The Damned
Formed in 1976, this UK punk group comprised Captain Sensible (b. Ray Burns, 23 April 1955, England; bass), Rat Scabies (b. Chris Miller, 30 July 1957, Surrey, England; drums), Brian James (b. Brian Robertson, England; guitar) and Dave Vanian (b. David Letts, England; vocals). Scabies and James had previously played in the unwieldy punk ensemble London SS and, joined by Sensible, they backed Nick Kent's Subterraneans. The Damned emerged in May 1976 and two months later they were supporting the Sex Pistols at the 100 Club. After appearing at the celebrated Mont de Marsan punk festival in August, they were signed to Stiff Records one month later. In October, they released what is generally regarded as the first UK punk single, New Rose, which was backed by a frantic version of the Beatles' Help! Apart from being dismissed as support act during the Sex Pistols' ill-fated Anarchy tour, they released UK punk's first album DAMNED DAMNED DAMNED, produced by Nick Lowe. The work was typical of the period, full of short, sharp songs played extremely fast, with high energy compensating for competence. During April 1977, they became the first UK punk group to tour the USA. By the summer of that year, they recruited a second guitarist, Lu Edmunds; and soon after drummer Rat Scabies quit. A temporary replacement, Dave Berk, deputized until the recruitment of London percussionist Jon Moss. In November, their second album MUSIC FOR PLEASURE, produced by Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, was mauled by the critics and worse followed when they were dropped from Stiff's roster. Increasingly dismissed for their lack of earnestness and love of pantomime, they lost heart and split in early 1978. The members went in various directions: Sensible joined the Softies, Moss and Edmunds formed the Edge, Vanian teamed-up with Doctors Of Madness and James founded Tanz Der Youth. 
The second part of the Damned story reopened one year later when Sensible, Vanian and Scabies formed the Doomed. In November 1978, they were allowed to use the name Damned and opened this new phase of their career with their first Top 20 single, Love Song. Some minor hits followed and the group was pleasantly surprised to find themselves a formidable concert attraction. When their recently recruited bassist Algy Ward (previously with the Saints) left to join Tank, he was replaced by Paul Gray, from Eddie And The Hot Rods. The group continued to reach the lower regions of the charts during the next year while Captain Sensible simultaneously signed a solo deal with A&M Records. Amazingly, he zoomed to number 1 with a novel revival of Happy Talk, which outsold every Damned release. Although he stuck with the group for two more years, he finally left in August 1984. A third phase in the group's career ushered in new members and a more determined pop direction. In 1986, they enjoyed their biggest ever hit with a cover of Barry Ryan's Eloise. Another '60s pastiche, this time a rather pedestrian reading of Love's classic Alone Again Or, gave them a minor UK hit. Still gigging regularly, the Damned have lasted much longer than any critic could have dreamed back in 1976.