Phantasmagoria (The Damned album)

Phantasmagoria is the sixth album by the Damned, released by MCA in July 1985. Special editions were available on white vinyl or picture disc; some versions included a free 12" of their No. 3 hit "Eloise".

Phantasmagoria
Studio album by
The Damned
ReleasedJuly 1985
RecordedMarch - June 1985
StudioEel Pie Recording Studios
(London)
GenreGothic rock
Length39:19
LabelOff Beat
ProducerJon Kelly, Bob Sargeant, The Damned
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]

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 between March and 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 (future wife of Nick Cave) 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
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
Note
  • The non-album single "Eloise" appeared as a bonus track on the 1986 reissued LP versions in Australia, Germany and Italy.

Expanded Edition

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

Disc 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Place of OriginLength
1."Street of Dreams" Original album5:38
2."Shadow of Love" Original album3:52
3."There'll Come a Day" Original album4:14
4."Sanctum Sanctorum" Original album6:24
5."Is It a Dream"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Captain SensibleOriginal album3:27
6."Grimly Fiendish"Vanian, Scabies, Jugg, Merrick, Clive "Doctor" JacksonOriginal album3:49
7."Edward the Bear" Original album3:36
8."The Eight Day" Original album3:46
9."Trojans" Original album4:51
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
Note
  • "Let There Be Rats" and "Wiped Out" were originally released as a Rat Scabies 7" solo single in 1984.

Personnel
The Damned
Additional musicians
Production
  • Jon Kelly – production, engineering
  • Chris Ludwinsky – additional engineering
  • Bob Sargeant – production (6)
  • The Damned – production (6)
  • Bob Carlos Clarke – cover photography
  • Booce – cover artwork
Expanded Edition disc 2
  • Vivian Mason – vocals (7)
  • Rat Scabies - guitar (11, 12)
  • Roman Jugg - vocals (2), drums (11, 12)
  • Paul Shepley – keyboards (9, 10, 11, 12)
  • The Damned – production (2, 4, 7)
  • Will Birch – production (5, 6)

References
  1. AllMusic review
  2. "Smashing It Up: A Decade of Chaos with the Damned by Kieron Tyler
  3. http://diffuser.fm/damned-anything/
  4. http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/the-damned-phantasmagoria-anything-reappraised
  5. "Susie Bick - the Fashion Spot". Forums.thefashionspot.com. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
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