Faux Deluxe: Naz Nomad & The Nightmares

After the departure of Brian James, The Damned made one of the most remarkable comebacks in modern music. 1979's classic Machine Gun Etiquette revealed Captain Sensible as a guitar hero, and the group as exceptional songwriters. It was quickly followed in 1980 by the double disc Black Album. 

By 1982's Strawberries, Captain Sensible apparently began to feel that he was casting pearls before swine, and he brought forth two novelty pop singles ("Happy Talk" and "Wot"), as if to prove that he could top the charts. He left the Damned in 1984.

What were the other members of The Damned to do?  Once again, they defied expectations by creating what was purported to be the previously unreleased soundtrack album for a lost Sixties film called Give Daddy The Knife, Cindy. This soundtrack was allegedly performed by a mysterious group called Naz Nomad and The Nightmares.

Dave Vanian led the group as Naz Nomad, Rat Scabies became Nick Detroit, bassist Bryn Merrick was rechristened Buddy Lee Junior, and Roman Jugg did double duty as guitarist Sphinx Svenson and keyboardist Ulla. 

Naz Nomad photographed by Pere-Ake Warn

The Damned's next two albums, 1985's Phantasmagoria and 1987's Anything, were written and performed by Scabies, Vanian, Jugg, and Merrick.  The latter three then started a new band called The Phantom Chords.

This post is recycled from a contribution I made to the late and lamented Willard's Wormholes blog. If you recall, Willard used to create "Faux Deluxe" expanded versions of his favorite albums. I was led by his example to pair Give Daddy The Knife, Cindy with the original songs covered by Naz & Co. Two live covers (of the Doors and the MC5) round out the set.

For more of Pere-Ake Warn's photography, visit his website. Sounds gave Roman Jugg the knife in the photo above. Thanks to the Aural Sculptors blog for sharing the live Naz tracks from 1987's Acid Daze festival. Surfadelic recently shared more music by Big Boy Pete, author of my favorite Naz Nomad track, "Cold Turkey".

Brian Brian Brian (James James James)

Stinky has created a masterpiece, a 3 disc overview of Brian James' career! Stinky's liner notes follow:

Brian James is one of the most cutting and influential guitarists of the punk era, and he also wrote the bulk of the first two albums by The Damned before leaving, only to return for a reunion tour.  Their first album was released on James’ 22nd birthday.  

As Captain Sensible later told Devorah Ostrov, Brian said: "Right, that's it. The Damned's finished. I'm going on to do better things."  The rest of the band appeared briefly as The Doomed until the rights to The Damned’s name could be sorted out.

After leaving the band he formed, Brian cut a single, “Ain’t That A Shame” for IRS Records with Police drummer Stewart Copeland.  "Why? Why? Why?" was later released from the same sessions.  A 1978 single was credited to the short lived band Tanz Der Youth.  Instead of starting another band of his own, James joined Chelsea for a single (“No Escape”), which was a Seeds cover.  

Brian backed Iggy Pop on a tour that was documented on the bootleg Heroin Hates You.  Also in the band were Ivan Kral (Blondie, Shaun Cassidy, Patti Smith & John Waite) and Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols, The Rich Kids), both of whom played on Iggy's 1980 album, Soldier.

Stiv Bators and Brian James had become friends when The Damned played CBGB’s, and they put together a punk “super group” in 1982 with Dave Tregunna of Sham 69 and Nicky Turner of The Barracudas.  The Lords Of The New Church had a fairly successful run of eight years, and broke up onstage.  Their best known song was “Open Your Eyes” (which seems less paranoid today). At Miles Copeland’s suggestion, they laid their parts down on an existing track which resulted in their hilarious cover of Madonna’s “Like A Virgin.”  

The Lords' cover of “Question Of Temperature” gave an inkling of where Stiv would be heading musically — right back into 60’s pop/rock. In 1990 (the year that Stiv died), Brian released a self-titled solo album (reissued in 2002 and 2018). The Lords of The New Church released one last album, Hang On, in 2003 with Adam Becvare singing lead.

In 2004, Brian James formed another super group, Mad For The Racket, with The MC5’s Wayne Kramer and Guns ’N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan, along with drummers Stewart Copeland and Clem Burke (Blondie).

Brian made an album and a hard-to find soundtrack (Abracadabra) with Belgium’s Dripping Lips, and formed the cleverly named Brian James Gang in 2006.    

He recorded 2012's acoustic Chateau Brian with Lords Of The New Church’s touring keyboardist Mark Taylor, and found time to play live with Rat Scabies, often utilizing Texas Terri as vocalist.  Scabies and James recorded the Pink Fairies' song "Teenage Rebel" for a 2010 tribute album. Brian also reworked material from his days in The Damned on 2013's Damned If I Do.  

The Guitar That Dripped Blood followed in 2015, as did an authorized biography titled Bastard, The Damned, The Lords Of The New Church & More. An EP of "childhood faves" called Too Hot To Pop appeared in 2017, and Brian guested on the Dirty Strangers' 2017 single "T'Troublemaker" b/w "Shepherds Bush City Limits". 

It's Swell To Own A Stiffie!

Nick Lowe portrait by Dick Wingate

This whole Stiff thing has swollen out of proportion, you might say. I've collected over a hundred Stiff covers. Today's set is (mostly) punk.

Stiff released some significant early punk records, such as "New Rose" and "One Chord Wonders". In fact, "New Rose" was the first British punk single, and Damned Damned Damned the first British punk LP. The Damned was also first to tour the US. 

Stiff also released the immortal Snuff Rock EP by Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias, which parodied the Damned and the rest of the Class of '77. 

Plenty of Damned songs here, as well as covers of The Plasmatics, Tenpole Tudor, and Devo. Plus some punk covers of Stiff classics and deep cuts like J Church's version of "Mary Provost", The Mr. T Experience's take on Rachel Sweet's "Cuckoo Clock", Screaming Believers' live version of "Is Vic There", and Nikki Corvette singing "They Don't Know". 

Self-effacing self-promotion at its finest

"Stupefaction" isn't exactly a cover: Graham Parker performs it with The Figgs, who backed him in concert and on record for 17 years. The Figgs have recently made most of their three decade catalog available on Bandcamp (as well as solo records by Mike Gent and Pete Donnelly). 

The Figgs are one of the tightest bands I've ever seen. This might seem ironic coming from a mp3 blogger, but working musicians like The Figgs need our financial support now more than ever.

Thanks to Draftervoi for the Dyan Diamond record!