The Damned – Grave Disorder

577

4 Stars

Audio CD (paid link)

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The Damned, now left behind as one of the Grandfathers of punk rock, come out of the woodwork and prove that they can still show the new boys on the block a trick or two.

The Damned have always been at the fun end of punk rock, never giving marbles about what other people think. They keep on rocking away, unconcerned about their previous youth-only policy. Even the first punks “The Who” had to change their most famous line from “I hope I die before I get old” to “I hope I die before I feel old.”

The world would be a much grimmer place without the mad panto punk of The Damned. This dog still has very fond memories of The Damned supporting Marc Bolan & T. Rex and watching a smashed-out-of-his-mind Captain Sensible pouncing about the Newcastle city hall stage in a bright turquoise dress whilst shredding the song “New Rose” with his guitar at full volume. It’s these kinds of memories that stay with you for life.

And it’s precisely that spirit of the absurd that is captured here on The Damned’s fine collection of up-tempo raucous anthems, ironically released on Dexter Holland’s very own label. (The fact being that Dexter’s band Offspring covered The Damned’s brilliant “Smash It Up” some years back.)

So, what you have here is thirteen fabulous cuts, all featuring what you would expect from The Damned, speed, melody, aggression, attitude by the bucket load, and a belly full of laughs. We mustn’t forget David Vanian’s preoccupation with all things about B movie horror, gothic and ghoulish, although all with tongue firmly planted in the side of his cheek. As a good sample of this, check out his evil crooning on the spine-chilling song “Thrill Kill.”

The Damned have always been the sort of boys who would enjoy Pattaya, so I think it would be only fair if Pattaya enjoyed The Damned. But don’t take them to be a nostalgia act, especially within their earshot, or you could end up hurt or at least at the end of one of Captain Sensible’s cunning little pranks.

Better break out the tequilas and snake bites because The Damned are back. “Grave Disorder” is definitely Neat Neat Neat.