18 February 1977 – Damned release first ‘punk’ album

18th February 1977 saw the release of ‘Damned, Damned, Damned’ by The Damned on Stiff Records, for what is accepted as the first ‘long playing record’ by a UK ‘punk’ band.

The Damned had played High Wycombe at least twice during their first six months of gigging – stepping onto the Nag’s Head stage as support to The Vibrators in September 1976, while less than a month later they headlined their first ever gig when they appeared at the same venue.  The latter is recalled regularly as the infamous gig where their Manager of the time, Ron Watts, threatened to fetch a shotgun if they didn’t behave.

Damned, Damned, Damned – the classic front cover of the February 1977 release on Stiff Records

The Damned, Damned, Damned album was recorded in early January 1977 and produced by Nick Lowe.  27 year old Lowe had released Stiff’s first single, ‘So it Goes’ in August 1976.  His first band, pub rockers, Brinsley Schwarz, had played the Nag’s Head as early as August 1973 and appeared on at least three more occasions into 1974.

Recording was completed in 10 days.  Total running time for the 12 tracks comes in at a minute or so over half-an-hour and included their debut single New Rose and the subsequent follow up, Neat, Neat, Neat, released on the same day as the album.

Neat, Neat, Neat, she can’t afford a cannon

Damned, Damned, Damned reached No.36 in the UK album chart.

YouTube audio of full album below:

The Damned would not return to High Wycombe until April 1979.

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