This is one of my favorite Damned songs of all time. I have watched different versions of this performance, but I always come back to this one at the end of the night... The fact that Dave remains in his perfect performance when fans are trying to move in and be a part of it all, shows something about him that makes me respect him even more.
My favorite The Damned song. Vanian's smile when he says "night obliterates the day and all the fun begins" is one of the sexiest things I've ever seen. Let's put the bit about the gobbing to bed and get on with the mastery of this very under-rated band!
The Damned have consistently put out amazing music and have never been afraid to experiment with their sound (Naz Nomad and the Nightmares, for instance). It was a thrill when I got to interview them for a music magazine I was writing for a few years back. Captain Sensible was so hilarious and Dave was so charming and polite. Definitely some of the coolest guys in the music industry. :-)
An incredible performer and vocalist who seems to defy the aging process, seen the the Damned perform twice this year and they`re better than ever, they played Curtain call at the Coventry gig and it was awesome! :-)
@Damnedfan - People go on about Dave's looks because, well, look at him - he's fucking otherworldly beautiful! But even so, I don't think the quality of the music is lost on anyone. It's just hard not to notice that face ;)
One of the grooviest songs EVER. Great to see em play a gig - all them years ago & see em later on the 207 bus from “LONDON” to Shepherds Bush / Hanwell. Cool kids.
seeing him getting spat on really pissed me off...hated that nonsense back then... It reminded me of the night a guy at a Cult concert spat on Ian Astbury, and another guy in the audience grabbed him and completely smashed his nose with a headbutt, knocking him senseless in the process...great night all round :D
Just looking at all the comments...still my favorite The Damned Song...no matter what Vanian is now, or what he was then, his celluloid soul is eternally, dangerously, sexual and hypnotic. Interesting how many posts are full of hate and weird, nasty energy, as if some psychic dictator from above is decreeing all things cool to have a nasty or violent edge. Some things and people are just funny, just sexy, relax.
Ouch! Just goes to show that The Damned are probably not going to Hell. Vanian seems gentle. Just look at the way he handles those stage crashers. I bet he could take care of himself even if he did not have bouncers around. He might have to get violent, but that is okay. He looks like very little scares him.
Watch a big lump of gob land on Vanians left shoulder at 1.32..........He doesnt even bat an eyelid!!!....fucking great.....they should bring back gobbing, especially at Take That concerts!!
This was the first music my old flatmate managed to record on his mums new Beta-max video machine, we watched this and the Anti Nowhere league playing Streets of London on the same music show live zillions of times... ah man it cuts off early... shame.
@TheJedgeworth Very well said, on both of your comments! I drove home after I saw them live the other week and me and my friend had this on in the car. Bloody spooky stuff when it got to the middle section, there was no one else on the road and it was all blocked off with cones so we weren't sure where we were going. An example of a song being like the soundtrack to life, just perfect.
What made you think those in the crowd thought him a hero? They paid money, they hated anything that smelled like a hero. This is pure Punk, and Punk fans were always angry. I'm too young (just by a few years) but Vanian tolerated a lot of spitting. A masterpiece, with Vanian being the channel who handled all the mayhem better than you or I could, I venture. These fuckers (almost all men) paid the ticket price and Vanian could have walked off the stage at any time. Peace
@ZLUGGO I had problem to recover a CD version of this album. I've just received it 2 weeks ago and i spend time like before singing loud the lyrics with what we call in french "chair de poule". Perfect ! :)
Pause at the end of 2:23 right before it hits 2:24 and be ready to laugh at a funny Dave Vanian face. Just saw them on the tour they're on right now. The band is in top form and Vanians voice is better than it's ever been imho. The most overlooked underrated band of all time.
Besides, what's a little spit (actually looks more like projectile vomiting) to a man who has obviously rising from a tomb at sunset for 5,000 years, still managed to look hot, keep an incredible voice, and didn't break stride when a complete stranger suddenly wanted to be his "best friend"? I know I asked that we put this 'gobbing" aside - why does it sound like goblins?? but I broke my own rule - not the 1st time!
Anyone get the semi-Shakespearean lyrics alluding to fooling yourself, mortality, and all that? It is there. This is a decent act, for sure, for sure, okay, okay.
Vanian could probably go to Translyvania today and lay of few of these Vampire charaters to death, but I have a feeling it would make sleepy with boredom.
Gotta admit Goldie had almost as much guts as Vanian to get on the stage at that moment. All these years, still one of the finest, most exciting, screaming songs I've ever heard. Pardon and bless The Damned, they were just too sexy! (See Tom Jones.)
Get up on stage once they throw you back in to the audience. Do it twice and it's out the back to have the shit kicked out of you, especially if you grabbed the mic.
You know, I agree, but Robert Palmer didn't exactly have to have a bag put over his head. And no, I not confusing Mr.Palmer with that freak Robert Pattison.
All those benighted punks didn't really know what to do with such a dark vaudevilian opus.. So, thinking it was another 'punk-song', they just pogo'd and spat at the front.. like they were told to do. There's nothing more conservative than a old punk-rocker with a studded-jacket .. The Damned proved that you could take it into different directions. Sensible was always something of an experimental prog-rocker really.. It had to come out sooner or later..
@up2space LOL - all Sid could do with the bass was hit people over the head with it. He was so awful playing it, the band usually turned is amp way down or just had it unplugged. Poor Sid was so strung out, he had no clue.
Fox time.I don't care what he looks like now. He made Elvis look a little feeble. Well, except at the Singer special with all that tight leather. Funny, in real life, I'd run from men like these when they ran for me (and the did) but the are sooo good to looook at.
