When Stiff Records became a powerhouse label back in the changing atmosphere of the late ’70s, they introduced strong bands like Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, The Pogues, Richard Hell, and Devo, just to name a few. One of their influential bands was a UK punk team called The Damned. Fronted by Dave Vanian, and rounded out by Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Brian James. The Damned remained on the Stiff roster for only two studio albums (Damned Damned Damned; Music For Pleasure) before heading out to better label deals, Of their eleven studio sets, they produced albums on Chiswick, MCA, the previously mentioned Stiff Records, and several others. Easily, The Damned has a few ‘best of’ compilations in circulation with The Best of The Damned (1981) a chart climber.
On November 1, BMG plans a representative 2CD collection set entitled Black Is The Night: The Definitive Anthology. This release will feature songs from the entire time spectrum of The Damned that stretches from the band’s beginnings in 1977 through their 2018 set, Evil Spirits. All old, there will be 39 familiar songs including the band’s 1976 single, “New Rose”. All of their five Top40 UK singles are here as well. Black Is The Night: The Definitive Anthology was fully curated by the band.
Of The Damned eleven studio albums, Not Of This Earth (1995 – Toshiba Records), and So, Who’s Paranoid (2008 – English Channel Records) are NOT represented on this anthology.
Black Is The Night: The Definitive Anthology will be issued on 2CD, DD, and 4LP sets.
Black Is The Night: The Definitive Anthology – The Damned
CD1
01 Love Song (Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records)
02 Wait for the Blackout (The Black Album (1982) – Chiswick Records)
03 Generals (Strawberries (1982) – Bronze Records)
04 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records)
05 Bad Time for Bonzo (Strawberries (1982) – Bronze Records)
06 Democracy? (Grave Disorder (2001) – Nitro Records)
07 White Rabbit (The Black Album (1982) – Chiswick Records)
08 Anti-Pope (Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records)
09 Ignite (Strawberries (1982) – Bronze Records)
10 Melody Lee (Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records)
11 Smash It Up (Pt. 1 & 2) [Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records]
12 New Rose (2017 Remastered) [Damned Damned Damned (1976 single) – Stiff Records]
13 Neat Neat Neat (2017 Remastered) [Damned Damned Damned (1977) – Stiff Records]
14 Stretcher Case Baby (Music For Pleasure (1977) – Stiff Records)
15 Sick of Being Sick (1977 Single B-Side) [Non-Album from Music For Pleasure period – Stiff Records]
16 Born to Kill (2017 Remastered) [Damned Damned Damned (1977) – Stiff Records]
17 Rabid (Over You) [1979 Single B-Side Non Album track from Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records)
18 Problem Child (Music For Pleasure (1977) – Stiff Records)
19 1 of the 2 (2017 Remastered) [Damned Damned Damned (1977) – Stiff Records]
20 So Messed Up (2017 Remastered) [Damned Damned Damned (1977) – Stiff Records]
21 Machine Gun Etiquette [Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records]
22 Disco Man (Friday 13th EP (1981) – NEMS Records)
23 Fan Club (2017 Remastered) [Damned Damned Damned (1977) – Stiff Records]
24 Suicide (1979 Single B-Side Non Album track from Machine Gun Etiquette period (1979) – Chiswick Records)
CD2
01 Eloise (Single Version – 1985) [A-Side Non Album track from Phantasmagoria period (1985) – MCA Records)
02 Plan 9 Channel 7 (Machine Gun Etiquette (1979) – Chiswick Records)
03 Grimly Fiendish (Phantasmagoria (1985) – MCA Records)
04 The Shadow of Love (Phantasmagoria (1985) – MCA Records)
05 Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (The Black Album (1980) – Chiswick Records)
06 Street of Dreams (Phantasmagoria (1985) – MCA Records)
07 The History of the World (Pt. 1) [The Black Album (1980) – Chiswick Records]
08 Curtain Call (The Black Album (1980) – Chiswick Records)
09 Alone Again Or (Anything (1987) – MCA Records)
10 Lively Arts (The Black Album (1980) – Chiswick Records)
11 Standing On the Edge of Tomorrow (Evil Spirits (2018) – Spinefarm Records)
12 Stranger on the Town (Strawberries (1982) – Bronze Records)
13 Fun Factory (Non-album B-Side single (1991) – Deltic Records)
14 Under the Floor Again (Strawberries (1982) – Bronze Records)
15 Black Is The Night (New Song)