteran Patricia Morrison, known for her work in the Gun Club and the Sisters of Mercy among many other bands. Scabies reacted to all this with threats of lawsuits and vituperative public comments, but after all was said and done, Vanian, Sensible, and company maintained the rights to the name, occasional billing as "ex-members of the Damned" aside, done to avoid further trouble. Once the legal dust settled, this version of the Damned toured on a fairly regular basis, though this time with instability in the drumming department -- Dreadful left at the end of 1998, first replaced by Spike, then later in 1999 by Pinch. While Vanian continued to pursue work with the Phantom Chords, for the first time in years the Damned started to become a true outfit once again, the lineup gelling and holding together enough to warrant further attention. The capper was a record contract in 2000 with Nitro Records, the label founded and run by longtime Damned fanatic Dexter Holland, singer with the Offspring (who covered "Smash It Up" for the Batman Forever soundtrack in the mid-90s). Meanwhile, Morrison and Vanian married, making them perhaps the ultimate punk/goth couple of all time. By 2001, the Vanian/Sensible-led Damned looked to be in fine shape, releasing the album Grave Disorder on Nitro and touring to general acclaim. The fractured history of the band was captured in a seemingly endless series of releases, authorized and otherwise, from all periods of its career, live, studio, compilations, and more. The year 2005 found both eras of the band being represented; while the new lineup was touring and working on a new album, the original lineup was honored by the three-disc box set Play It at Your Sister, which was released on the Sanctuary label. The limited-edition set covered the years 1976-1977, featuring all the tracks from the first two albums along with John Peel sessions and live material. It soon came time for the lineup to issue its own album, which arrived in 2008 in the form of a slick, pop-influenced record titled So, Whos Paranoid? Extensive touring ensued, and in early 2015, with Sensible present, a documentary titled The Damned: Dont You Wish That You Were Dead premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. Former bassist Bryn Merrick, who had been performing in a Ramones tribute band, died later that year of cancer. In 2016, the Damned played a 40th anniversary show at the Royal Albert Hall and announced their first studio album in nearly ten years. The following year, West left the band and was replaced by former bassist Paul Gray. In 2018 the Damneds 11th record, Evil Spirits, was finally released. The album was recorded by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Morrissey) in New York, and was preceded by the lead single "Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow." The band toured in support, playing Europe, the U.K., and even a handful of North American dates, including a headlining appearance at uber-hip garage punk festival the Burger Boogaloo. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 47 Title: Damned Damned Damned Released: 1977-02-18 Tracks: 50 Duration: 2:18:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 2 Fan Club (02:56) 3 I Fall (02:06) 4 Born to Kill (02:36) 5 Stab Your Back (01:00) 6 Feel the Pain (03:37) 7 New Rose (02:43) 8 Fish (01:38) 9 See Her Tonite (02:29) 10 1 of the 2 (03:09) 11 So Messed Up (01:51) 12 I Feel Alright (04:26) 1 I Fall (demo June 1976) (02:56) 2 See Her Tonite (demo June 1976) (02:40) 3 Feel the Pain (demo June 1976) (05:11) 4 Help (01:43) 5 Stab Yor Back (Peel session 30-11-76) (00:59) 6 Neat Neat Neat (Peel session 30-11-76) (02:39) 7 New Rose (Peel session 30-11-76) (02:40) 8 So Messed Up (Peel session 30-11-76) (02:28) 9 I Fall (Peel session 30-11-76) (02:10) 10 Singalongascabies (Stiff b-side February 1977) (01:00) 11 Fan Club (Peel session 5-5-77) (03:03) 12 Feel the Pain (Peel session 5-5-77) (03:33) 13 Stretcher Case Baby (Peel session 5-5-77) (01:48) 14 Sick of Being Sick (Peel session 5-5-77) (02:29) 15 I Feel Alright (in concert 19-5-77) (04:49) 16 Born to Kill (in concert 19-5-77) (03:01) 17 Sick of Being Sick (in concert 19-5-77) (02:50) 18 Neat Neat Neat (in concert 19-5-77) (02:56) 19 Fan Club (in concert 19-5-77) (02:55) 20 Stretcher Case Baby (in concert 19-5-77) (02:26) 21 Help (in concert 19-5-77) (01:32) 22 Stab Yor Back (in concert 19-5-77) (01:02) 23 So Messed Up (in concert 19-5-77) (02:35) 24 New Rose (in concert 19-5-77) (03:26) 25 Stretcher Case Baby (Stiff single July 1977) (02:14) 26 Sick of Being Sick (Stiff single July 1977) (01:59) 1 1 of the 2 (03:41) 2 New Rose (02:57) 3 Alone (03:50) 4 Help (01:47) 5 Fan Club (03:01) 6 I Feel Alright (04:20) 7 Feel the Pain (04:46) 8 Fish (01:50) 9 Circles (04:42) 10 See Her Tonite (02:51) 11 I Fall (03:08) 12 So Messed Up (02:38) |
| Damned Damned Damned : Allmusic album Review : While the Sex Pistols will always have a prominent place in the story of U.K. punk, the Damned did nearly everything first, including the first single, the smoking "New Rose," and the first album, namely this stone classic of rock & roll fire. At just half an hour long, Damned Damned Damned is a permanent testimony to original guitarist Brian James songwriting (ten of the 12 tracks are his) and the bands take-no-prisoners aesthetic. Starting with Captain Sensibles sharp bassline for "Neat Neat Neat," which rapidly explodes into a full band thrash, the Damned left rhetoric for the theoreticians and political posing for the Clash. All the foursome wanted to do was rock, and that they do here. Dave Vanian already has his spooky-voiced theatrics down cold; "Feel the Pain" indulges his Alice Cooper fascination while the band creates some creepy fun behind him. Most of the time, hes yelping with the best of them, but with considerably more control than most of the eras shouters. Scabies considerable reputation as a drummer starts here; comparisons flew thick and fast to Keith Moon, and not just for on-stage antics (of which there were plenty). His sense of stop-start rhythm and fills is simply astounding, whether on "So Messed Up" or in his own one-minute goof, "Stab Yer Back." Though the Captain doesnt get his full chance to shine on bass, hes more than adequate, while James just cranks the amps and lets fly. Concluding with a version of the Stooges "I Feel Alright" that sounds hollower than the original but no less energetic, Damned Damned Damned is and remains rock at its messy, wonderful best. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 47 Title: Music for Pleasure Released: 1977-11-18 Tracks: 14 Duration: 39:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Problem Child (02:14) 2 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:13) 3 One Way Love (03:43) 4 Politics (02:25) 5 Stretcher Case (02:00) 6 Idiot Box (04:48) 7 You Take My Money (02:02) 8 Alone (03:34) 9 Your Eyes (02:50) 10 Creep (You Can’t Fool Me) (02:13) 11 You Know (05:01) 12 Help (01:43) 13 Sick of Being Sick (02:30) 14 Singalong a Scabies (01:01) |
| Music for Pleasure : Allmusic album Review : Produced, for numerous arcane reasons, by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, the second Damned album, Music for Pleasure, was considered a disaster at the time and led to their being dropped from Stiff and their first break-up. In retrospect, however, its quite a respectable punk artifact, though the Damned themselves rejected it and never performed any of its songs again. More a historical document than a great LP, Music for Pleasures highlights include "Politics," "Alone," "Your Eyes," and "Creep (You Cant Fool Me)." Theres some great Lol Coxhill sax wailing on "You Know," and Beatles completists will be interested in the bands cover of "Help." Not essential, but a good solid album for collectors of 70s punk. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 47 Title: Machine Gun Etiquette Released: 1979-11-02 Tracks: 16 Duration: 52:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (02:22) 2 Machine Gun Etiquette (01:48) 3 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:42) 4 Melody Lee (02:07) 5 Anti‐Pope (03:20) 6 These Hands (02:02) 7 Plan 9 Channel 7 (05:08) 8 Noise, Noise, Noise (03:10) 9 Looking at You (05:06) 10 Liar (02:44) 11 Smash It Up, Part I (01:59) 12 Smash It Up, Part II (02:53) 13 Ballroom Blitz (03:28) 14 Suicide (03:15) 15 Rabid (Over You) (03:39) 16 White Rabbit (extended version) (05:14) |
| Machine Gun Etiquette : Allmusic album Review : Rejoining forces without Brian James, who pursued his own interests from then on (only hooking up with the band again for a late-80s "farewell" show), the remaining three brought in young Saints veteran Ward on bass, recorded an album, and hoped for the best. That best proved much better than expected; while singles ended up on the charts, Machine Gun Etiquette itself was deservedly hailed as another classic from the band. Over time, its reputation has grown to equal the original Damned Damned Damned; while no less strong than that record, the Damned here bring in a wide variety of touches and influences to create a record that most of their contemporaries could never have approached. The groups wicked way around witty punk hadnt ebbed a bit; the opening cut, "Love Song," is a hilarious trashing of romantic clichés (sample lyric: "Ill be the rubbish, youll be the bin!") that barely lasts two minutes, while "Noise, Noise, Noise" and "Liar" work in the same general vein. These, however, only scratch the surface. "Melody Lee," written by the Captain for a favorite comic character, starts with a lovely piano intro, whereas the celebratory angst of "I Just Cant Be Happy Today" chugs along with garagey élan and keyboards á la the Electric Prunes. Other prime standouts include "Plan 9 Channel 7," a Grand Guignol of an epic about James Dean and Vampira with a fantastic Vanian vocal; the merry mayhem of "These Hands" (belonging to a killer circus clown, with appropriate carnival music, of course); and a great rip through the MC5s "Looking at You." The best moment was saved for last, though: "Smash It Up," a two-part number divided between an affecting instrumental tribute to longtime supporter and Captain hero Marc Bolan, and a perfect trash-the-rules-and-party pop/punk/R&B; scorcher. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 47 Title: The Black Album Released: 1980-10 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:18:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Wait for the Blackout (03:58) 2 Lively Arts (03:00) 3 Silly Kids Games (02:35) 4 Drinking About My Baby (03:03) 5 Twisted Nerve (04:39) 6 Hit or Miss (02:37) 7 Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (04:35) 8 Sick of This and That (01:49) 9 History of the World, Part 1 (03:46) 10 13th Floor Vendetta (05:05) 11 Therapy (06:12) 1 Curtain Call (17:19) 2 Love Song (live) (02:10) 3 Second Time Around (live) (01:51) 4 Smash It Up, Parts 1 & 2 (live) (04:24) 5 New Rose (live) (01:49) 6 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (live) (04:12) 7 Plan 9 Channel 7 (live) (04:58) |
| The Black Album : Allmusic album Review : The fact that one of its songs is called "Hit or Miss" is quite appropriate for the double-vinyl Black Album; while not perfect, its definitely got some high points on it. Given the intentionally parodic reference to the Beatles own two-disc sprawler, perhaps the semi-schizophrenia is perfectly intentional. Some of the numbers show the band following their original punk vein, but by this point the four (joined here by a new bassist, Paul Gray) were leaving straight, three-chord thrash to the cul-de-sac revivalists. The album begins with a Damned classic, "Wait for the Blackout," a dramatic psych/punk surge infected with Vanians glorious croon, celebrating the joys of the night while steering clear of overtly-serious goth affectations. After that, things start to vary, but tracks of note are still thick on the ground, including "Lively Arts," a nicely barbed take on culture with some harpsichord to match, and the goofy but still enjoyable "Drinking About My Baby." Regardless, things get a bit restful at points, and while Vanian often steps forward to continue carrying it along, sometimes even the band isnt happy with the results. "History of the World (Part One)" has always carried the credit "overproduced by Hans Zimmer" because they felt the guest synth player did just that! However, the final two studio tracks are doozies: "Therapy," a Sensible/Vanian-sung romp with a great chorus, and the sidelong "Curtain Call," perhaps the most unlikely thing the Damned ever did. That said, its still a surprisingly good blast, a tour de force for Vanian particularly and a chance for the band to try everything from straightforward rock to gentler atmospherics. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 47 Title: The Best of The Damned Released: 1981-11-13 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:03:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 New Rose (02:43) 2 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 3 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:09) 4 Love Song (02:03) 5 Smash It Up (02:52) 6 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:37) 7 White Rabbit (03:14) 8 History of the World, Part 1 (03:57) 9 Wait for the Blackout (03:57) 10 Lively Arts (03:07) 11 Looking at You (live) (05:55) 12 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (02:30) 13 Disco Man (03:18) 14 Billy Bad Breaks (03:17) 15 Dozen Girls (04:19) 16 Stranger on the Town (05:14) 17 Generals (03:24) 18 Thanks for the Night (03:58) |
 | Album: 6 of 47 Title: Strawberries Released: 1982-10-01 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Ignite (04:53) 2 Generals (03:24) 3 Stranger on the Town (05:14) 4 Dozen Girls (04:34) 5 The Dog (07:25) 6 Gun Fury (02:57) 7 Pleasure and the Pain (04:23) 8 Life Goes On (04:09) 9 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:29) 10 Under the Floor Again (05:29) 11 Don’t Bother Me (02:10) |
| Strawberries : Allmusic album Review : Recuperating a bit from The Black Albums uneven impact while still aiming to try whatever they want in studio, here the same four members, along with soon-to-be regular Roman Jugg on various keyboard parts, come up with their strongest album since Machine Gun Etiquette. By turns sprightly and cheerful, dark and dramatic, energetic and snarling, or all that and more at once, Strawberries defies usual expectations to be yet another good rock album from the band, resisting easy attempts to categorize it. Older punk fans would likely appreciate the albums initial blast of "Ignite," a driving thrasher with a fine chorus and some hilarious vamping in the end from Vanian. Immediately following is the superior "Generals," which beautifully combines piano and a crisp arrangement with Vanians powerfully smooth mode. From there, its almost a case of strength-to-strength as the album continues: the brass-driven "Stranger on the Town," sassy and sharp; the giddy keyboards and crunch of "Dozen Girls"; the gentler psych-pop experiments of "Gun Fury" and "The Pleasure and the Pain"; the Reagan-baiting "Bad Time for Bonzo"; and the bright beauty of "Under the Floor Again," at once mysterious and gorgeous with a particularly winning instrumental break merging some of Vanians most positive lyrics. Captain Sensible gets two fun moments for himself in the ruminative "Life Goes On" and the album-closing fun goof, "Dont Bother Me." Meanwhile, at the albums center is the darkest, most haunting thing the band ever recorded, "The Dog." Its an astonishingly effective chiller based on the character of Claudia from Anne Rices Interview with the Vampire. Cleopatras welcome 1993 re-release added five bonus tracks, including the Captains brief piano piece "Torture Me," which tackles the same subject as the Smiths "Meat Is Murder" but with arguably less hectoring and more affecting results. The 2005 Deluxe Edition includes three more extra cuts, including "Mines a Large One Landlord," "Rat vs the Omni" and "I Think Im Wonderful."] | ||
 | Album: 7 of 47 Title: Live Shepperton 1980 Released: 1982-11-26 Tracks: 10 Duration: 33:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (02:10) 2 Second Time Around (01:42) 3 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:56) 4 Melody Lee (02:07) 5 Help (01:28) 6 Neat Neat Neat (04:40) 7 Looking at You (05:49) 8 Smash It Up, Parts 1 & 2 (04:24) 9 New Rose (01:48) 10 Plan 9 Channel 7 (04:54) |
 | Album: 8 of 47 Title: Damned Damned Damned / Music for Pleasure Released: 1983-02 Tracks: 23 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Neat Neat Neat (?) 2 Fan Club (?) 3 I Fall (?) 4 Born to Kill (?) 5 Stab Yor Back (?) 6 Feel the Pain (?) 7 New Rose (?) 8 Fish (?) 9 See Her Tonite (?) 10 1 of the 2 (?) 11 So Messed Up (?) 12 I Feel Alright (?) 13 Problem Child (?) 14 Don’t Cry Wolf (?) 15 One Way Love (?) 16 Politics (?) 17 Stretcher Case (?) 18 Idiot Box (?) 19 You Take My Money (?) 20 Alone (?) 21 Your Eyes (?) 22 Creep (You Can’t Fool Me) (?) 23 You Know (?) |
 | Album: 9 of 47 Title: Damned But Not Forgotten Released: 1985 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dozen Girls (03:52) 2 Lovely Money (05:26) 3 I Think I’m Wonderful (03:09) 4 Disguise (03:30) 5 Take That (02:51) 6 Torture Me (01:29) 7 Disco Man (version) (03:26) 8 Thanks for the Night (version) (03:47) 9 Take Me Away (03:34) 10 Some Girls Are Ugly (03:29) 11 Nice Cup of Tea (03:08) 12 Billy Bad Breaks (instrumental version) (03:51) |
| Damned But Not Forgotten : Allmusic album Review : Damned But Not Forgotten, originally released on vinyl in 1985 but later expanded and remastered for digital reissue, is a handy summary of the Damneds early-80s albums, an unfairly overlooked period in the groups career. Between 1980 and 1984, the Damned were largely considered has-beens in the U.K., where Captain Sensibles jokey solo singles ("Wot" and "Happy Talk") were outselling his bandmates offerings, and theyd never penetrated the American consciousness to any great extent. (Even the hippest Americans entire exposure to the Damned in the 80s was seeing them perform a song on one episode of the cult U.K. comedy series The Young Ones during its MTV run.) The 12-track Damned But Not Forgotten makes a strong case for the bands brand of good-humored goth-touched punk rock, pitting Dave Vanians theatrical vocals against sloppy but engaging thrash ("I Think Im Wonderful"). While the Damneds best work remains their early sides for Stiff Records, Damned But Not Forgotten is a good second step for those who wish to explore further. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 47 Title: Phantasmagoria Released: 1985-07-15 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Street of Dreams (05:12) 2 Shadow of Love (03:47) 3 There’ll Come a Day (04:09) 4 Sanctum Sanctorum (06:21) 5 Eloise (05:06) 6 Is It a Dream (03:26) 7 Grimly Fiendish (03:43) 8 Edward the Bear (03:33) 9 The Eighth Day (03:42) 10 Trojans (04:44) |
| Phantasmagoria : Allmusic album Review : By the time the Damned found themselves on a major label after nine years of ups, downs, and all-arounds, a big change had taken place: Captain Sensible, with both his own solo successes and other pressures coming to bear, decided to depart. Keyboardist Roman Jugg took over the guitar, while Bryn Merrick remained on bass and Vanian and Scabies continued doing their thing. The first fruit of this new Damned, Phantasmagoria, doesnt match up to the excellent variety and performance level on Strawberries, but still has a lot to show while at the same time exploring new territory for the group. The cover and artwork seem to ally the Damned even more closely with goth rock than before, but Vanian thankfully has never seen fit to simply ape those clichés, steering his own powerful path. Similarly, the music can be moody but never without its own distinct energy and fire -- more a Cramps sense (if not sound) of loving the dark than anything, but with a clean, modern sheen and just enough Hammer horror. "Street of Dreams" makes for a powerful, anthemic opener, with some fine Scabies drumming. "Is It a Dream," the one song with a Sensible co-writing credit, is yet another fantastic Vanian vocal showcase in a career of many. The really killer tracks include "Shadow of Love," a semi-Morricone-style mood-out quick shuffle with haunting guitar from Jugg, and "Grimly Fiendish," a funny bit of spooky psychedelia not all that far off from where the Dukes of Stratosphear would end up a couple of years later. Phantasmagoria concludes with the surging instrumental "Trojans," a strong number that showed the Damned had lots of life in them yet. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 47 Title: Anything Released: 1986-12-05 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Anything (04:47) 2 Alone Again Or (03:38) 3 The Portrait (03:51) 4 Restless (04:58) 5 In Dulce Decorum (04:48) 6 Gigolo (06:04) 7 The Girl Goes Down (04:36) 8 Tightrope (04:23) 9 Psychomania (04:04) |
| Anything : Allmusic album Review : After Captain Sensible left the Damned in 1984 when his solo career took off with the freak success of his single "Happy Talk," Dave Vanian took over the creative reins of the group, and he began nudging their music in a direction that reflected his growing interest in the goth movement. The Damneds flirtation with goth led to them signing a major label deal for the first time and enjoying one of their biggest commercial successes with the 1985 album Phantasmagoria. But if that album found the Damned looking gingerly into a new direction, 1986s Anything was the sound of Vanian and company falling down a well; fans were probably savvy enough not to expect the Damned to sound like a straightforward punk band by this point, but most of Anything barely even qualifies as rock n roll. The solo keyboard piece "The Portrait" bears an unfortunate resemblance to Nigel Tufnels "Lick My Love Pump," "Restless" and "In Dulce Decorum" meander at length for all their thunder (and John Kellys echoing production makes everything thunders if its meant to or not), "Gigolo" suggests a failed merger of pop and prog rock, and "The Girl Goes Down" is a faintly ridiculous song that borrows from a number of vintage pop styles without distinction. Only "Psychomania" and the title cut generate anything approximating the energy of the Damneds best music, and its telling that easily the best song on the album is a cover, a reasonably faithful rendition of Loves "Alone Again Or." The Damned began to crumble after Anything, and the band broke up for a spell in 1989; somehow it all seemed fitting after releasing the worst original album in the groups catalog. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 47 Title: The Light at the End of the Tunnel Released: 1987-11-30 Tracks: 27 Duration: 1:47:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Feel Alright (04:24) 2 Anything (04:41) 3 Lovely Money (05:20) 4 Thanks for the Night (Rat mix) (03:55) 5 Plan 9 Channel 7 (05:06) 6 Grimly Fiendish (The Bad Trip mix) (05:11) 7 Stranger on the Town (05:13) 8 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 9 Alone Again Or (03:27) 10 Is It a Dream (03:20) 11 Smash It Up, Parts 1 & 2 (04:50) 12 Psychomania (04:03) 1 Ignite (04:51) 2 Help (01:37) 3 Rabid (Over You) (CD mix) (03:33) 4 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:41) 5 Problem Child (02:10) 6 Nasty (02:46) 7 Disco Man (03:15) 8 New Rose (02:43) 9 Love Song (02:03) 10 Feel the Pain (03:32) 11 The History of the World, Part 1 (03:54) 12 In Dulce Decorum (04:34) 13 Trojans (04:48) 14 Eloise (05:10) 15 Shadow of Love (06:34) |
| The Light at the End of the Tunnel : Allmusic album Review : Anyone expecting a fully organized compilation from this double-disc effort will be sorely disappointed; while the years for release dates are mentioned, the sources for many of the releases arent, leaving neophytes to the Damned a bit high and dry. Happily, an appreciative and detailed essay from one Herb Fenstein (more likely Chiswick label boss Roger Armstrong writing under a pseudonym, as he did in the liner notes to the CD version of Machine Gun Etiquette) helps. Even without the chronological organization, Light is still a great overview of the first ten years of the bands career, especially given the sheer amount of labels that theyd been on over the years (at least five, if not more!). The selection is, for the most part, quite on the money; while those who feel the group fell off dramatically with the Phantasmagoria and Anything albums will think them over-represented, its still definitely the Damned at their best from track to track. Early punk breakouts like "Neat Neat Neat" and "New Rose" as well as turn-of-the-80s standards such as "Plan 9 Channel 7," "Smash It Up," and "I Just Cant Be Happy Today" make a case for the bands early days. The Black Album is mostly ignored, but the sidelong "Curtain Call" thankfully is included, giving Vanian his well-deserved showcase. Later numbers like "Ignite," "Lovely Money," "Grimly Fiendish," and the smash single "Eloise" demonstrate that far from fading away, the Damned just found other ways to make their mark. Add to this a slew of rarities -- the studio cover of the Beatles "Help!," "Rabid (Over You)," "Disco Man," and some alternate mixes of other numbers -- and Light remains the best place for those new to the Damned to start. Comprehensive and perfectly entertaining all at once. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 47 Title: Best of Volume 1½: The Long Lost Weekend Released: 1988-05-19 Tracks: 15 Duration: 54:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Over the Top (03:18) 2 Ballroom Blitz (03:27) 3 White Rabbit (extended version) (05:07) 4 I Believe the Impossible (02:55) 5 Sugar & Spite (01:29) 6 Citadel (03:16) 7 Limit Club (04:17) 8 Nasty (03:39) 9 Disco Man (03:09) 10 Billy Bad Breaks (03:17) 11 Generals (03:23) 12 Ignite (04:52) 13 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:29) 14 Stranger on the Town (05:14) 15 Thanks for the Night (03:55) |
 | Album: 14 of 47 Title: The Peel Sessions Released: 1989 Tracks: 9 Duration: 21:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Stab Your Back (00:59) 2 Neat, Neat, Neat (02:39) 3 New Rose (02:43) 4 So Messed Up (02:28) 5 I Fall (02:12) 6 Sick of Being Sick (02:29) 7 Stretcher Case Baby (01:49) 8 Fan Club (02:54) 9 Feel the Pain (03:33) |
 | Album: 15 of 47 Title: The Worst of The Damned Released: 1990 Tracks: 20 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (?) 2 Smash It Up (?) 3 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (?) 4 History of the World, Part 1 (?) 5 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (?) 6 Wait for the Blackout (?) 7 Lively Arts (?) 8 Melody Lee (?) 9 Noise, Noise, Noise (?) 10 Looking at You (?) 11 New Rose (live) (?) 12 Help (live) (?) 13 Neat Neat Neat (live) (?) 14 Love Song (live) (?) 15 Lovely Money (?) 16 Dozen Girls (?) 17 Generals (?) 18 Bad Time for Bonzo (?) 19 I Think I’m Wonderful (?) 20 Disguise (?) |
 | Album: 16 of 47 Title: Chiswick Singles Released: 1990-02-21 Tracks: 14 Duration: 43:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (02:23) 2 Noise, Noise, Noise (03:24) 3 Suicide (03:17) 4 Smash It Up (02:53) 5 Burglar (03:34) 6 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:40) 7 Ballroom Blitz (03:28) 8 Turkey Song (01:32) 9 History of the World, Part 1 (03:44) 10 I Believe the Impossible (02:57) 11 Sugar & Spite (01:31) 12 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (02:28) 13 Hit or Miss (02:33) 14 Looking at You (live) (05:55) |
 | Album: 17 of 47 Title: Chiswick Years Released: 1990-05 Tracks: 17 Duration: 02:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (?) 2 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (02:47) 3 Melody Lee (?) 4 Noise, Noise, Noise (?) 5 Smash It Up, Part 1 (?) 6 Smash It Up, Part 2 (?) 7 Wait for the Blackout (?) 8 Lively Arts (?) 9 History of the World, Part 1 (?) 10 Plan 9 Channel 7 (?) 11 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (?) 12 Hit or Miss (?) 13 Looking at You (?) 14 Ballroom Blitz (?) 15 New Rose (live) (?) 16 Smash It Up, Parts 1 & 2 (live) (?) 17 Love Song (live) (?) |
 | Album: 18 of 47 Title: Super Best Collection Released: 1990-11-21 Tracks: 15 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 New Rose (live) (?) 2 Neat Neat Neat (live) (?) 3 Love Song (?) 4 Suicide (?) 5 Smash It Up (?) 6 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (?) 7 Looking at You (?) 8 Melody Lee (?) 9 History of the World, Part 1 (?) 10 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (?) 11 Hit or Miss (?) 12 Lovely Money (?) 13 Dozen Girls (?) 14 Generals (?) 15 Disguise (?) |
 | Album: 19 of 47 Title: The Collection Released: 1990-12-10 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:15:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ignite (04:53) 2 Generals (03:23) 3 Dozen Girls (04:35) 4 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:31) 5 Gun Fury (02:57) 6 Thanks for the Night (03:45) 7 History of the World, Part I (03:56) 8 Lively Arts (03:03) 9 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (02:27) 10 White Rabbit (03:14) 11 Melody Lee (02:06) 12 Lovely Money (05:21) 13 Disco Man (03:23) 14 I Think I’m Wonderful (03:04) 15 Help (live) (01:38) 16 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (live) (03:49) 17 Love Song (live) (02:04) 18 Neat Neat Neat (live) (03:15) 19 New Rose (live) (02:34) 20 Noise Noise Noise (live) (03:07) 21 Smash It Up (live) (04:51) 22 Wait for the Blackout (live) (04:22) |
| The Collection : Allmusic album Review : Seventy-five minutes of some of the...damnedest music of the late 1970s. The 22 songs here constitute some highlights of the groups early output, mostly for Chiswick, prior to their joining Bronze, including live versions of "Love Song," "New Rose," "Smash It Up," "Neat Neat Neat," and "I Just Cant Be Happy Today," an anarchic rendition of "Help," their slash-and-shred cover of "White Rabbit," and familiar original fare such as "Dozen Girls," "Bad Time for Bonzo," "Gun Fury," and "History of the World, Pt. 1." The sound is very good, and the collection is a handy one to have, although the notes are a little more stylishly written than informative. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 47 Title: Alternative Chartbusters Released: 1991 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Disco Man (?) 2 Thanks for the Night (?) 3 I Think I’m Wonderful (?) 4 Lovely Money (?) 5 Ignite (?) 6 Dozen Girls (?) 7 Bad Time for Bonzo (?) 8 Neat Neat Neat (live) (?) 9 Fan Club (live) (?) 10 I Feel Alright (live) (?) 11 Love Song (live) (?) 12 Smash It Up (live) (?) |
 | Album: 21 of 47 Title: Totally Damned Released: 1992-01 Tracks: 19 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Fun Factory (?) 2 Generals (?) 3 Stranger on the Town (?) 4 Gun Fury (?) 5 Born to Kill (live) (?) 6 I Fall (live) (?) 7 Fish (live) (?) 8 Help (live) (?) 9 New Rose (live) (?) 10 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (live) (?) 11 Wait for the Blackout (live) (?) 12 Noise Noise Noise (live) (?) 13 Looking at You (live) (?) 14 Disguise (?) 15 Take That (?) 16 Torture Me (?) 17 Take Me Away (?) 18 Some Girls Are Ugly (?) 19 Billy Bad Breaks (?) |
 | Album: 22 of 47 Title: MCA Singles A’s & B’s Released: 1992-08-10 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:19:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Grimly Fiendish (Spic n Span mix) (05:19) 2 Edward the Bear (single version) (03:54) 3 The Shadow of Love (Pressure mix) (05:35) 4 Nightshift (02:26) 5 Would You (02:48) 6 Is It a Dream (Wild West Express mix) (06:47) 7 Curtain Call (single version) (04:13) 8 Eloise (extended version) (07:46) 9 Beat Girl (02:21) 10 Temptation (04:11) 11 Anything (Another mix) (04:46) 12 The Year of the Jackal (05:50) 13 Gigolo (12 Remix version) (06:02) 14 The Portrait (extended version) (04:40) 15 Alone Again Or (Mixed Again) (06:28) 16 In Dulce Decorum (extended mix) (05:59) |
 | Album: 23 of 47 Title: Damned Busters Released: 1992-10 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Disco Man (?) 2 Thanks for the Night (?) 3 I Think I’m Wonderful (?) 4 Lovely Money (?) 5 Ignite (?) 6 Dozen Girls (?) 7 Bad Time for Bonzo (?) 8 Neat Neat Neat (live) (?) 9 Fan Club (live) (?) 10 I Feel Alright (live) (?) 11 Love Song (live) (?) 12 Smash It Up (live) (?) |
 | Album: 24 of 47 Title: Tales From The Damned Released: 1993 Tracks: 15 Duration: 44:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Burglar (03:40) 2 Disco Man (03:14) 3 The Limit Club (04:13) 4 Citadel (03:07) 5 Billy Bad Breaks (03:17) 6 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (02:51) 7 Looking at You (live) (05:52) 8 Anti-Pope (Fiddling About version) (03:17) 9 Teenage Dream (02:36) 10 I’m So Bored (01:17) 11 I Believe the Impossible (02:54) 12 Sugar and Spite (01:29) 13 Seagulls (01:32) 14 Over the Top (03:18) 15 Turkey Song (01:33) |
| Tales From The Damned : Allmusic album Review : The Damneds period on Ace/Chiswick Records in the late seventies and early eighties was one of the bands busiest, with a slew of EPs and side projects surfacing. Some tracks and B-sides were captured on the CD reissues of albums like Machine Gun Etiquette, but most remained out of print in the digital age until this fantastic collection surfaced. Commissioned for Cleopatra, Tales from the Damned is a detailed, thorough and fantastic sounding collection with fine liner notes to boot. Three cuts -- the hilarious rip into "Disco Man," an anti-holiday standard, "There Aint No Sanity Clause" and a live version of "Looking At You" -- had received the digital treatment before. Otherwise, it was lost classics -- and non-classics! -- ahoy. Starting with the great rough pop/punk gem "Burglar" -- with sore-throat vocals from either Captain Sensible or then-bassist Algy Ward -- Tales covers everything from a collaborative smash with Motorhead through that bands "Over the Top" to a surprisingly faithful cover of the Rolling Stones "Citadel." The humorous side of the band comes out on a lot of these cuts, whether its the semi-skit that concludes "Burglar," the intentionally moronic "Im So Bored," or the wonderfully profane "Anti-Pope," appearing in its rare violin-tinged alternate version. A fair number, though, are straightforward and all the better for it -the keyboard-touched, strong pop ballad "The Limit Club," one of Vanians best vocal showcases, the wonderful "Teenage Dream" and the moody instrumental "Seagulls," a chance for the band to relax in a calm, reflective way. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 47 Title: Sessions of The Damned Released: 1993-11 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:13:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Stab Your Back (01:01) 2 Neat Neat Neat (02:40) 3 New Rose (02:41) 4 So Messed Up (02:29) 5 I Fall (02:11) 6 Sick of Being Sick (02:30) 7 Stretcher Case Baby (01:49) 8 Fan Club (03:03) 9 Feel the Pain (03:34) 10 Melody Lee (02:29) 11 I’m a Burglar (03:29) 12 Love Song (02:20) 13 Looking at You (03:54) 14 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (04:41) 15 Smash It Up (04:02) 16 I’m Bored (02:23) 17 Curtain Call, Part 1 (10:25) 18 Therapy (05:01) 19 Is It a Dream? (03:26) 20 Nasty (03:00) 21 We Love You (02:34) 22 Thanks for the Night (04:04) |
| Sessions of The Damned : Allmusic album Review : Sessions of the Damned is another fine stick with which to beat those who inexplicably fail to recognize the utter brilliance of the 1976-1984 Damned. Not only were they one of the funniest, wildest, and most irreverent bands of the punk and post-punk epochs, but as Sessions reminds, they were, just behind the Sex Pistols, Clash, and Buzzcocks, the fourth best and most exciting band of the explosive 1976-1977 liftoff -- only to evolve into one of the most accomplished pop groups. Previously issued on Dutch East India, this major-distributed compilation of BBC radio sessions is as good a place as any to sample the Damneds ample red-hots. It is grossly evident that the "record and mix four songs in one day" dictates of John Peel sessions suited these talented madcaps like the swanky Halston dresses Sensible once donned: live-in-the-studio "smash ups" of punk touchstones like "New Rose," "Neat Neat Neat," "Love Song," and "Smash It Up" compare well to the familiar U.K. hit versions. And while it would be impossible to improve on the speeding-train energy and euphoria of 1979s Machine Gun Etiquette renditions, the formative December 1978 looks at "Melody Lee" and the MC5s sped-up "Looking at You" (the first recordings of the newly reformed group, with Sensible moving from bass to guitar) match them for electricity and magnetism. As well, the Brian James-era lineups "Sick of Being Sick" and "Stretcher Case Baby" are lesser-known classics of the form, filled with abandon and drummer Rat Scabies Keith Moon-ish hyper drumming. Zow! Then, to top it off, the final six of the 22 cuts reveal the more mature, measured, yet still punishing melodic guitar pop gems the group favored from 1980-1984, the period of The Black Album and just after the immortal swan song Strawberries. Fine singer Dave Vanian stretches out wonderfully from paranoid punk shouter to moody, disturbed crooner on his "Curtain Call" opus (a funeral parlor eerie epic), while Sensibles parting prize "Thanks for the Night" is hard to keep from singing along with. And, as an added historical bonus, one gets to hear a lovely early version of the beguiling "Is It a Dream" before Sensible bolted (taking the bands creative spark with him), and a sharp cover of the Rolling Stones psychedelic single "We Love You." | ||
 | Album: 26 of 47 Title: Eternally Damned: The Very Best of The Damned Released: 1994-05 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:06:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 2 New Rose (02:43) 3 Problem Child (02:14) 4 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:13) 5 Stretcher Case (02:15) 6 Sick of Being Sick (02:29) 7 Love Song (02:04) 8 Smash It Up (02:54) 9 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:34) 10 History of the World, Part 1 (03:58) 11 White Rabbit (03:14) 12 Disco Man (03:19) 13 Nasty (02:49) 14 There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (02:29) 15 The Shadow of Love (03:50) 16 Grimly Fiendish (03:51) 17 Eloise (05:08) 18 Is It a Dream (03:24) 19 Alone Again Or (03:42) 20 Gigolo (06:03) |
 | Album: 27 of 47 Title: Gun Fury Released: 1995 Tracks: 18 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Generals (?) 2 Dozen Girls (?) 3 Disguise (?) 4 Take That (?) 5 Torture Me (?) 6 Thanks for the Night (?) 7 Take Me Away (?) 8 Lovely Money (?) 9 Disco Man (?) 10 I Think I’m Wonderful (?) 11 Some Girls Are Ugly (?) 12 Nice Cup of Tea (?) 13 Billy Bad Breaks (?) 14 Ignite (?) 15 Stranger on the Town (?) 16 The Dog (?) 17 Gun Fury (?) 18 Pleasure and the Pain (?) |
 | Album: 28 of 47 Title: From the Beginning Released: 1995 Tracks: 15 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Thanks for the Night (?) 2 Lovely Money (?) 3 Dozen Girls (?) 4 I Think I’m Wonderful (?) 5 Take That (?) 6 The Last Time (?) 7 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (?) 8 Noise Noise Noise (?) 9 Love Song (?) 10 Smash It Up (?) 11 Help (?) 12 Generals (?) 13 Take Me Away (?) 14 Under the Floor Again (?) 15 Pleasure and the Pain (?) |
 | Album: 29 of 47 Title: Not of This Earth Released: 1995-11-08 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I Need a Life (03:20) 2 Testify (02:56) 3 Shut It (02:47) 4 Tailspin (04:12) 5 Not of This Earth (02:55) 6 Running Man (05:05) 7 My Desire (02:48) 8 Never Could Believe (04:57) 9 Heaven... Can Take Your Lies (03:49) 10 Shadow to Fall (03:02) 11 No More Tears (05:14) 12 Prokofiev (03:24) |
| Not of This Earth : Allmusic album Review : When Captain Sensible left the Damned in 1984 after five terrific albums, he took the heart and soul of the band with him, and for the most part, they only came back when he returned for numerous reunion tours. True, singer Dave Vanian and drummer Rat Scabies also wrote great songs on three 1979-1982 LPs, and they had enough talent left over to come up with one more very good album in 1985, Phantasmagoria. But 1986s Anything should have been titled Nothing, and the follow-up a decade later is equally disappointing, if only by Damned standards. In fact, there is much to like here, with the addition of the Godfathers guitarist Kris Dollimore and New Model Armys old bassist, Moose. But like Anything, the material recalls the bands 1984 60s-tribute LP as Naz Nomad & the Nightmares. Without Sensibles wild guitar playing, and most of all, his deft pop touches, this sounds nostalgic and trad where albums such as the sensational Strawberries were post-punk masterpieces. However, if you have no history as a Damned disciple, Not of This Earth is a perfectly solid LP, filled with catchy little numbers such as "I Need a Life" and "My Desire," which still show plenty of overrated indie types and alt-rockers a thing or two. Besides, Scabies is one of the best drummers of the last two decades, and Vanians familiar voice is a treat. But memories of much more inspired, unique work in the past casts at least a "Shadow to Fall" over this otherwise decent LP. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 47 Title: Neat Neat Neat Released: 1996 Tracks: 46 Duration: 2:14:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Feel Alright (live) (04:37) 2 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 3 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:11) 4 Born to Kill (02:35) 5 Alone (03:34) 6 Stab Yor Back (00:59) 7 Fish (01:38) 8 So Messed Up (live) (01:59) 9 1 of the 2 (03:09) 10 Your Eyes (02:50) 11 You Take My Money (live) (01:56) 12 Politics (02:24) 13 New Rose (live) (02:20) 14 Sick of Being Sick (02:30) 15 I Fall (02:05) 16 Fan Club (02:56) 17 Problem Child (02:13) 18 Creep (02:15) 1 New Rose (02:43) 2 One Way Love (03:44) 3 Fan Club (live) (02:46) 4 Singalonga Scabies (01:00) 5 You Take My Money (02:02) 6 You Know (05:01) 7 I Feel Alright (04:26) 8 Help (01:43) 9 See Her Tonite (02:29) 10 Born to Kill (live) (02:43) 11 Feel the Pain (03:37) 12 So Messed Up (01:51) 13 Stretcher Case Baby (02:14) 14 Creep (live) (02:00) 15 I Fall (live) (02:12) 16 Idiot Box (04:47) 17 Problem Child (live) (02:08) 1 Love Song (02:24) 2 Suicide (03:18) 3 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:41) 4 Plan 9 Channel 7 (05:07) 5 Rabid (Over You) (03:41) 6 Lively Arts (02:57) 7 History of the World, Part 1 (03:40) 8 Tailspin (04:13) 9 Testify (02:56) 10 I Need a Life (03:23) 11 No More Tears (05:13) |
 | Album: 31 of 47 Title: I’m Alright Jack and the Beanstalk Released: 1996-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Need a Life (03:20) 2 Testify (02:56) 3 Shut It (02:47) 4 Tailspin (04:12) 5 Not of This Earth (02:51) 6 Running Man (05:05) 7 My Desire (02:45) 8 Never Could Believe (04:53) 9 Heaven... Can Take Your Lies (03:49) 10 Shadow Fall (03:01) 11 No More Tears (05:14) 12 Prokofiev (03:24) |
 | Album: 32 of 47 Title: The Radio One Sessions Released: 1996-06 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:07:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Liar (04:01) 2 Plan 9 Channel 7 (05:05) 3 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (04:29) 4 Noise, Noise, Noise (02:51) 5 Drinking About My Baby (02:35) 6 Hit or Miss (02:42) 7 Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde (04:14) 8 Wait for the Blackout (03:48) 9 Lively Arts (02:15) 10 History of the World (03:44) 11 Stranger on the Town (04:28) 12 Limit Club (05:35) 13 Smash It Up (05:04) 14 Shadow of Love (04:07) 15 Is It a Dream? (03:39) 16 Street of Dreams (04:44) 17 There’ll Come a Day (03:38) |
| The Radio One Sessions : Allmusic album Review : Well, it had to happen -- with BBC tracks surfacing for the Beatles, the Yardbirds, etc., could the Damned be far behind? The performances here mix the perfection available in the studio with the reckless abandon of a concert -- or at least they do once the band got past their initial nervousness being in a BBC studio in the first place. The performances are, to sum up in a single word, magnificent; the group is at or near their best, and there are no complaints about the way the stuff was captured. Indeed, the version of "I Just Cant Be Happy Today" (with the intro, if examined closely, almost a parody of King Crimsons "21st Century Schizoid Man") features completely different lyrics from any other rendition the band ever issued. Other highlights include "Noise Noise Noise" and "Drinking About My Baby." The last four of these 17 tracks come from a 1985 appearance that dates from after the departure of Captain Sensible -- in some alternate universe, those same four songs (including a glorious, soaring "Shadow of Love") were probably done on the same date in exactly the same way they show up here, by Naz Nomad and the Nightmares. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 47 Title: The Chaos Years: Rare & Unreleased 1977–1982 Released: 1997 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (demo) (02:04) 2 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (demo) (04:39) 3 Thanks for the Night (03:30) 4 Nasty (02:51) 5 Do the Blitz (01:55) 6 Stab Yor Back (live 77) (00:59) 7 You Know (live 77) (05:57) 8 Idiot Box (live 77) (04:10) 9 Stranger on the Town (live 82) (04:59) 10 Happy Talk (live 82) (02:49) 11 Curtain Call (live 82) (10:02) 12 No Fun (live 79) (03:37) |
| The Chaos Years: Rare & Unreleased 1977–1982 : Allmusic album Review : The Chaos Years is a 12-track compilation of rarities and unreleased cuts the Damned recorded between 1977 and 1982, designed to appeal to hardcore Damned collectors. However, even die-hard fans may find the preponderance of live cuts dismaying, and demos of songs like "I Just Cant Be Happy Today" and "Love Song" offer no significant insight. Which means that The Chaos Years appeals only to completists, and not even to archivists. | ||
 | Album: 34 of 47 Title: Born to Kill Released: 1997-05 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:06:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thanks for the Night (03:45) 2 Billy Bad Breaks (03:52) 3 Disco Man (03:23) 4 I Think I’m Wonderful (03:06) 5 Lovely Money (05:22) 6 Some Girls Are Ugly (03:26) 7 Ignite (04:52) 8 Generals (03:24) 9 Dozen Girls (04:34) 10 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:29) 11 Gun Fury (02:57) 12 Fun Factory (03:59) 13 Neat Neat Neat (live) (03:23) 14 Fan Club (live) (02:46) 15 Wait for the Blackout (live) (04:24) 16 I Fall (live) (02:10) 17 Noise Noise Noise (live) (03:11) 18 The Last Time (live) (05:06) 1 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (live) (?) 2 Smash It Up (live) (04:23) 3 I Feel Alright (live) (06:15) 4 Love Song (live) (?) 5 In a Rut (live) (03:40) 6 Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde (live) (04:44) 7 Plan 9 Channel 7 (live) (05:11) 8 Teenage Dream (live) (02:26) 9 Problem Child (live) (02:10) 10 Born to Kill (live) (02:41) 11 Ballroom Blitz (03:27) 12 Stretcher Case Baby (live) (02:29) 13 Melody Lee (live) (02:25) 14 Suicide (live) (04:04) 15 Looking at You (live) (05:50) 16 New Rose (live) (02:04) 17 Ignite (live) (04:15) 18 Disco Man (live) (02:57) |
 | Album: 35 of 47 Title: Boxed Released: 1999-05-18 Tracks: 31 Duration: 1:56:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Need a Life (03:20) 2 Testify (02:56) 3 Shut It (02:47) 4 Tailspin (04:12) 5 Not of This Earth (02:55) 6 Running Man (05:05) 7 My Desire (02:48) 8 Never Could Believe (04:57) 9 Heaven... Can Take Your Lies (03:49) 10 Shadow to Fall (03:02) 11 No More Tears (05:14) 12 Prokofiev (03:24) 1 Testify (UK Subs mix) (02:19) 2 I Need a Life: Resurrected (Birmingham 6 mix) (04:40) 3 Shadow to Fall (Leæther Strip mix) (03:39) 4 Testify (Nosferatu Mix) (02:57) 5 No More Tears (Spahn Ranch mix) (03:58) 6 Shadow to Fall: Hypersensitive (Razed in Black mix) (03:00) 7 Looking at You (live 1985) (03:37) 1 Love Song (demo) (02:04) 2 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (demo) (04:39) 3 Thanks for the Night (03:30) 4 Nasty (02:51) 5 Do the Blitz (01:55) 6 Stab Yor Back (live 77) (00:59) 7 You Know (live 77) (05:57) 8 Idiot Box (live 77) (04:10) 9 Stranger on the Town (live 82) (04:59) 10 Happy Talk (live 82) (02:49) 11 Curtain Call (live 82) (10:02) 12 No Fun (live 79) (03:37) |
 | Album: 36 of 47 Title: The Super Best of The Damned Released: 1999-05-21 Tracks: 20 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Neat Neat Neat (?) 2 Fan Club (?) 3 Born to Kill (?) 4 I Fall (?) 5 Problem Child (?) 6 One Way Love (?) 7 Don’t Cry Wolf (?) 8 Alone (?) 9 Machine Gun Etiquette (?) 10 Love Song (?) 11 Plan 9 Channel 7 (?) 12 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (?) 13 Noise, Noise, Noise (?) 14 Wait for the Blackout (?) 15 Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (?) 16 Therapy (?) 17 History of the World, Part 1 (?) 18 Motordamm (?) 19 Looking at You (live) (?) 20 Help (live) (?) |
 | Album: 37 of 47 Title: The Best of The Damned: Marvellous Released: 1999-12 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Love Song (02:21) 2 Smash It Up (02:52) 3 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (radio edit) (02:48) 4 Ballroom Blitz (03:28) 5 White Rabbit (03:14) 6 Wait for the Blackout (04:00) 7 The History of the World, Part 1 (03:56) 8 Disco Man (03:18) 9 Therapy (06:12) 10 Looking at You (live) (05:54) |
 | Album: 38 of 47 Title: The Pleasure and the Pain Released: 2000-06-26 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:22:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lovely Money (05:23) 2 I Think I’m Wonderful (03:06) 3 Dozen Girls (04:21) 4 Take That (02:45) 5 Generals (03:26) 6 Disguise (03:26) 7 Stranger on the Town (05:15) 8 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:32) 9 Gun Fury (02:59) 10 The Pleasure and the Pain (04:25) 11 Disco Man (03:23) 12 Torture Me (01:22) 1 Nice Cup of Tea (03:08) 2 Take Me Away (03:32) 3 Thanks for the Night (03:45) 4 Fun Factory (03:58) 5 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (live) (03:59) 6 Love Song (live) (02:05) 7 Neat Neat Neat (live) (03:15) 8 New Rose (live) (02:34) 9 Noise Noise Noise (live) (03:06) 10 Smash It Up (live) (04:51) 11 Wait for the Blackout (live) (04:22) |
 | Album: 39 of 47 Title: Grave Disorder Released: 2001-08-21 Tracks: 13 Duration: 57:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Democracy? (03:22) 2 song.com (03:39) 3 Thrill Kill (05:37) 4 She (04:27) 5 Lookin for Action (04:04) 6 Would You Be So Hot (If You Weren’t Dead?) (04:13) 7 Absinthe (04:18) 8 Amen (07:55) 9 Neverland (03:31) 10 ’Til the End of Time (03:53) 11 Obscene (02:46) 12 W (05:06) 13 Beauty of the Beast (04:44) |
| Grave Disorder : Allmusic album Review : The first LP by The Damned with key member Captain Sensible in 19 years is as if two decades never passed. Time-traveling back to where Sensible and singer Dave Vanian left off, with 1980s sinewy, dark The Black Album and 1982s knockdown brilliant Strawberries, Grave Disorder recalls those composites of uniquely sophisticated post-punk psychedelic pop with gothic overtones and divine keyboards. Mind, Grave Disorder is not as stupendous as the amazing Strawberries, or the four LPs that preceded it. Rat Scabies replacement, Pinch, is capable, but Scabies is totally irreplaceable as a dynamic element. Similarly, Patricia Morrison (aka Pat Bag) cant match the nimble, speed-finger runs of long departed, vastly underrated bassist Paul Grey, who, like Scabies, also penned some of Strawberries most immortal songs. Lastly, the new songwriting isnt quite as astonishing, if of a high grade, and producer Matt Bianco has discernibly mismixed this comeback -- the drums are just a little too loud compared to the guitars and bass. So in truth, Grave Disorder was a grave disappointment over the first several plays. But given time, and loosening the vice-grip of Herculean memory, Grave Disorder unfolds as one of the years sleepers. The 2001 Damned hit every former style that once served them so well. "Absinthe" recalls Strawberries "The Dog," "Beauty of the Beast" is like The Black Albums epic one-song side-four, "Curtain Call," and the opening "Democracy" (the "Love Song" or "Ignite" of the LP) and especially "Lookin For Action" head all the way back to 1979s Machine Gun Etiquette. And hey, Captain Sensible remains one of the most inspired lead guitar players ever since he switched there from bass in 1979, wrapping every song in a gnarly string-bending revelry like his favorite 60s punk/garage/psych-pop classics. Meanwhile, Vanian himself, when not getting too camp, remains one of the coolest sounding vocalists when finally (finally!) given a strong melody and an engaging mood. His work on standouts such as "Thrill Kill," "Would You Be So Hot" (about the over-deification of John Lennon into mythic status), and "She" (a lurid, yet appreciative tribute to his missus, Ms. Morrison) are enough to rekindle our forgotten love affair with his Dracula-ness. They were a giant the original punk era, and then also the post-punk era. Theyre out of context now, but remain a deep pleasure. | ||
 | Album: 40 of 47 Title: Live Anthology Released: 2001-10-22 Tracks: 33 Duration: 2:04:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Fall (02:22) 2 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:32) 3 Plan 9 Channel 7 (05:05) 4 Smash It Up (04:32) 5 Drinking About My Baby (02:32) 6 Looking at You (07:12) 7 I Feel Alright (06:14) 8 Love Song (02:10) 9 Ballroom Blitz (03:59) 10 New Rose (01:54) 11 In a Rut (03:39) 12 Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (04:45) 13 Melody Lee (02:07) 14 Neat, Neat, Neat / New Rose (medley) (06:13) 15 Shakin’ All Over (04:32) 1 Ignite (05:35) 2 Disco Man (02:57) 3 Generals (03:16) 4 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:38) 5 Dozen Girls (03:58) 6 Love Song (02:13) 7 Smash It Up, Part 1 (03:34) 8 Smash It Up, Part 2 (03:51) 9 Looking at You (05:51) 10 New Rose (02:04) 11 Teenage Dream (02:29) 12 Stretcher Case (02:26) 13 Ballroom Blitz (04:44) 14 Problem Child (02:09) 15 Melody Lee (02:30) 16 Born to Kill (02:36) 17 Suicide (04:27) 18 Looking at You (05:36) |
| Live Anthology : Allmusic album Review : For die-hard the Damned lovers only, and even they should be disappointed in this shoddy package. The double-disc collection is poorly annotated (bandmembers arent even listed, nor exactly when and where the tracks were recorded), shabbily packaged, and has sound barely above bootleg quality. Disc one seems like the better part of a 1992 show, by which time the group had largely abandoned their punk past for a harder-edged goth approach. Oddly, though, the biggest hits from their later years, "Eloise" and "The Shadow of Love," are absent, replaced with sloppy, out-of-tune renderings of the Stooges "I Feel Alright" and a trashy, unfocused hard rock sound. A hardly adequate cover of Sweets "Ballroom Blitz" appears on both discs, as do hastily performed versions of "Melody Lee," "Looking at You," "New Rose," "Neat Neat Neat," and "Love Song" but neither are significantly different, or in fact particularly good. Dave Vanians shouted vocals -- when audible over the din -- are unintelligible as the group slogs through their catalog with such lumbering reckless abandon its almost impossible to tell the songs apart without referring to the track listing. Disc two splits between shows in 1992 and 1993 but the difference in below-par sonics is unnoticeable as both are tinny and sound like an audience member holding up a microphone recorded them. Anyone who wants to remember the Damned fondly as one of the longest lasting and musically diverse of the original British punk bands needs to stay far, far away from this live artifact that even established fans might find offensive. Its little more than a rip-off and should be avoided by all but the most rabid collectors. | ||
 | Album: 41 of 47 Title: Smash It Up: The Anthology 1976–1987 Released: 2002-05-13 Tracks: 35 Duration: 2:13:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 New Rose (02:45) 2 Help (01:43) 3 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 4 See Her Tonite (02:29) 5 Fan Club (02:56) 6 I Fall (02:06) 7 I Feel Alright (04:26) 8 Feel the Pain (03:37) 9 Stretcher Case Baby (02:16) 10 Problem Child (02:14) 11 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:13) 12 Your Eyes (02:50) 13 Creep (You Can’t Fool Me) (02:13) 14 Idiot Box (04:55) 15 Love Song (02:05) 16 Smash It Up, Part 1 (01:59) 17 Smash It Up, Part 2 (02:56) 18 Machine Gun Etiquette (01:51) 19 Melody Lee (02:08) 20 Plan9, Channel7 (05:13) 21 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:37) 1 The History of the World, Part 1 (04:00) 2 Wait for the Blackout (03:58) 3 Drinking About My Baby (03:04) 4 Silly Kids Games (02:39) 5 Curtain Call (17:17) 6 Lovely Money (05:26) 7 Dozen Girls (04:22) 8 Life Goes On (04:09) 9 Under the Floor Again (05:24) 10 Generals (03:27) 11 Grimly Fiendish (05:12) 12 Eloise (05:10) 13 Anything (04:44) 14 In Dulce Decorum (04:34) |
| Smash It Up: The Anthology 1976–1987 : Allmusic album Review : Of the first wave of British punk groups, the Damned got there first, and stuck around a lot longer than the vast majority of their peers, leaving behind a large and sometimes puzzling recorded legacy -- playing the bands first single ("New Rose") and their last ("In Dulce Decorum") back to back, youd be hard-pressed to guess that both tunes were credited to the same act. Smash It Up: The Anthology 1976-1987 is an ambitious two-CD set which attempts to present a coherent picture of the bands initial run over the course of two and a quarter hours, and for the most part it succeeds. Unlike the fine Damned retrospective The Light at the End of the Tunnel, Smash It Up was programmed chronologically, not thematically, and while the previous collection attempted to document a continuity in the bands music, Smash It Up instead portrays the group as constantly growing and evolving, mutating from speed-addled punk marauders into a surprisingly radio-friendly blend of pop, goth, and hard rock at journeys end. Smash It Up also has just about all the "hits" you could ask for, and while some of the lesser-known cuts on The Light at the End of the Tunnel added shadings to the picture, this collection not only serves the bands history quite well, but also the evolution of their profile in the world of music from upstarts to veterans of the pop charts. (One major gaffe, though: Is there anyone outside of the Damneds most rabid circle of fans who really wants to hear the 17-minute neo-psychedelic marathon "Curtain Call" ever again?) A thorough overview for beginners and a fine selection of fave cuts for fans, Smash It Up: The Anthology 1976-1987 does right by the Damned, a particularly nice thing for listeners in America, where much of their best work has received spotty distribution at best. | ||
 | Album: 42 of 47 Title: Punk Generation: Best of Oddities & Versions Released: 2004-02-17 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:05:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thanks for the Night (demo) (03:29) 2 Nasty (demo) (02:49) 3 Do the Blitz (demo) (01:53) 4 Shut It (02:44) 5 Testify (UK Subs mix) (02:18) 6 Stab Yor Back (live 77) (00:57) 7 You Know (live 77) (05:55) 8 Idiot Box (live 77) (04:05) 9 Smash It Up (live 85) (04:45) 10 New Rose (live 85) (03:01) 11 Disco Man (live 85) (03:46) 12 Shadow of Love (live 85) (03:59) 13 Wait for the Blackout (live 85) (03:37) 14 Grimly Fiendish (live 85) (04:02) 15 Lust for Life (live 85) (05:16) 16 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (live 85) (02:41) 17 Looking at You (live 85) (03:36) 18 Love Song (demo) (02:02) 19 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (demo) (04:38) |
| Punk Generation: Best of Oddities & Versions : Allmusic album Review : Along with the Sex Pistols, the Damned are definitely one of the most re-packaged bands of first-wave U.K. punk. It seems like every year, theres a new "harvest" of odds and ends Damned compilations, and the 2004 edition went by the title of Punk Generation: Best of Oddities & Versions. Comprised of 19 tracks (which frustratingly includes absolutely no track info), the set consists primarily of live versions -- which appear to have been sourced by a soundboard. And instead of focusing on uncommon tracks, the majority of Punk Generation is of Damned classics, including simply explosive readings of "Stab Your Back," "New Rose," and "Wait for the Blackout" (you can easily picture a group of young punks pogoing the night away to these tracks). That said, there is indeed an oddity or two, such as a cover of Iggy Pops "Lust for Life." Obviously, Punk Generation is aimed at the longtime Damned fanatic, but how many similarly themed compilations is one leather jacketed, mohawked human being expected to buy? | ||
 | Album: 43 of 47 Title: Neat Neat Neat: The Alternative Anthology Released: 2004-10-11 Tracks: 50 Duration: 2:42:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 New Rose (02:44) 2 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 3 Stab Yor Back (00:58) 4 Stretcher Case Baby (02:13) 5 Sick of Being Sick (01:59) 6 Fan Club (02:56) 7 Born to Kill (02:36) 8 Feel the Pain (03:37) 9 So Messed Up (01:51) 10 I Feel Alright (04:26) 11 Problem Child (02:13) 12 You Take My Money (01:59) 13 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:12) 14 One Way Love (03:43) 15 Your Eyes (02:50) 16 Politics (02:24) 17 Creep (02:14) 18 Alone (03:33) 1 Ignite (04:54) 2 Bad Time for Bonzo (03:31) 3 Disguise (03:26) 4 Under the Floor Again (05:15) 5 Generals (03:24) 6 Stranger on the Town (05:14) 7 Gun Fury (02:59) 8 Pleasure & The Pain (04:23) 9 Disco Man (03:22) 10 Lovely Money (05:21) 11 I Think I’m Wonderful (03:05) 12 Dozen Girls (04:35) 13 Thanks for the Night (03:43) 14 Take That (02:47) 15 Take Me Away (03:31) 16 Billy Bad Breaks (03:52) 1 Teenage Dream (02:31) 2 Ballroom Blitz (03:28) 3 Suicide (04:01) 4 I Fall (02:19) 5 Drinking About My Baby (02:33) 6 In a Rut (03:41) 7 Melody Lee (02:25) 8 Shakin’ All Over (04:35) 9 See Her Tonite (02:57) 10 Fish (01:45) 11 Help (01:59) 12 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (03:58) 13 Wait for the Blackout (04:23) 14 Noise Noise Noise (03:11) 15 Love Song (02:09) 16 Smash It Up (05:00) |
| Neat Neat Neat: The Alternative Anthology : Allmusic album Review : With countless Damned compilations issued over the years, what exactly differentiates 2004s Neat Neat Neat: The Alternative Anthology from the rest of the pack, you wonder? This three-disc set spotlights the Damneds earlier "punk" years on the first disc and their more melodic 80s era on the second, wrapping things up with a third disc of live material. Although it may never be actually proven that "New Rose" was the first-ever punk single (an honor it often gets tagged with), it still remains one hell of a punk classic, and kicks things off splendidly. And its followed up in quick succession with two other Damned gems, the title track and "Stab Your Back," all off the groups 1977 debut, Damned Damned Damned. The second disc doesnt exactly measure up to the early years (tracks such as "Stranger on the Town" sound as if the group was trying to mimic the Jam), while the third disc features live renditions of such latter-day favorites as "Wait for the Blackout." Neat Neat Neat: The Alternative Anthology covers all the bases, but as an introduction, newcomers may be better off with one of the groups single-disc "best-of" sets or the groups aforementioned stellar debut, Damned Damned Damned. | ||
 | Album: 44 of 47 Title: Play It at Your Sister Released: 2005-10-24 Tracks: 59 Duration: 2:43:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Fall (demo version) (02:57) 2 See Her Tonite (demo version) (02:41) 3 Feel the Pain (demo version) (05:14) 4 New Rose (02:43) 5 Help (01:43) 6 Stab Your Back (Peel session) (00:58) 7 Neat Neat Neat (Peel session) (02:38) 8 New Rose (Peel session) (02:41) 9 So Messed Up (Peel session) (02:28) 10 I Fall (Peel session) (02:10) 11 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 12 Stab Your Back (01:00) 13 Singalongscabies (01:01) 14 Fan Club (02:56) 15 I Fall (02:06) 16 Born to Kill (02:37) 17 Feel the Pain (03:38) 18 Fish (01:40) 19 See the Tonite (02:30) 20 1 of the 2 (03:09) 21 So Messed Up (01:52) 22 I Feel Alright (04:27) 23 Sick of Being Sick (02:30) 1 Fan Club (Peel session) (03:04) 2 Feel the Pain (Peel session) (03:34) 3 Stretcher Case Baby (Peel session) (01:48) 4 Sick of Being Sick (Peel session) (02:29) 5 I Feel Alright (live) (04:48) 6 Born to Kill (live) (03:02) 7 Sick of Being Sick (live) (02:50) 8 Neat Neat Neat (live) (02:55) 9 Fan Club (live) (03:00) 10 Stretcher Case Baby (live) (02:22) 11 Help (live) (01:34) 12 Stab Your Back (live) (01:00) 13 So Messed Up (live) (02:35) 14 New Rose (live) (03:24) 15 Problem Child (02:12) 16 You Take My Money (02:02) 17 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:13) 18 One Way Love (03:44) 19 Politics (02:25) 20 Stretcher Case Baby (02:00) 21 Idiot Box (04:48) 22 Alone (03:35) 23 Your Eyes (02:51) 24 Creep (You Can’t Fool Me) (02:13) 25 You Know (05:02) 1 Introduction (00:06) 2 One of the Two (03:47) 3 New Rose (02:44) 4 Equiment Failure / Help (03:16) 5 Fan Club (02:48) 6 1970 I Feel Alright (04:03) 7 Feel the Pain (04:56) 8 Fish (02:35) 9 See Her Tonite (03:03) 10 I Fall (03:26) 11 So Messed Up (02:06) |
| Play It at Your Sister : Allmusic album Review : Ray Burns, better known to nearly everyone as Captain Sensible, once said, "The Damned, much as I love them, were just hell-for-leather destruction merchants." However, the good Captain doesnt seem to appreciate that it was the Damneds glorious recklessness, especially in their early days, that made them so memorable -- while most of the first wave of British punk bands had some sociopolitical axe to grind or a fashion statement to make, the Damned just wanted to play fast, loud, and frantic, and nearly 30 years after they were recorded, the groups first single ("New Rose" b/w "Help") and first album (Damned Damned Damned) have worn far better than what most of their contemporaries were doing at the time. The Damneds earliest sides were issued by the then-fledgling Stiff Records, whose fondness for absurdity and good-natured scams made them worthy partners for the path-breaking punks, and Play It at Your Sister is a boxed set collection that features everything the Damned recorded during their 16 months as Stiff recording artists. Opening with three June 1976 demos and closing with the bands misbegotten second LP, Music for Pleasure, Play It at Your Sister documents the rise and fall of the Damned Version 1.0 as well as you could hope, including some stellar live material from two John Peel sessions and a May 1977 concert recorded for BBC Radio One. While the band got tighter and more muscular during the course of their tenure with Stiff, part of the charm of these recordings is that the band knew what they wanted to do right off the bat, and the speed-fueled attack of "New Rose" isnt especially different from the highlights of the Music for Pleasure sessions (though it doesnt take long to figure out that Nick Lowe was far better suited to produce the Damned than Nick Mason). The Damned split up for a short spell after Music for Pleasure landed with a thud, and even that seems to seems indicative of the bands way of doing things -- they came, they saw, they made a lot of noise, and when they began to think they were wearing out their welcome, they went away, only to come back when no one was expecting them, almost as a prank. In addition to the two discs of studio and BBC material, Play It at Your Sister includes a bonus disc featuring the Damneds set at the August 20, 1976, "First European Punk Rock Festival" in Mont de Marsan, France (lousy fidelity but tremendous historical importance, and no small amount of fun) and a glorious 130-page book featuring a detailed history of the band (as well as the rise of U.K. punk) along with lots and lots of pictures. The Damned kept making worthwhile records after their time with Stiff, and this is far from the definitive look at the bands career, but Play It at Your Sister is a superb record of what made them great right out of the box (no pun intended). | ||
 | Album: 45 of 47 Title: The Best of The Damned: Total Damnation Released: 2006-04-10 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:05:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 New Rose (02:46) 2 Help (01:43) 3 Neat Neat Neat (02:41) 4 Stab Yor Back (01:00) 5 Problem Child (02:14) 6 You Take My Money (02:02) 7 Don’t Cry Wolf (03:14) 8 One Way Love (03:43) 9 Disco Man (03:24) 10 Billy Bad Breaks (03:53) 11 Lovely Money (05:21) 12 Dozen Girls (04:36) 13 Take That (02:48) 14 Generals (03:26) 15 I Think I’m Wonderful (03:04) 16 Ignite (04:53) 17 Thanks for the Night (03:45) 18 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (live) (04:00) 19 Love Song (live) (02:10) 20 Smash It Up (live) (05:02) |
| The Best of The Damned: Total Damnation : Allmusic album Review : Perhaps it would have been better to have titled this 20-track "Some of the Best of the Damned." For the band really did have a long career -- even if you only count their British chart records, those appeared on a half-dozen different labels. Best of the Damned: Total Damnation concentrates almost wholly on the Stiff sides from the very beginning of their career, and some early-80s cuts, wholly ignoring their stops at both Chiswick Records (in the late 70s and early 80s) and MCA (for which they scored the bulk of their chart singles in the mid- to late 80s). Still, many -- particularly the punkiest of Damned fans -- would argue, with some justification, that the groups Stiff stuff is their most significant, both in terms of the Damneds career and punk music as a whole. And this CD does lead off with eight tracks from their Stiff singles, including not just the legendary A-sides that were among the first punk releases ever ("New Rose" and "Neat Neat Neat"), but also some B-sides that have never been too well exposed, like their cover of the Beatles "Help!" and the 57-second "Stab Your Back." The early-80s material that takes up the bulk of the rest of the disc isnt as feral, but is pretty listenable new wave-tinged punk nonetheless, including the instrumental "Billy Bad Breaks" (which sounds a little like a vocal-less, more garage Elvis Costello & the Attractions) and "Generals," which has a pop-friendly anthemic thrust. Note, however, that the versions of "I Just Cant Be Happy Today," "Love Song," and "Smash It Up" that close the CD are not the original studio ones from 1979 Chiswick singles, but live performances from a June 1988 concert. | ||
 | Album: 46 of 47 Title: So, Who’s Paranoid? Released: 2008-11-17 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:05:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 A Nation Fit for Heroes (03:56) 2 Under the Wheels (05:01) 3 Dr. Woofenstein (05:54) 4 Shallow Diamonds (03:33) 5 Since I Met You (04:06) 6 A Danger to Yourself (04:03) 7 Maid for Pleasure (04:33) 8 Perfect Sunday (04:41) 9 Nature’s Dark Passion (04:10) 10 Little Miss Disaster (04:22) 11 Just Hangin (03:57) 12 Nothing (03:40) 13 Dark Asteroid (14:01) |
| So, Who’s Paranoid? : Allmusic album Review : Seven years after Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible buried the hatchet and begin recording together again as the Damned with the album Grave Disorder, the Occasionally Dynamic Duo has returned with 2008s So, Whos Paranoid?, and how likely you are to enjoy this album has a lot to do with your perspective on this bands history. If you loved the Damned when they were "hell-for-leather destruction merchants" (as Sensible once put it) on albums like Damned Damned Damned or Machine Gun Etiquette, youre going to be disappointed; there is practically nothing on So, Whos Paranoid? that resembles punk rock as we know it, and instead of short, thrashy rock tunes powered by dirty sounding guitars and a speed-addled lunatic on drums, this is a slick and carefully crafted disc complete with keyboards, big guitar solos, and even the occasional appearance of strings and a choir. Then again, if latter-day Damned sets like Strawberries and Phantasmagoria were more to your liking, So, Whos Paranoid? will probably be your cup of tea; while the goth-influenced approach of those LPs has been muted, this is better-than-average pop-conscious Damned, with Vanians vocals in fine shape and recent additions Monty Oxymoron (keyboards), Stuart West (bass), and Pinch (drums) sounding tight and confident. But regardless which era of the Damned is your favorite, its hard to get past the fact that most of the songs on So, Whos Paranoid? arent up to the standards of this bands original run (unless you count the stuff on the disastrous Anything), and someone should have had the good sense to tell Captain Sensible that he isnt a guitar hero, and that the 14-minute pseudo-psychedelic number that closes out the set, "Dark Asteroid," is a serious mistake. In short: if you dig "New Rose" this wont move you, if "Grimly Fiendish" is your fave Damned tune you might find this entertaining, and either way youre a lot more likely to pull out your old Damned albums than spin So, Whos Paranoid? on a regular basis. | ||
 | Album: 47 of 47 Title: Evil Spirits Released: 2018-04-13 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow (04:15) 2 Devil in Disguise (04:32) 3 We’re So Nice (04:10) 4 Look Left (04:44) 5 Evil Spirits (03:55) 6 Shadow Evocation (04:12) 7 Sonar Deceit (04:15) 8 Procrastination (03:54) 9 Daily Liar (05:57) 10 I Don’t Care (03:18) |
| Evil Spirits : Allmusic album Review : One of the reasons the Damneds early work has dated better than many of their contemporaries from the first wave of U.K. punk was their disinclination to deal with the events of the day. While other groups wanted to sing about dole queues and a repressive government, the Damned wanted to smash things up and have fun doing it, rock & roll themes that have stood the test of time. So its just a bit surprising that 42 years into their career, the Damned seem to have developed an interest in the world around them. Released in 2018, Evil Spirits doesnt transform the Damned into Crass, but this sounds like the most socially conscious album the group has released to date. Here, the Damned sing about the precarious state of mankind ("Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow"), dangerous attitudes on all sides of the political spectrum ("Look Left"), the casual cynicism of the powers that be ("Were So Nice"), and corrupt forces at work in the media ("Daily Liar"). Dave Vanian doesnt exactly sound like hes mounting a soapbox on these tunes, but he sounds sincere and his polished but forceful instrument remains strong, while Captain Sensibles guitar work is both skillful and sharp. As one might expect at this point in the Damneds career, Evil Spirits is far more pop than punk, but its a catchier set of tunes than 2008s disappointing So, Whos Paranoid?, and the slicker and more goth-leaning elements at play are somewhat tempered by the garage rock leanings of Monty Oxymorons keyboards and the R&B-influenced; bass work of Paul Gray. And producer Tony Visconti keeps this sounding like a first-class exercise in contemporary record-making without squeezing all of the life out of it. Hardly a late-career masterpiece, Evil Spirits at least shows that the Damned are still smart and witty while paying attention to the global chaos of the era of Brexit and Trump, and they havent lost their touch in the recording studio. | ||