OK, for real, what is so BAD about the Damned's "Music For Pleasure"?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I bought it on LP (mid '90s reissue, actually) and after skimming through it last night I haven't heard anything particularly objectionable or bad*. Probably a minor step down from Damned Damned Damned, but at first cursory listen I like it more than Machine Gun Ettiquette. Why is it so h8X0r3d? The Nick Mason production? (Syd Barrett was their first choice; I doubt his whacked-out ass could do a better job.) The riffs? The lyrics? The cover art?

*Disclaimer: As with all statements of opinion I make, it should be kept in mind that I consider at least 25 songs from Sandinista! to be unmitigated classics.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)

*Disclaimer: As with all statements of opinion I make, it should be kept in mind that I consider at least 25 songs from Sandinista! to be unmitigated classics.

Ah, the unfortunate "sandinista factor." It's known only to strike 1 out of every 350,000 music fans.

(The only Damned album I have is a burned copy of Light at the End of the Tunnel, and I have no idea which songs come from which albums)

― paul cox (paul cox), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I got that. Er, let's see: "Problem Child". That's it.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, well I give that one a thumbs up.

― paul cox (paul cox), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)

The only one on Light is "Problem Child," which is okay enough (oh, as noted, I see...)

I haven't actually heard the album, and based on "Problem Child" and a couple of the other songs I've heard in alternate versions, like "Sick of Being Sick" and all, they were fun but not great, whereas Damned Damned Damned is just spot on even with the throwaways. And considering how much and thoroughly I adore Machine Gun Etiquette second for second, I think you are sucking on the crackpipe a bit, but I am not a cruel man. ;-) If I ever get around to a proper listen I will deliver my true thoughts on the matter.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Whoa whoa whoa whoa, I didn't say I hated MGE. Damn. It's a great album with a cover I'd really want to rock on a black t-shirt but there's a couple songs I could never really get int -- hey, wait, you wrote the AMG writeup? Oh man. I'm NOT gonna argue.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"music for pleasure" is good esp. the song with lol coxhill. i think the reason people hated it was mostly cause the damned were unfashionable & probably a bit dumb.

― duane, Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

But the AMG hates it too (and they love love love the preceding and following albums)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 00:55 (twenty-two years ago)

how bout second rate songwriting & poor production?.One of the worst second albums out of the punk movement right up there with the Dead Boys " We have come for your children". Brian James wrote all the songs on the second one & Captain Sensible wrote the lion's share of Machine Gun Etiquette.The secret to early Damned was the live sound on the recordings.Frankly after Machine Gun Etiquette they never got that sound again but at least they had learned how to write songs by then

― evan chronister (evan chronister), Saturday, 3 May 2003 01:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh no! A punk album with poor production!

I've just looked at a site with lyrics and yeah, I guess they're not so hot. I didn't pay too much attention to them at first.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

When I first heard Music For Pleasure I was suprised how much it didn't suck.

― Jeff K (jeff k), Saturday, 3 May 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

When I first heard Music For Pleasure I was suprised how much it didn't suck. Just about every review I read about it completely trashed it. Some great songs on it (Problem Child, Your Eyes, Idiot Box) and the so-called bad production wasn't THAT bad. Maybe being stuck between the first album and Machine Gun didn't help matters. Sort of reminds me of Give Them Enough Rope following the first Clash and before London Calling. Maybe not their best but well worth a listen.

― Jeff K (jeff k), Saturday, 3 May 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh hell, I love the bejesus outta Rope. "Julie's In the Drug Squad"! Yes!

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

(granted, that's not enough bejesusery to actually GET THE SONG TITLE RIGHT. in Been Working For, sorry)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 3 May 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Its good, but it does pale in comparison to the records immediately before & after it, IMO. I also thought the Black Album was better than MFP. And I am one of the ones in 350,000 who thinks the overwhelming majority of Sandinista is fabulous too, so maybe there is a connection between MFP-likers & Sandinista-likers. I will even go on record as saying that in certain moods, I prefer Sandinista to Give Em Enough Rope... ::ducks:::

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Saturday, 3 May 2003 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

"h8X0r3d"
Someone please explain this to me.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 4 May 2003 01:36 (twenty-two years ago)

It means "hated", only I fucked it up l33t-style. I think this is John Mountain Goat's fault.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 4 May 2003 01:41 (twenty-two years ago)

seven years pass...

This album simply doesn't have the tunes. It's not dire, it's just dull. "Problem Child", "Stretcher Case Baby" and "You Take My Money" are the only ones I can even remember - and I just listened to it again the other day!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 9 January 2011 07:18 (fifteen years ago)

nine months pass...

Rollins played this entire album on his radio show apparently.

I would like a new remix of this album cause it's pretty good but that demo-level production sucks the life out of it.

― Jheri Curlnelius (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 9 October 2011 12:58 (fourteen years ago)

four years pass...

Taken just on it's own, Music for Pleasure a pretty interesting 'mid 70s' nasty garage/psych record as the poor production kind of gives it that raw 4 track sheen from 66-67. Some of it doesn't sound all that removed from say something on Nuggets sound wise. I think you can hear quite a bit of early Floyd and Who in the tunes too. Got to think if it was some little known band from say New Zealand instead of the Damned, it might be thought about different.

― earlnash, Saturday, 20 February 2016 01:13 (nine years ago)

A damned thread with no Stewart Osborne? How can that be?

― Mark G, Saturday, 20 February 2016 18:47 (nine years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.