The Damned are true Punk originators from 1976 and they brought their undiminished incandescent energy to a packed house of old aficionados’ and their children’s generation. Those who appreciate the raw power and thrill of the best Rock’n’Roll.
Heightened anticipation as they make their entrance. This group are seasoned veteran performers and they come with an anticipatory presence.
Break out with Street of Dreams (Phantasmagoria 1985) and Invisible Man (Darkadelic 2023). That spans a shade under forty years. Siren wails on combined vocals. The guitarist hones his pyrotechnic attack in the fashion of Ron Asheton and the classic early Stooges of the Fun House era.
It’s both loose and precise, snarling and sparks flying. It’s a brand-new air-mobile/ With a powerful motor and some hideaway wings.
Two originals members still standing. Dave David Lett Vanian lead vocals and trademark cool hat. Captain Raymond Burns Sensible on guitar.
Back in 1976, it was all quite incestuous, and everyone was pissing in each other’s pockets. Those two plus Rat Chris Millar Scabies were playing in a band called Masters of the Backside, along with Chrisse Hynde.
Brian Robertson James was hanging out with a bunch of misfits called London SS, some of whom went on to help form the Clash and Generation X.
They tried to get it together by inviting Sid Simon Ritchie Vicious to sing. He still hadn’t perfected his sneer, and besides he was too cool to turn up. Eventually, he was taken up by more tolerant folk like the Sex Pistols.
According to Hynde, they were the best Punk band, especially without her.
Algy Ward, bass guitar has been in and out since the Eighties. Monty Laurence Burrow Oxymoron on keyboards joined in the mid-Nineties. The newest member, Will Taylor on drums.
There are several songs from the current Darkadelic album and Beware of the Clown is one of the best. You get to appreciate Vanian’s distinctive baritone which has an interesting higher tone to it. The tempo is slower, and it borrows a little from the grunge sound of Neil Young. Hard rhythm riffs with judicious melodic guitar licks interspersed.
Ringlets
Ringlets, who open tonight, are a young four-piece post-Punk band from Auckland. The one person I meet who has seen them before is full of praise. He was correct.
Laszlo Reynolds guitar, Leith Towers singer, Arabella Poulsen bass and Arlo Grey drums.
They are products of the Auckland University School of Jazz, like so many young local artists. The have spent time in bands like Dirty Pixels and Marlin’s Dreaming. That will give you some idea of their calibre.
Their sound is rooted in the edgier New Wave sound that also originated around 1976 in New York, and a little later in the UK.
Opening song Boundless Heart has Towers singing like an original Punk, but the music is edgy Talking Heads around the time of their Psycho Killer days.
Poulsen resembles Tina Weymouth in her manner. The bass is held down in a muscular fashion whilst eschewing any temptation to lead. A minimalist style in similar fashion to Charlie Watts who never overplayed anywhere for the Rolling Stones. Understated, and allows the others to fly.
They have a sound like Joy Division with a slightly friendlier Pop style. The guitar plays metallic drone riffs with brief melodic accents to keep lightening the atmosphere.
There is an Ian Curtis manner to Towers in his stage prowess, a nervy singer who can reach anguished higher registers in a flash.
Sever has the drummer leading with authoritative tribal drumming. Thrilling, as the bass keeps it grounded and the guitar plays a meshed sonic mantra.
Angular and rhythmic like XTC and Wire, edgy and foreboding like Echo and the Bunnymen.
Captain Sensible was correct when he stated that if there was any justice in the music business world, they will be big.
The Damned
However much we like to imagine it, Punk was never really a discrete entity It was full of contradictions, and also borrowed from everywhere. Even genres they professed to hate.
It was in large part a socio-political movement which coincided with the rise of a certain form of activism. Embracing militant women’s rights, sexual politics, non-conformity.
The Damned were quick to pull into their vortex psychedelic rock (they tried to get Syd Barrett to produce an album).
Both old school Heavy Metal along with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead played with them briefly.
Wake the Dead is off the new album but touches on their Goth days. Oxymoron has his moment here with some Goblin music countering the Rock’n’roll steamroller. He resembles Howard Kaylan physically, the great Phlorescent Leach.
Old favourites have the front of stage crowd rumbling to the momentum of the greater omentum. Wouldn’t say they were fat but it’s good to see them enjoying themselves, as Johnny John Lydon Rotten may have said once from the stage within the last 20 years.
Neat Neat Neat gets an extended workout. From Punk to molten guitar riffs. L.A. Woman from the Doors is pulled into the maelstrom. So might be Born in the USA.
Eloise gets a huge cheer.
Smash it Up has a long teaser build up from guitar and bass before it explodes with a blood-curdling yell from Vanian. I’m gonna scream and shout ‘til my dying breath!
They certainly are with the original two clocking in forty-seven years.
The Damned finish with a finale of New Rose and all is well in the world. In the glorious present moment.
Rev Orange Peel
The Damned are playing Saturday 3rd in Wellington.
Tickets available Ticketmaster
Photographs by Leonie Moreland
The Damned
Ringlets
