Uploaded July 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
The punk yang to Dave Vanian's goth yin, the good Cap'n was on fine form at this recent launch event for The Damned's forthcoming 'Black is the Night' 2-CD compilation album, that coincides with a unique gig at the London Palladium on 26th October 2019. He also took time to speak to Andy Rawll about his love of music from the early 70s from the harmonious pop of the Bee Gees to the symphonic prog of Egg, as well as being Shane Fenton's biggest fan (a summary Q&A appears below).
The event itself was impeccably hosted by punk and horror fan Jonathan Ross and joined by a happy talking Captain Sensible. The Bloody Mary fuelled lunchtime gathering at Soho's Groucho Club revealed details of what will be The Damned's biggest headline show this year. The band has partnered with the team behind the iconic 'Hammer House Of Horror' to bring a special immersive theatrical experience that combines gothic horror with a punk rock show and also features a supporting cast of 'The Circus of Horrors'. Head of Hammer, Simon Oakes was on hand to add bite to the proceedings.
Full footage of the 25 minute Q&A is available on the band's FB page here: @officialdamned facebook.com/OfficialDamned/videos/626938397717808
They also announced the first-ever comprehensive compilation, curated by the band themselves, entitled 'Black is the Night' to be released on 25th October 2019 via BMG. The 39 track 2-CD collection of hits, favourites and more, spans all the way from their 1976 debut 'New Rose' to the lead single from their 2018 'Evil Spirits' album, 'Standing on the edge of tomorrow', with the addition of the newly recorded title track
#thedamned
#blackisthenight
#nightofathousandvampires
officialdamned.com
the-damned.backstreetmerch.com/en-gb
facebook.com/OfficialDamned
@officialdamned
Q&A WITH CAPTAIN SENSIBLE
Q: What was the last record you've bought ?
A: I only buy old records. I rebuy them when the vinyl wears out. The Bee Gees first album. I must be on my fifth copy of that now. Other early stuff, like the Groundhogs is the only stuff I listen to nowadays. I've not bought a record by any new artist since 1990. I'm simply not interested
Q: You mentioned that you don't go to many gigs these days. If you could pick one, which band would you like to see live ?
A: I keep trying to persuade Dave Stewart to get a trio together to play those keyboard symphonies from when he was in the band 'Egg'; that would be magnificent. I also like classical music, but I think that their music is up there with Rachmaninoff, Grieg and all of those.
Q: Did you consider attending one the recent King Crimson shows ?
A: No, but speaking of Robert Fripp, he played on a track ('Fun Factory' from 1982) that's on the new compilation album. We got on so well in the studio that we invited him down to play at our gig at Hammersmith Odeon a few days later. The audience was off their faces and gobbing, but he wasn't phased at all. We were trading licks and it was amazing.
Q: What was it like working with Tony Visconti on 2018's 'Evil Spirits' album ?
A: It was really fun swapping Bolan stories. I've always been a huge fan of his. In fact, we did his last tour with him in the UK. He was a sweet guy, he looked after us and gave us advice.
Q: Did you get invited to perform on his TV show 'Marc' that was on at that time ?
A: Yes, but unfortunately it was during the time when we were banned from TV. That was part of the reason that the Pistols and the Clash jumped over us in the steps up the ladder to success.
The story is that we did a program called 'So It Goes' and on the way to the studio, me and Rat (Scabies) bought air rifles and we were shooting in the backsides of the cameramen, while the other bands were on. The TV technicians' union banned us for six months, so couldn't do the Bolan show or anything else, while all the other bands were getting on and getting famous.
Q: What was the first record you bought ?
A: 'I'm a moody guy' by Shane Fenton. I'm still a big fan of his and also when he became Alvin Stardust. He was really nice guy as well. One time, I was sitting next to this younger chap on a plane coming back from New York. I told him that I played in a punk group and had just done a gig. He said he'd also just done a gig as a DJ but that I'd never have heard of him, but that I will have heard of his Dad: Alvin Stardust. We ended up getting drunk together and annoyed the other passengers by singing his songs loudly like 'Red Dress', 'My Coocachoo' and 'You You You'. Those were magic singles and the guitar playing by Big Jim Sullivan on those tracks is just fantastic
The punk yang to Dave Vanian's goth yin, the good Cap'n was on fine form at this recent launch event for The Damned's forthcoming 'Black is the Night' 2-CD compilation album, that coincides with a unique gig at the London Palladium on 26th October 2019. He also took time to speak to Andy Rawll about his love of music from the early 70s from the harmonious pop of the Bee Gees to the symphonic prog of Egg, as well as being Shane Fenton's biggest fan (a summary Q&A appears below).
The event itself was impeccably hosted by punk and horror fan Jonathan Ross and joined by a happy talking Captain Sensible. The Bloody Mary fuelled lunchtime gathering at Soho's Groucho Club revealed details of what will be The Damned's biggest headline show this year. The band has partnered with the team behind the iconic 'Hammer House Of Horror' to bring a special immersive theatrical experience that combines gothic horror with a punk rock show and also features a supporting cast of 'The Circus of Horrors'. Head of Hammer, Simon Oakes was on hand to add bite to the proceedings.
Full footage of the 25 minute Q&A is available on the band's FB page here: @officialdamned facebook.com/OfficialDamned/videos/626938397717808
They also announced the first-ever comprehensive compilation, curated by the band themselves, entitled 'Black is the Night' to be released on 25th October 2019 via BMG. The 39 track 2-CD collection of hits, favourites and more, spans all the way from their 1976 debut 'New Rose' to the lead single from their 2018 'Evil Spirits' album, 'Standing on the edge of tomorrow', with the addition of the newly recorded title track
#thedamned
#blackisthenight
#nightofathousandvampires
officialdamned.com
the-damned.backstreetmerch.com/en-gb
facebook.com/OfficialDamned
@officialdamned
Q&A WITH CAPTAIN SENSIBLE
Q: What was the last record you've bought ?
A: I only buy old records. I rebuy them when the vinyl wears out. The Bee Gees first album. I must be on my fifth copy of that now. Other early stuff, like the Groundhogs is the only stuff I listen to nowadays. I've not bought a record by any new artist since 1990. I'm simply not interested
Q: You mentioned that you don't go to many gigs these days. If you could pick one, which band would you like to see live ?
A: I keep trying to persuade Dave Stewart to get a trio together to play those keyboard symphonies from when he was in the band 'Egg'; that would be magnificent. I also like classical music, but I think that their music is up there with Rachmaninoff, Grieg and all of those.
Q: Did you consider attending one the recent King Crimson shows ?
A: No, but speaking of Robert Fripp, he played on a track ('Fun Factory' from 1982) that's on the new compilation album. We got on so well in the studio that we invited him down to play at our gig at Hammersmith Odeon a few days later. The audience was off their faces and gobbing, but he wasn't phased at all. We were trading licks and it was amazing.
Q: What was it like working with Tony Visconti on 2018's 'Evil Spirits' album ?
A: It was really fun swapping Bolan stories. I've always been a huge fan of his. In fact, we did his last tour with him in the UK. He was a sweet guy, he looked after us and gave us advice.
Q: Did you get invited to perform on his TV show 'Marc' that was on at that time ?
A: Yes, but unfortunately it was during the time when we were banned from TV. That was part of the reason that the Pistols and the Clash jumped over us in the steps up the ladder to success.
The story is that we did a program called 'So It Goes' and on the way to the studio, me and Rat (Scabies) bought air rifles and we were shooting in the backsides of the cameramen, while the other bands were on. The TV technicians' union banned us for six months, so couldn't do the Bolan show or anything else, while all the other bands were getting on and getting famous.
Q: What was the first record you bought ?
A: 'I'm a moody guy' by Shane Fenton. I'm still a big fan of his and also when he became Alvin Stardust. He was really nice guy as well. One time, I was sitting next to this younger chap on a plane coming back from New York. I told him that I played in a punk group and had just done a gig. He said he'd also just done a gig as a DJ but that I'd never have heard of him, but that I will have heard of his Dad: Alvin Stardust. We ended up getting drunk together and annoyed the other passengers by singing his songs loudly like 'Red Dress', 'My Coocachoo' and 'You You You'. Those were magic singles and the guitar playing by Big Jim Sullivan on those tracks is just fantastic
