Phantasmagoria
Studio album by
the Damned
ReleasedJuly 1985
RecordedMarch–June 1985
StudioEel Pie, London
GenreGothic rock[1]
Length39:19
LabelMCA
Producer
The Damned chronology
Strawberries
(1982)		 Phantasmagoria
(1985)		 Anything
(1986)
Singles from Phantasmagoria
  1. "Grimly Fiendish"
    Released: 18 March 1985
  2. "The Shadow of Love"
    Released: 10 June 1985
  3. "Is It a Dream?"
    Released: 9 September 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Phantasmagoria is the sixth album by U.K. punk rock band the Damned, released by MCA in July 1985. Special editions were available on white vinyl or picture disc; some versions included a free 12-inch of their No. 3 hit "Eloise". It is the first album by the band without original member Captain Sensible, and was a style shift to gothic rock compared to the band's punk sound of its early and later career.[1]

History

After much wrangling, the Damned received a new contract with MCA Records in October 1984 on the strength of the song "Grimly Fiendish",[2] issued as a single the following March. They recorded the album in Eel Pie Studios from March to June 1985. It reached No. 11 in the charts, and was the band's highest-charting album ever, until the release of Evil Spirits in 2018, which cracked the top-ten at No. 7. The non-album single "Eloise," (a Barry Ryan cover), released six months later, became a huge UK hit, reaching No. 3.

The Damned centred the entire album around David Vanian's deep voice, giving much of the album a gothic feeling.[3] The album was remastered and reissued by Geffen Records in Japan in 2007, featuring replicas of the LP's outer and inner sleeves and a CD label resembling the white vinyl edition. In 2009, an expanded edition was issued by Universal Music Group in Europe.[4]

Artwork

The cover image of Susie Bick was taken by photographer Bob Carlos Clarke[5] at Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg and Bryn Merrick, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Street of Dreams" 5:38
2."Shadow of Love" 3:51
3."There'll Come a Day" 4:15
4."Sanctum Sanctorum" 6:27
5."Is It a Dream"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Captain Sensible3:27
6."Grimly Fiendish"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Clive "Doctor" Jackson3:50
7."Edward the Bear" 3:37
8."The Eighth Day" 3:46
9."Trojans" 4:53
Total length:39:19
CD bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Grimly Fiendish" (The Bad Trip Mix)Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Jackson5:11
11."The Shadow of Love" (Ten Inches of Hell Mix) 6:41
Total length:51:39
Note
  • The non-album single "Eloise" appeared as a bonus track on the 1986 re-issued LP versions in Australia, Germany and Italy.

2009 expanded edition

Disc 1 bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Place of OriginLength
10."Grimly Fiendish (The Bad Trip Mix)"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Jackson"Grimly Fiendish" 12"5:10
11."The Shadow of Love (Ten Inches of Hell Mix)" "The Shadow of Love" 10"6:42
12."Is It a Dream (Wild West Express Mix)"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Sensible"Is It a Dream" 12"6:45
Disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Place of OriginLength
1."Grimly Fiendish (Spic 'n' Span Mix)"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Jackson"Grimly Fiendish" 12"5:21
2."Edward the Bear" (B-side single version) "Grimly Fiendish" 7"3:53
3."The Shadow of Love (The Pressure Mix)" "The Shadow of Love" 12"5:34
4."Nightshift" (B-side) "The Shadow of Love" 7"2:24
5."Let There Be Rats" (Rat Scabies solo single)Scabies"The Shadow of Love" 7" double pack single2:09
6."Wiped Out" (Rat Scabies solo single)Scabies"The Shadow of Love" 7" double pack single1:34
7."Would You" (B-side)Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Vivian Mason"The Shadow of Love" 12"2:46
8."Is It a Dream (Wild West End Mix)"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Sensible"Is It a Dream" 7"8:11
9."Street of Dreams" (Live) "Is It a Dream" 7"5:05
10."Curtain Call" (Live)Vanian, Scabies, Sensible, Paul Gray"Is It a Dream" 12"4:27
11."Pretty Vacant" (Live)Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock, Johnny Rotten"Is It a Dream" 12"2:04
12."Wild Thing" (Live)Chip Taylor"Is It a Dream" 12"2:14
13."The Shadow of Love" (BBC Radio 1 session) The Radio One Sessions, 19964:05
14."Is It a Dream" (BBC Radio 1 session)Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, SensibleThe Radio One Sessions3:36
15."Street of Dreams" (BBC Radio 1 session) The Radio One Sessions4:43
Notes
  • "Edward the Bear" (single version) is produced by Bob Sargeant and the Damned.
  • "Nightshift" and "Would You" are produced by the Damned.
  • "Let There Be Rats" and "Wiped Out" were originally released as a Rat Scabies 7" solo single in 1984; produced by Will Birch.
  • Live tracks recorded at Woolwich Coronet, 11 July 1985; engineered and mixed by Jon Kelly; all tracks feature Paul Shepley on keyboards; "Pretty Vacant"and "Wild Thing" features Rat Scabies on guitar and Roman Jugg on drums.
  • "The Shadow of Love", "Is It a Dream" and "Street of Dreams" recorded for Janice Long Session, 14 April 1985; produced by Harry Parked, engineered by Barry Adams and Peter Watts.

Personnel

The Damned
Additional musicians
Production
  • Jon Kelly – production, engineering (except 6)
  • Chris Ludwinsky – additional engineering
  • Bob Sargeant – production (6)
  • The Damned – production (6)
  • Bob Carlos Clarke – cover photography
  • Booce – cover artwork

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[6] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 AllMusic review
  2. ↑ "Smashing It Up: A Decade of Chaos with the Damned by Kieron Tyler
  3. ↑ Wawzenek, Bryan (1 December 2016). "30 Years Ago: The Damned End a 10-Year Run with 'Anything'". Diffuser.fm.
  4. ↑ Toman, Stephen (7 April 2009). "The Damned – Phantasmagoria / Anything Reappraised". The Skinny.
  5. ↑ "Susie Bick – the Fashion Spot". Forums.thefashionspot.com. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "British album certifications – The Damned – Phantasmagoria". British Phonographic Industry.
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