The Damned is an English punk-rock/psych band from London that released two albums on Stiff Records in 1977. They split in early 1978 but reformed later that year with a revised lineup in which original bassist Captain Sensible switched to guitar, opening the door to a succession of bassists. In 1979, the band released Machine Gun Etiquette on Chiswick Records, followed in 1980 by the triple-sided studio release The Black Album. Three further albums followed between 1982 and 1986 on Bronze and MCA, after which the band focused more on merchandising and live shows.

Members: Dave Vanian (vocals, theremin), Brian James (guitar, 1976-78, 1989-91), Captain Sensible (bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals, 1976-84, 1989-92, 1996-present), Rat Scabies (drums, 1976-77, 1978-96), Lu Edmonds [aka Lu] (guitar, 1977-78), Jon Moss (drums, 1977-78), Alasdair Ward [aka Algy Ward] (bass, 1978-79), Paul Gray (bass, 1980-83, 1989-92, 1996, 2017-present), Bryn Merrick (bass, 1983-89), Roman Jugg (organ, synthesizer, guitar, 1983-89)

Background

The Damned assembled in the spring of 1976 from the remnants of two rehearsal bands: London SS and Masters of the Backside. Guitarist Brian James hailed from London SS, where he played alongside future members of The Clash and Generation X. For a brief time, London SS included drummer Rat Scabies (aka Chris Millar), who soon drifted to Masters of the Backside with singer Dave Vanian (aka Dave Lett), bassist Captain Sensible (aka Ray Burns), and American guitarist/singer Chrissie Hynde.

Masters of the Backside formed under the guidance of Sex Pistols manager Malcom McLaren, who owned the Kings Road punk boutique SEX, which employed Hynde as a model/clerk. McLaren believed the Pistols would have their greatest possible impact if they could spearhead a music/fashion wave of like-minded acts. As the nucleus of The Clash took hold within London SS, James drifted to the MotB camp, which renamed itself The Damned (a name briefly considered that spring by another rising local act, Ultravox, who performed a song titled “The Wild, the Beautiful, and the Damned”). Hynde left the band (later to surface as the frontwoman of The Pretenders) and McLaren associate Andy Czezowski took over as their manager.

The Damned played their first proper concert at London’s 100 Club on July 6, 1976, as an opening act for the Pistols. On August 21, The Damned played the First European Punk Rock Festival in Mont de Marsan in Southwest France. Other acts who performed at the event included Eddie and the Hot Rods, Pink Fairies, Roogalator, and the Tyla Gang. Despite a tour-bus scuffle with singer Nick Lowe, they befriended the ex-Brinsley Schwarz frontman, whose just-released “Heart of the City” (the b-side to “So It Goes”) embodied the new raw/fast sound.

On September 21, The Damned played the second night of the 100 Club Punk Special. Their performance took place between sets by fellow up-and-comers The Vibrators and the Buzzcocks.

That fall, The Damned signed with indie upstart Stiff Records and recorded their first single, “New Rose.” The single appeared on October 22, 1976, beating the vinyl debut of rivals The Sex Pistols by five weeks. Its b-side is a sped-up cover of The Beatles “Help.” They cut both sides at Pathway Studios in Islington with Lowe, who earned his first production credit months beforehand on Howlin Wind, the debut album by Graham Parker & The Rumour.

1977

Damned Damned Damned

The Damned released their debut album, Damned Damned Damned, on February 18, 1977, on Stiff Records. It features their debut single “New Rose” and ten numbers from their first-year set list, including the live favorites “Born to Kill,” “Fan Club,” “See Her Tonight,” and the second Damned single “Neat Neat Neat.”

Guitarist Brian James wrote the eleven originals apart from the two shortest songs: “Fish” (a Tony James co-write from the London SS days) and drummer Rat Scabies’ 63-second “Stab Yor Back.” The album closes with “I Feel Alright,” an update of “1970” by The Stooges.

Musically, Damned Damned Damned adheres to the breakneck punk style apart from the mid-tempo “Fan Club” and the slow, spine-tingling “Feel the Pain,” a hammer-horror showcase for singer Dave Vanian.

A1. “Neat Neat Neat” (2:46)
A2. “Fan Club” (3:00)
A3. “I Fall” (2:08)
A4. “Born to Kill” (2:37)
A5. “Stab Yor Back” (1:03)
A6. “Feel the Pain” (3:37)

B1. “New Rose” (2:44)
B2. “Fish” (1:38)
B3. “See Her Tonite” (2:29)
B4. “1 of the 2” (3:10)
B5. “So Messed Up” (1:55)
B6. “I Feel Alright” (4:26) originated as “1970,” the Side Two opening jam on Fun House, the 1970 second album by The Stooges.

Sessions for the album (“New Rose” excepted) spanned ten days between December 1976 and January 1977 at Pathway, where Nick Lowe produced The Damned amid work with Elvis Costello on My Aim Is True, the singer’s debut album. Pathway soundman Barry “Bazza” Farmer engineered Damned Damned Damned ahead of his production debut on “Fall Out,” the debut single by The Police.

Fashion photographer Peter “Kodick” Gravelle organized the pie-faced cover photo, which captures the clustered foursome in a cream-pasted moment. The Damned were not forewarned of Kodick’s plan.

Stiff, in one of its trademark off-handed promotional moves, pressed initial copies of Damned Damned Damned with a photo of Eddie and the Hot Rods (singed to Island Records) on the back cover with an erratum sticker to “apologize for any inconvenience caused.” On subsequent pressings, the back cover shows a live pic of The Damned captured at The Roxy. In the UK, the album appeared in shrink-wrap with a large sticker with “Damned Damned” in ‘pie-spattered’ bold red letters, which amended the full title to the yellow nameplate on the cover.

Stiff lifted “Neat Neat Neat” as the second Damned single, backed with “Stab Yor Back” and the non-album “Singalongascabies.”

“Stretcher Case Baby”

On July 3, 1977, the Damned released “Stretcher Case Baby,” a new Scabies–James a-side backed with the James exclusive “Sick of Being Sick.”

The Damned cut both sides on May 19 at Roundhouse Studios studios with American producer Shel Talmy, a soundman on classic mid-sixties singles by The Who, The Kinks, and The Creation.

Stiff pressed the single in a limited 5,000-copy run as a giveaway for attendees of the band’s first anniversary concerts at the Marquee Club. A small number were given away to fan club members and 250 were awarded to NME crossword-puzzle winners.

Music for Pleasure

The Damned released their second album, Music for Pleasure, on November 18, 1977, on Stiff Records. It features a re-recording of their summer single “Stretcher Case Baby” (titled “Stretcher Case”), one of two songs guitarist Brian James co-wrote with drummer Rat Scabies, who also co-authored the album’s second single “Problem Child.”

Music for Pleasure continues the punk style of Damned Damned Damned on select cuts (“Politics” “Creep (You Can’t Fool Me)”) and also embraces melodic hard rock (“Don’t Cry Wolf”) and heavy metal (“Alone”). Singer Dave Vanian co-wrote “Your Eyes,” a stab at sixties-style freakbeat. James plays slide guitar on “One Way Love.”

Each side ends with a five-minute jam: “Idiot Box” and “You Know,” both based on repetitive riffs with extended semi-improvised outros. The former marks the songwriting debut of bassist Captain Sensible, who co-authored “Idiot Box” with Scabies. “You Know” features guest saxophonist Lol Coxhill, a figure on London’s free-jazz scene and an associate of Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, who produced Music for Pleasure in a rare soundboard credit.

Music for Pleasure is the second of two Damned albums with original guitarist–songwriter Brian James and their only release with rhythm guitarist Lu, who briefly expanded the band to a five-piece.

A1. “Problem Child” (2:13)
A2. “Don’t Cry Wolf” (3:15)
A3. “One Way Love” (3:44)
A4. “Politics” (2:26)
A5. “Stretcher Case” (1:52)
A6. “Idiot Box” (5:00)

B1. “You Take My Money” (2:04)
B2. “Alone” (3:37)
B3. “Your Eyes” (2:53)
B4. “Creep (You Can’t Fool Me)” (2:12)
B5. “You Know” (5:05)

Sessions occurred in August 1977 at London’s Britannia Row Studios, a facility opened by Pink Floyd in 1975 and used for 1976–77 albums by Michael Mantler (The Hapless Child) and Floyd (Animals). Mason produced Music for Pleasure after Floyd wrapped the US leg of its In the Flesh tour.

Music for Pleasure is Mason’s seventh production credits after titles by Stomu Yamash’ta (Floating Music), Gong (Shamal), and two albums each by Principal Edwards Magic Theatre and Robert Wyatt. The Damned partnered with Mason after an unsuccessful attempt to contact Syd Barrett, Floyd’s long-reclusive original frontman. Mason’s drawn-out methods clashed with The Damned, who expected a speedy process with single takes.

Animals soundman Brian Humphries engineered Music for Pleasure with Nick Griffiths, who engineered the Britannia Row sessions for the 1977 Passport release The Intergalactic Touring Band, recorded by an all-star supergroup.

Music for Pleasure features a multi-colored abstract doodle by illustrator Barney Bubbles, whose visuals also appear on albums by Hawkwind, Quintessence, and the 1977 single “Your Generation” by Generation X. Stiff–UA photographer Chris Gabrin captured The Damned in zoomed monochrome double-vision (back cover) and blurred movement (inner-sleeve). Gabrin’s photography appears on concurrent sleeves for Elvis Costello (“Less Than Zero”) and The Stranglers (“Grip” / “London Lady”).

The Damned preceded Music for Pleasure with a second advance single, “Problem Child,” released on September 28, 1977 (b/w “You Take My Money”).

A second single, “Don’t Cry Wolf,” followed the album on December 11, 1977 (b/w “One Way Love”).

1978–1979

In early 1978, tensions between guitarist Brian James and the rest of the band came to a head. Though James wrote the bulk of their material and managed their business affairs, his increasingly autocratic role clashed with the irreverent energy of Vanian, Sensible, and Scabies. Following a contentious Australian tour and a lackluster UK reception for Music for Pleasure, The Damned disbanded in February 1978.

After the split, drummer Rat Scabies briefly formed a short-lived Damned offshoot called Les Punks, which played only a single show. Sensible and Scabies soon parted ways with James, who assembled a one-off band to support Music for Pleasure at a handful of French and Belgian shows in March 1978 before retreating into the London underground. James would later resurface in Tanz Der Youth and other post-punk circles.

Meanwhile, drummer Jon Moss (ex-London) filled in with the remaining Damned lineup for one final performance at The Roundhouse in April 1978. Moss and second guitarist Lu Edmonds (who played on the Australian tour) went on to form The Edge, a London art-punk band with ex-Jade Warrior bassist Glyn Havard. The Edge issued three 1978/79 singles and backed Jane Aire on her self-titled Virgin album as The Belvederes. Their lone LP, Square 1, appeared in 1980 on Hurricane Records; members later surfaced in Culture Club, Public Image Ltd., The Mekons, and A Tent.

Captain Sensible, who switched from bass to guitar in the waning days of The Damned, launched a new band in mid-1978 with keyboardist Henry Badowski (formerly of Chelsea). They gigged under the name King (not to be confused with the later Paul King outfit) with ex-Radio Stars bassist Martin Gordon. On July 20, 1978, King recorded a Peel session that featured early versions of “Antipope” (later rerecorded by The Damned on Machine Gun Etiquette) and “Baby, Sign Here With Me,” which Badowski would revisit on his 1980 solo LP Life Is a Grand….

Elsewhere, Dave Vanian briefly joined glam-punk art rockers Doctors of Madness for a string of UK and European shows in mid-1978. He had long admired the group’s theatrical style and had a close friendship with frontman Richard Strange, who served as best man at Vanian’s 1977 wedding. Vanian’s stint with the Doctors allowed him to hone his gothic persona while staying visible during The Damned’s hiatus.

By late 1978, Vanian, Sensible, and Scabies regrouped under the provisional name The Doomed. Badowski initially joined on keyboards but departed before they reverted to their original moniker. After cycling through a few short-term bassists, the reconstituted Damned solidified in early 1979 with the arrival of ex-Saints bassist Algy Ward, kicking off a new phase with fresh energy and independence.

“Love Song”

In April 1979, the Damned released “Love Song,” a comeback rocker backed with “Suicide” and “Noise Noise Noise” — all group compositions.

“Noise Noise Noise” features backing vocals by Doomed temp Henry Badowski and Clash members Joe Strummer and Topper Headon.

A. “Love Song”
B1. “Noise, Noise, Noise”
B2. “Suicide”

“Love Song” peaked at No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1979 and earned the band their debut performance on Top of the Pops on May 10, 1979.

The Top of the Pops performance—aired via mime—showcases the band miming enthusiastically behind stylised painted panels featuring their faces. They inject cheeky energy: Dave Vanian engages the camera with cool detachment, while Sensible bounces around with exaggerated stage moves, playing up to the pop audience vibe

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned released their third album, Machine Gun Etiquette, on November 2, 1979, on Chiswick Records.

The album contains twelve tracks group-written songs, including the pre-released sides “Love Song” and “Noise Noise Noise.”

Captain Sensible handles guitars and backing vocals; he also plays keyboards, bass on “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” and “Smash It Up,” and mandolin on “Turkey Song.” Drummer Rat Scabies takes the lead on “Burglar.” Bassist Algy Ward plays second guitar on select tracks. Clash bassist Paul Simonon performs hand‑claps on the title track.

A1. “Love Song” (2:22)
A2. “Machine Gun Etiquette” (1:48)
A3. “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” (3:35)
A4. “Melody Lee” (2:02)
A5. “Anti Pope” (3:12)
A6. “These Hands” (2:05)

B1. “Plan 9 Channel 7” (5:03)
B2. “Noise, Noise, Noise” (3:09)
B3. “Looking at You” (5:01)
B4. “Liar” (2:39)
B5. “Smash It Up (Part 1)” (1:56)
B6. “Smash It Up (Part 2)” (2:50)

Sessions occurred March–May and July–August 1979 at various London studios — Sound Suite, Wessex, Workhouse, Utopia, SGS, Chalk Farm — produced by The Damned alongside Roger Armstrong; Ed Hollis handled production on three tracks. Engineers included Alvin Clarke, Mike Shipley, Gary Edwards, Jeremy Green, Rik Watton, Damian Korner, G. H. Wallis..

The sleeve features design by Phil Smee, front‑cover photography by Alan Ballard, additional photos by Mick Young, inner‑sleeve drawings by Captain Sensible, and Phil Smee artwork.

“Smash It Up” preceded Machine Gun Etiquette as the second advance single, backed with the non-album “Burglar.” The track hit No. 35 on the UK Singles Chart. BBC Radio 1 reportedly boycotted it over its anarchic lyrics, which is likely why it peaked outside the Top 20.

B. “Burglar”

An official promotional video, directed by Martin Baker, opens with band members imposing angular poses in fragmented lighting that cuts in time with the intro riff. It intersperses rapid-fire shots of the group smashing up instruments near the video’s climax.

They also performed “Smash It Up” live on The Old Grey Whistle Test on November 6, 1979. That stage appearance ended with guitar and amp destruction — ratcheting up the track’s punk-theatrical credentials and underscoring its role as a closing act anthem.

Chiswick lifted “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” as the album’s third single, backed with two exclusives: “Turkey Song” and the Sweet cover “Ballroom Blitz,” the latter with Motorhead bassist/singer Lemmy Kilmister.

B. “Turkey Song”

On TOGWT, they performed in a dimly lit setting, with earnest delivery of the moody verses. As the track builds, the look intensifies—end-stage wreckage on Whistle Test culminated in the finale, where they destroyed the drum kit and microphone stands .

Machine Gun Etiquette peaked at No. 31 on the UK Albums Chart.

1980–1981

Following the Machine Gun Etiquette tour, bassist Algy Ward departed the Damned in early 1980 due to growing tensions within the band. He soon formed the New Wave of British Heavy Metal trio Tank, where he took on both bass and lead vocal duties. Tank earned cult status with their gritty, Motörhead-influenced sound, debuting with Filth Hounds of Hades in 1982.

The Damned recruited Paul Gray, formerly of Eddie & the Hot Rods, to replace Ward. Gray brought a more melodic sensibility and tight musicianship that helped shape the expansive sound of The Black Album and the band’s evolving direction through the early 1980s.

“White Rabbit”

In 1980, the Damned released a cover of the Jefferson Airplane classic “White Rabbit,” backed with the exclusive originals “Rabid (Over You)” and “Seagulls.” Chiswick limited this release to France and Germany. “Rabid” features synth by ex-Slapp Happy musician Anthony Moore.

A. “White Rabbit” (Jefferson Airplane cover)

B1. “Rabid (Over You)” – is a sci‑fi‐themed track.
B2. “Seagulls” – is an atmospheric instrumental.

The single advanced only to test pressing in the UK before being cancelled — but it did appear in France and Germany.

The Black Album

The Damned released their fourth album, The Black Album, on November 3, 1980, on Chiswick Records.

The album contains twelve studio tracks written by Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Paul Gray, plus one co-written with Billy Karloff (“Wait for the Blackout”) and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” co-written with Giovanni Dadomo. Side Three features the 17-minute “Curtain Call.” Side Four includes six live tracks recorded at Shepperton Studios on July 26, 1980.

Sensible plays electric/acoustic guitars and keyboards. Drummer Scabies provides rhythm guitar and backing vocals on “Drinking About My Baby.” Buggles auxiliary Hans Zimmer plays synth on “History of the World Part 1.”

A1. “Wait for the Blackout” (3:56)
A2. “Lively Arts” (3:01)
A3. “Silly Kid’s Games” (2:35)
A4. “Drinking About My Baby” (3:03)
A5. “Twisted Nerve” (4:40)
A6. “Hit or Miss” (2:37)

B1. “Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde” (4:35)
B2. “Sick of This and That” (1:50)
B3. “The History of the World (Part 1)” (3:46)
B4. “13th Floor Vendetta” (5:05)
B5. “Therapy” (6:13)

C. “Curtain Call” (17:19)

D1. “Love Song” (Live) (2:10)
D2. “Second Time Around” (Live) (1:52)
D3. “Smash It Up Parts 1 and 2” (Live) (4:24)
D4. “New Rose” (Live) (1:50)
D5. “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” (Live) (4:12)
D6. “Plan 9 Channel 7” (Live) (4:59)

Sessions occurred in May–June 1980 at Rockfield Studios and July 26 at Shepperton Studios. The band self-produced three sides as “Kings of Reverb”; Hans Zimmer produced “The History of the World (Part 1).” Hugh Jones served as principal engineer.

The sleeve initially came out as a gatefold double‑LP; in 1982 it was repackaged as a single‑LP with a black cover echoing The Beatles’ White Album, omitting the third and fourth side; the full version was later restored on CD in 1986 and a 2005 deluxe edition .

Chiswick issued “The History of the World (Part 1)” in September 1980 as the album’s lead single, backed with the non-album tracks “I Believe the Impossible” and “Sugar and Spite.”

B1. “I Believe the Impossible”
B2. “Sugar and Spite”

The single reached No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart. In promotional appearances, the band leaned into the song’s gothic textures, contrasting its moody tone with sharp attire and brooding camera work. No official video was produced, but mimed TV appearances circulated in Europe.

On February 13, 1981, The Damned lifted “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” as their first US-targeted single. The track was unaccompanied by a commercial B-side, though promotional 7″ editions were circulated to college and alternative radio stations. It received modest rotation on American underground and college FM outlets.

The Black Album reached No. 29 on the UK Albums Chart, the band’s highest to that date. The Damned pulled two further singles from the album over the next two years.

On May 6, 1982, Big Beat Records lifted “Wait for the Blackout” as a late-period single, backed with a cover of “Jet Boy Jet Girl.” Originally recorded by Elton Motello (aka Alan Ward, a former bandmate of James in Bastard), the song was contemporaneously made famous via Plastic Bertrand’s French-language version, “Ça plane pour moi.”

B. “Jet Boy Jet Girl”

Though modest in chart impact, the pairing drew attention for its provocative roots and the Damned’s glam-punk interpretation. A promotional clip was produced, featuring stylised black-and-white performance shots intercut with archival glam imagery. The video played sporadically on UK rock video programmes.

The Damned issued “Lively Arts” as a single on October 10, 1982, backed with a live version of “Teenage Dream.” Expanded 10″ and 12″ versions included the brief non-album track “I’m So Bored.”

B1. “Teenage Dream” (Live)
B2. “I’m So Bored” (1:17)

This single marked the final Chiswick-related release from the Black Album sessions. The band shot no official video, but the track became a live staple, especially in their European tour setlists that autumn.

“There Ain’t No Sanity Clause”

On November 24, 1980, the Damned released “There Ain’t No Sanity Clause,” a Yuletide spoof backed with the Black Album track “Hit or Miss” and the MC5 cover “Looking at You.”

A. “There Ain’t No Sanity Clause”
B1. “Looking at You” (MC5 cover)
B2. “Hit or Miss”

The A-side—a play on the Groucho Marx line “there ain’t no Sanity Claus”—juxtaposes Christmas imagery with punk sarcasm. Despite promotional effort, including a mime performance on Get Set for Summer, it failed to chart. The 12″ version added “Looking at You,” a holdover from the Machine Gun Etiquette sessions.

Friday 13th

On November 13, 1981, the Damned released Friday 13th, a four-song EP with three new originals — “Disco Man” (3:20) “Limit Club” (4:15) “Billy Bad Breaks” (3:53) — and a cover of the psychedelic Rolling Stones number “Citadel.”

A1. “Disco Man” (3:20)
A2. “Limit Club” (4:15)
B1. “Billy Bad Breaks” (3:53)
B2. “Citadel” is a Rolling Stones deep-cut from their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.

“Disco Man” became a fan favorite, mixing gothic textures with scathing satire. Friday 13th signaled a stylistic turn toward psychedelia and mod revival, previewing the sonic direction of their next album.

1982–1983

During this period, Captain Sensible launched a parallel solo career. In spring 1982, he scored a UK No. 1 hit with a synthpop cover of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Happy Talk,” backed by the Softies (featuring Dolly Mixture). He followed this with further solo chart hits, including “Wot” and “Glad It’s All Over.”

“Lovely Money”

On June 18, 1982, the Damned released “Lovely Money,” a standalone single backed with “I Think I’m Wonderful” and a disco mix of the A-side.

A. “Lovely Money” – features narration by Vivian Stanshall (of Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band fame) and explores consumerism and corruption in a satirical tone.

B1. “I Think I’m Wonderful”
B2. “Lovely Money (Disco Mix)”

The 12″ version added a rhythm-heavy remix suited for alt-disco DJs. Though it received BBC airplay, it missed the charts.

Strawberries

The Damned released their fifth album, Strawberries, in October 1982 on Bronze Records.

The album combines punk, psych-pop, and gothic textures across eleven originals and one cover (“Ignite”). Guitarist Captain Sensible also plays keyboards and shares vocals with Vanian. Paul Gray remained on bass, with Rat Scabies on drums.

A1. “Ignite” (2:56)
A2. “Generals” (3:25)
A3. “Stranger on the Town” (5:06)
A4. “Dozen Girls” (4:21)
A5. “The Dog” (3:08)
A6. “Gun Fury (Of Riot Forces)” (1:57)

B1. “Pleasure and the Pain” (3:11)
B2. “Life Goes On” (4:05)
B3. “Bad Time for Bonzo” (3:29)
B4. “Under the Floor Again” (5:20)
B5. “Don’t Bother Me” (2:15)

Sessions took place at Rockfield Studios with production by The Damned and engineering by Hugh Jones and Tony Mansfield. Robert Fripp of King Crimson dropped in on the Strawberries sessions and collaborated with The Damned on one track, “Fun Factory,” but it remained unreleased until the album’s 1990 CD reissue.

“Dozen Girls” appeared in advance of Strawberries on September 17, 1982, backed with three short, irreverent non-album tracks.

B1. “Take That” (2:48)
B2. “Mine’s a Large One Landlord” (1:16)
B3. “Torture Me” (1:26)

“Generals” followed on November 25, backed with two additional tracks. The “Generals” single featured a military satire theme, while “Citadel Zombies” continued the band’s interest in Stones-esque psychedelia.

B1. “Disguise”
B2. “Citadel Zombies”

Strawberries reached No. 15 on the UK Indie Albums Chart.

Following Strawberries, bassist Paul Gray left The Damned to join UFO. He was replaced by Bryn Merrick of Cardiff band Victimize. At the same time, keyboardist Roman Jugg—who had guested on Strawberries—joined full-time.

1984–1985

By summer 1984, Sensible departed The Damned to focus on his solo career full-time. His post-Damned work included five solo albums across the 1980s and ’90s, collaborations with Robyn Hitchcock and Martin Newell, and a brief return to politics in the early 2000s via his satirical Blah! Party. He would eventually return to The Damned in 1996.

“Thanks for the Night”

In May 1984, the Damned released the standalone single “Thanks for the Night,” their final recording with Sensible, backed with the exclusive “Nasty.” The 12″ contains a third track, “Do the Blitz.”

B1. “Nasty”
B2. “Do the Blitz”

“Nasty” was composed for the band’s appearance on the Young Ones episode of the same name, where they performed the track live in-character. This cross-media moment captured their ongoing cultural relevance in the mid-’80s.

Phantasmagoria

The Damned released their sixth album, Phantasmagoria, in July 1985 on MCA Records.

Recorded with producer Jon Kelly, the album marked a stylistic pivot into gothic rock, with lush keyboards and cinematic atmospheres replacing much of the group’s earlier punk aggression.

Phantasmagoria was their first full-length without Captain Sensible and their first with bassist Bryn Merrick and keyboardist Roman Jugg in expanded roles. Dave Vanian took a more central creative lead, emphasizing dramatic baritone vocals and Victorian horror aesthetics

.The Damned group-wrote Phantasmagoria apart from two tracks with outside contributors: “Is It a Dream?” credits former member Captain Sensible, and “Grimly Fiendish” was co-written with a fifth writer credited as Doctor.

A1. “Street of Dreams” (5:30)
A2. “Shadow of Love” (4:07)
A3. “There’ll Come a Day” (4:15)
A4. “Sanctum Sanctorum” (6:21)

B1. “Is It a Dream?” (3:30)
B2. “Grimly Fiendish” (3:48)
B3. “Edward the Bear” (3:45)
B4. “Eighth Day” (3:34)
B5. “Trojans” (4:50)

The Damned recorded Phantasmagoria between January and May 1985 at Eel Pie Studios in Twickenham and AIR Studios in London. They self-produced the album with Jon Kelly, who had recently worked with Kate Bush (Hounds of Love) and The Boomtown Rats (In the Long Grass). The sessions marked a clear shift toward a gothic, cinematic soundscape — pairing Roman Jugg’s textured keyboard arrangements with Dave Vanian’s deepened vocal presence. Engineering duties were handled by Stuart Bruce (Eel Pie) and John Hudson (AIR).

Jon Kelly’s lush production helped position Phantasmagoria as the band’s most sonically expansive release to date, drawing critical comparisons to gothic contemporaries such as The Cure and Sisters of Mercy, while maintaining their theatrical edge.

The Damned previewed Phantasmagoria with the advance single “Grimly Fiendish,” a carnival-goth number driven by pipe organ keys and a macabre nursery-rhyme hook. It charted at No. 21 in the UK — their first Top 30 hit since “Love Song.”

B. “Edward the Bear”

The B-side, “Edward the Bear,” is an instrumental mood piece with whimsical, fairground-esque keyboard lines reminiscent of a darkened music box. It showcases Jugg’s growing role as a sonic architect within the band.

The promotional video, directed by Tim Pope, features the group in oversized children’s clothing as they wreak havoc in a toyshop. Vanian appears as a crooked Victorian puppet master, underscoring the song’s twisted whimsy.

Released on June 10, 1985, “The Shadow of Love” continued the album’s gothic tone with reverb-heavy vocals and cathedral-style keyboards. It climbed to No. 25 in the UK and solidified Vanian’s transformation into a goth icon.

B. “Nightshift”

The B-side, “Nightshift,” is a nocturnal synth-rocker built on a menacing bassline and haunted-house effects, with Vanian narrating a descent into the city’s underworld.

12″ editions feature the “Ten Inches of Hell Mix,” an extended cut with a lengthy intro, added sound effects, and breakdown sections that heighten its atmospheric drama.

The black-and-white video uses chiaroscuro lighting and split-mirror imagery to amplify the song’s tension, mixing gothic noir visuals with pop-art absurdism.

On September 9, they lifted “Is It a Dream?” as the album’s third single, backed with a live version of “Street of Dreams.” It reached No. 34 on the UK Singles Chart.

The live B-side, recorded at a UK concert earlier that year, captures the band’s theatrical stage presence, with Vanian in full gothic regalia and Roman Jugg’s keys taking center stage in the mix.

The band performed “Is It a Dream?” on Top of the Pops in mid-September 1985, with a live staging that leaned into fog machines, sweeping lights, and high drama — reinforcing their shift from punk notoriety to goth-pop grandeur.

Phantasmagoria became the band’s highest-charting album to date, reaching No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart. Its success was driven by three hit singles.

1986–1987

The Damned retained their Phantasmagoria lineup through 1986–87: Dave Vanian, Roman Jugg, Bryn Merrick, and Rat Scabies. Jugg served as both guitarist and keyboardist. The group spent early 1986 touring the UK and Europe before signing a new deal with MCA for a follow-up album. Their sets leaned into theatrical presentation, expanding their goth-leaning visuals with elaborate lighting and stage effects.

“Eloise”

On January 27, 1986, the Damned released the standalone single “Eloise,” a cover of the 1968 UK hit by singer Barry Ryan. The b-side, “Temptation,” is a group original. Twelve-inch copies of the single contain a third track, “Beat Girl,” the theme to a 1960 British teen film.

B1. “Temptation” – is a sweeping original that blends atmospheric synths with a pulsing rhythm section. It marks one of the band’s more cinematic excursions, with lush textures and noir overtones.

B2. “Beat Girl” – is a retro instrumental that reworks the theme from the 1960 British delinquent drama of the same name. Its surfy guitar and swaggering tempo nod to vintage soundtrack culture.

“Eloise” became their biggest chart success, peaking at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

Anything

The Damned released their seventh album, Anything, on December 1, 1986, on MCA Records.

Recorded over several months in 1986, the album expands on the polished, atmospheric style of Phantasmagoria with a heavier reliance on synths, orchestration, and pop production. Roman Jugg handled both guitar and keyboards while Dave Vanian steered the group further into gothic romanticism. Producer Jon Kelly once again oversaw the sessions.

All tracks were group-written by The Damned’s then-lineup — Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg, and Bryn Merrick — with the exception of “Alone Again Or,” a cover of the 1967 Love original by Bryan MacLean.

A1. “Anything” (4:47)
A2. “Alone Again Or” (3:38)
A3. “The Portrait” (3:50)
A4. “Restless” (4:57)

B1. “In Dulce Decorum” (4:47)
B2. “Gigolo” (6:02)
B3. “The Girl Goes Down” (4:35)
B4. “Tightrope Walk” (4:21)
B5. “Psychomania” (4:03)

On November 6, 1986, The Damned issued “Anything” as the album’s lead single backed with the exclusive backed with the non-album “The Year of the Jackal.”

B. “The Year of the Jackal” – is a noir-styled piece with jazzy overtones and lyrical references to espionage and betrayal. It hints at Vanian’s growing fascination with cinematic themes.

On January 23, 1987, The Damned lifted “Gigolo” as the second single off Anything, backed with the eerie mid-tempo track “The Portrait.” “Gigolo” pairs a punchy piano riff with cabaret swagger and a glam-rock stomp. Its theatrical flair and cheeky video emphasized the band’s growing aptitude for visual storytelling.

B. “The Portrait” – blends jangly guitars and icy synths into a haunting ballad, drawing comparisons to the moodier side of Phantasmagoria.

On April 6, 1987, The Damned lifted “Alone Again Or” as the third single from Anything, backed with another Love cover, “A House Is Not a Motel.” Their take on the 1967 psych-pop classic expanded its flamenco guitar motif with lush orchestration and Vanian’s emotive baritone.

B. “A House Is Not a Motel” – is a dramatic reinterpretation of Love’s baroque-psych piece, slowed down with orchestral flourishes that emphasize its brooding intensity.

“In Dulce Decorum”

On November 16, 1987, The Damned issued “In Dulce Decorum” as a standalone single, backed with “Psychomania.” Inspired by the Wilfred Owen war poem, the track combines militaristic drums, elegiac synths, and a slow-building tension that culminates in one of their darkest arrangements.

B. “Psychomania” – Named after the 1973 British horror film, the B-side is a pulpy, synth-driven rocker with samples and a fast-paced tempo — a nod to the band’s enduring fascination with B-movie kitsch.

Discography: