The Damned, now left behind
as one of the Grandfathers of punk rock,
come out of the wood work and prove that
they can still show the new boys on the
block a trick or two.
The Damned have always been at the fun
end of punk rock, never giving a marbles
for what other people think. Probably
why now, with all members in their forties,
they keep on rocking away unconcerned
about their previous youth only policy.
Even the first punks “The Who” had to
change their most famous line from “I
hope I die before I get old” to “I hope
I die before I feel old”.
The world would be a much grimmer place
without the mad panto punk of The Damned.
This dog still has very fond memories
of The Damned supporting Marc Bolan &
T. Rex, and watching a smashed out of
his mind Captain Sensible pouncing about
the Newcastle City hall stage in a bright
turquoise dress whilst shredding the song
“New Rose” with his guitar at full volume.
It’s these kinds of memories that stay
with you for life.
And it’s precisely that spirit of the
absurd that is captured here on The Damned’s
fine new collection of up tempo raucous
anthems, ironically released on Dexter
Hollands very own label. (The fact being
that Dexter’s band Offspring covered The
Damned’s brilliant “Smash It Up” some
years back).
So, what you have here is 13 fabulous
cuts all featuring what you would expect
from The Damned, speed, melody, aggression,
attitude by the bucket load, a belly full
of laughs. We mustn’t forget David Vanian’s
preoccupation with all things about B
movie horror, gothic and ghoulish, although
all with tongue firmly planted in the
side of his cheek. As a good sample of
this check out his evil crooning on the
spine chilling song “Thrill Kill”.
The Damned have always been the sort of
boys who would enjoy Pattaya, so I think
it would be only fair if Pattaya enjoyed
The Damned. But don’t take them to be
a nostalgia act especially within their
ear shot or you could end up hurt or at
least at the end of one of Captain Sensible’s
cunning little pranks.
So better break out the Tequilas and Snake
Bites because The Damned are back. “Grave
Disorder” is definitely Neat Neat Neat.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
