It's been rather a long while since I last did an album review. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say, I bought some vinyl quite some time ago, but then couldn't get near the record player for a year or so.
But that sob story is over and here I am ready to review a not so fresh LP. This is one I got from a second hand record place and is a semi-official bootleg live album.
This is vintage Damned live in 1980, seemingly back at their peak after having broken up and reformed the previous year. Recorded at Shepperton Studios in July 1980, this was a special show for their fan club members.
The line up at this time revolved around old stalwarts Dave Vanian (vocals), Captain Sensible (guitar), Rat Scabies (drums) and Paul Gray on bass (who had just replaced Algy Ward).
The album was recorded around the same time as fourth studio album The Black Album (also recorded at Shepperton), although no tracks from that one appear on here. In fact, the ten tracks on show are taken almost entirely from their first (Damned, Damned, Damned) and third (Machine Gun Etiquette) albums, with the second (Music For Pleasure) seemingly ignored.
Despite the recent albeit brief hiatus, the band seemed to have lost none of their punch by the time they did this show. If I am being picky, the guitar and vocals are very loud in the mix, with the snare drum being quite a way back (although strangely, the toms are pretty up front). Having said that, it is a punk record and so loud guitar is no bad thing.
Side one sees them rattling through a number of fan favourites, including Love Song and I Just Can't Be Happy Today at ultra high speed. There is a cover of Help thrown in, which apparently they had recorded in the sessions for the first album. Second Time Around is a re-working of Machine Gun Etiquette. The side finishes with Neat, Neat, Neat, complete with lengthy Rat Scabies drum solo!
Side two opens with their version of Looking At You by the MC5, which starts out as a punk song, but finishes with echoes of 60s psychedelic garage band grooves - Sensible is let loose on guitar and there are thick chunks of organ in the background.
Smash It Up Parts I&2 is glorious; the beautifully crafted intro of part one, that always lulls you into believing they may have discovered ballads, before Vanian yells 'Smash It Up' and all descends into a chaotic, bouncy singalong - and ode to nihilism ("I'm gonna smash it up til there's nothing left").
That segues straight into New Rose, which is so fast and furious, it could almost be a Chipmunks version, as it kind of sounds like a helium version, or I had flipped the record player to 45rpm by mistake. Is it too fast? Maybe a tad speedy - but it is one of the iconic punk songs and sounds decent nonetheless.
The record closes with Plan 9 Channel 7, an epic space rock tune, full of more big keyboard swooshes and chugging guitar. A fine ending.
Side One: Side Two:
Love Song Looking At You
Second Time Around Smash It Up Part I&II
I Just Can't Be Happy Today New Rose
Melody Lee Plan 9 Channel 7
Help
Neat, Neat, Neat
Notes:
Produced by Unknown
Released on Unknown
Featuring: David Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, Paul Gray
Score:
A fast and heavy - 7.1 / 10
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