[kj] OT: in Defense of PHANTASMAGORIA by the Damned

[Jerry Butson]

My vote for one of the Damned's finest vinyl moments goes to he 12" version
of Alone Again Or in its breakneck speed, edited
on-the-fly-with-a-pair-of-rusty-scissors version...fantastic!

On 22/02/07, gingoblin at easynet.co.uk <gingoblin at easynet.co.uk> wrote:

>

> Yeah, I do kinda enjoy Phantasmagoria the very few times I play it these

> days, but after all these years I've realised for it to REALLY be the

> Damned, it needs Vanian/Scabies/Sensible. They've had their moments with

> the different line-ups, but nothing even comes close to the amazing stuff

> of the earlier years.   I remember hearing a comp CD in some pub... it was

> absolute genius right up to Grimly Fiendish coming on, when I wished it

> would just end. Kinda summed it up for me.

> As for their "image"... as Scabies said, Vanian could dress as a binman

> and

> still look good, while he himself could put on the finest clothes and

> still

> be a mess!!

> Must admit, can't stand Eloise... though that's possibly from it being the

> "hit" and having heard it way too often over the years. The current

> line-up

> do the best version so far, but could still do without it!

> Oh, and the Five Foot One thing... I came out and directly asked them

> around that time, and they didn't own up!  I recall asking Rat if covering

> Five Foot One had anything to do with Vanian's height (to which he replied

> "oh, I wouldn't say that to him"!!). Ah, my ever-tactful youth!

>

> Dave in Edinburgh

>

>

>

>

>

> At 09:15 21/02/2007 -0500, you wrote:

>

> >Just a few words in defense of PHANTASMAGORIA. I was shocked as everyone

> >else at said album's comparatively gloppy overproduction. Despite the

> >funereal trappings, it owed more to the likes of Meat Loaf and Bonnie

> >Tyler than it did to any Goth making the `rounds at the time (by

> >comparison, the Sisters of Mercy sound like the Ramones). That said,

> there

> >were still some fine moments of pure pop on it (notably "Street of

> Dreams"

> >and "Grimly Fiendish", although "Is It A Dream?" is just crap across the

> >board). I'm also a big fan of the non-album single "Eloise," another

> >hoarily windswept and overproduced gem. Was in Punk? Not especially, but

> >who cares?

> >

> >As a college freshman in 1985 out in the bowels of Ohio, I remember

> >packing into a crowded station wagon to drive across scary, backwoods-ass

> >Midwestern pigfuck country to Kentucky to catch the Damned on the

> >PHANTASMAGORIA tour (which, for some reason, bypassed the nearest city to

> >our school, Columbus). As over-the-top as their image and aesthetic had

> >become (Hammer horror films, candelabras, graveyard shtick), they were as

> >full-on live as can be imagined (and yes -- quite definably PUNK in every

> >semblance of the term).

> >

> >I've grown to quite like the PHANTASMAGORIA album as a result. There are

> >some great moments on ANYTHING as well (notably their cover of "Alone

> >Again Or" and the title track, which is essentialy a wafer-thin-re-write

> >of Iggy Pops "Five Foot One"). I saw them again with Brian James et al.

> on

> >the tour that resulted in the FINAL DAMNATION tour (`90 or so?) at the

> New

> >Ritz, and they were endearingly shambollic. The last time I saw them was

> >in the mid-90's at since-shuttered Coney Island High. I don't believe Rat

> >was in attendance, but Dave was there in all his ridiculous glory. It was

> >fun to see them, but it wasn't really "the Damned" as I'd grown to love.

> >

> >I haven't picked up a new album/single of theirs since I can't remember

> >when, honestly. But I listened to a clutch of Damned tracks on my walk to

> >work this morning, and the mere fact that their catalog stretches from

> the

> >stripped-down velocity of "Fish" and "Neat Neat Neat" through to the

> >ersatz psychedelia of the Naz Nomad stuff and onto their vanglorious

> >opuses (opi?) like the afore-mentioned "Eloise" is a testament to their

> >versatility.

> >

> >Bless'em.

> >

> >Alex in NYC

> >

> >

> >

> >-----Original Message-----

> > >From: Mike Porthouse <Mike at rteltd.com>

> > >Sent: Feb 21, 2007 4:02 AM

> > >To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> > <gathering at misera.net>

> > >Subject: Re: [kj] Clip of US punk documentary/riots

> > >

> > >Had the pleasure of seeing the current Damned line-up a couple of times

> > last

> > >year (Vanian, Sensible, Stu, Pinch and Monty) and I have to say they're

> in

> > >good form. Best I've seen them since the re-union shows in about 88 or

> 89.

> > >Vanian and Sensible have a massive stage presence and they're now

> playing

> > >with good musicians. Always a good night out. Some good new songs and a

> > back

> > >catalogue of classics. The only thing for me, which keeps them from

> being

> > >right up there with the best is their lyrics, which have never been

> > anything

> > >to get excited about.

> > >BTW the recent MGE DVD release is very good for any Damned fans who

> don't

> > >already own it.

> > >

> > >Mike Porthouse

> > >

> > >----- Original Message -----

> > >From: <gingoblin at easynet.co.uk>

> > >To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> > ><gathering at misera.net>

> > >Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 9:32 PM

> > >Subject: Re: [kj] Clip of US punk documentary/riots

> > >

> > >

> > >> This was last July, and yes it WAS interesting to say the

> least!  Fucking

> > >> great, even if Casey Chaos's voice was shot.

> > >>

> > >> They came VERY close to doing it with Dave and Cap, but that's

> another

> > >> story.  It is a shame though... 30 years comes round once.

> > >>

> > >> There was talk of doing a few more dates, but nothing more than that.

> You

> > >> never know though!

> > >>

> > >> A couple of pics from the gig :

> > >>

> http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/GinGoblin/100ClubJuly6th20068.jpg

> > >>

> > >>

> http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/GinGoblin/100ClubJuly6th20067.jpg

> > >>

> > >> Dave

> > >>

> > >> At 13:34 20/02/2007 -0500, you wrote:

> > >>>So the Brian James Gang thing made me curious again.  Don't own the

> > >>>release

> > >>>but it sounds promising even the simplistic, idiotic lyrics.  Vocals

> are

> > >>>fine.  So I stumble across their (always dreaded) myspace page:

> > >>>

> http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friend

> > id=106508478

> > >>>

> > >>>and what do I see...

> > >>>DAMNED 30th ANNIVERSARY LINE-UP:

> > >>>Brian James-Guitar,

> > >>>Rat Scabies-Drums

> > >>>Mani-Bass

> > >>>Casey Chaos-Voice

> > >>>

> > >>>This could be interesting.  Shame they couldn't do it with Captain

> and Rat

> > >>>

> > >>>Anyone have anymore details???  IS there a snowballs chance in hell

> thisis

> > >>>coming to the US?  I would actually go see this

> > >>>

> > >>>Chris

> > >>>

> > >>>

> > >>> >From: "TB" <Partyslammer at socal.rr.com>

> > >>> >Reply-To: TB <Partyslammer at socal.rr.com>,"A list about all things

> > >>> >Killing

> > >>> >Joke (the band!)"<gathering at misera.net>

> > >>> >To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> > >>> ><gathering at misera.net>

> > >>> >Subject: Re: [kj] Clip of US punk documentary/riots

> > >>> >Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:10:33 -0800

> > >>> >

> > >>> >"Rob's Arse" wrote:

> > >>> >

> > >>> > >

> > >>> > > Grave disorder really was a return to form but Not of this Earth

> was

> > >>> > > terrible!

> > >>> > >

> > >>> > > I remember seeing them at the time with Scabies on drums, Vanian

> on

> > >>> > > Vocals, Moose from NMA on bass with Kris Dollimore (Mr Session

> > >>> > > guitar)

> > >>> >and

> > >>> > > Vanian's Grandad (wearing a LEATHER WASTECOAT).

> > >>> > > I left that gig totally heartbroken. They were shitter than

> shit.

> > >>> > >

> > >>> > > As an aside, we played wit teh Brian James Gang the other week

> and I

> > >>> >have

> > >>> > > to say that Brian James is a lovely bloke. Shame there were only

> 25

> > >>> >people

> > >>> > > at the gig!

> > >>> >

> > >>> >Did Brian have Dave Tregunna with him on bass? Any Lords tunes

> played?

> > >>> >More

> > >>> >details, man!

> > >>> >

> > >>> >T.B.

> > >>> >

> > >>> >

> > >>> >_______________________________________________

> > >>> >Gathering mailing list

> > >>> >Gathering at misera.net

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> > >>>

> > >>>_________________________________________________________________

> > >>>The average US Credit Score is 675. The cost to see yours: $0 by

> Experian.

> > >>>

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> > ERAVERAGE

> > >>>

> > >>>_______________________________________________

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