the damned curtain call

[DarkMounty]

Absolute classic, god I love this

band!

[pifjehey]

I like strawberry ...but curtain call is a fucking and great song ...

[balanasplits]

it takes a special kind of moronic twat to not like the Damned

[TheJedgeworth]

Umm...love The Damned. Vanian, at this time, this place, is sex incarnate, love the guitar, the voyage...epic feeling. Feels like coming home. Part of me will always be the weirdo in elementary and high school, but when I see this (for the hundreth time - never tire of it) I realize that the weirdos conquered the world of hard, ass-biting, fresh art. It's probably been that way since the beginning of time.

[graham2ta]

Wasnt the CH4 prog called `whatever you want` or something like that, I was at this gig, the Dead kennedys were also filmed at this venue for the same show .

[kirky67]

@graham2ta I thought it was called 'Whatever You Didn't Get' though I may well be wrong because I also recall the gob on Vanian's head being spectacularly lit by by the background lights!

Glad to be proven wrong so many years later.

That programme was the first - and so far pretty much only - time I saw the Kennedys on British TV.

[MrHILDINGS]

They couldnt play said Nick Mason ( Pink Floyd ) who produced their second album (i think it was their second ) . Im sure Pink Floyd wouldnt play perfect if they played in this tempo .Offcourse without compering them .

[supercolin33]

Lol.... Was at that gig...... ;)

[thesisterunknown]

So brilliant. Probably my favorite off The Black Album.

[TheNapril]

This was filmed at the Brixton ACE for a channel 4 music series around 1982. Just as it gets fast a large dollop of gob lands on Vanian's forehead, quite hard to see in this footage, maybe as well. Drove down from Birmingham for the gig and back same night. Knackered but can't think of too many bands I'd bother doing this for now

[ktalkpasa]

Dave looks phenomenal here, wow. Love his voice

[collaps1]

07:59 'til 07:59: Rat Scabies (drummer, in centre)!

[AnnFlanagan]

It's Prog Rock, Jim but not as we know it :-)

[hartmusc]

@AnnFlanagan

I know what you mean, but I still like it.

(There's a local radio station here in South Carolina that I hear playing "Yes" albums!)

[TheKrot7]

Last one today.....sleep well XXX

[externalmenace]

Classic!! I've always loved this track!!!! Seen them loads....Long Live the Damned :)

[captainsurfa]

Seen them live twice. I'm gonna JUST miss them in June however :( gutted.

My favourite band.

[G0ggy]

God I love The Damned!

[TheSodiumhaze]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

[julieanddavid]

i get a cold shiver when i hear this song

LOVE IT long live The Damned

[Quantana1]

Wow! I'm kinda new to the Damned but in a short time I've grown to really like them.  I'm heavy into DK and more San Francisco sounding punk. This is different but no less powerful.

[Komatzu]

The Black album all the way

[TheObsidian5]

This deserves to be made into its own Rock/Punk Opera, come on Mr Vanian show them what you are made of and blow the likes of Quadrophenia etc out of the water!!

[ktalkpasa]

This is one of my favorite songs of all time.

[VONCEIL1]

roman jugg playing keys

the damneds finest hour........

Ray , your allrite mate !

[fleaby]

Where is the guy with the hair? I often saw and talked to him at different concerts. This is mini Beatles, great.

[24742770]

THE DAMNED-PURE FUCKIN BRILLIANCE

[ZombifiedPreacher1]

the first time I heard this song I was stoned out of my mind , I was listening to one of their best of and all of a sudden I hear this song just creep up on me , my jaw dropped mid song and when it was over I thought to myself these guys are fucking brilliant .enough said

[raysofrave1]

superb, the Damned and vanians magnum opus, i watched this on old video so many times ,then of course it became obsolete, betamax.

thanks for the posting, superb

[grahambigvan]

Where? When?

Lyceum? 82?

[mysterywhylay]

The Damned Vs the Pistols....vanian and co nailed it..... FABBY.

[TheObsidian5]

no contest, Damned all the way :)

[eightleggedfreak69]

Quite possibly my all time favourite music track , bar none F*cking Brilliant

[narred]

rat scabies, joh bonham or dave grohl for world's greatest drummer?

[RockOnTim]

Neil Pert ;)

[AddienaAndrea]

My favourite track by my favourite band....Great guys, still going,still fantastic, love 'em! thanks so much for posting! :)

[Lytton333]

The Damned are such a unique entity. A crazy cocktail of seriousness,eccentric humour, vaudeville, musical experimentation,chaotic punk reverie,idiosyncratic lyrical reflection, and a host of other things too.. A sort of Mr Hyde to the Beatles' Dr Jeckyll - hence the title of the Black Album.

The Damned's opus should be played at sunset whilst in melancholic mood. Watch the night emerge, and meditate on your own part on the stage of life,and, perhaps, your own coming curtain call..

[captainsurfa]

Saw them last night for the second time. I agree totally.

One of the most under-rated bands of all time. They're fantastic!

[TheObsidian5]

only the 2nd and already so wise ;) Been a fan since 1977 as a young whippersnapper and they never let me down for their brilliance xx

[MrNapalm138]

@Lytton333 Well said...

[raahead]

They played this at Oxford recently, fricking top it was. What a band.

[BartConrad101]

thats the machine gun etiquette line up below..my favorite damned era.

[BartConrad101]

Agreed ,the damned had ALL the right shit.Vanian,brilliant look,great presence,stunning voice,Sensible,great mind,outrageous fashion sense,guitarist extraordinare,Algy Ward,Bass..Last but not least,,Rat Scabies,Genius on Drums..

[anarchygirl1]

I always coment on musical quality, creativity etc,as you will see from my other comments...The Damned are without doubt one of the greatest bands England has ever produced.but being a total girl..how f*****g sexy is Vanian here!

[UROTSUKIDOJI1111]

its the shorter version but it still pwns without the extra 7mins

[thedanishtyke]

I'm gonna play it at me sister!

[julieanddavid]

i want Eloise played at my funeral

ive told my kids aswell

[Rawlinson18]

I'm having toiler on the fuckin sea played at mine and if they fuck up I'll come back and fuckin haunt em.

[ginnys2004]

well I'm having Love Song played at my funeral...it's written in my will....and I will haunt my children if it doesn't get played :-) awesome!!

[Lem65]

I remember watching this on the telly & pressing the play & record buttons on one of those little audio cassette players.......these & Motorhead...never needed anyone else...'cept mebbe Therapy?

[spine1964]

Such a great great band. I f*****g love The Damned. still making excellent albums. Curtain Call still gives me goosebumps when i play it. Fabulous!!

[badmartianshrew]

He asked me if the Black Album was any good! He genuinely didn't know. We talked about the anarchist punk band Crass, he made an EP single with them once, and turned veggie while staying at their commune 25 years ago. And about how much he loves Brighton, and which pubs serve best real ale. He was buying a map of Japan as they are touring there soon and he's producing a Jap psych-punk band while out there. Nick Cave lives in the 'hood too, sometimes see him shopping looking cooler than cool.

[badmartianshrew]

I saw the captain in the street yesterday in Brighton (march '09). I'd been listening to the Black Album and this track just 2 days before. He said he hadn't heard it in 20 years. We chatted for half an hour. Lovely bloke. Could have stood there all day.

[up2space]

what did he say?

[Rawlinson18]

Play it at your funeral, they'll love it, YEAH YEAH!!

[up2space]

what can you say but the Damned. Never again will there be a band like this.

[coldsteelcobra]

Classic. Oh, the memories!!!!!!!

[COLDITZx]

I LOVE THE DAMNED and especially this song!! A million thanx for putting this video on!!!

[lecturerob]

Pure class.

Long live the Damned...

[Lytton333]

Curtain Call (in it's way ) is a minor masterpiece. The best thing of all is that it (and the Damned) have absolutely nothing to do with turgid 'punk rock'.

[julieanddavid]

still brilliant live if you haven't seen the damned live u should go and see them

[nippyhied]

seen em 4 times last time was 1981 brilliant band met rat and capt a few times metal.

[damodamone]

absolute lengends,cant wait to see them in dublin,end of this month !!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[stevocee22]

This song was the closest thing to a 'trip' at 14 years of age....before the drink & drugs!....walking a mile from my girlfriend's place in the pitch dark, listening to this on a Sony cassette Walkman,which you'll probably remember, was the size of a box of fucking Maltesers!....top band,top song. Always love to watch them live...along with SLF......nice 1 davesbitch.

[ianparsec2000]

I saw these guys at The Hammersmith Palais in 1983 where they rocked my cotton socks. I got covered in puke and flob (as was the fashion at concerts in those days) and caught in the crossfire as security bashed up some German Neo-Nazi skinhead scumbos who were spraying the stage with a fire extinguisher and singing Horst Wessel marching songs. What a first concert!

[oliverburns]

what a band, I met Sensible a couple of years back, at Maryport, punk fest, what a laugh, he had a bit of a crack, then told me he had to run as it takes ages to get THE OLD bONDAGE PANTS ON, right enough when he came on stage he was wearing the red tartan bondage keks, top bloke.

[jostrum50]

this was on a programme called 'Whatever You Want' I think 1983 - used to have it on vhs, excellent

[flemwad]

Saw them about a year ago doing playing this in Moshulu Aberdeen. I nearly cried (sad but true) it was so good, get all over goosebumps every time I hear this Tour de Force. One of my favourite all time songs along with 'History of the world'..thx for posting

[jockstrapy]

had the pleasure of seeing these legends recently one of many times ive seen them pity they didnt play this a classic without doubt

[livewire886]

Sounds more like Jim Morrison but different in ways. Either way, it fuckin' rocks!!!!

[cakolyre]

I understand a bit but I wouldn't be able compare them,they are both unique and wonderful.

[rosskstar]

do i hear some Joy Division influence here? their first offerings were more garage punk than this

[blandmanstan]

I saw these boys in 2006 at Torquay Town Hall, the Captain said we'd be all better off going down the strip club with him as there was only about 200 of us there.

They still played for about 90 minutes and were absolutly fantastic. Its about time Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible got some recognition, at least a OBE each if not Knighthoods. The Damned mean just as much to their fans as Tom bloody Jones does to his!!!

[philxbx]

I was at that gig, and it was bloody amazing!!!! You're right, they deserve so much more credit!!!

[roddy76to86]

I would sincerely hope they would be good punks and reject such offerings!!

[twostrokedowse]

absolute Masterpiece

[harrythebastard1]

the black album....class album

[maxi8bull]

saw them do this at the mayfair in newcastle in '83. probably the best gig ive ever been to. if you see them and here the chant sensible's a wanker, i started that at that very gig.

[twostrokedowse]

Saw them last night in Norwich still as good as ever, shame they didnt do Curtain call but a brilliant gig

[GardnerGoldsmith]

Like a star in the sky. The Damned. Long-lasting, brilliant, always showing something new. I live near Boston, but have seen them in the UK twice, once in Birmingham, and once in Newcastle.

They are, far and away, the best, BEST punk band to have emerged. I love these guys, for their music, their humor, their devotion and dedication to integrity and their effort. Long live the DAMNED!

[TheJedgeworth]

@GardnerGoldsmith Well said. I agree, they were the best. I think that's because their notes, both vocal and instrumental, are so crisp - no sloppy anger to get in the way.

[dravo]

swansea tomorrow not x mas without the damned allan and mathew coombs

[helenphelps]

im seeing them in bristol next wednesday, still a classic track

[julieanddavid]

seeing them tomorrow (saturday)

[julieanddavid]

seeing them in December

[twostrokedowse]

and me Norwich Waterfront

[spudleyodidley]

The Damned are one of the best bands i have ever seen live, never thought they would do this one live, but they did and it's fantastic.

[gravedisorderly]

Ooh I'm in awe. This is my favorite live track.

[ashikagaProdDesign]

great memories to this song... memories of a love long lost.... Erica her name was...from the UK..... as with so many things, also here the curtain call was finally made......

however...... it was fun while it lasted....

[tallpaddy]

It was 1984-going on a train from London to Holyhead and onwards to Dublin-I met my bestest m8 Gary who was returning to college-we were both skint-but somehow managed to get a few quid together when we heard the Damned was playing Dublin that same saturday night in the SFX-which was a venue created from a very old Church-very gothic-anyway we got to the gig-The Damned played this song Curtain Call-which was brilliantly delicious...

[SANDYFEET13]

Thanks for this - amazing band. Underrated in my opinion. Listen to the Portrait to see how diverse they could be, it's a beautiful piece of music.

[whammybar01]

Eight of us used to sing this in an old mini on a crappy old ghetto blaster on our way back from Damned gigs in Yorkshire in the 80's.. life couldn't have been sweeter! Still see the band whenever they are around.. still awesome... Smash it up!

[avillaavilla]

PUnk-proge ! Great song !

[Nechepsos]

this was a dabble by Dave and the boys into the Goth... quite nice actually but much too long to become a staple tune in their sets

[ZiggyAntPuff]

Absolute classic from a band who continually flirted with brilliance and the average. Some classics such as smash it up and love song will forever be classics. Reminds me of one my best friends who I haven't seen in years. Swanny, if you're out there, get in touch dude, you're missed by us all.

[desarchbold]

have a listen to this song when tripping on acid.

[brambledown1]

good god is that shirley on key boards any tru damned fan will no is itttttttttttt

[brambledown1]

opps no it isnt it looked like roman jus seen the very end hahahahaaha

[dogydemo]

I think one of my fave Damned songs, great song from a great band.

[OiPhilT]

Great Memories of this lot and I to remember it on channel 4, Scabies describing it as there master piece...Great stuff

[tarby777]

Yeah, I remember it too! Sat smoking a fag on a mod scooter with hundreds of mirrors. "This song's called Curtain Call... and *I* think it's a bit of a mahhhster-piece!".

It is a pretty good song - the punk Bohemian Rhapsody? Nice little solo from the Captain too...

[invisdible]

Fucking great,got this on an old betamax video,Ain't seen it for years.

[davesbitch]

blimey betamax

[ottofrings]

one of my all time faves. thanks davesbitch

[twostrokedowse]

Yep! my fave Damned song, always get to see them once a year at the Waterfront, Norwich.

No more will i roam

Childish dreams are soon outgrown

but here we stand in our Theatre land

curtain call about to fall. Love it!!

[julieanddavid]

Were coming up from the deep

The lizard sheds it's skin

Night obliterates the day

And all the fun begins

Shadow boxing with yourself

Just seems to get you nowhere

You don't want to cheat

When playing solitare

[davesbitch]

"Curtain Call"

Can you taste the grit

Between your teeth

The heat of the lights

The crack of the whip

The snapping sound

Of someone's nerves

If you pay you get

What you deserve

[rugshort]

What's the rest?

[julieanddavid]

look it up then

[dd2112]

Rite..

[panzermort]

and btw some said cant understand lyrics

hell im from merseyside and they sound easy to me :)

[panzermort]

this is not 1 song tho

[panzermort]

this album blew me away

so long ago now

but was an all time favourite of mine

it shocked people at the time

not because of any controversy

but because of the musicianship

[portsmouthsceneTV]

I've seen the damned 111 times before loosing count, they are an amazing live band. I thought my time was up at the front of a number of damned gigs the energy in the "moshpit" is second to none.

[oliverburns]

this is my favourite damned song, I,ve saw them plat it live , absolutely brilliant

[thunderaceboy]

very underrated song, this was the damned at there best, brilliant,brilliant song, long live the damned

[julieanddavid]

the damned do have there own website

[flemwad]

Saw them doing this live at Moshulu in Aberdeen not long ago and it was fucking GENIUS..The best thing I've seen live in many year..I actually had tears in my eyes it was that good..'history of the world' was amazing too

[numbeek]

u know i still rofl at the greeny at 1.45ish.

not seen this since ooh early 80s.

thx for a gr8 collection of memories :)

[kirky67]

Absolutely brilliant! The Damned were the first band I ever went to see.

Remember seeing this footage on Channel 4 back when. First time I've seen it since. Selective memory and all that had the grogger hitting Vanian right between the eyes and dripping down his nose as the stage lights made it change colour beautifully.

I'm glad I was wrong.

[phsycobint]

saw damned in 1985 when we were all mad goths love this song ,sexy dave vanian

[Damnediscoman]

I just saw the Damned @ The House of Blues. They performed this song and I was fucking shocked! I've seen them many times but they had never played this live, it was a hell of a treat.

[rugshort]

No apologies necessary, quite right that you point out my inadequacies. Phantasmagoria isn't a bad album, it's not up there with either of the two albums you mention. What I hate is their version of Love's Alone again, or which is fookin' 'orrible because of a naff guitar sound.

[rugshort]

Better than their version of Love's Alone again, or. Which is shit. I love the Black Album.

[nhbgfju]

fucking great, for all its worth i loved the damned in the 80's

wicked

[Darkissima]

Maravilhoso!...

[dazanelle]

fuckin awesome some of the so called punk bands of today should see this class

[Aditikali]

right on there...yeah.pure class...we need a classic punk page dont ya tink,..Smash it up - be the song of that ethos..what do you think poeple..What did punk mean to you? What tunes are your favs..come on guys ..?? I remember seeing the classic A Anarchy sign on the underpass when i was a nipper, sorta caught tale end of it.. but made up for it since.. the thatcher fuck you, i'm alright jack, yuppie days.. NO Future signs on the underpass.. mohicans.. shock, provoke.. smash it up....

[alphabetgreen]

A dedicated website would be good. A good song to blast out upon opening it would be the introduction to 'Pretty Vacant'.

[newwavekitty]

Saw them on the Final Damnation tour (in So Cal) and in Vegas a few years back; Dave has such an incredible voice. Awesome. Thank you for putting this up for us to view!

[alphabetgreen]

How come, no matter what the line up was, they always sounded brilliant!! Even with Roman Jugg on guitars. Rat Scabies rocks!!

[rugshort]

Sorry, Roman Jugg shat their sound.

[RubyTwilite]

what year is this from?

[gabrielharter]

totally in their peak. the first band i ever saw. By the time I saw them, the party was ending. but this.... brilliant

[Aditikali]

wow..cheers for posting this-muchus gracias-that white stripe in vampiric balck hair inspired a generation..I saw 'em in Bristol Colston Hall, phew, yonks back..awesome..them were the days -the moshin pit..the dancers in cages etc..agh-them were't days..Awesome...

[Virtualuser]

What a suprise to see you here Aditikali, I was telling Crewite you had turned me onto some fab damned tracks he told me to check out Curtain Call so full circle, cool track...eh

[ottofrings]

classic

[Asasin]

Awesome, I have the recorded copy of the song and the MGE 25 DVD and never could figure out the lyrics HAHA. Thanks. Love this band, too.

[camerondroy]

took time exxxalant

[Chris154]

thanks for posting this, bloody great song. One of my favs