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  • Blood And Roses

    Location: London
    Active: 1982-1985

    Emerging from the positive punk movement in London alongside Southern Death Cult, Sex Gang Children, influenced by the bleaker sound cultivated by UK Decay. Their songs were shrouded in the dark haze illuminated by the glow of horror films (Blood and Roses, 1960) and touching on occult writings. This was evident in not only the subject matter of I Spit on your Grave (I Spit On Your Grave, 1978) but cover versions of John Capenter soundtracks. They performed for the first time in January 1982 at the Anarchy Centre, London. There had been a few prior iterations of the band around founders Bob Short and Lisa Kirby. 

    Blood & Roses attracted the attention of radio host and producer John Peel for a session on his BBC program in 1983 and featured in the South of Watford ‘Positive Punk’ special by Michael Moorcock. They were involved with the anarcho/anti-vivisection zine collective Kill Your Pet Puppy (along with Dave Roberts of Sex Gang Children) and included on The Whip compilation.

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/353038-Blood-And-Roses
    John Peel: https://peel.fandom.com/wiki/Blood_And_Roses

    Related: Brigandage, Southern Death Cult, Sex Gang Children, UK Decay, Blood And Roses, I Spit On Your Grave, Bob Short, Lisa Kirby, John Peel, Positive Punk, Kill Your Pet Puppy, The Whip, London, 1982, Anarcho

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  • Furyo

    After UK Decay disbanded, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott and Steve Harle contributed the track “Slave Drive” under the name of Slave Drive to The Whip compilation LP. Similarly, they did the same under the moniker Meat of Youth for the Batcave ‘Young Limbs, Numb Hymns’ compilation – both in 1983. When they enlisted Albie De Luca (Gene Loves Jezebel) they settled on the name Furyo and released two dramatic 12″ records under that name in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, Meat Of Youth, Slave Drive, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott, Steve Harle, The Whip, Batcave, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Albie De Luca, Gene Loves Jezebel

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  • Meat Of Youth

    After UK Decay disbanded, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott and Steve Harle contributed the track “Slave Drive” under the name of Slave Drive to The Whip compilation LP. Similarly, they did the same under the moniker Meat of Youth for the Batcave ‘Young Limbs, Numb Hymns’ compilation – both in 1983. When they enlisted Albie De Luca (Gene Loves Jezebel) they settled on the name Furyo and released two dramatic 12″ records under that name in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, Slave Drive, Furyo, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott, Steve Harle, The Whip, Batcave, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Albie De Luca, Gene Loves Jezebel

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  • Slave Drive

    After UK Decay disbanded, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott and Steve Harle contributed the track “Slave Drive” under the name of Slave Drive to The Whip compilation LP. Similarly, they did the same under the moniker Meat of Youth for the Batcave ‘Young Limbs, Numb Hymns’ compilation – both in 1983. When they enlisted Albie De Luca (Gene Loves Jezebel) they settled on the name Furyo and released two dramatic 12″ records under that name in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, Meat Of Youth, Furyo, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott, Steve Harle, The Whip, Batcave, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Albie De Luca, Gene Loves Jezebel

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  • The Damned

    Location: London, UK
    Active: 1976-current

    Part of the initial wave of the UK punk explosion amidst bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Generation X and The Dark, The Damned are especially relevant to deathrock for their inclusion of brooding atmosphere, tongue-in-cheek dark humor and horror movie chic. The Damned remain in a class of their own as a punk band, often crossing over into goth and deathrock waters, be it in stand alone songs or the entire ‘Phantasmagoria’ and ‘Anything’ albums. Also central to their attribution to the gothic and deathrock moniker are frontman Dave Vanian’s iconic Bela Lugosi / Victorian vampire attire and makeup. The Damned are credited with the first UK punk record release, preceding the Sex Pistols by weeks in 1976. 

    Despite periods of inactivity, the Damned have never stayed split for long, and remain to be active to the current day. Dave Vanian also fronted Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords. Founding member and songwriter of the Damned’s first two albums, Brian James left in 1977 and eventually worked with Iggy Pop. In 1981, James joined Stiv Bators (Dead Boys) to form Lords of the New Church. Captain Sensible departed The Damned prior to Phantasmagoria to develop his solo career, though he would eventually reunite with the band. During his initial absence, a release under the name Naz Nomad and the Nightmares was actually the Damned without Sensible in 1984 covering 1960s songs and original material in similar style. Dave Vanian contributed the track Tenterhooks to the gothic compilation LP ‘The Whip’ at this time alongside bands like Blood and Roses, Play Dead, Brigandage, the post-UK Decay/Furyo interim song “Slave Drive”, and Sex Gang Children.

    The 1996 era of The Damned saw Patricia Morrison (Bags, Gun Club, Sisters of Mercy) join the group, she also wed Dave Vanian. Captain Sensible also reunited with the band at this time. In 2000, ‘Grave Disorder’ was released, and as far as this writer is concerned, presented a refreshing, revitalized incarnation and sound that reintroduced The Damned as a major factor in gothic punk sound.

    Trivia: Glenn Danzig Wrote the the song Archangel for Dave Vanian who chose not to perform it. Instead, Danzig recorded the song himself on Samhain’s first album ‘Initium’.

    Related: Dave Vanian And The Phantom Chords, Naz Nomad and the Nightmares, Lords of the New Church, Captain Sensible, Brian James

    This profile is in development. Contributions?