Captain Sensible

‘People are ready for live music’: how The Damned are refusing to lie down before lockdown

• Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t. That seemed to sum up the attitude of the original punks when, last month, they announced a reunion in the middle of a global pandemic. “It’s probably the worst time to get the band back together,” frontman Dave Vanian (aka David Lett) admitted. “I’d hate to be standing over one of our graves saying, ‘We should have done that reunion,’” shrugged drummer Rat Scabies (aka Christopher Miller). Given that The Damned are all in their mid-sixties and sporting Covid-19 masks in new publicity photos, you have to wonder about the wisdom of a return to the mosh pit. But they’re apparently determined to get back together before they die, even if it kills them. Perhaps the most intriguing question is: who in their right minds would purchase tickets for a concert next year, when nobody knows for sure if concerts are even going to be able to take place? And the answer to that seems to be: Damned fans. The first show, at London Eventim Apollo on July 9, has almost sold out, with the band adding a second night at the 3,500-capacity venue – with no social distancing in place. “You can’t have social distancing in a mosh pit,” bassist Captain Sensible (aka Raymond Burns) pointed out. “I think people are ready for the return of live music,” says Neil O’Brien, an agent and promoter (who is not involved with these shows). “For Damned fans, it’s a must-see show. “I don’t think everybody who has bought tickets is blind to the risks – but they don’t want to miss out on artists they love. Whether the gigs happen or not, they want the ticket, and they’re willing to take a chance. I think The Damned are a good example for the whole industry.” That may be the first time The Damned have ever been accused of setting a good example. For Captain Sensible, the intention appears to be quite the opposite. “We caught the tail end of a golden period for rock ’n’ roll. It was bloody good fun, the booze, the birds and all the rest of it – the abandon and the lunacy. We’re hopefully going to bring a bit of that back.”