The Damned are a great British rock n’ roll institution. They have helped to plot the course of guitar music over the last 45 years, putting UK punk on record for the first time in 1976, and going on to lay the groundwork for the hardcore, Goth, post-punk, indie-pop and horror-punk movements that have thrived in their wake. Ever underestimated by critics, their string of classic albums has nevertheless been hugely influential, from the trailblazing punk of Damned Damned Damned to the epic, eclectic sprawl of The Black Album, through the glossy dark-pop of Phantasmagoria, to the genre-spanning triumph of the recent Evil Spirits and beyond.
In this book, Morgan Brown takes a fascinating, deep dive into each of the band’s groundbreaking records, unearthing the stories and inspirations behind them. He picks apart their musical building blocks and examines both the creative process and the creators themselves; early visionary leader Brian James, iconic frontman Dave Vanian, madcap genius Captain Sensible, volatile percussive dervish Rat Scabies and many more. Curious new listeners and long-time enthusiasts alike will find this book the perfect companion on a voyage of discovery into the strange, chaotic, wonderful world of The Damned.
Morgan Brown has been an active part of the UK punk scene for over twenty years as a guitarist, drummer and songwriter. His various bands have toured widely, sharing bills with many of the genre’s leading lights, including, on numerous occasions, The Damned. He is a self-confessed music nerd, enjoying a wild assortment of pop, jazz, folk, heavy metal, country, and whatever else takes his fancy. He is also an avid consumer of sci-fi and crime fiction and is a regular contributor to Hark! The 87th Precinct podcast, which is dedicated to the detective novels of Ed McBain. He lives in Liverpool, UK.
