Wonderland Burlesque's
Down The Rabbit Hole:
The Damned
Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.
Today, we take a look at the history and musical output of one of the UK's most beloved groups, the highly-influential The Damned.
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From Wikipedia:
Having played in a number of bands in previous years, the band members eventually found each other. Auditions for the lead vocalist were scheduled with Sid Vicious and Dave Vanian. Vicious failed to show, so Vanian got the gig.
The Damned played their first show on July 6, 1976, supporting the Sex Pistols at the 100 Club. They would later be placed on a the Sex Pistols package tour along with the Clash and Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers. Unfortunately of the 20 dates scheduled only seven took place due to promoter's fear of violence and vandalism. Not that it mattered; prior to the end of the tour, The Damned were kicked off the bill by Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren.
They served as the opening act on T. Rex's final tour with Marc Bolan and then toured the US. Author Ian Winwood wrote, "In terms of placing boots on the ground, it's The Damned who can be credited as having had the most influence on American punk rock."
Nick Mason of Pink Floyd produced the band's second album, 1978's Music For Pleasure. The music press dismissed the album immediately as too polished which led to the band's departure from Stiff Records. Scabies was also displeased with the album and quit the band after the recording. He was replaced by future Culture Club drummer Jon Moss, who played with The Damned until they dissolved in February 1978.
It was at this time the group's sound and look became associated with the burgeoning Goth movement. From the earliest days of the band, Vanian had adopted a vampire-like appearance onstage, with chalk-white makeup and formal dress. With Sensible gone, the group as a whole adopted the look and their sound took on a more brooding demeanor.
Albums and singles followed in 1985 and 1986, marking the group's most economically-successful period. During this time, they enjoyed seven Top 40 hits in the UK, which included their biggest hit, a non-album single, a cover version of the 1968 hit by Barry Ryan, Eloise (#3). However, Phantasmagoria's December 1986 follow-up album, Anything was deemed a commercial failure (despite spinning off three Top 40 singles in the UK). And although the band was in the studio working on a new album, that music would never see the light of day as their contract with MCA was effectively dissolved.
From that point on, original members would reunite briefly for the occasional gig or live recording. But essentially, the group remained on an extended hiatus until 2005. They would come back together in 2008 to release a new album and would tour continually from that point on. 2018 and 2023 also saw new albums featuring new material. As of this writing, the band remains a viable musical entity.
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New Rose - The Damned
Love Song - The Damned
Smash It Up Pt. I & II - The Damned
Grimly Fiendish - The Damned
The Shadow Of Love - The Damned
Is It A Dream (Hold Tight) - The Damned
Eloise - The Damned
Anything - The Damned
