Damned Damned Damned is the debut album by British punk rock band the Damned, released on 18 February 1977. Produced by Nick Lowe, it was released on the label Stiff Records. The musical styles of Damned Damned Damned were based on the new punk rock sound as heard on the previous single "New Rose". Unlike their British contemporaries the Clash and the Sex Pistols, Damned Damned Damned is not a political album. Damned Damned Damned also marks the first full-length album released by a UK punk group.[1][3]
Damned Damned Damned and its singles failed to chart in the US. The album receives very high praise from modern day critics with Ned Raggett of Allmusic commenting that the record is "a stone classic of rock & roll fire".[1]
Background
After the success of "New Rose" and a tour with the Sex Pistols, the Heartbreakers, and the Clash, the band went into Pathway Studio to record the album Damned Damned Damned with producer Nick Lowe who recorded "New Rose" with them. Following ten days of recording, the mix was completed on 15 January 1977, the day the master tapes were compiled.[6]
Damned Damned Damned was issued by Stiff Records on 18 February 1977 which was also member Brian James' birthday.[6]
Album cover
The album cover features the four members of the band who have been hit by pies. Brian James recalls "that was organised by this photographer called Peter, Stiff had assigned him to do the thing. They thought it was a jolly wheeze to surprise us with a few cream cakes, little knowing that we would relish it, get into to it and enjoy the whole experience". After the photo session, Damned member Captain Sensible noted "...I had more pie on my face than any of the other buggers and on the back of the sleeve I had my back to the picture, so I went down a photo booth and got some pictures, cut one out and said 'put that on there.' So I would have something to show my relatives, because I didn't think we'd be invited to make another album."[6]
Stiff records deliberately printed a limited number of initial copies of the LP with a photo of Eddie and the Hot Rods on the back of the album cover, rather than The Damned playing at The Roxy Club. An 'erratum' sticker was also put on the back cover, and on the front of the LP - on top of the original shrinkwrap - was a red 'food-fight' sticker that says 'Damned Damned', thus completing the LP title when read underneath the band's name. This was part of Stiff Records' unusual promotional activity for which they became renowned. As of 2009, a copy of this rare print which still has both stickers and the shrinkwrap intact (slit-open or sealed) fetches between £200.00 - £500.00, depending on condition.[6]
The design of the LP is credited as Big Jobs Inc, which was a pseudonym of Barney Bubbles.
Reception
The British press has had mostly positive notes for the album. In 2002, Q included Damned Damned Damned in its "100 Best Punk Albums" list, declaring it "...One of the nastiest, most ragged and downright funniest record of the era..."[3] while in 2003, the album ranked #3 in Mojo's "Top 50 Punk Albums" citing the album as "...Fast and furious, a fabulous snapshot of punk's earliest, subterranean days...".[3]
The American press has also looked upon the album kindly, Ned Raggett at Allmusic gave the album their highest rating of five stars, declaring "Damned Damned Damned is and remains rock at its messy, wonderful best."[1] The website Pitchfork Media also positively noted the album in a negative review of The Damned's 2001 album Grave Disorder stating "I won't lie to you: the Damned's new album isn't very good. In fact, the Damned have only ever recorded a few albums that were-- for instance, their debut or 1979's Machine Gun Etiquette"...."[7]
Track listing
The final song on the album titled "I Feel Alright" is a cover of "1970" by the Stooges.
All songs written and composed by Brian James, except where noted.
30th Anniversary Expanded Edition
On 3 April 2007, Castle Music released a three-disc box set version of the album. Disc two serves up 26 demos, B-sides, non-LP single tracks and radio recordings, which equals nearly everything the band recorded during their first year of operations. Disc three features a lo-fi recording of one of the Damned's first public gigs, a set recorded in London during the 100 Club's first Punk Rock Festival in the summer of 1976.
All songs written and composed by Brian James, except where noted.
| 1. |
"I Fall" |
2:56 |
| 2. |
"See Her Tonite" |
2:40 |
| 3. |
"Feel the Pain" |
5:11 |
| 4. |
"Help" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) |
1:43 |
| 5. |
"Stab Yor Back" (Rat Scabies) |
0:59 |
| 6. |
"Neat Neat Neat" |
2:39 |
| 7. |
"New Rose" |
2:40 |
| 8. |
"So Messed Up" |
2:28 |
| 9. |
"I Fall" |
2:10 |
| 10. |
"Singalongascabies" (Scabies) |
1:00 |
| 11. |
"Fan Club" |
3:03 |
| 12. |
"Feel the Pain" |
3:33 |
| 13. |
"Stretcher Case Baby" (Scabies) |
1:48 |
| 14. |
"Sick of Being Sick" |
2:29 |
| 15. |
"I Feel Alright" (David Alexander, Ron Asheton, Iggy Pop) |
4:49 |
| 16. |
"Born to Kill" |
3:01 |
| 17. |
"Sick of Being Sick" |
2:50 |
| 18. |
"Neat Neat Neat" |
2:56 |
| 19. |
"Fan Club" |
2:55 |
| 20. |
"Stretcher Case Baby" |
2:26 |
| 21. |
"Help" (Lennon, McCartney) |
1:32 |
| 22. |
"Stab Yor Back" (Scabies) |
1:02 |
| 23. |
"So Messed Up" |
2:35 |
| 24. |
"New Rose" |
3:26 |
| 25. |
"Stretcher Case Baby" (Scabies) |
2:14 |
| 26. |
"Sick of Being Sick" |
1:59 |
Personnel
The band
Technical staff
Release history
| Region |
Date |
| United Kingdom |
February 18, 1977 (1977-02-18) |
| United States |
April 16, 1977 (1977-04-16)[1] |
Charts
References
- ^ a b c d e Ned Raggett. "allmusic Damned Damned Damned >> review". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:p9q8b5p4tsqj~T1. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
- ^ Chris Jones. "BBC - Classic Pop/Rock Review - The Damned, Damned Damned Damned". bbc.co.uk. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/f2f9/. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ a b c d e Unknown. "Buy.com - Damned Damned Damned - Professional Reviews". buy.com. http://www.buy.com/prod/Damned_Damned_Damned/q/loc/109/63964154.html. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
- ^ Mark Deming. "allmusic ((( Damned Damned Damned [30th Anniversary Expanded Edition > Overview )))]". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hvfyxzu5ldhe. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ Michael Keefe (26 June 2007). "Great Great Great". popmatters.com. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42909/the-damned-damned-damned-damned/. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ a b c d Damned Damned Damned (1977; Vinyl album, Sanctuary Records, Get Back Records, 2002).
- ^ Joe Tangari. "Damned - Grave Disorder - Pitchfork Review". pitchforkmedia.com. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/16851-grave-disorder. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
