[kj] OT: in Defense of PHANTASMAGORIA by the Damned

[gingoblin at easynet.co.uk]

Yeah, I do kinda enjoy Phantasmagoria the very few times I play it these 
days, but after all these years I've realised for it to REALLY be the 
Damned, it needs Vanian/Scabies/Sensible. They've had their moments with 
the different line-ups, but nothing even comes close to the amazing stuff 
of the earlier years.   I remember hearing a comp CD in some pub... it was 
absolute genius right up to Grimly Fiendish coming on, when I wished it 
would just end. Kinda summed it up for me.
As for their "image"... as Scabies said, Vanian could dress as a binman and 
still look good, while he himself could put on the finest clothes and still 
be a mess!!
Must admit, can't stand Eloise... though that's possibly from it being the 
"hit" and having heard it way too often over the years. The current line-up 
do the best version so far, but could still do without it!
Oh, and the Five Foot One thing... I came out and directly asked them 
around that time, and they didn't own up!  I recall asking Rat if covering 
Five Foot One had anything to do with Vanian's height (to which he replied 
"oh, I wouldn't say that to him"!!). Ah, my ever-tactful youth!

Dave in Edinburgh





At 09:15 21/02/2007 -0500, you wrote:


>Just a few words in defense of PHANTASMAGORIA. I was shocked as everyone 

>else at said album's comparatively gloppy overproduction. Despite the 

>funereal trappings, it owed more to the likes of Meat Loaf and Bonnie 

>Tyler than it did to any Goth making the `rounds at the time (by 

>comparison, the Sisters of Mercy sound like the Ramones). That said, there 

>were still some fine moments of pure pop on it (notably "Street of Dreams" 

>and "Grimly Fiendish", although "Is It A Dream?" is just crap across the 

>board). I'm also a big fan of the non-album single "Eloise," another 

>hoarily windswept and overproduced gem. Was in Punk? Not especially, but 

>who cares?

>

>As a college freshman in 1985 out in the bowels of Ohio, I remember 

>packing into a crowded station wagon to drive across scary, backwoods-ass 

>Midwestern pigfuck country to Kentucky to catch the Damned on the 

>PHANTASMAGORIA tour (which, for some reason, bypassed the nearest city to 

>our school, Columbus). As over-the-top as their image and aesthetic had 

>become (Hammer horror films, candelabras, graveyard shtick), they were as 

>full-on live as can be imagined (and yes -- quite definably PUNK in every 

>semblance of the term).

>

>I've grown to quite like the PHANTASMAGORIA album as a result. There are 

>some great moments on ANYTHING as well (notably their cover of "Alone 

>Again Or" and the title track, which is essentialy a wafer-thin-re-write 

>of Iggy Pops "Five Foot One"). I saw them again with Brian James et al. on 

>the tour that resulted in the FINAL DAMNATION tour (`90 or so?) at the New 

>Ritz, and they were endearingly shambollic. The last time I saw them was 

>in the mid-90's at since-shuttered Coney Island High. I don't believe Rat 

>was in attendance, but Dave was there in all his ridiculous glory. It was 

>fun to see them, but it wasn't really "the Damned" as I'd grown to love.

>

>I haven't picked up a new album/single of theirs since I can't remember 

>when, honestly. But I listened to a clutch of Damned tracks on my walk to 

>work this morning, and the mere fact that their catalog stretches from the 

>stripped-down velocity of "Fish" and "Neat Neat Neat" through to the 

>ersatz psychedelia of the Naz Nomad stuff and onto their vanglorious 

>opuses (opi?) like the afore-mentioned "Eloise" is a testament to their 

>versatility.

>

>Bless'em.

>

>Alex in NYC

>

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

> >From: Mike Porthouse <Mike at rteltd.com>

> >Sent: Feb 21, 2007 4:02 AM

> >To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)" 

> <gathering at misera.net>

> >Subject: Re: [kj] Clip of US punk documentary/riots

> >

> >Had the pleasure of seeing the current Damned line-up a couple of times 

> last

> >year (Vanian, Sensible, Stu, Pinch and Monty) and I have to say they're in

> >good form. Best I've seen them since the re-union shows in about 88 or 89.

> >Vanian and Sensible have a massive stage presence and they're now playing

> >with good musicians. Always a good night out. Some good new songs and a 

> back

> >catalogue of classics. The only thing for me, which keeps them from being

> >right up there with the best is their lyrics, which have never been 

> anything

> >to get excited about.

> >BTW the recent MGE DVD release is very good for any Damned fans who don't

> >already own it.

> >

> >Mike Porthouse

> >

> >----- Original Message -----

> >From: <gingoblin at easynet.co.uk>

> >To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> ><gathering at misera.net>

> >Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 9:32 PM

> >Subject: Re: [kj] Clip of US punk documentary/riots

> >

> >

> >> This was last July, and yes it WAS interesting to say the least!  Fucking

> >> great, even if Casey Chaos's voice was shot.

> >>

> >> They came VERY close to doing it with Dave and Cap, but that's another

> >> story.  It is a shame though... 30 years comes round once.

> >>

> >> There was talk of doing a few more dates, but nothing more than that. You

> >> never know though!

> >>

> >> A couple of pics from the gig :

> >> http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/GinGoblin/100ClubJuly6th20068.jpg

> >>

> >> http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/GinGoblin/100ClubJuly6th20067.jpg

> >>

> >> Dave

> >>

> >> At 13:34 20/02/2007 -0500, you wrote:

> >>>So the Brian James Gang thing made me curious again.  Don't own the

> >>>release

> >>>but it sounds promising even the simplistic, idiotic lyrics.  Vocals are

> >>>fine.  So I stumble across their (always dreaded) myspace page:

> >>>http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friend 

> id=106508478

> >>>

> >>>and what do I see...

> >>>DAMNED 30th ANNIVERSARY LINE-UP:

> >>>Brian James-Guitar,

> >>>Rat Scabies-Drums

> >>>Mani-Bass

> >>>Casey Chaos-Voice

> >>>

> >>>This could be interesting.  Shame they couldn't do it with Captain and Rat

> >>>

> >>>Anyone have anymore details???  IS there a snowballs chance in hell thisis

> >>>coming to the US?  I would actually go see this

> >>>

> >>>Chris

> >>>

> >>>

> >>> >From: "TB" <Partyslammer at socal.rr.com>

> >>> >Reply-To: TB <Partyslammer at socal.rr.com>,"A list about all things

> >>> >Killing

> >>> >Joke (the band!)"<gathering at misera.net>

> >>> >To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> >>> ><gathering at misera.net>

> >>> >Subject: Re: [kj] Clip of US punk documentary/riots

> >>> >Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:10:33 -0800

> >>> >

> >>> >"Rob's Arse" wrote:

> >>> >

> >>> > >

> >>> > > Grave disorder really was a return to form but Not of this Earth was

> >>> > > terrible!

> >>> > >

> >>> > > I remember seeing them at the time with Scabies on drums, Vanian on

> >>> > > Vocals, Moose from NMA on bass with Kris Dollimore (Mr Session

> >>> > > guitar)

> >>> >and

> >>> > > Vanian's Grandad (wearing a LEATHER WASTECOAT).

> >>> > > I left that gig totally heartbroken. They were shitter than shit.

> >>> > >

> >>> > > As an aside, we played wit teh Brian James Gang the other week and I

> >>> >have

> >>> > > to say that Brian James is a lovely bloke. Shame there were only 25

> >>> >people

> >>> > > at the gig!

> >>> >

> >>> >Did Brian have Dave Tregunna with him on bass? Any Lords tunes played?

> >>> >More

> >>> >details, man!

> >>> >

> >>> >T.B.

> >>> >

> >>> >

> >>> >_______________________________________________

> >>> >Gathering mailing list

> >>> >Gathering at misera.net

> >>> >http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

> >>>

> >>>_________________________________________________________________

> >>>The average US Credit Score is 675. The cost to see yours: $0 by Experian.

> >>>http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=660600&bcd=EMAILFOOT 

> ERAVERAGE

> >>>

> >>>_______________________________________________

> >>>Gathering mailing list

> >>>Gathering at misera.net

> >>>http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

> >>

> >>

> >> _______________________________________________

> >> Gathering mailing list

> >> Gathering at misera.net

> >> http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

> >>

> >>

> >> --

> >> No virus found in this incoming message.

> >> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> >> Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.18.3/693 - Release Date: 2/19/2007

> >> 17:01

> >>

> >>

> >

> >_______________________________________________

> >Gathering mailing list

> >Gathering at misera.net

> >http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

>

>_______________________________________________

>Gathering mailing list

>Gathering at misera.net

>http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering