| THE DAMNED 'Don't You Wish That We Were Dead' DVD Directed by Wes Orshoski Platform Entertainment Limited Released on May 20th 2017 Running time 1.45 minutes Fucking hell, it took 12 months to spot this DVD release for sale. It was officially released in 2016 on Blu Ray, but to get a regular DVD copy took another fuckin' year for general release on Amazon? Not sure why? So I finally scored a copy in January 2018. Maybe it was the curse of the Damned as Vanian and Sensible allude to on more than one occasion? I gotta say 'Don't You Wish That We Were Dead' doesn't disappoint! Shot around the globe over three years, the film charts the band's complex history and infighting. It captures the band on a world tour and follows its estranged former members striking out on their own low budget anniversary tour. Despite a lot of later footage, when the band live up to their cheap comedy act routine. You have to take your hat off to the Damned for continuing through thick and thin over the decades with splits, reformations and a production line of bass players. Notable names interviewed during this film like Lemmy, who calls them the "true punk band", Chrissie Hynde says 'they could actually play', and even Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode (who was an unlikely fan) modelled his stage presence on Dave Vanian. You realise just how influential they really are. The most explosive shots are the early colour footage from the Roxy and Hope And Anchor, which really captures the Damned's relentless energy. A lot of it unseen before, you can't take it away from them they were the epitome of real punk chaos in your face and raging with energy, but amidst the mayhem still capable of playing blinding music. The black and white footage from the '79 US tour really does convey the out and out lunacy of the band as drums get disintegrated in one of the best live sequences of destruction to be put down on film and captures musical Anarchy in its truest sense. It was also interesting to hear the conflicting views from Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian, Brian James and Rat Scabies. They portray a rum bunch of characters with elements of desperation, emotion, aloofness and downright embarrassment within this crazy mix. The main animosity is between Rat Scabies and the Captain Sensible over money that could have been assured when Guns And Roses covered the Damned's track 'New Rose' and as a result led to legal battles: Vanian and Sensible accused Scabies of releasing 'Not of This Earth' (1996) without proper authorization, but looking forward to the present day Damned, it seems ex-Damned members Rat and Brian James have come off worse music wise. Rat seems the bitterest, he even cries when he recalls rejoining the band during the late 90's when they had success with 'Eloise' and reckons they just didn't have any more songs left in them. You can see clearly every member loves the band. We all have our favourites, and Brian James who I always thought was the best Damned guitarist and a formidable guitar hero in his own right is portrayed by Sensible as a guitar fuhrer, but James himself seems complacent over the drama. Considering he wrote the first two albums looks a little desperate these days. The Captain love him (apparently a lot of people do) or loathe him, seems to grab the most footage. Which is funny, excruciating and a downright ego trip lol. It was good to see another more intimate side to Dave Vanian who looked great in the early days but was very illusive however he is more Hercule Poirot these days than Vampiric. There's a good backstage sequence where him and the Captain are arguing over whether to play 'Stab Your Back' for the 40th anniversary gigs where they played the first album in its entirety. The Captain didn't wanna play it. Complaining it endorses knife crime , but its probably due to it being a Scabies tune. Not sure who won out on the night. I personally don't even bother watching the Damned live any more? They claim they never stay the same sound wise which is true, but for me they have totally lost the edge I loved about the band which creeps in when they are filmed playing their old numbers in this era. But the early explosive footage is a must see, and must have took Wes Orshoski some research to find it after all these years. Its captured here and will ignite you visually and aurally offering the best for visual dramatic energy and chaos especially 79's US tour where they look absolutely amazing as they destroy drum kits. We get all the past members contributing, but noticeable by their absence were the current band members who have been the longest running Damned line up! Which was strange? They only speak when spoken too even in the dressing room. They seem merely paid employees than actual band members and this film suggests so. The Damned are definitely the Captains and Dave's baby now, which is 'neat neat neat', but lets face it middle aged men playing punk or what they envisage as punk, is inclined to entertain the less manic Damned fan only, but if your a 'Damned Damned Damned' disciple you wont get much change from the current vaudeville set, unless its an anniversary tour. The American fans seem to know little of the Damned history when cornered outside some US gigs lol. But then we meet Johnno from Leicester, probably the biggest die hard Damned fan in the UK who has seen em a staggering 582 times, gawd thats longer than the 10 years stretch he served for killing someone with a pick axe lol. Film maker Wes Orshosky has done a great job, its editing captures the vibe of the band perfectly. And similarities with the Pistols 'Englands Dreaming' in the footage and editorial impact is always good. The comedy element in a live setting always seemed a bit stage managed and contrived these days, the Captain likes kicking beer cans into the crowd, but ain't so happy when they chuck it back! The Damned however sound really tame these days musically speaking, a sort of generic rock outfit with keyboards and a crooner, have you heard their latest album fer gawds sake? The longer the Damned go the less of a threat they become, in fact a parody of their former selves, but its still an entertaining yarn and for the first 40 minutes you won't wanna leave yer seat. EXTRAS: Captain Sensible takes us on a trip round Croydon which was the most honest I seen of him, we visit old studios, the Crystal Palace football ground, the old gigs and even a bit of graffiti he put on Selhurst railway station back in '67 which was neat. We also get a really good alternative perspective of the 'Anarchy' tour in '76 told from the Damned side and Brian James sums it up brilliantly. This film is dedicated to former Damned bassist Bryn Merrick who sadly died of throat cancer while it was being made. DON'T MISS ...the first 40 minutes. PETER DON'T CARE - 25th June 2019 |
