100 Greatest Songs of the 70’s #24 The Damned – New Rose

Released: 1976

Right from the off it was obvious that punk rock was going to need a sense of humour. It had been created as a joke, a rapacious two fingers to the establishment, the music industry, society, the media and anyone else it could be bothered to piss off/offend, but the whole thing never had the wheels, only just making it into 1978 before an inevitable collapse into just the sort of chaos it had originally promised. The whole thing was funny as hell, and perfectly timed to self destruct.

Not everyone got the idea, but then again The Damned were incapable of staying within the guard rails of anything, a four piece who never even defined themselves as punk until journalist Caroline Coon declared that their debut single New Rose was the movement’s first ever single, or at least one released by a British band. It was an accolade that didn’t come with a prize.

New Rose played to the band’s strengths, guitarist Brian James’ previously orphaned riff united with drummer Rat Scabies primeval thud, whilst gravedigger-turned-singer Dave Vanian made the most of the opportunity to ham it up like a bed and breakfast Rudolf Valentino. By the end of it’s 180 seconds nobody had been hurt and the system was still very much intact. Funny that.