Machine Gun Etiquette (The Damned in general)

Member Name: mark9fsn

Product:	The Damned in general
Date:	12/05/03 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: just brill

Disadvantages: none

The Damned's 'first' come back album, 'Machine Gun Ettiquette', is a true classic of the punk genre. After losing their original guitarist Brian James, Captain Sensible takes over at the guitar helm, and along with original members Dave Vanian on vocals, Rat Scabies on drums and new bassist Algy Ward, they released this offering from 1979.
If you are new to the Damned just go out and buy this record/cd, you are unlikely to here anything remotely like it again. From the opening 'Ladies and gentlemen, how do', of 'Love Song', the voice of Albert Tatlock by the way, through to the fade out of 'Smash It Up', this album just stomps on your senses from beginning to end. It is not just some three chord thrash however, these lads could play.
Three singles were released from this album; bass driven 'Love Song', 'Smash it Up' which was partly a tribute to Marc Bolan, who they had toured with a couple of years previous to this release,and 'I Just Cant Be Happy Today' which includes the one fingered keyboard playing of the Captain. As well as these three punk/rock/pop classics this album is just brimming full of sustained brilliance. 'Melody Lee' was to be one of the band's favourites live, who else could write a song about a character from Bunty? The manic riffing of 'Noise, Noise, Noise' still makes me want to turn the volume up to 11 nearly 25 years on.
These chaps never got the credit they deserved, Rat Scabies is second to none on the skins, Vanian a splendidly elegant foil to the nonsensical Captain Sensible, who is however one of the best guitarists around, ok he released 'Happy Talk', but everyone has bills!!! Do these lads and yourself a favour and buy this, you even get a four track bonus on the cd including an inspired version of the Sweets 'Ballroom Blitz', featuring Lemmy.
What more could you want?????

Summary: