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On this day,2 January 1984, punk pioneers The Damned played Cardiff’s New Ocean Club.
Formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist (and later guitarist) Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976),release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977) and tour the United States. Nine of the band's singles charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.
In 1984, the Damned performed on the BBC Two sitcom The Young Ones with their song "Nasty", featuring new bassist Bryn Merrick (replacing Paul Gray) and both Roman Jugg and Sensible on guitar.[citation Sensible played his last concert with the band at Brockwell Park before leaving to pursue his solo career.
From the earliest days of the band, Vanian had adopted a vampire-like appearance onstage, with chalk-white makeup and formal dress. With Sensible gone, Vanian's image became more characteristic of the band as a whole.
The Damned on The Young Ones
The Damned signed a recording contract with major label MCA Records, and the Phantasmagoria album followed in July 1985, preceded by the UK No. 21 single "Grimly Fiendish". Other hits from the same album were "The Shadow of Love" with a gloomy gothic sound, and the lighter "Is It a Dream?"
The Damned at the New Ocean ClubPhotos: Anthony Tooze
Setlist
There Ain't No Sanity Clause
Disco Man
Ignite
Stranger on the Town
Wait for the Blackout
Do the Blitz
Melody Lee
Born to Kill
Love Song
Neat Neat Neat
Looking at You
(MC5 cover)
New Rose
Encore:
Smash It Up
Noise Noise Noise
Hippy Hippy Shake
(Chan Romero cover)
Encore 2:
We Love You
(The Rolling Stones cover)
1970
(The Stooges cover)
Encore 3:
Happy Talk
(Rodgers & Hammerstein cover)
Love Song
I Just Can't Be Happy Today
