Best Of The Damned, The - Damned (The) > Reviews > FIRST LOVE NEVER DIES....

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Originality, tunes and character
Disadvantages:	Sadly underrated !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

..and my first and all time love is original punk band The Damned! I've been a devotee for about 22 years and have seen them live over 30 times during that long relationship - I never tire of them.

This category is intended for a "Best of" album but seeing as there are a multitude of them, both studio and live, as this is non-specific, I am going to concentrate more on giving a general picture of the band.

Starting back in the heady punk days of 1976 they released the first punk single (no, it wasn't the Sex Pistols!), "New Rose" in late 1976 and it has remained my all-time favourite track for many many years for it's pure burst of in-your-face energy, melody, power and style.

The classic Damned line-up of Dave Vanian (vocals), Captain Sensible (guitar), Rat Scabies (drums) and Brian James (bass) has changed many times over their career and seen numerous band members come and go with each era of their music. As I speak the only original members remaining are Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible.

Over the years they have matured and changed style but never quite left their roots behind and still have a loyal, devoted (and aging!) following as well as picking up younger generations along the way. Their live act is a real thriller for all.

Indeed their latest album, "Grave Disorder" sees more of a return to their punk roots but does not fore-go the inclusion of melody, good song construction and those wonderful Vanian vocals.

Their lyrics have always been interesting, thoughtful and/or amusing and cover every emotion in the spectrum - humour, anger, love, pity, you name it - it's all in their somewhere.

Their many classic studio albums include (in chronological order) "Damned Damned Damned", "Music for Pleasure", "Machine Gun Etiquette", "The Black album", "Strawberries", "Phantasmagoria", "Anything" and "Grave Disorder". As well as these there are also too many "Best of" compilations to mention as well as the numerous live albums. Indeed The Damned have changed record labels so many times it can be somewhat hard to keep a track of all the compilations and live albums be they official or otherwise!

My favourite album is "Machine Gun Etiquette" (1979) featuring some of their better known songs such as "Smash it up", "Love Song" and "I just can't be Happy Today" - a true classic album of the punk genre. Going back to the subject of "Best of" albums the aforementioned tracks feature heavily in most of the quality compilations as well as there later, less punky work from the mid 1980s onwards.

For some reason in the mid to late 1980s they picked up the gothic crowd which I never quite understood other than it being down to Vanian's classic gothic vampire look! To me they were, are and will always be an old punk band! However, to anyone unfamiliar with their work, don't be put off by the punk tag if that's not your thing, their material spans much more than that, especially in later albums. With clever use of keyboards, backing vocals and layering they create some melodic masterpieces.

Do give them a listen, you might just discover a new love!

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*unpaid opinion, done for love not money!!!!!