I have no memories of most of Thursday 24th May 1979. I imagine i went to school avoided the bullies, got bored in class and went home.
That evening Top of the Pops would have been on and like most families we would have gathered around our one television to view the latest hits on offer.
Among the artists who played TOTP that night were Donna Summer, Bowie, Tubeway Army and the Skids. Numan who played Are Friends Electric peaked my interest with songs of robots and sex although i was a mere slip of a lad so such things were a couple of years away.
One act that stood out would change my entire life. These crazy guys came on all looking very different to each other unlike Numan's band who all dressed the same. The Damned launched into what would be their come back single Love Song, with its thunderous bass intro, noisy guitars and words sung by Count f***king Dracula. You need to understand something about me. I was a horror freak at that age ( i was 10) and The Count was my horror hero. And here was a singer with all cloak, slicked backed hair and vamp like make up. Being a good boy of 10 i would have said nothing but inside i was screaming "WTF is this". A mere 2 minutes and 21 seconds later I felt something stirring inside me. I remember after the show had finished, running up to my room and looking through either my NME or Melody Maker or Sounds if i had a good week and could afford all 3. I hunted for everything i could find about The Damned. I recall seeing ads for the single Love Song and it's 4 different picture sleeves and a small piece on what would be their 3rd album Machine Gun Etiquette which was released in November of that year.
Now I had a quandy. Even at a tender age of 10, I did have a wee part time job after school delivering rolls (Bread Rolls, Bread Cakes). I usually sold out every night but i didn't earn enough for what I came to find out earlier was 4 different covers for Love Song and in that moment i had to have them all. Cue Saturday and my weekly trip to the local record shops in Inverness. This was a recent interest of mine and i did have a few records to my name but Love Song created a monster, Back then I was spoiled for choice of vinyl related establishments. John Menzies had a decent basement floor for all music related media ( Vinyl, Cassettes and 8 Track)., Woolworths although mostly cheap K-Tel compilations did on the occasion have the odd Gem. TORS or The Other Record Shop always would usually satisfy my desire for records. Record Rendezvous was always a last resort. If i couldn't find anything in the first three then i would pop in their. On this day in particular it was John Menzies. Under the New Releases section of 7" singles i found Love Song but to my horror and excitement there was a red vinyl version as well as the standard black vinyl. Both on the Chiswick label. This newish hobby was gonna be expensive. I opted for the only sleeve they had which was the Captain Sensible sleeve in Red ( 2 weeks would pass before i got the Black vinyl version. Going home the record went straight onto my cheap turntable and i blissed out to this 3 track cracker of a single. Love Song sounded as thunderous as i remembered from a few days before on TOTP. The B-side of Noise Noise Noise and the wonderful Suicide blew me away. I needed to hear more of the band.
Finally my collection had started and with that initial Captain covered record became a 40+ year obsession with Damned Records. I have about 19 copies of Love Song (official, bootleg, pic discs and imports). The Dutch Love Song (pictured above) is a particular favourite of mine. The only official Love Song that escapes me is the reissued Big Beat1982 release with Rat Scabies
(Black Label, Black vinyl). If you happen to have one get in touch.
Chris @ the Damned_Database.