Search - The Damned :: Final Damnation

THE WAITING IS OVER

An admirer of Arthur Guinness | 10/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I pre-ordered this album as soon as I knew it was going to be released at Amazon . For years I owned the VHS tape of this concert , which was a last get-together-and-play show from The Damned . That tape got lost and until now I couldn't find the CD . This is not the best Damned CD , especially because it was recorded long after they heyday was gone , but it is nevertheless a great album and a great show . The boys were older in '88 , but never lost their irreverence and corrosive sense of humor .Played before an eager audience in the summer of '88 in London , "Final Damnation" is a testimony of the extraordinary energy of one of the best punk bands ever . The show kicks off in typical Damned fashion , when Captain Sensible almost gets hit by a beer bottle as soon as he shows up on stage : " Obnoxious ! You're supposed to drink it , not throw it " he says to the beer-thrower fan , just before the first chords of "See her tonite" start pulsing . After that it's a Damned night : introducing "Neat neat neat" Capt. Sensible asks the crowd " Is this Live Aid ? " and then solemnly states "We're doing this show because we love you people" , at this point Rat Scabies says "No , we're doing it for the money" and the crowd follows them . You can't hear it on the CD , but on the VHS tape you could see the Captain pointing at Rat Scabies and telling the unrested crowd " We have a superstar lineup just for you . Here's George Michael on the drums" .Later on the show they play a vertiginous version of Lennon & McCartney's "Help" , and then play "New rose" which was their first recording , as a matter of fact THE first punk single ever recorded , October 22nd 1976 , as the inside cover accurately states , 4 full weeks before the Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" created chaos in the musical world .Songs nos. 10 & 11 are my personal favorites : " I just can't be happy today " and " Wait for the blackout " , both musically strong enough to wake up a dead bear , but with a Doors-touch that makes them superior pieces . The clever use of keyboards certainly helps .Towards the end of the show they go back to stripped-down , high-speed songs such as "Noise noise noise" and "Smash it up" , and finish off in a very appropriate manner , playing "The last time" . Not a lot more to say : get the CD and a case of beer and play it as loud as you can , with or without company . Long Live The Damned ! It's Final Damnation indeed !"