The Sensible Gray Cells - A Postcard From Britain

Captain Sensible & Paul Gray back together again.

Home page here where you can buy the cd or download (in October). I love Sensible so I'm bound to love this....and I do.

A track from the album.....



More stuff.........

The Doomed - Live (1978)

The Damned (as the Doomed) with Henry Badowski in '78.

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Pic unashamedly lifted from the great second time around website. Lifted as I couldn't find a pic with Badowski playing live and also 'coz I was working for the Damned when this picture was taken. Boy, oh boy, I wish I could relive those few months.

2nd time around

The Damned

A few Damned pdf's kicking off with the Damned Disciples Songbook.

A history of their first year.

Damned Diaries 76 -78.

All 3 here

Brian James - Why? Why? Why? 7'' (1982)

Recorded at the same time, and session, as the 7'' a post or two below. This was in 1979 and included Stewart Copeland from the Police on drums. The others were Alan Lee Shaw, who would be in the Damned 17 years later, and Chris Sol playing bass.

Whilst not quite as brilliant, or insrtant, as the earlier 7'', it's still worth a spin very often.

Link removed thanks to : herve.lemaire over @leakid.com.

If you're after this drop me an e-mail.

Brian James - Ain't that a Shame 7'' (1979)

Back in my Damned obsessed days, still thee best band ever,......I was absorbed by anything Damned related. So after the Damned dissolved and post White Cats (Rat), King (Sensible), Doctors of Madness (Vanian) & Tanz Der Youth (James) this single came onto my radar and I went mental, rushing across town to buy it. Ensconced in a Listen Ear bag I hastened into my house, threw it onto the turn table, set the speed to 45 rpm, and was blown away. 33 years later I'm still blown away by this 7''.
 
It's so easy to forget just how good Brian James' song writing ability was. The first Damned album is, nowadays, often over looked in favour of the 3rd - 5th albums; I do this myself. However, every time I return to Damned Damned Damned I recall just why I got into the Damned in the first place; it was Brian's writing. 

This 7'' is pretty much the peak of his post Damned work for me. He, obviously, went on to the Lords of the New Church, which you can find on MRML. A great band who released some fantastic vinyl and were stellar live. However if you're looking for great power pop from one of the godfathers of punk look no further; this is your one stop shop for audio ecstasy. Enjoy!!!

Link removed thanks to : herve.lemaire over @leakid.com.

If you're after this drop me an e-mail.

Thanks to JohnnyVonNowhere for reminding me why I started this blog. Cheers man.

Captain Sensible - The Universe of Geoffrey Brown (1993)

Captain Sensible is a genius in my book, a quintessential English song writer, right up there with Ray Davis, Robin Hitchcock or Andy Partridge. Sadly he'll never get that recognition, or be placed in such luminous company, as he'll always been seen as the buffoon in the hat who wears dresses and gets his cock out on stage.

His records always take me to a happier time when life was simpler, images of crumpets on the lawn or the crack of leather on willow come to mind when I listen to him. This album is his crowning glory, a truly wonderful concept album displaying everything that Ray does best; pop songs with great hooks and a guitar virtuosity that is seldom rivalled.

This is the story of Geoffrey Brown whose sedate suburban life is thrown into turmoil when he's contacted by aliens who try to warn him of the earths pending demise. He endures the ridicule of friends and family only to be redeemed in the end. There's also a slant on how we treat people as commodities to be devoured by an increasingly salacious press.

This is Sensible at his best, all 60's psychedelia and swirling guitars, a sweeter man you couldn't wish to meet and a better album he'll be hard pushed to beat. Enjoy.

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