The Damned are an English rock band formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible, and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk rock band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976), release an album, Damned Damned Damned (1977), and tour the United States. They have nine singles that charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.
David Essex is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. Since the 1970s, he has attained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK and 16 Top 40 albums. Internationally, Essex had the most success with his 1973 single "Rock On". He has also had an extensive career as an actor.
Harry H. Corbett OBE was an English actor and comedian, best remembered for playing rag-and-bone man Harold Steptoe alongside Wilfrid Brambell in the long-running BBC television sitcom Steptoe and Son. His success on television led to appearances in comedy films including The Bargee (1964), Carry On Screaming! (1966) and Jabberwocky (1977).
David Vanian is an English rock musician, and lead singer of the punk rock band the Damned. Formed in 1976 in London, the Damned were the first British punk band to release a single, release an album, have a record hit the UK charts, and tour the United States. With a fluid line-up since their founding, Vanian has been the only ever-present member. His rich baritone voice has been described as "impressively sonorous".
Roman Jugg is a keyboard player and guitarist. He began his career in the Welsh punk band Victimize in the late 1970s.
The Black Album is the fourth album by English punk rock band the Damned, and the first to feature Paul Gray on bass guitar. It was released on 3 November 1980 on Chiswick as a double album, with "Curtain Call" filling the whole of side 3, and a selection of live tracks recorded at Shepperton Studios at a special concert for Damned fan club members on side 4. The song "13th Floor Vendetta" paid tribute to the film The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), opening with the lyrics "...the organ plays to midnight on Maldine Square tonight".
Anything is the seventh studio album by U.K. punk rock band the Damned, released by MCA Records in 1986. On the album's release, it charted in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 40, and was certified as silver by the British Phonographic Industry. Four singles were released that all charted in the UK. The album musically focuses on pop-oriented instrumentation compared to the band's early and later punk and gothic records.
Phantasmagoria is the sixth album by British rock band the Damned, released by MCA Records in July 15, 1985. Special editions were available on white vinyl or picture disc; some versions included a free 12" of their No. 3 hit "Eloise". It is the first album by the band to not feature original member Captain Sensible, and was a style shift to gothic rock compared to the band's punk sound of its early and later career.
Sheila Susan White was a British film, television and stage actress.
"Love Song" is a single by the Damned, released in April 1979. It was the first fruit of the reformed lineup's deal with Chiswick Records, boosted by four variant picture sleeves, each one featuring a member of the band, with an additional 20,000 copies pressed on red vinyl. Combined with radio airplay and a catchy song, this yielded the Damned's first hit, peaking at No. 20 in the UK Singles Chart, and leading to the band's debut on Top of the Pops.
Naz Nomad and The Nightmares was a one-off project featuring the members of British punk and gothic rock band the Damned.
"Lively Arts" is a single released by The Damned.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel is a double compilation album by the Damned, released by MCA in 1987 as a retrospective collection. The same name was also given to a concurrently released video cassette and an approved band biography by Carol Clerk.
Stardust is a 1974 British musical drama film directed by Michael Apted and starring David Essex, Adam Faith, and Larry Hagman. It is the sequel to the 1973 film That'll Be the Day, which introduced the characters of Jim MacLaine and his street-smart friend Mike Menary. It chronicles Jim's rise and fall as an international rock star during the 1960s and early 1970s, with Mike as his personal manager. It features a number of pop/rock performers, including Essex, Faith, Keith Moon, Marty Wilde, Dave Edmunds, Paul Nicholas and Edd Byrnes.
Alan Wakeman is an English saxophonist who was a member of Soft Machine during 1976, appearing on the album Softs. He is a cousin of the keyboard player Rick Wakeman.
"I Dreamed a Dream" is a song from the 1980 musical Les Misérables. It is a solo that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg, with orchestrations by John Cameron. The English lyrics are by Herbert Kretzmer, based on the original French libretto by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel from the original French production.
Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords were a 1990s British rock band, featuring The Damned's Dave Vanian on vocals. Playing rockabilly and gothic rock, sometimes referred to as gothabilly, they performed a mixture of covers and new material.
Silver Dream Racer is a 1980 motor-racing film starring British pop star David Essex and Beau Bridges. The film was produced, written and directed by David Wickes. It was the last film to be made by the Rank Organisation.
"Rock On" is a song written by English singer David Essex. Originally recorded in 1973 and released as a single by Essex, it became an international hit. In 1989, American actor and singer Michael Damian recorded a cover version that went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has been recorded many times, including a 2006 version by the English hard rock group Def Leppard.
"Silver Dream Machine" is a song by David Essex released in March 1980 as a single from the film Silver Dream Racer in which Essex also starred. Despite the film's commercial failure, the song reached number 4 on the UK Singles Charts, making it Essex's sixth top 5 hit.
