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Anyone expecting a fully organized compilation from this double-disc effort will be sorely disappointed; while the years for release dates are mentioned, the sources for many of the releases aren't, leaving neophytes to the Damned a bit high and dry. Happily, an appreciative and detailed essay from one Herb Fenstein (more likely Chiswick label boss Roger Armstrong writing under a pseudonym, as he did in the liner notes to the CD version of Machine Gun Etiquette) helps. Even without the chronological organization, Light is still a great overview of the first ten years of the band's career, especially given the sheer amount of labels that they'd been on over the years (at least five, if not more!). The selection is, for the most part, quite on the money; while those who feel the group fell off dramatically with the Phantasmagoria and Anything albums will think them over-represented, it's still definitely the Damned at their best from track to track. Early punk breakouts like "Neat Neat Neat" and "New Rose" as well as turn-of-the-'80s standards such as "Plan 9 Channel 7," "Smash It Up," and "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" make a case for the band's early days. The Black Album is mostly ignored, but the sidelong "Curtain Call" thankfully is included, giving Vanian his well-deserved showcase. Later numbers like "Ignite," "Lovely Money," "Grimly Fiendish," and the smash single "Eloise" demonstrate that far from fading away, the Damned just found other ways to make their mark. Add to this a slew of rarities -- the studio cover of the Beatles' "Help!," "Rabid (Over You)," "Disco Man," and some alternate mixes of other numbers -- and Light remains the best place for those new to the Damned to start. Comprehensive and perfectly entertaining all at once.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
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Nick Lowe, Producer - David Alexander, ComposerLyricist - Iggy Pop, ComposerLyricist - RON ASHETON, ComposerLyricist - SCOTT ASHETON, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1977 Demon Records Ltd., "1977 DEMON RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Jon Kelly, Producer - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave Vanian, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Tony Mansfield, Producer - Paul Gray, ComposerLyricist - David Vanian, Author - Raymond Burns, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist - Christopher John Millar, ComposerLyricist - Randy MacDonald, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 Bronze Records Ltd.
Jon Kelly, Producer - RAT Scabies, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Vanian, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hein Hoven, Producer
℗ 1987 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - Raymond Burns, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist - Roger Armstrong, Producer - Christopher John Millar, ComposerLyricist - Alasdair Mackie Ward, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1992 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.
Bob Sargeant, Producer - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave Vanian, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - The Damned, Producer, Remixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Roman Jugg, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Clive Thomas Jackson, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 MCA Records Ltd.
Paul Gray, ComposerLyricist - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - Raymond Burns, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist - Christopher John Millar, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1982 Castle Copyrights Ltd., "1982 LEGACY RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Nick Lowe, Producer - Brian James, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1977 Stiff Records/Fanpack Ltd./Elcotgrange Ltd., "1977 DEMON RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Jon Kelly, Producer - Bryan Maclean, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Vanian, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1986 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Jon Kelly, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Vanian, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Ludwinsky, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1985 MCA Records Ltd.
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - Raymond Burns, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist - Roger Armstrong, Producer - Christopher John Millar, ComposerLyricist - Alasdair Mackie Ward, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1979 Ace Records Ltd.
Jon Kelly, Producer - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave Vanian, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Paul Gray, ComposerLyricist - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1980 Ace Records Ltd.
DISC 2
Paul Gray, ComposerLyricist - Hugh Jones, Producer - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1982 Legacy Records Ltd., "1982 LEGACY RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Nick Lowe, Producer - John Lennon, ComposerLyricist - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1977 Demon Records Ltd., "1977 DEMON RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist - Le Vien, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 Ace Records Ltd.
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist - Alasdair 'Algy' Ward, ComposerLyricist - Roger Armstrong, Producer
℗ 1987 Ace Records Ltd.
Brian James, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1977 Stiff Records/Fanpack Ltd., "1977 DEMON RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, Producer, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1984 Fanpack Ltd., "1984 FANPACK LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Tony Mansfield, Producer - Paul Gray, ComposerLyricist - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1987 Ace Records Ltd.
Nick Lowe, Producer - Brian James, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1976 Fanpack Ltd./Elcotgrange Ltd., "1976 DEMON RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Ed Hollis, Producer - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - Raymond Burns, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist - Christopher John Millar, ComposerLyricist - Alasdair Mackie Ward, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 Ace Records Ltd.
Nick Lowe, Producer - Brian James, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1977 Demon Records Ltd., "1977 DEMON RECORDS LTD. 1987 MCA RECORDS, INC."
Paul Gray, ComposerLyricist - Hans Zimmer, Producer - David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Captain Sensible, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1980 Ace Records Ltd.
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Jon Kelly, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Vanian, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Ludwinsky, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1987 MCA Records Ltd.
Paul Ryan, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist
℗ 1985 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
David Vanian, ComposerLyricist - RAT Scabies, ComposerLyricist - Bryn Merrick, ComposerLyricist - The Damned, MainArtist - Roman Jugg, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1987 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Album review
Anyone expecting a fully organized compilation from this double-disc effort will be sorely disappointed; while the years for release dates are mentioned, the sources for many of the releases aren't, leaving neophytes to the Damned a bit high and dry. Happily, an appreciative and detailed essay from one Herb Fenstein (more likely Chiswick label boss Roger Armstrong writing under a pseudonym, as he did in the liner notes to the CD version of Machine Gun Etiquette) helps. Even without the chronological organization, Light is still a great overview of the first ten years of the band's career, especially given the sheer amount of labels that they'd been on over the years (at least five, if not more!). The selection is, for the most part, quite on the money; while those who feel the group fell off dramatically with the Phantasmagoria and Anything albums will think them over-represented, it's still definitely the Damned at their best from track to track. Early punk breakouts like "Neat Neat Neat" and "New Rose" as well as turn-of-the-'80s standards such as "Plan 9 Channel 7," "Smash It Up," and "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" make a case for the band's early days. The Black Album is mostly ignored, but the sidelong "Curtain Call" thankfully is included, giving Vanian his well-deserved showcase. Later numbers like "Ignite," "Lovely Money," "Grimly Fiendish," and the smash single "Eloise" demonstrate that far from fading away, the Damned just found other ways to make their mark. Add to this a slew of rarities -- the studio cover of the Beatles' "Help!," "Rabid (Over You)," "Disco Man," and some alternate mixes of other numbers -- and Light remains the best place for those new to the Damned to start. Comprehensive and perfectly entertaining all at once.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 02:04:45
- Main artists: The Damned
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal-Island Records Ltd.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1987 MCA Records Ltd. ℗ 1987 MCA Records Ltd.
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