Machine Gun Etiquette

Machine Gun Etiquette
Studio album by The Damned
Released	November 1979
Recorded	March–May 1979 and July–August 1979 in London, England (see here for more information)
Genre	Punk rock, Psychedelic rock, Baroque pop
Length	35:28
Label	Chiswick
Producer	The Damned, Roger Armstrong
The Damned chronology
Music for Pleasure (1977) Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) The Black Album (1980)

Machine Gun Etiquette is the third studio album by English punk rock band The Damned. It was released in November 1979 on Chiswick Records. The album was the group's first since reforming with Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on lead guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, and Algy Ward on bass guitar. Machine Gun Etiquette saw the band become more experimental; without Brian James, the song-writing was more democratic, resulting in a blend of punk, psychedelic rock, and pop styles.

Recording sessions

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

• Utopia Studios (17 March 1979): the band record five songs ("Love Song", "Noise, Noise, Noise", and "Suicide") with producer Ed Hollis for single release.
• Chalk Farm Studio (2 April 1979): not content with the original take, the band record new vocals for "Love Song", the resulting final version being used on the single and album.
• Workhouse Studios (14 May 1979): The Damned and Motörhead record two songs ("Over the Top" and "Ballroom Blitz") for a planned single under the joint moniker "Motördamn". As the two tracks remain unfinished, the plan is abandoned.
• Sound-Suite Recording (21–23 May 1979): five album tracks recorded ("Machine Gun Etiquette", "Melody Lee", "Plan 9 Channel 7", and "Smash It Up (Part 1)"). The band also records "Burglar" and "Smash It Up (Part 4)" which are later used as single B-sides. Four more songs recorded remain unreleased to this day ("Teenage Dream", "Edna (The Girl I Never Met)", "Liar (Instrumental Alternative Version)", and "Dr Phibes Has Fun").
• Workhouse Studios (24–25 May 1979): two more album tracks recorded ("Anti-Pope" and "Looking at You"). Two more songs recorded remain unreleased to this day ("Smash It Up (Part 2) (Alternative Version)" and "A Day in the Country").
• SGS Recording Studios (28–30 May 1979): one album track recorded ("I Just Can't Be Happy Today") plus two more songs ("Turkey Song" and "Smash It Up (Part 3)") later used as single B-sides.
• Sound-Suite Recording (16–19 July 1979): the band return to the Sound-Suite to work on the tracks recorded there back in May.
• Wessex Studios (August 1979): the last three album tracks recorded ("These Hands", "Liar", and "Smash It Up (Part 2)"). The band mix, edit, and partially re-record the other album tracks.
• Wessex Studios (1 November 1979): the band return to the studio for one day to complete the May 1979 version of "Ballroom Blitz", edit and re-record a radio DJ version of "I Just Can't Be Happy Today", and mix "Turkey Song".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Classic Rock	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[3]
Punknews.org	[4]
Record Collector	[5]

Allmusic's retrospective review reported that when it was released, Machine Gun Etiquette was "deservedly hailed as another classic from the band". The website praised the variety of styles explored and the group's typically strong wit.^[1] Scott Rowley of Classic Rock magazine, reviewing the 25th Anniversary Edition of the album, defines it "a riotous, ballsy rush of an album [...] the sound of a band coming into its own", adding that "while The Clash looked to America for inspiration, The Damned remained resolutely British".^[2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by The Damned, except where noted. 

Personnel

• Dave Vanian – vocals
• Captain Sensible – guitars, vocals, keyboards
• Rat Scabies – drums, vocals
• Algy Ward – bass guitar

References