The tortuous road to The Damned’s latest album Darkadelic – a career-encapsulating return-to-form that finds the revitalised quintet at the top of their game – begins on the stage of The London Palladium.
It’s October 2019. All Hallows’ Eve is imminent, and the gothically inclined punk veterans’ Hammer House Of Horror-approved Night Of A Thousand Vampires is upping the ante for live rock theatre. Freaks caper, aerialists twirl, jugulars gape, and Damned vocalist Dave Vanian enters a coffin as Dracula before re-emerging post-interval, head freshly shaved, as Nosferatu.
No one is more impressed than the rest of the band, when they finally see the show upon its release on DVD (last October).
“That gig was a revelation to me,” admits perma-bereted guitar maestro Captain Sensible. “I didn’t see any of the visuals until I saw the film. I had no idea all that stuff was going on, I was concentrating on playing my guitar in the bloody dark. I’m so glad I had a decent tone that night, because Jimmy Page was watching. When I spoke to him after, I said: ‘I’m ashamed to have to admit, Jimmy, that I may have stolen a few of your licks over the years.’ He laughed and said: ‘You wouldn’t be the first, Captain.’”
For Damned Disciples of long-standing, the Night Of A Thousand Vampires seemed to mark the culmination of a significant period of stability – within a band historically synonymous with anarchy and chaos. That Vanian and Captain had been comfortably back in harness since ’96 was remarkable enough, but that they’d managed to retain the services of the same drummer (Andrew ‘Pinch’ Pinching) for 20 years appeared to border on the miraculous.
This story is from the June 2023 edition of Classic Rock.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2023 edition of Classic Rock.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Anthrax
One of thrash metal's Big Four bring the noise - and Kreator and Testament - in November.
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse
If \"a modern-day vaudeville circus act creating music\" sounds like your thing, catch them live.
"Fancy giving it another twelve months?"
It's the question Nazareth's Pete Agnew and Dan McCafferty asked each other every July 1 since 1972. Now, with McCafferty gone, the band's glory days behind them and Agnew the last surviving original member, he's happy to still be giving it another 12.
WATCHING THE RIVER FLOW
Most thought 1994's The Division Bell was Pink Floyd's final statement. But after sifting through surplus material, 20 years later, with a little help from his friends, David Gilmour pulled The Endless River out of the hat.
GOING MY WAY
From aspiring band guy to multi-faceted solo superstar, Lenny Kravitz has worked with some of rock's greatest. On his new album, he's revisiting his youth.
BACK IN BLACK
As pack leaders of the post-millennial alt.blues scene - until fame turned their hair grey - The Black Keys have reignited their mojo on twelfth album Ohio Players.
SEBASTIAN BACH
He was the youth gone wild: played clubs and guzzled beer at 14; fronted Skid Row and got hit records, star friends, a taste for coke, and the sack; drank more beer; toured with musical theatre productions; has a solo career... \"I've had a pretty fucking extraordinary life,\" he says.
STEVE HARLEY
Classic Rock's Dave Ling looks back at the life and music of the Cockney Rebel.
Troy Redfern
He was raised on a farm; he finds the blues \"super-limiting\"; he's a big Frank Zappa fan; you can dance to his new album..
Kerry King
The Slayer guitarist on his old band, his new band, his new solo album, bumanity's failure, and the pressure of going solo.
