Damned - Every Album, Every Song by Morgan Brown
by Lisa Torem
published: 8 / 12 / 2021

intro
In her 'Raging Pages' book column Lisa Torem finds that in a new book about British punk act, The Damned, by Morgan Brown, the author/musician chronicles the band’s studio history with solid research and humour.
Few are as well-equipped to write about The Damned as multi-instrumentalist Morgan Brown, an insider over two decades who, with one of his bands, has actually shared the stage with one of the U.K.’s most influential, but perhaps underrated, punk acts. Brown’s scrupulous research leaves no stone unturned and his analysis of each album track is based on intelligent insights supported by sonic facts, but make no mistake, this author has got an axe to grind; he asserts: “Most accounts of the band tend to focus largely on the more outrageous aspects of their personalities and their legendary debauchery and bad behaviour with little serious attention paid to their hugely impressive body of work.” True to form, Brown lances that wrong by accentuating the creative output of the band members, rather than fixating on their media-fuelled personas. In fact, even before introducing the 1977 debut, ‘Damned, Damned, Damned,’ Brown advises the reader to step back to October 1976, with the release of the single ‘New Rose’: “a short, sharp cocktail of primal power chords” and the B-side, a cover of The Beatles’ ‘Help,’ which he considers “a freewheeling speed-freak cacophony.” I’m aware that John Lennon was at his wits’ end when penning the original, but this cover takes on a whole new aura. In this same chapter we bear witness to the author’s comedic sense, when he looks at the first album cover and the related back story: Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, Dave Vanian and Brian James were photographed after a pie was smashed in their faces. That likeable lead-in made me want to learn more about the players, and in each subsequent chapter I did. Frequently, Brown compares song arrangement ideas to that of iconic rock and roll predecessors. Paul McCartney’s melodic bass playing and Chuck Berry’s “double stops,” for example, feature in a few such arguments. These comments served as helpful reminders that while talented bands often stand on the shoulders of others, to survive they must develop a unique sound, and Brown’s detailed examples do justice to that ethos. Not all entries end happily: ‘Pleasure and the Pain’ from ‘Strawberries’ (1982) apparently caused writer Paul Gray’s abrupt departure. Brown considers ‘Running Man’ from ‘Not of This Earth/I’m Alright Jack & The Bean Stalk’ (1995) “sluggish,” but where there is criticism, there is also explanation. In an abbreviated section, where Brown dishes on “live albums and more,” he offers useful advice on which collections to take seriously and which to avoid. An additional perk is the colour section, which features album covers and animated publicity shots. 'Raging Pages' says “Yeah” to ‘The Damned: every album, every song,’ and believes that you will, too.
Also In Raging Pages
Benjamin Orr (2018)
Bernard Purdie (2015)
Billy Bragg (2017)
Billy J. Kramer (2016)
Bob Boilen (2016)
Bob Dylan (2018)
Bob Marley (2019)
Brian Wilson (2017)
Clive Davis (2015)
Common (2020)
Don Short (2020)
Elliott Murphy (2019)
Elvis Costello (2015)
Frank Zappa (2017)
Gary Wright (2014)
Gene Simmons (2015)
Geoff Emerick (2018)
George Martin (2019)
Green Day (2019)
Ian Mclagan (2016)
Iron Maiden (2014)
Jerry Lee Lewis (2015)
Jerry Nolan (2018)
Jim Summaria and Mark Plotnick (2019)
Joe Perry (Aerosmith) (2014)
John Lennon (2017)
Kinks (2014)
Lani Hall Alpert (2019)
Laurence Juber (2014)
Liberty DeVitto (2021)
Lisa Robinson (2021)
Lita Ford (2021)
Little Anthony (2014)
Louise Harrison (2015)
Manic Street Preachers (2017)
Mary Wilson (2021)
Michael Bloomfield (2020)
Michael Dorf (2019)
Miscellaneous (2014)
Ozzy Osbourne (2014)
Pamela Des Barres (2017)
Paul McCartney (2020)
Radiohead (2022)
Renee Rosen (2018)
Richard Balls (2018)
Ringo Starr (2015)
Robby Krieger (2022)
Roger Daltrey (2020)
Rolling Stones (2016)
Ronnie Wood (2015)
Sam Phillips (2018)
Sean Madigan Hoen (2014)
Silas House (2020)
Spencer Vignes (2017)
Sylvain Sylvain (2018)
Thin Lizzy (2016)
Tommy James (2021)
Tori Amos (2020)
U2 (2021)
Who (2014)
Will Romano (2015)
Woody Woodmansey (2018)
Zz Top (2014)
Band Links:-
http://www.officialdamned.com/https://en-gb.facebook.com/OfficialDamned/
https://twitter.com/damnedtwits
Play in YouTube:-
live reviews |
Hydro, Glasgow, 19/6/2018 |
![]() |
John Clarkson at the Hydro in Glasgow watches punk legends the Damned in a set in support of the Hollywood Vampires play a set of their classic singles and songs. |
Damned |
Sheffield Leadmill, 30/6/2002 |
digital downloads
most viewed articles
current edition
Sarah Cracknell - InterviewDouglas MacIntyre - Interview
Jann Klose - Sugar My
Jimmy Webb - (With support from Ashley Campbell and Thor Jenson), Cadogan Hall, London. 27/5/2022
Jarvis Cocker - Good Pop Bad Pop - An Exhibition of Objects and Keepsakes of Jarvis Cocker
Loop - Interview
Rolling Stones - Anfield, Liverpool, 9/6/2022
Tom Newman - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Simply Red - La Marina, Valencia, Spain, 7/6/2022
previous editions
Stewart Copeland - Police Deranged For Orchestra - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 11/9/2021World Party - Interview
Music Festivals - Profile 2022
Cliff Richard - Vs Elvis Presley
Sam Brown - Interview 2008
Dire Straits Legacy - Interview
Paul Clerehugh - Interview
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Love - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Def Leppard - Diamond Star HalosLucky Ones - Slow Dance, Square Dance, Barn Dance
Various - Heroes & Villains – The Sound Of Los Angeles 1965-1968,
Dave Stewart - Ebony McQueen
Gabi Garbutt and the Illuminations - Cockerel
Emile Sande - Let's Say For Instance
Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That...
Soup Review - Go and See
Girls At Our Best! - Pleasure
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me: 20th Anniversary Edition
related articles |
Rat Scabies: Interview (2018 |
![]() |
Former Damned drummer Rat Scabies elaborates on the making of his debut solo album, 'P.H.D. (Prison, Hospital, Debt)', his forthcoming new album with the Mutants and offers his perspective on the legacy of the Damned. |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart