Phantasmagoria (The Damned album)
| Phantasmagoria | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1985 | |||
| Recorded | March–June 1985 | |||
| Studio | Eel Pie, London | |||
| Genre | Gothic rock[1] | |||
| Length | 39:19 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer |
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| The Damned chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Phantasmagoria | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
Phantasmagoria is the sixth album by English punk rock band the Damned, released by MCA in July 1985. Special editions were available on white vinyl or picture disc; some versions included a free 12-inch of their No. 3 hit "Eloise". It is the first album by the band without 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.[1]
History
[edit]After much wrangling, the Damned received a new contract with MCA Records in October 1984 on the strength of the song "Grimly Fiendish",[2] issued as a single the following March. They recorded the album in Eel Pie Studios from March to June 1985. It reached No. 11 in the charts, and was the band's highest-charting album ever, until the release of Evil Spirits in 2018, which cracked the top-ten at No. 7. The non-album single "Eloise," (a Barry Ryan cover), released six months later, became a huge UK hit, reaching No. 3.
The Damned centred the entire album around David Vanian's deep voice, giving much of the album a gothic feeling.[3] The album was remastered and reissued by Geffen Records in Japan in 2007, featuring replicas of the LP's outer and inner sleeves and a CD label resembling the white vinyl edition. In 2009, an expanded edition was issued by Universal Music Group in Europe.[4]
Artwork
[edit]The cover image of Susie Bick was taken by photographer Bob Carlos Clarke[5] at Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road.
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg and Bryn Merrick, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Street of Dreams" | 5:38 | |
| 2. | "Shadow of Love" | 3:51 | |
| 3. | "There'll Come a Day" | 4:15 | |
| 4. | "Sanctum Sanctorum" | 6:27 | |
| 5. | "Is It a Dream" | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Captain Sensible | 3:27 |
| 6. | "Grimly Fiendish" | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Clive "Doctor" Jackson | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Edward the Bear" | 3:37 | |
| 8. | "The Eighth Day" | 3:46 | |
| 9. | "Trojans" | 4:53 | |
| Total length: | 39:19 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Grimly Fiendish" (The Bad Trip Mix) | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Jackson | 5:11 |
| 11. | "The Shadow of Love" (Ten Inches of Hell Mix) | 6:41 | |
| Total length: | 51:39 | ||
- Note
- The non-album single "Eloise" appeared as a bonus track on the 1986 re-issued LP versions in Australia, Germany and Italy.
2009 expanded edition
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Place of Origin | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Grimly Fiendish (The Bad Trip Mix)" | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Jackson | "Grimly Fiendish" 12" | 5:10 |
| 11. | "The Shadow of Love (Ten Inches of Hell Mix)" | "The Shadow of Love" 10" | 6:42 | |
| 12. | "Is It a Dream (Wild West Express Mix)" | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Sensible | "Is It a Dream" 12" | 6:45 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Place of Origin | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Grimly Fiendish (Spic 'n' Span Mix)" | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Jackson | "Grimly Fiendish" 12" | 5:21 |
| 2. | "Edward the Bear" (B-side single version) | "Grimly Fiendish" 7" | 3:53 | |
| 3. | "The Shadow of Love (The Pressure Mix)" | "The Shadow of Love" 12" | 5:34 | |
| 4. | "Nightshift" (B-side) | "The Shadow of Love" 7" | 2:24 | |
| 5. | "Let There Be Rats" (Rat Scabies solo single) | Scabies | "The Shadow of Love" 7" double pack single | 2:09 |
| 6. | "Wiped Out" (Rat Scabies solo single) | Scabies | "The Shadow of Love" 7" double pack single | 1:34 |
| 7. | "Would You" (B-side) | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Vivian Mason | "The Shadow of Love" 12" | 2:46 |
| 8. | "Is It a Dream (Wild West End Mix)" | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Sensible | "Is It a Dream" 7" | 8:11 |
| 9. | "Street of Dreams" (Live) | "Is It a Dream" 7" | 5:05 | |
| 10. | "Curtain Call" (Live) | Vanian, Scabies, Sensible, Paul Gray | "Is It a Dream" 12" | 4:27 |
| 11. | "Pretty Vacant" (Live) | Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock, Johnny Rotten | "Is It a Dream" 12" | 2:04 |
| 12. | "Wild Thing" (Live) | Chip Taylor | "Is It a Dream" 12" | 2:14 |
| 13. | "The Shadow of Love" (BBC Radio 1 session) | The Radio One Sessions, 1996 | 4:05 | |
| 14. | "Is It a Dream" (BBC Radio 1 session) | Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Sensible | The Radio One Sessions | 3:36 |
| 15. | "Street of Dreams" (BBC Radio 1 session) | The Radio One Sessions | 4:43 |
- Notes
- "Edward the Bear" (single version) is produced by Bob Sargeant and the Damned.
- "Nightshift" and "Would You" are produced by the Damned.
- "Let There Be Rats" and "Wiped Out" were originally released as a Rat Scabies 7" solo single in 1984; produced by Will Birch.
- Live tracks recorded at Woolwich Coronet, 11 July 1985; engineered and mixed by Jon Kelly; all tracks feature Paul Shepley on keyboards; "Pretty Vacant"and "Wild Thing" features Rat Scabies on guitar and Roman Jugg on drums.
- "The Shadow of Love", "Is It a Dream" and "Street of Dreams" recorded for Janice Long Session, 14 April 1985; produced by Harry Parked, engineered by Barry Adams and Peter Watts.
Personnel
[edit]- The Damned
- Dave Vanian – lead vocals
- Roman Jugg – guitar, keyboards, lead vocals (7), backing vocals
- Bryn Merrick – bass, backing vocals
- Rat Scabies – drums
- Additional musicians
- Paul Shepley – additional keyboards (8)
- Andy Richards – additional keyboards
- Luís Jardim – percussion
- Gary Barnacle – saxophone and brass
- Steve Nieve – keyboard inspiration (4)
- Production
- Jon Kelly – production, engineering (except 6)
- Chris Ludwinsky – additional engineering
- Bob Sargeant – production (6)
- The Damned – production (6)
- Bob Carlos Clarke – cover photography
- Booce – cover artwork
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[6] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c AllMusic review
- ^ "Smashing It Up: A Decade of Chaos with the Damned by Kieron Tyler
- ^ Wawzenek, Bryan (1 December 2016). "30 Years Ago: The Damned End a 10-Year Run with 'Anything'". Diffuser.fm.
- ^ Toman, Stephen (7 April 2009). "The Damned – Phantasmagoria / Anything Reappraised". The Skinny.
- ^ "Susie Bick – the Fashion Spot". Forums.thefashionspot.com. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
- ^ "British album certifications – The Damned – Phantasmagoria". British Phonographic Industry.
