Machine Gun Etiquette

What a record - I felt paralyzed during the entire run! The instrumentation is great, it’s bursting with humor and energy.. And then it’s catchier than the songs most hit-songwriters could even dream of composing. This is everything I want in a punk record.

A joyful, fun, punky album that is light on anger and heavy on messin' around. Some good guitar work. As with all excellent albums it's way too short.

This is certainly one for my mental list of "Bands I've heard of but never really listened to before now, and now I regret only now listening to them for the first time." Holy cow what a good album this was. A much needed proto-hardcore punk rush that made my whole day. Rowdy, raw, unrelenting, with a nice mix of weirdness and psychedelia. I liked this one a lot, and I wish I'd given The Damned a proper listen sooner. Favourite: Love Song

Pretty damn fun punk album. 4.5 but rounded up instead of down. Lots if great energy meaningful lyrics, and a kinetic pace.

10 Albums You Actually Need to Hear Before You Die Chapter 8 Never Mind The Pistols, Here’s The Damned!: The Damned’s “Machine Gun Ettiquette” Ladies and Gentlemen, how do? Among the most egregious exclusions on this list is The Damned’s debut album, “Damned Damned Damned”. The author of this list apparently finds you to be quite the fool…You don’t need to hear the first UK punk album to be released, by the band that also released the first UK punk single and was also the first UK punk band to tour the United States. “Nonsense, to hell with those accolades!”, he says, “What these idiots need to hear are 7 albums featuring that depressing fuck Morrissey.” Damned Damned Damned was a blistering, incessantly high energy first-shot-fired to announce the arrival of UK punk music. It outpaces the debut albums by the Sex Pistols and Clash by pretty much every metric: fast, aggressive, noisy and loud with great songs and musicianship…it is the record that perfectly encapsulates punk rock, a definitive statement. It is borderline criminal that it’s not included on this list. Despite his potentially malicious ineptitude, the author at least got the inclusion of Machine Gun Etiquette right. I would use the hackneyed old saying “even a broken clock is right twice a day,” but, unfortunately, this broken clock only got it right once when it comes to The Damned. The band would break up following the critical and commercial failure of their rushed second album, “Music For Pleasure”, and the departure of guitarist Brian James in early 1978. Reforming in early 1979 with bassist Captain Sensible taking over guitar duties would mark another first for the Damned: The first UK punk band to reform. If Brian James’ guitar leads favored speed, tension and then release, Sensible’s lead guitar favors melodicism and a Hendrix-ian flare for the dramatic. Often, I’ve wondered why they chose the title “Machine Gun Etiquette” for this record. I’m sure the band have explained the title in the press and I could easily look it up, but I have my own theory and I think I’d rather hold on to it than know the truth: “Machine Gun Etiquette” is an excellent descriptor for Rat Scabies’ drumming. His spitfire drum fills come in short, sharp bursts of precision, cutting through the meat of these songs, continually pushing them forward…he plays with a machine gun etiquette. And by the way, is there a better name in all of punk rock than “Rat Scabies”? I’ll answer for you…there isn’t. Once described by Lemmy as “remarkably normal for someone who’s dressed like Count Dracula”, lead singer Dave Vanian backs off from the full throated snarl a bit on Machine Gun Ettiquette, but only a bit. Here, he introduces a gothic croon on several songs, foreshadowing the direction The Damned would head in years to come. Rounding out the re-formed Damned was Algy Ward of The Saints on bass. Ward’s experience in The Saints, a band that operated within the punk realm yet wasn’t tied down to the rigid traditions of what punk is “supposed” to be, would prove to be an invaluable asset to the Damned on this record. He ends up as the perfect foil for Scabies: the two operate in lockstep through various shifts in tone, tempo and genre, playing off each other better than just about any rhythm section in punk. Bookended by two of the most impressive punk singles of their era (“Love Song” and “Smash It Up”, the latter of which was boycotted by BBC 1 for fear that it might incite riots), Machine Gun Etiquette is a showcase for the Damned as they split the sound of punk wide open. On the title track, sometimes referred to as “Second Time Around”, they ramp up the already frenetic pace and aggression found on their debut album, which would provide influence and inspiration to the nascent American hardcore punk scene. It’s followed up by the goth-by-way-of-garage-rock of “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today”, a starkly apocalyptic song that erupts into an keyboard solo that would make a band like The Seeds grin ear to ear. Over the next several tracks, the band expands their vision of what punk is even further: The beautiful piano intro to “Melody Lee” that morphs into blistering punk, the percussion and bass instrumental showcase in the middle of “Anti-Pope”, the psychedelic carnival madness of “These Hands”, the brilliant, brooding and gothic “Plan 9 Channel 7” - which ends in a showcase of Vanian’s falsetto and Captain Sensible’s explosive guitar heroics, a fantastic cover The MC 5’s “Looking At You”… …The Damned take risks on every song on this record and every one of those risks pays off tenfold. Machine Gun Etiquette is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders and capturing that lightning in a bottle. It’s not just one of the greatest punk albums of all time, it is one of the greatest albums of all time.

This is just about as good a punk album as you will ever hear. It’s ramshackle, rowdy and great fun to listen to, with plenty of tongue in cheek attitude to boot. Dave Vanian's proto-gothic vocal style is really rich and unique, elevating the songs quality-wise to a point where most other punk singers can’t compete. Stylistically, they're all over the place here, with some classic punk sounds laced with all manner of musical styles and a real pop sensibility as well. The band is more musically talented than a lot of their peers, with Captain Sensible in particular serving up some solid guitar work. Also, the band is clearly having fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. You’ve got to admire that. Fave Songs: Plan 9 Channel 7, Love Song, Machine Gun Etiquette, I Just Can't Be Happy Today

This album should be *far more famous*. Released only two years after the punk explosion, it predicted everything from post-punk to goth and melodic hardcore punk--not to mention that later craze about killer clowns, lol ("These Hands"). But it's not the only reason *Machine Gun Etiquette* should be remembered today. Its melodies and energy are infectious, its instrumentation is far more sophisticated than it seems at first glance (the organ flourishes are particularly effective and original), and the tunes are catchy as fuck. So it's not so much how ahead of the curve this amazing LP was that makes it a great listen today. It's how damn good it is, period. Each song has something different to offer, even if the overall picture stays cohesive. *Machine Gun Etiquette" is a very *driven* record, to say the least: I tried to find a weak track in it but I couldn't. Hence why I give this one a 5. "Love Song" sounds like The Pogues on steroids, "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" is both weird and wonderful, and the long version of "Smash It Up" at the end of the album crowns everything like the definitive Damned statement that it is. And then, there are all the other cuts, some of them short and biting, others longer and mesmerizing. This record is a gem, enough said. Number of albums left to review: 623 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 186 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 85 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 113

This is the perfect punk album, at least for me. I found it late, to be honest; however, that allowed me to appreciate and value it better. The track list is all killer, no filler. I’m not gonna lie, these hooks are tattooed in my brain: you can find me mumbling “I just can’t be happy today” a Monday morning, whistling Antipope, or telling my wife “this is for you, it’s a love song”. Captain Sensible is a great character, the Damned a punk powerhouse, this album one of the best things ever recorded. The only thing I could ask is the option of giving not 5 stars, but a hundred.

Great early punk album! Might have to revisit classic British punk...

Omg. Best 2 days in a row ever. Very close to my favourite Damned record. Maybe even my favourite.

I love this album. It's an essential punk album. I still can't listen to the title track without shouting "Second Time Around!" every time. It's so simple, yet executed so well. Even my young children were singing along to Smash It Up. To be fair, they are toddlers and imitate me frequently AND love making messes. It's such a great album. Damned Damned Damned deserves to be on this list too. It better be.

Godamn and fuck yeah! Why have I never heard this before? Most excellent of punk rock.

GREAT punk album!!! Everything I love about punk condensed into about half an hour. Pure charm, high energy, and hypnotic melodies, I just love it all. Faves: Love Song, Machine Gun Etiquette, I Just Can’t Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise, Noise, Noise

It starts with a charming, "Ladies and Gentlemen. How do?" And then we quickly get all the volume and speed I expect from British punk rockers but with lots of unexpected and delightful moments throughout. Tuneful melodies are discernible from one song to the next. I Just Can't Be Happy Today has some incredible drum fills and ironically happy handclaps. Melody Lee starts with a piano introduction that could easily have come from an Elton John track. These Hands is one of those scary circus calliope deals. Lots of fun variety that is more than just Noise, Noise, Noise. Loved it!

A masterpiece. I cannot describe what I feel while listening to "Love Song" - I'm not often so deeply moved by any song. Vanian's voice - absolutely exeptional.

I guess that in almost 600 albums, this is one of the first albums that I recognize as a punk album in essence (musically, lyrically, attitude, etc.), without any unnecessary extra (like it happens with many post-punk or hardcore jazz, for example). I liked it very much, and I should check more stuff from The Damned!

I was introduced to this band/album by the podcast No Dogs in Space, and if you liked this album, I'd really recommend their series on the Damned. This is such a fun album. It's still full-on early punk in terms of the majority of its sound, but other influences are clearly creeping in, especially as the album goes on. In that sense, the album seems like a harbinger of the post punk movement. Overall, it just a lot of fun. Very high energy, pretty lighthearted songs that still manage to be subversive. It flies by too 4/5

Right from that opening bass line and drum fill on "Love Song" you can hear how this is moving towards hardcore. I definitely prefer more omnivorous punk like this that draws from a wider range of influences.

I didn't think the Damned could record a better album than their debut, Damned Damned Damned, but Machine Gun Etiquette comes close. It takes the energetic raw punk sound of the debut and it expands it with more depth and musical exploration. The songs are solid and overall the record is more consistent. If compared to their previous record, Music for Pleasure, it's a huge improvement and MGE brings back the pleasure in the music for Damned fans.

This album is a microcosm of the history of punk to 1979. There are more traditional punk songs, as well as songs that are clearly incorporating post-punk and new wave sounds. I found this album to be accessible and interesting while providing that sonic link from punk to what it evolved into. The musicianship was much better than a typical British punk band while retaining the lyrical force that typifies that music.

Not sure why the government is investing in nuclear reactors when this album has enough energy to power the country.

I never really listed to The Damned as a kid, beyond the stuff that got into the charts (which is tainted by Sensible's solo stuff). They were never played on the Friday Rock Show I guess - the punk label would have made that impossible. Which is odd of course: there's so many echos of bands like Motorhead here; even a touch of Iron Maiden in places. So this was a first listen. I like it. Love Song, Anti-Pope, Plan 9 Channel 7 and Smash It Up are all decent, and despite the oddness in places (better left to the likes of Half Man Half Biscuit) there's no real weakness here (perhaps These Hands?). Some good work all round, and a rhythm section that drives everything forward throughout. I'd listen to this again and it's made me want to explore more of The Damned and related bands. It's probably a 4.5, but, fuck it, I'll give it a 5.

Fkn solid heavy guitar music right here

9/10 really love a good punk album, and this was a good punk album 👍

5/5. A blast of a record. Very dynamic, ahead of the curve, and an interesting snapshot of a unique turning point of the band

This album was a fun listen! “Love Song” was full of clever lyrics with a pretty nice, down to earth sentiment of love at the end. I love the retro keyboard sound in songs like “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today.” It contrasted with the lovely piano opening “Melody Lee,” which then erupts into a poppypunk guitar-driven confection that one might mosh to. \“Anti-Pope” takes down religion with some pretty direct criticism delivered in a surprising affable way. The carousel-driven “These Hands” is certainly a dark take on a circus clown. I need this for my halloween playlist… There’s a lot of talent in this group that elevates this music a bit, and they embrace variety which gives most of the songs a distinct sound while still cohering as a whole. Loved it!

The third album of The Damned. Great and fast proto-hardcore punk influenced with some different musical genres and styles.

I LOVE the Damned. That punk rumbling bass opener of "Love Song" crashing into the lo-fi hi-hat heavy drums! Even back in 1979 they have a synth/prgan and proto goth sound on "I just can't be happy today" "These Hands" - no one likes circus music Dave Vanian's voice is magic on "Plan 9 Channel 7" I prefer Damned Damned Damned - I just noticed that its not on this list... wonder why.

After the first playthrough, I thought I had the measure of this: charming, typical of the era, slip on the next one. The luxury of a weekend had me listen to it three more times: there’s more here, looking forward to post-punk and hardcore - the pretty piano of “Melody Lee” slams into the barre-chord blur that Minor Threat later colonised - looking back to the Stones and the Stooges. No-one told me Captain Sensible was a guitar ace. Not perfect, but it wasn’t trying to be.

How great are The Damned? The "real band" Sex Pistols, but that's not giving them enough credit. Top tunes, top talent, top nom-de-plumes (esp. local boy-made good Dave Vanian); I loved 'em when I was in single digits before I knew what a goth or a punk even was. And they're still at it today! (check out "Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow" from this century, ffs). This album sounds incredible when played loud (and a bit muddy if not), with loads of exciting tunes that do what they need to in record time. On a related note, looks like I called it earlier - "Love Song" was indeed inspiration for The Circle Jerks amongst others. I'll take my honorary doctorate of pop music theory, thanks

When I'm told an album I'm about to listen to is by a Punk band, this is the kind of thing I'm expecting to hear, in a very good way.

Feels like some of these songs could be in any Tony Hawk game. Some of the songs had weird jumps in tempo that were honestly a little confusing -- I had to check my phone to make sure the song didn't skip. There are a handful of songs that are definitely poppy, I'm surprised I have never heard any before. I'm still trying to put my finger on what makes music punk. I did enjoy this album more than most other punk albums we have gotten, especially 70's and 80's British punk. I oftentimes can't hear different accents when people sing in English; this is not one of those cases. It sounds like they are pretending to be Bri'ish. Bonus points for names like Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies. I enjoyed listening to this album. It feels like a stretch to give it a 4, but I'm gonna do it.

Once again a band I've not heard before. Great album though.

Fun and creative punk band

Good punk album, enjoyed Anti-Pope, Love Song and a few others for their lyrics and straight-forward punk style.

Now I'm sad I haven't been listening to The Damned more all these years...

This album was a ride. Just when you think you've got it figured out, they switch up styles on you, and they're proficient in all of them. Good stuff. Best track: Smash It Up

Great album, packed full of memorable songs and demonstrating what good musicians the Damned are. The album starts strongly with Love Song, Just Can't Be Happy Today and ends strongly with Smash It Up but most of the other tracks hold up well too

Never listened to the Damned before. This was fun. Kinda traditional punk spread over a variety of music styles. The mission is surprisingly good. The recording is shit. Overall a really good time.

The Damned, one of the original punk bands at the inception of the genre, aims to go faster and louder with their third record. This sound has markings of the upcoming hardcore punk subgenre of the 80's, but for now we're in a sort of punk limbo. Most of this is really great. Just definitive punk all throughout, save for the strange "These Hands" at the end of side A. I'm a big fan of punk anyway so I was bound to like it anyway.

Punk with enough psych, pop-ish hook, humor, and rhythm variety to keep this softy/punk-poseur on board for the entire 30 minutes. That was great. Whoever picked up the bass on Anti-Pope is great. No trace of whining. They even do a the British baroque carnival organ nightmare thing tolerably for a track. Tempted to give a 5 but I gave The Doors a 4 and now nothing is calibrated. A-

Pretty fucking good. Weird. Some psychedelic touches (particularly in the key parts) that give it an almost new wave/post punk flavour.

Although they didn't have as much of an impact as either the Sex Pistols or the Clash, this album shows that the Damned should not be overlooked. On this album, they provide a lot of the building blocks that would soon be adopted by the US hardcore punk scene. There are some great tunes here. Not an out-and-out classic, in my opinion, but showed that there was life in the core punk sound when many of their peers were moving on to post-punk/new wave.

This was probably the best punk album I've heard from this list. The singer didn't piss me off, he was theatrical with his delivery which I like. The band was talented: their music was music, not just sound.

That opening bass line... Gave me chills. Listening to this album makes me feel like a college student on a Cali boardwalk in the early 90s. It's just tough for me to be in the mood for punk or find an environment where I listen to punk except at a live show.

Pre-listening thoughts: I have never heard of this band or album but ohhhh joy another British punk album…! Post/during listening thoughts: this is pretty hardcore. I can see how some would enjoy it but man it’s just not for me. I didn’t even realize we switched songs from track 1-2. I like the less heavy moments where it’s just rock and not as hardcore/metal influenced. I think I just don’t like metal and when it seeps into other subgenres of rock I run away. Melody Lee was such a red herring I thought it was gonna be a ballad 😭. The harmonies on Smash It Up are genuinely nice. Not a bad closer but whole album is meh. At least it’s only 36 mins 3/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nope! Fav tracks: I Just Can’t Be Happy Today, Anti Pope but only cause of the lyrics, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise Noise Noise but ONLY the fart noises, Smash It Up Least fav tracks: Love Song, Machine Gun Ettiquette, Melody Lee, Looking at You

kinda shit. another britishy punk-esque band but this one was harder to get through

Not a huge fan of punk, but it was pretty good.

far from the worst punk i've heard on this list! the damned's machine gun etiquette is punk, through and through, and it's palatable. they incorporated other genres, too. i found it kind of mischievous that they began "melody lee" with a falsely positive piano. but i couldn't get into this album, though i can't place what was missing for me.

Heavy punk, a little bit more polished and poppy than I think the band intended it to be. Better musicianship than I typically associate with punk from this era, the guitar player sounded like he knew more about how to play the guitar than he should have to be a part of this band. This will definitely be both my first and last time listening to this album.

Really inventive, catchy and fun. Punk energy so good I can even excuse the excessive Britishness

This is just a fantastic album.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of The Damned before, but from what I’m reading about this album, I think there’s a really good chance that I’m going to like it. I’m not quite sure what to expect about The Damned’s particular brand of punk rock, but here’s hoping that I’m about to find a new band to love! This album was excellent from start to finish. Right off the bat, I was hooked in by the energy of “Love Song.” The guitars and drumming were outstanding, and the vocals had a lower register to them that reminded me a lot of Ian Curtis. The Damned immediately reminded me of The Clash; they’re a punk band, but they know how to play their instruments well, and they know how to write and arrange some great songs. The title track felt like it was probably really influential on hardcore punk. I loved the screaming of the backing vocals, and the excellent guitar playing and drum fills. I really loved the songs that had great keyboard playing too, like on “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today.” The keyboards created a great pulse to compliment the guitar and drum. The spoken word section about a minute into the song was spectacular, and the keyboard playing just got better and better as the song went on. This was probably my favorite song on the album, but there were so many great songs to choose from. “Melody Lee” was really fun too, and I loved how it started off with a beautiful keyboard arrangement, before descending into pure punk chaos. “Anti-Pope” was another contender for my favorite song on the album. The lyrics were fantastic, and I really loved the guitar playing too. I loved the atmosphere of “Plan 9 Channel 7.” Once again, the keyboards and guitar were excellent, and I loved the haunting sound they created together. Halfway through the song, the guitar really took over, and I loved it. The first guitar arrangement on “Smash It Up” reminded me a lot of Sonic Youth. I loved the echoing quality to it, and I loved how the bass and lead guitar sounded together. What an excellent final song to the album. The only song on the album that I didn’t like was “These Hands;” the whole circus vibe just wasn’t working for me, and it felt a bit out of place. But everything else on the album was incredible. This album was fantastic, and it even managed to stand out compared to other great punk albums from this era (like London Calling and Gang of Four’s Entertainment). This is an album that I’ll definitely be coming back to, and I’m going to try to find a copy on vinyl immediately.

Shock value punk rock With nuance amidst chaos And ripping solos

This is the kind of punk I can get into. Fun, rowdy, even a bit silly. Great album will listen again.

After getting this so soon after The Clash's debut album, I kinda regret giving them a 5 now. This record is so much better in every damn way. I still think the Clash is worthy, but this is another level of good, fuck me. I've never even heard of The Damned outside of Life Goes On (no idea where I even know that song from, I just know it). Yet, I think nearly every song on this album I saved into my various punk playlists and general liked playlists. It's not very often in punk bands you get to hear such talented guitarists. Usually it's the drummer that takes the shine, but in this case, it's that damn guitarist. Every time I hear a solo I was melting in my seat. Machine Gun Etiquette, Anti-Pope, and Plan 9 Channel 7, and Smash it Up were the absolute favourites. They're all so diverse and different. Smash it up sounded like a fucking New Wave song, and that's something I loved about listening to this album. It feels genre bending, despite being true to its punk core. Ironically, Smash it Up was my favourite song on the record. Shows how much I love New Wave, huh.

Super energetic punk that experiments with the formula of what British punk is by having fun with the instrumentals and venturing away from the 'traditional' (ironic) formula of what punk is. The Damned would go on after this to explore more of a Gothic sound in future albums with less commercial success but you really have to give them props for trying, there's nothing less punk than doing the same shit that's expected of you. Sometimes the exploration of different sounds/styles doesn't pay off (These Hands) but weird Gothic-Circus shit is still more interesting than if they just stuck with 'what works'. The second half of the album is by and large weaker than the first half but never takes its foot off the gas. I'm not going to let a few half-duds weigh down what is an extremely engaging, adventurous and entertaining album. Always appreciate seeing a band make an effort to not be penned into one style. Still a shame that their debut album didn't make it onto this list for some reason but I guess the authors thought it was much more pertinent that we hear a Bob Dylan live bootleg rather than one of the most important punk albums ever made I guess. Highlights: Love Song, Machine Gun, Etiquette, Melody Lee, Anti-Pope, Plan 9 Channel 7, Smash It Up - Pts. 1 & 2

Lots of variety in the instrumentation while maintaining early hardcore aggression. Tight, inventive songwriting with a nasty guitar tone, piercing lyrics, and good performances. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

great punk album

This is just a pure fun punk album. You can tell this band is cool just based on their picture on Spotify. They don’t take themselves seriously despite being really great.

Amazing

This is superb - inventive, genre-mixing, fun, with a driving rhythm that still sounds fresh. The best of punk.

Henry Rollins favorite album to play on a Friday.

Lads seriously what's with the punk Good news is i love punk and am in a bad fucking mood. LADS. this is fucking astounding so far. I just stayed in the shower for half of it just to carry on listening. The weird clown track??? Imagine if I'd heard that in 2020.* I'm struggling to actually say much bc I'm just having a good time. Remember on the Aretha album the other day when I was like Oh this is the best thing I could be listening to while relaxing in a towel. Well I'm in a towel with a lavender and chamomile face mask on but my right trapezoid is hurting like a rat cunt so this is the best thing I could be listening to rn. Like just varied enough while still being a shouty noisy time. Ignore whatever I said about punk albums the other day this is really well put together and a really good time. Why hadnt I already heard this. *clown phase

Total fucking punk. A little to the wayside, but brings you right back. 100% on this one. Angst, speed, message, just fun.

Really good musicality. Great punk works with energizing tracks

Wow, that was so much better than I expected! I could never have guessed this album came out in 1979. Loved it from beginning to end, really!

Well I’ll be damned! What a great album. Loved pretty much all of this one and will be listening to it plenty more times to come. Musically pleasing on the ear all the way through. Loved it!

Just as I was losing hope - a genuine gem of a discover, thank you!

5 out of 5 Much needed after the last album I reviewed, love seeing The Damned pop up. Melody Lee and Smash It Up are some of the standout songs here.

AWESOMESAUCE

I've heard a couple of songs here and there from the Damned, a fast-driven punk band that later morphed into a gothic rock act. This is my first full-album listen to their work, and I am genuinely impressed by what we got. This, by and large, classic-sounding 1970s punk album maintained a fierce and frenetic energy while incorporating elements from other genres. From the use of psychedelic keyboards on "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" and "These Hands" to the opening piano line from "Melody Lee" and the atmospheric bridge with the wailing guitar solo on "Anti-Pope," these mad lads knew how to spice up their style while keeping it fun and engaging. Dave Vanian's smooth crooning vocals, Captain Sensible's raucous guitar work, Algy Ward's well-anchored bass lines, and Rat Scabies's tight percussion coalesce into one neat package that doesn't waste time. Machine Gun Etiquette is a blast from front to back that not only serves as a forbearer for the emerging hardcore punk scene but varies enough to stand on its own.

Really great album! Even though I prefer their debut, there’s no denying the quality of songwriting and a great variety in style and genre. Of course I prefer their punkier tracks, such as Anti-Pope and Melody Lee, but I can appreciate the album as a whole. These Hands and Plan 9 Channel 7 stray à little to far off the punk path, but the rest are great! Splendid way to end 2024!

This list comes through again. This was new to me , great

A raucous good punk album. Can't wait to see them live again in a few months. 4.5 stars.

Now that's some punk music I can get behind. Enjoyed it from beginning to end

Really thought during “Looking at You” they were saying “Do the Bartman” over and over again. It wasn’t but it’s still a 5 star album. Was this stuff all over the Jackass and CKY soundtracks?

Top album.

This is fucking awesome. I wasn't expecting to be so dazzled by British punk rock, but I've been nibbled to death by an okapi.

There’s so much here to love musically, lyrically, creatively.

Absolutely fantastic. Amazing that this came out in 1979. I can hear its influences in so much music that I love. It's got great, now classic, drum beats, cool riffs and some classic solo styles that you can here in so many great punk bands.

Second best Damned album. Every song is a banger. Pogo to so many of them. Smash it up , Anti Pope , Love Song all great tracks. Love the maniacal voice of Dave Vanian in These Hands. An early goth sound.

please sir may i have s’more

Whoa, I can get behind those catchy hooks! Loved this fun and clever album. Great stuff!

Wow really enjoyed the whole thing. Definitely gonna have to go through the rest of their stuff. Rating: 4.6

Godverredomme dit is mijn jam. Waar The Damned al sneaky aan de haal ging met zo mogelijk de eerste punk single ooit, 'New Rose', net voordat Sex Pistols het startschot dachten te geven, realiseren ze met hun derde album ook de eerste stappen in de ontwikkeling van punk naar haar agressievere nakomeling hardcore punk. De riffs zijn furieuzer dan die van hun tijdsgenoten, de drums hanteren een tempo dat niet eerder werd vertoond in het genre. Maar tegelijkertijd weten ze ook echt de luisteraar te charmeren met extreem catchy melodieën, hooks en vrolijke keyboard-riedeltjes van Captain Sensible (goeie naam). De hoge intensiteit gaat tegen alle verwachtingen in moeiteloos samen met die pop-elementen, wat dit album wel echt uniek maakt. En neem dan de gloomy sounds en achtergrondzang in 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today', 'These Hands' en 'Plan 9 Channel 7', en je hebt ook direct wat proto-goth te pakken, wat duidelijk van de hand komt van leadsinger Dave Vanian. Het is een punk meesterwerk, dat zich bevindt op het kruispunt van allerlei post-punk stijlen. Het laatste deel van de plaat bevat een paar songs die uit de toon vallen en het tempo niet helemaal kunnen bijbenen, maar 'Smash It Up' - als één van de beste afsluiters ooit - doet alles vergeven. Monumentaal en underrated album. 9/10 Highlights: Love Song Melody Lee Plan 9 Channel 7 Smash It Up

Machine Gun Etiquette heeft alles wat je van een punk-album mag verwachten. En misschien zelfs nog wel een beetje meer. Zoals al eerder is gebleken komt het betere punk-werk (achteraf gezien) niet uit 1976 of 1977 maar net een paar jaartjes later. We horen the Damned andere genres verwerken in de uptempo punk-songs en dat maakt dit album super variabel en interessant. Het orgeltje in I Just Can't Be Happy, piano-intro van Melody Lee. Daarnaast horen we inspiratie uit de psychedelic rock (solo in Anti-Pope) en is keuze voor hun latere goth-rock werk goed te begrijpen. Maar ondertussen staat Machine Gun Etiqeutte gewoon vol met catchy en punky nummers, vaak niet langer dan 2:30. De overlap met London Calling is goed te horen (gelijktijdig opgenomen in dezelfde studio) en Joe en Mick doen af en toe mee op deze plaat, maar the Damned blijft Britser dan Brits, waar the Clash viel voor de aantrekkingskracht van de USA. Ik had the Damned al hoog zitten maar wordt nogmaals bevestigd. 8,5/10 Highlights: Love Song I Just Can't Be Happy Today Anti-Pope

A solid, tight 30 minutes and change of 70s UK punk - always going to get my attention! Hints of moving on a bit musically, but only a few, and any decent punk band doesn't need to move on anyway!

What a record! A lot of energy and spirit here which I miss in a lot of modern records. Will definitely listen to this again.

One of my all time favourites

One of the best albums ever!

The Damned are a band that I think I just kinda like, until they're on, then boy howdy do I love The Damned. Actual vampire freak music

Ladies and gentleman, how do? Fuckin' great after being assigned this album!

Truly enjoyable. I was familiar with a few The Damned tracks, but had never sat down and listened to an album of theirs. That was a mistake as this is excellent.

A very fine punk album! surprised I've not dived in before, and fully will do now!

One of the finest British punkbands, if not the best. This whole album is stellar

This one was a blast to listen to. Great energy and diversity in instrumentals. Solid hooks throughout.

Bands I wish I had discovered years ago for 100 please....Fucking great stuff.

This was some pretty cool punk music. Considering I had AC/DC yesterday from the same year, I liked this so much more. It has personality and uniqueness to the music. My favorites here are I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Anti-Pope, and Plan 9 Channel 7. I'd like to hear some more punk from this era now.

Probably the best classic punk album. Has a lot of bangers and a lot of fun wit in it. Anti-pope, Melody Lee and Looking at you are the high points.