10 More Near Perfect Punk Rock Albums
6. Damned: Damned Damned Damned (1977)
The Damned were one of the forerunners of the London punk rock scene. As a rule it's usually the Sex Pistols or The Clash who get the praise for spearheading the movement, but that's largely due to their legacy outshining less celebrated groups.
The Damned guitarist, Brian James had previously been in a group with Mick Jones of the Clash, along with several members of Generation X. In a turn of anarchic provocation they named themselves, London SS - a point of contention for Jones who was Jewish. Although they never played a single gig, their early practise sessions informed the sound of London's scene.
The Damned were less politically charged then the Clash and more light hearted then the Sex Pistols. But technically they had some of strongest musicians going. Rat Scabies was a powerhouse on the drums - with a nickname like that he was destined for punk rock. Brian James was one of the more sought after guitarists on the scene. And, David Vanian had a uniquely erratic approach to his vocal delivery - even for punk.
Their most widely known track, New Rose (1976), was the first punk single released in the UK. Universally panned by contemporary critics, it ushered in a new age of rock. If it sounds vaguely reminiscent of a certain naughties rock group, you're not mistaken - the Hives' entire back catalogue was informed by that one track.