[kj] 1000 SUNS Outside Gate and PHANTASMAGORIA

[Alexander Smith]

Consider that at around the same time (1985)  the Damned released  
PHANTASMAGORIA....

...The Stranglers released AURAL SCULPTURE
... The Clash released the entirely abortive CUT THE CRAP (which has  
since been erased from history).
.... Public Image Ltd. released ALBUM (perhaps the most respectable  
of the class of `77's efforts that year).

Around the same time, The Cult had just released LOVE, Killing Joke  
had recently released NIGHTTIME, the Sisters of Mercy had released  
FIRST AND LAST, but were swiftly falling apart and the Jesus & Mary  
Chain had just released PSYCHOCANDY.


Not a bad year for `choons, I'd say.

Alex in NYC...who thinks "Ice Queen" on AURAL SCULPTURE is one of the  
best things the Stranglers ever came up with.



On Feb 23, 2007, at 4:42 AM, Rob's Arse wrote:


> Yeah. Aural Sculpture is something I just cannot listen to. Awful.  

> And I love the Stranglers!

>

> What was in the water at that time? I bet Thatcher was responsible!

>

> www.iamscuzzy.com www.myspace.com/scuzzywear

>

> --- gregslawson at msn.com wrote:

>

> From: "GREG SLAWSON" <gregslawson at msn.com>

> To: gathering at misera.net

> Subject: Re: [kj] 1000 SUNS Outside Gate and PHANTASMAGORIA

> Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:26:29 -0500

>

>

>

>

> I'm not British and thus know little about the Stranglers, but I  

> seem to remember their early stuff being pretty good pub/punk rock,  

> and then hearing the new wave/synth pop of the song "Skin  

> Deep" (not bad by synth pop standards), and then getting a used  

> copy of another album (Aural Sculptures, maybe) and thinking it was  

> even more bland synth pop. I just don't get that one...

>

>

> From:  "peter muckle" <pmuckle00 at hotmail.com>

> Reply-To:  "A list about all things Killing Joke (the  

> band!)"<gathering at misera.net>

> To:  vassifer at earthlink.net

> CC:  gathering at misera.net

> Subject:  Re: [kj] 1000 SUNS Outside Gate and PHANTASMAGORIA

> Date:  Thu, 22 Feb 2007 23:19:09 +0000

> >I have to agree with you, Outside the Gate was a drastic change.

> >Does anyone know of any similar band having such a drastic change  

> or will

> >this go down as a record breaking event.

> >

> >Pete

> >

> >

> > >From: Alex Smith <vassifer at earthlink.net>

> > >Reply-To: Alex Smith <vassifer at earthlink.net>,"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>, "A list about all things Killing Joke  

> (the band!)"

> > ><gathering at misera.net>

> > >Subject: Re: [kj] 1000 SUNS and PHANTASMAGORIA

> > >Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:55:52 -0500 (EST)

> > >

> > >

> > >I don't remember being as crushed by hearing "Grimly Fiendish"  

> by the

> > >Damned as I was when I first heard "Adorations" by the `Joke,  

> but then -- I

> > >was always *way* more into the `Joke. Still not a fan of that  

> single. When

> > >the album came out, there were at least a few tracks with oomph  

> to them

> > >(notably "Chessboards" and "Rubicon") and its aged fairly well,  

> I'd say,

> > >but it's never been one of my favorites.

> > >

> > >That all said, *ABSOLUTELY NOTHING* can compare to the jaw-dropping

> > >disbelief and abject disapointment I felt when I first heard  

> "America" (to

> > >say nothing of the rest of the album that spawned it).

> > >

> > >Alex in NYC

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

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

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

> > > >Sent: Feb 22, 2007 4:36 PM

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

> > ><gathering at misera.net>

> > > >Subject: Re: [kj] 1000 SUNS and PHANTASMAGORIA

> > > >

> > > >Indeed, and an era for both bands that I now look back on and  

> think "hmm,

> > > >not the best really, no matter how hard I tried to convince  

> myself

> > > >otherwise at the time"!  Actually, wasn't keen on 1000 Suns  

> when it came

> > > >out either (and no, let's not start that one again!)

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >At 20:39 22/02/2007 +0000, you wrote:

> > > >>This was a new chapter for the damned, similar to the Killing  

> Joke era

> > >of

> > > >>1000 Suns.

> > > >>

> > > >>

> > > >> >From: "Jerry Butson" <jerry at fleamusic.com>

> > > >> >Reply-To: "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] OT: in Defense of PHANTASMAGORIA by the  

> Damned

> > > >> >Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:50:52 +0000

> > > >> >

> > > >> >My vote for one of the Damned's finest vinyl moments goes  

> to he 12"

> > >version

> > > >> >of Alone Again Or in its breakneck speed, edited

> > > >> >on-the-fly-with-a-pair-of-rusty-scissors version...fantastic!

> > > >> >

> > > >> >On 22/02/07, gingoblin at easynet.co.uk  

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

> > > >> >>

> > > >> >>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

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> > > >> >> >

> > >  

> >>>_________________________________________________________________

> > > >> >> > >>>The average US Credit Score is 675. The cost to see  

> yours: $0

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> > > >> >>Experian.

> > > >> >> > >>>

> > > >>

> > > >>http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx? 

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> > > >> >>2/19/2007

> > > >> >> > >> 17:01

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