Tracklisting & More Information
A1. Neat Neat Neat
A2. Fan Club
A3. I Fall
A4. Born To Kill
A5. Stab Yor Back
A6. Feel The Pain
B1. New Rose
B2. Fish
B3. See Her Tonite
B4. 1 Of The 2
B5. So Messed Up
B6. I Feel Alright
History:-
The classic Damned Damned Damned album cover depicts the four original members of the group after the Stiff Records photographer bashed each one of them round the chops with a cream pie. But the fun & games didn't stop there. On the album's release in February [18th] 1977, the story was put to the press that distributor Island Records had mistakenly positioned an Erica Echenberg photograph of New Wave/RnB act Eddie & The Hot Rods in place of a live shot of The Damned at London punk venue the Roxy on the back cover. An "erratum" sticker was also [strategically] placed on the rear next to the 'offending' image, reading: "Due to Record Company error, a picture of Island recording artists Eddie & The Hot Rods has been printed instead of The Damned. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and the correct picture will be substituted on future copies."
Note, the album design was credited to Big Jobs Inc, a pseudonym of Barney Bubbles, whose cv includes work with Hawkwind & other unusual promotional activity at Stiff Records [e.g. the bogus 'Stiff Single Voucher' or deliberately off-register sleeve for Elvis Costello's 'This Years Model'].
For many years we have called this version of the cover a 'withdrawn misprint' but it was in fact printed intentionally under the direction of Stiff Records label boss, Jake Riviera in collaboration with art director, Barney Bubbles. Stiff had worked out they needed to sell 2,000 copies to recoup the cost of recording [the album took just 10 days to record] & producing the first UK punk album release, ahead of the first The Clash LP & months ahead of The Sex Pistols. We also know that bassist Captain Sensible kicked a fuss about the album's artwork & cream pie fiasco, right down to his placement on the back cover, either way it's no coincidence that it ended up being The Damned's mates Eddie & The Hot Rods pictured, as an elaborate prank 'doing the rat' no less, in mock tribute to Rat Scabies we presume. With instant media coverage of the so-called "error" on the cover, the album sold like hot [cream pie] cakes, instantly hitting the UK album charts. We can confirm that only 2000 copies were pressed this way & a very limited number were shrink-wrapped with a special Barney Bubbles designed red "food-fight" sticker on the front of the shrink reading "Damned Damned", thus completing the LP title when read underneath the band's name.
Run out groove inscriptions:
Side A: "A Porky Prime Cut SEEZ 1 A1 EG"
Side B: "The Sound Is In The Plastic SEEZ 1 B1 EG"
LP RECORD
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