Saturday, October 22, 2016

40 Year Itch : Strange Like a Stormy Sea


The Damned : New Rose


On October 22, 1976 The Damned released what has often been cited as the first punk single ever. That they beat the Sex Pistols to the punch was always galling to Johnny Rotten. The Pistols--still five weeks from releasing "Anarchy in the UK-- were recording demos for EMI. the Dutch country trio Pussycat was on top of the charts with "Mississippi".

Recorded in one day, and produced by Nick Lowe, "New Rose" is a teenage love song, which may not actually be the appropriate subject for a punk song. Let the Sex Pistols and The Clash sing about the issues. The Damned's Dave Vanian is singing about love. About the inner storm that rocks your insides when you've got a "new rose" in town.

The B side was a sped up version of The Beatles' "Help". The Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" would be released just weeks later.


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