Richard Strange’s first band was Doctors of Madness, formed in 1975, recording three influential but non-commercial albums. The band was supported by the Sex Pistols, The Jam and Joy Division. He disbanded the band in 1978, after Dave Vanian of The Damned briefly joined him on vocals.
Related: Doctors of Madness, Sex Pistols, The Jam, Joy Division, Dave Vanian, The Damned
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Location: Islington, London, England, UK
Active: 1978-1982
Formed in London in 1978, The Dark alongside The Damned stood out as capable of more melodic and dynamic sounds, though they never achieved wide success or recognition. Despite never focusing on a particularly gothic sound as their name might imply, their single ‘The Masque’ is a cornerstone on any gothic punk compilation. Like many of their peers in the movement at the time, they highlighted political and social topics, but more directly and succinctly than style over substance bands that achieved more attention.
The majority of their music was put out on the label Fresh Records, who brought out some of the earliest UK Decay, Play Dead, and Second Layer records, some more experimental bands like Cuddly Toys and Family Fodder, not to forget about more punk fare like The Wall, Menace, and the fantastic Punk and Disorderly. Their final record was a 1982 live recording of what was to be their final gig, though their actual last gig was at the Klub Foot in August with The Lurkers.
The initial lineup consisted of John Flannagan, Billy O’Neil, Jim Kane and Phil Langham (later Action Pact and staff at Cherry Red Records), soon joined by Andy Riff. Other members over their career would include Jim Bryson and Razzle (both formerly of Demon Preacher, with Nik Wade aka Nik Fiend in Demon Preacher – the band that would become Alien Sex Fiend). Razzle would end up with Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks until his tragic death in 1984.
Related: UK Decay, The Damned, Alien Sex Fiend, Hanoi Rocks, Play Dead, Demon Preacher, Second Layer, Cuddly Toys, Family Fodder, The Wall, Menace, London, UK, 1978, Action Pact, Anagram Records, Cherry Red Records, Fresh Records, Punk and Disorderly
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Location: USA – Los Angeles, CA
Active: 1979 – current
Hailing from Los Angeles California in 1979, founding members Rob “Graves” Ritter, Don Bolles, and Paul Cutler relocated from Phoenix, AZ (Cutler played in The Consumers, Ritter and Bolles in The Exterminators) added Dinah Cancer (formerly of Los Angeles’ Castration Squad) and emerged as one of that city’s first punk bands with a the dark, tongue in cheek aesthetic that is synonymous with what would become ‘deathrock’. After arriving in LA, Bolles initially played as drummer in LA’s keystone punk band The Germs and also participated in Nervous Gender, while Ritter played with The Bags and The Gun Club. 45 Grave eventually drew Paul Roeseller (formerly of The Screamers) into the fold. 45 Grave was a sort of nexus and galvanization point for those with a taste for more eclectic tastes than strictly hardcore punk, not to mention black dress and gothic humor. Bolles project Vox Pop was formed towards the end of his Germs career; Dinah Cancer would also be involved in Vox Pop which remained active during 45 Grave’s 1980s existence.
45 Grave’s full length album ‘Sleep In Safety’ is one of the earliest bricks in deathrock’s foundations. Along with their singles, they appeared on the Hell Comes To Your House compilation, firmly cemented next to it in the very same foundation (along with Christian Death) and the equally regarded Return of the Living Dead soundtrack (alongside legends like The Cramps and The Damned, with TSOL, The Flesheaters, Jet Black Berries and Roky Erickson – all of whom have been talked about on this site over the years). In 2004, Dinah Cancer reformed a new 45 Grave after fronting the heavy punk band Penis Flytrap (1997-2001), releasing ‘Pick Your Poison’ in 2012, and as of 2024 are still active.
Links:
https://45gravemusic.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.discogs.com/artist/232625
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45_Grave
Related: The Consumers, The Exterminators, Castration Squad, The Cramps, The Damned, The Gun Club, The Bags, TSOL, The Screamers, Nervous Gender, The Germs, Penis Flytrap, Return of the Living Dead, Dinah Cancer, Vox Pop
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(* 18 February 1955 – † 6 March 2025) was an English punk rock guitarist, best known for being a founding member of The Damned as well as of The Lords of the New Church.
Early bands included Bastard and London SS prior to The Damned, whom he contributed to their first two albums before leaving the band in 1977. Tanz Der Youth was another of his bands, after departing from The Damned, as well as several solo projects and playing with Iggy Pop on tour in 1979.
He would team up with The Damned in 1988 and again in 2022. He released a solo album The Guitar That Dripped Blood in 2015 which features guest appearances from Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys.
Related: The Damned, Lords of the New Church, Tanz Der Youth, London SS, Iggy Pop, The Dead Boys, Stiv Bators
Links:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_James_(guitarist)
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