Punk wasn't supposed to last. It was a fuse, a firecracker, a quick middle finger to the establishment before burning out in a heap of leather and cheap beer. But then you look at The Damned band albums, and suddenly that logic falls apart. These guys didn't just survive; they mutated.
They were the first UK punk band to release a single. The first to release a full-length album. The first to break up. The first to reform. Honestly, if you track their studio output from 1977 to 2023, you aren't just looking at a discography. You're looking at a chaotic map of British subculture. They went from snarling pogo-bait to gothic architects, then drifted into psychedelic pop, and somehow ended up as elder statesmen of "Dark Rock." Most people know "Neat Neat Neat" or maybe "Eloise," but the depth of their catalog is where the real weirdness lives.
The Chaos of Damned Damned Damned
In 1977, things were fast. Damned Damned Damned sounds like it was recorded in a basement while the police were banging on the door. It’s raw. Produced by Nick Lowe, it captures Brian James’s frantic guitar work and Rat Scabies’s drumming, which, quite frankly, sounds like a kitchen being thrown down a flight of stairs in the best way possible.
The album wasn't polished. It was a sprint. Songs like "I Feel Alright" (a Stooges cover) and "New Rose" defined the template. But here’s the thing: while the Sex Pistols were busy being a media phenomenon, The Damned were just being a band. They were musicians first, even if they were playing at 200 beats per minute. Dave Vanian looked like a vampire even then, a sharp contrast to the safety-pin aesthetic of their peers.
When the Wheels Came Off (Music for Pleasure)
Most critics hate Music for Pleasure. It’s often cited as the "sophomore slump" that nearly killed them. Produced by Nick Mason of Pink Floyd—an odd choice for a punk band—it lacked the serrated edge of the debut. Brian James was running out of riffs. The tension was high. They broke up shortly after.
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But if you listen to it today, it’s not the disaster history claims it is. It’s an experiment. It shows a band trying to figure out what comes after the initial explosion. You can hear the beginnings of something more melodic, even if it didn't quite land at the time.
Machine Gun Etiquette and the Captain’s Ascension
When they reformed without Brian James, everyone assumed they were done. Instead, Captain Sensible moved from bass to guitar, and they released Machine Gun Etiquette in 1979. This is arguably the most important of all The Damned band albums.
It’s a masterpiece. Seriously.
They threw everything at the wall. You’ve got the pure punk adrenaline of "Love Song," the theatricality of "Smash It Up (Part 1 & 2)," and the weird, sprawling "Plan 9 Channel 7." This album proved they weren't just a 1977 relic. They were songwriters. They were blending garage rock, 60s psych, and pop sensibilities into something that shouldn't have worked but did. It’s the sound of a band realizing they could do whatever they wanted because nobody was watching them anymore.
The Goth Blueprint: The Black Album and Strawberries
By 1980, the leather jackets were being swapped for velvet. The Black Album is a massive, sprawling double record. If you want to know where Gothic Rock started, look at "Curtain Call." It’s a 17-minute epic that occupies an entire side of the vinyl.
- The Black Album brought in pipe organs and atmospheric gloom.
- Strawberries (1982) leaned into psych-pop with brass sections and intricate melodies.
- Dave Vanian’s baritone became the focal point.
It’s wild to think the same band that wrote "I Fall" was now writing "Stranger on the Town." They were growing up, but they remained outsiders. They weren't part of the New Romantic scene, and they weren't strictly punk anymore. They were just The Damned.
Phantasmagoria and the Commercial Peak
Then came the mid-80s. Captain Sensible had left for a solo career. Many thought the band would collapse without his songwriting. Instead, they signed to MCA and released Phantasmagoria.
This is the "big" one. It’s polished. It’s dark. It’s very, very 80s. Songs like "Grimly Fiendish" and "The Shadow of Love" actually hit the charts. For a moment, the guys who used to start food fights on stage were Top of the Pops regulars. Vanian was the ultimate goth frontman, and the production was lush. Some old-school fans felt it was too commercial, but the songwriting was undeniably tight. They followed it with Anything (1986), which felt a bit like a band running out of steam, famous mostly for their cover of "Eloise."
The Long Gap and the 21st Century Renaissance
The 90s were a bit of a mess for the band—legal battles, line-up changes, and a long studio silence. But the 2000s saw a surprising return to form. Grave Disorder (2001) was their first album in 15 years, and it actually felt like a Damned record. It had the wit, the speed, and the darkness.
Then came So, Who's Paranoid? in 2008. It’s an underrated gem. It bridges the gap between their psychedelic side and their punk roots. But the real shocker was Evil Spirits in 2018.
Produced by Tony Visconti (the man behind Bowie’s best work), Evil Spirits saw Captain Sensible return to the fold in a big way. It hit the UK Top 10. For a band that started in 1976 to hit the Top 10 forty-two years later is almost unheard of in the punk world. It sounds like 60s garage rock filtered through a lifetime of cynicism and craft.
Darkadelic: The Final Frontier?
Their most recent effort, Darkadelic (2023), proves they still have it. It’s heavy, it’s catchy, and it’s deeply weird. Tracks like "The Invisible Man" show that Vanian’s voice hasn't aged a day. He still sounds like he’s singing from a crypt, and Captain’s guitar work is as inventive as ever.
What’s fascinating about the late-era The Damned band albums is that they don't feel like "legacy" acts just cashing in. They feel like a band that genuinely enjoys the friction of making music together. They’ve outlived the Pistols, the Clash, and almost everyone else from the Class of '77.
Why This Discography Still Matters
If you only listen to the hits, you’re missing the point. The Damned are the ultimate "chameleon" band. They survived by refusing to stay in one lane. They did punk better than the punks, goth better than the goths, and pop better than the pop stars.
Most people get them wrong. They think they’re just a joke band because of Rat Scabies’s antics or Captain Sensible’s red beret. But the music tells a different story. It’s a story of incredible technical proficiency and a total lack of fear. They weren't afraid to fail, and they failed publicly several times. But their "failures" (like Music for Pleasure) are often more interesting than other bands' successes.
How to Actually Listen to The Damned
Don't just go in chronological order if you're new. It’s too jarring. Try this instead:
- Start with Machine Gun Etiquette. It’s the perfect middle ground. It has the energy of punk but the complexity of what came later.
- Move to Damned Damned Damned. Get the historical context. Feel the noise.
- Dive into The Black Album. Close the curtains, light a candle, and let the atmosphere hit you.
- Finish with Darkadelic. See how they’ve evolved into the modern era without losing their edge.
The Damned are proof that you don't have to "die young" to stay relevant. You just have to keep changing. They are the ultimate survivors of a genre that was built on the idea of having no future. As it turns out, their future lasted nearly fifty years, and based on their recent output, they aren't done yet.
Check the liner notes of the 25th or 40th-anniversary reissues if you can find them. The stories of the recording sessions—often involving heavy drinking, studio pranks, and genuine creative tension—add a whole other layer to the listening experience. This isn't just music; it’s a living history of British rebellion.
Go listen to "Smash It Up" right now. Turn it up until the neighbors complain. That’s how these albums were meant to be heard.
Take Action: Exploring the Catalog
- Track Down the "Lost" Sessions: Look for the Peel Sessions recordings. Often, these versions of the songs are superior to the album tracks because they capture the band's live energy.
- Compare the Eras: Listen to "New Rose" (1977) and "Beware of the Clown" (2023) back-to-back. Notice how the drumming style changed but the "attitude" remained identical.
- Support the Living Legend: If they are touring near you, go. Unlike many of their contemporaries, The Damned still play with a ferocity that puts younger bands to shame.
- Physical Media Matters: These albums, especially The Black Album and Strawberries, were designed for vinyl. The gatefold art and the sequencing are part of the art piece. Seek out the re-pressings from Let Them Eat Vinyl or BMG for the best sound quality.