The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette

Original Release Date

1979

Release Information

UK LP 1979 (Chiswick - CWK 3011)

A1 Love Song 2:22
A2 Machine Gun Etiquette 1:48
A3 I Just Can't Be Happy Today 3:35
A4 Melody Lee 2:02
A5 Antipope 3:12
A6 These Hands 2:05
B1 Plan 9 Channel 7 5:03
B2 Noise Noise Noise 3:09
B3 Looking At You 5:01
B4 Liar 2:39
B5 Smash It Up (Part 1) 1:56
B6 Smash It Up 2:50

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UK CD 2004 (Chiswick - CDWIKD 250) - 25th Anniversary Edition

1 Love Song 2:21
2 Machine Gun Etiquette 1:49
3 I Just Can't Be Happy Today 3:43
4 Melody Lee 2:07
5 Anti-Pope 3:20
6 These Hands 2:02
7 Plan 9 Channel 7 5:08
8 Noise, Noise, Noise 3:11
9 Looking At You 5:07
10 Liar 2:44
11 Smash It Up (Parts 1 & 2) 5:13
Bonus Tracks
12 Love Song (Ed Hollis Version) 2:03
13 Noise, Noise, Noise (Ed Hollis Version) 3:25
14 Suicide 3:17
15 Smash It Up (Part 2) (Backing Track - Singalonga Damned) 2:56
16 Smash It Up (Part 4) 1:57
17 Burglar 3:33
18 I Just Can't Be Happy Today (DJ Edit) 3:00
19 Ballroom Blitz 3:28
20 Turkey Song 1:32
Video Plan 9, Channel 7

12: Previously unissued alternative mix, 1979
13-14: B-Side of Love Song 7", 1979
15: Tracked, overdubbed and mixed at Wessex, previously unissued
16: Tracked & overdubbed 21-23 May / 16-19 July, Sound Suite; mixed Church Walk 30 August 2004, previously unissued
17: B-Side of Smash It Up 7", 1979
18: DJ Promo 7" version, of I Just Can't Be Happy Today, 1979
19-20: B-Side of I Just Can't Be Happy Today 7", 1979

Chart Placings

UK Chart Hit: 31, 5 wks

UK Indie Hit: 4, 11 wks (Big Beat reissue 1982)

Credits

Dave
Capt
Algy
Rat

All instruments played by THE DAMNED
Thanks to the road crew: Tommy and Kenny (you're fired!)
Alan Ballard and Mick Young took the snaps
Art(?)work(?) by Phil Smee (?)
By Rye

Produced by Roger Armstrong and The Damned for Jingle Ears Productions

Additional Credits

Dave Vanian - vocals
Captain Sensible - guitar, vocals
Algy Ward - bass
Rat Scabies - drums, vocals

Reviews & Opinions

IRA ROBBINS/JAY PATTYN, TROUSER PRESS: The Damned broke up and reformed several times before cutting Machine Gun Etiquette with a new lineup. Sensible had traded bass for guitar, Lu had departed (to join a number of bands, including Public Image) and ex-Saints bassist Algy Ward had joined. (Ward left after the one album, going on to form a grebo metal band, Tank, which released at least five LPs.) Despite the tumult, the band is totally revitalized and on top of things — more mature, but no less crazy — tearing through enduring greats as ;Love Song,' 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today' (both UK hits), 'Smash It Up' and the anthemic 'Noise Noise Noise.' A great record by a band many had already counted out.

JOE SHOOMAN, RECORD COLLECTOR, 2007: The admirable thing about The Damned is that, while by 1979 many of their first wave punk contemporaries had moved on to play with reggae beats, pared down artiness and/or pirate-obsessed pop, the band who released the first UK punk single stuck doggedly to their dunderheaded, often unintentionally hilarious roots. Without the politico-posturing of, say, The Clash, Captain Sensible, Dave vanian and the boys were always free to churn out their traditional, fun rock'n'roll with a grubby panache that many of their peers had seemed to have forgotten in their own quest to have 'careers'. More than anything, this reissue reinforces two integral facets of The Damned: they could play a lot better than they were given credit for; and that, although part of the punk ethic was based on smashing up all that had gone before, the better bands were genuine music fans too. Their run-through of MC5's 'Looking At You' remains a loving, and splendidly delivered, tribute.

Additional Notes

None yet

Images

UK LP 1979 (Chiswick - CWK 3011). Click here for more

UK CD 2004 (Chiswick - CDWIKD 250) - 25th Anniversary Edition. Click here for more