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| The Damned at Chelsea Music Hall, 2022 |
Prior to that year, my knowledge of them was pretty much limited to "That Goth band t-shirt I always see my heroes wearing" and Guns N' Roses covering "New Rose." Which is probably not uncommon. I had only really seen one of their videos in recent years on Classic MTV (I think it was "Shadow of Love"). During their heyday, I was only into Pop Radio, as that was what was available to me. I didn't have access to MTV full time until the last days of 1989.
What brought them to my attention was a lazy day in the Summer of 2019 when YouTube suggested a series of Top Of The Pops retrospectives titled "The Story of" and then the year they were covering. They were all very well done, so I watched every one I could get my eyes on. During the binge, a compilation of Punk band appearances on the show popped up, and of course I clicked on it. That was what lead me into the world of the Damned.
I had no idea about the music and image they had before the mid-80's. This early era was a whole new ballgame for me. It was so much edgier and so much more Punk. Starting with singer Dave Vanian looking like a whole other person. I only knew of the New Romantic look he had sported. Seeing him dressed like a Vampire Gangster woke something up inside of me I didn't know was there.
I became an addict immediately. For a month straight, I listened to Machine Gun Etiquette every single day. Sometimes multiple times. I don't even know why. I just couldn't go a day without it. I also got into Damned Damned Damned and Music For Pleasure just as easily, along with a smattering of material that came after. I had to see them play live.
I was lucky enough to see them open for the Misfits at Madison Square Garden right after that. Isn't that the best feeling? To get into a band so deep and it happens to be right around the time they're playing your town? The instant gratification was wonderful. But then 2020-2021 happened. So it wouldn't be until 2022 that I would get another chance with these lads. Well, at least Dave and Monty.
The lineup has already changed since then with the departure of their drummer, Andrew "Pinch" Pinching. Captain Sensible remains, but didn't make it over for the US dates (which leads to lots of speculation about why). Which is fine. Drummer Will Taylor, keyboardist Monty Oxymoron, bassist Paul Grey and guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen were all great when I saw them. It would be great to see the reunited lineup that played the UK this past Fall, but there's no plans for that in America that have been announced.
My first show of 2022 was Asbury Park at the beginning of August. Then again the following week, opening for Blondie at Pier 17 two nights in a row, followed by a two-night stand later in the month at the Chelsea Music Hall. I was scheduled to go to their Foxwoods gig with Blondie, but C*vid had other plans and they had to cancel it altogether. But 5 gigs with my new favorites was more than I could ever hope for.
To sum it all up, they were fantastic. Dave is 66 now, but you'd never know it. He's still high energy (as is the rest of the band), and his voice is still in wonderful shape. In my mind, I think of him as a Punk Crooner. He could handle a Sinatra song just as well as he does the Stooges. Just brilliant.
