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Damned Damned Damned

Morton | Colorado | 04/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Damned-Damned Damned Damned ****1/2



Damned Damned Damned was one of the very first punk albums to be released and it was the first by a British group, as well as one of the very best from the first wave of punk, even though Britains first wave was technically the second wave. Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies went down as sort of the Mick and Keith of the punk movement, and this album is really why.



The Ramones influenced opener 'Neat, Neat, Neat' showed us what we were in for while 'New Rose' knocked us on our can and taught us that the Damned were gonna take no prisoners. 'Stab You In The Back' was basically the template for all 1980's hardcore punk, and the albums closer 'I Feel Alright' is probably the best closer on a punk album.



Damned Damned Damned was the Damned's first album and certainly their best. They would go on to make some great records along the way but none that could even attempt to stand up to the likes of this. This is a classic not only from the band but from the genre as well and one that should be in every one's collection. If you like rock n' roll you'll love this."

The first British punk album from the band with the first pu

dfle3 | Australia | 09/13/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
According to 'traditional' definitions of "punk", The Damned are the first British punk act to release a single, then an album. They followed the USA's Ramones, and Australian punk band The Saints, I think. I've reviewed all these bands on this site recently. Interestingly, I found out about The Damned being first to get signed and released in the U.K via reading a recently published interview with Joey Ramone in a recentish edition of Classic Rock magazine...the one with the cover on the alternative history of heavy metal. Good to hear that factoid from Joey. Annoyingly, he took credit for every single punk banded which came out afterwards. In the case of British acts, there is some justification for that, but in the case of The Saints, I think it is clear that they would have released their debut album in exactly the same way, even if the Ramones had never made a record. In other words, Joey was claiming to much for his band.



Anyway, that aside, The Damned' debut album strikes me as being solid, with a laddish, pub sounding punk rock aesthetic. The album has interesting drumming, and some 50s style influence rock'n'roll, as far as the guitar and solos go. Alternatively, the Ramones struck me as having a motown kind of sound to them, if you get me. The edition of this cd which I recently bought has an excellent biography of the band which you can get by unfolding the cover art. It also goes into how the songs were ordered on the master tape, which was different to how they eventually ended up being ordered. For those interested in that, the current track listing was in the following order on the master tape: 1,3,8,4,5,6,7,2,9,11,10 and 12.



Here's my thoughts on the album's tracks...didn't think that they had any classic tracks, but the album was solid. From memory of my code, I think that the songs I liked first time around the most were:





(but first, my pick as this album's best track):





1 of the 2 - an interesting sounding song, as far as the vocal delivery and beat goes. Drumming is good in this song. The track has some 'pops' in it and the lead guitar sounds staticky.





The next best:





Feel the pain - a slower tempo song, with an experimental sound. Guitar picks notes. Has a menacing tone to the lyrics...think Nick Cave, perhaps. The bass guitar sounds nice near the end.



New rose - the first punk single released in Britain by a homegrown act. Has a nice drum tone to it for the intro. Punk guitar sound and has a good lick to it as well. An energetic song. Did hear a 'pop' sound about one second from the end of this track.



See her tonite - a high tempo song, with fast fretwork on the guitar. I like the emphatic strumming on this track. Track does sound a bit staticky.



I feel alright - I like the beefy, choppy riff in this song, as well as the drum outro. Sound brings to mind bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who. Has laddish vocals. Another staticky sounding track.







The best of the rest (songs that grabbed me more second time around):





Fan club - has some creaky sounding guitars, a drum fill intro and a slower tempo. The lead guitar sounds nicely melodic...sort of surf rock, maybe? Two lead guitars feature, I think. Features the interesting lyric "The dream I show for you is my nightmare"...from memory The Sex Pistol's "Anarchy in the U.K" expresses a similar sentiment.



I fall - a rock'n'roll track, with a good 1950's style guitar solo, I think (when I say "rock'n'roll", I mean rock music from the 1950s).







The rest:





Neat neat neat - good, bassy sound; rock'n'roll style lead guitar, with a shrieky vocal opening for the track.



Born to kill - rock'n'roll type song, with fuzzy guitar sound. Bass noticeable. Singer sounds American on this song.



Stab your back - the intro has features a synthesiser, which sounded disco to me! Guitars sound punk though. The title lyrics are repeated a lot in this song. . An aggro sounding song, with lots of multiple laddish chants. This track also has a 'pop' about one second before it ends.



Fish - has a fuzzy boogie riff to it. Bass noticeable. Nice guitar solo in it.



So messed up - a rowdy song, with a bit of a nasty vibe to the lyrics. E.g. "I would rather f_k her mum". The guitar sounds nice and clangy on this song.





In conclusion, this is a solid punk album.





Recommendations from this time period:





Ramones: Ramones



The Saints: (I'm) Stranded



Radio Birdman: Radios appear (Radio Birdman were contemporary with The Saints in Australia)



Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers: L.A.M.F"

This is actually MEET THE BEATLES!

acquavinyl | Monterey, CA. | 02/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK! All I ever hear about is how this is the 1st punk record with the 1st punk single.

BLAH! Doesn't anybody realize that this is a clone of MEET THE BEATLES?

I actually thought that before I knew that they covered "HELP!" as the B-side of New Rose and etched in the run-out grooves was "Damned Beatles".

Even before the liner notes to "Play It At You Sister" Stiff 3 CD Box Set compared them right off the bat to The Beatles. Dave was George, Captain was Paul, Rat was Ringo, Brain was John.

It mostly rocked hard with one surprise ballad and a rocking ballad and a big closer.

I Feel Alright was kinda like All My Loving.

Even the cover with their name in block letters at the top and the four head shots are in a similar vein.



Hey, Dave is married to Particia Morrison....now I'm jealous and sick of being sick with jealousy.



They never really topped this but did come very close with about 10-15 other studio albums and that's a great accomplishment if you ask me



God Bless The Damned



"