Phantasmagoria (The Damned album)

Phantasmagoria
Studio album by The Damned
Released	July 1985
Recorded	March - June 1985
Studio	Eel Pie Recording Studios (London)
Genre	Gothic rock
Length	39:19
Label	Off Beat
Producer	Jon Kelly, Bob Sargeant, The Damned
The Damned chronology
Strawberries (1982) Phantasmagoria (1985) Anything (1986)
Singles from Phantasmagoria
"Grimly Fiendish" Released: 18 March 1985 "The Shadow of Love" Released: 10 June 1985 "Is It a Dream?" Released: 9 September 1985

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Phantasmagoria is the sixth album by the Damned, released by MCA in July 1985. Special editions were available on white vinyl or picture disc; some versions included a free 12" of their No. 3 hit "Eloise".

History[]

After much wrangling, the Damned received a new contract with MCA Records in October 1984 on the strength of the song "Grimly Fiendish",^[2] issued as a single the following March. They recorded the album in Eel Pie Studios between March and June 1985. It reached No. 11 in the charts, and was the band's highest charting album ever, until the release of Evil Spirits in 2018, which cracked the top-ten at No. 7. The non-album single "Eloise," (a Barry Ryan cover), released six months later, became a huge UK hit, reaching No. 3.

The Damned centred the entire album around David Vanian's deep voice, giving much of the album a gothic feeling.^[3] The album was remastered and reissued by Geffen Records in Japan in 2007, featuring replicas of the LP's outer and inner sleeves and a CD label resembling the white vinyl edition. In 2009, an expanded edition was issued by Universal Music Group in Europe.^[4]

Artwork[]

The cover image of Susie Bick (future wife of Nick Cave) was taken by photographer Bob Carlos Clarke^[5] at Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road.

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg and Bryn Merrick, except where noted.

Note

• The non-album single "Eloise" appeared as a bonus track on the 1986 re-issued LP versions in Australia, Germany and Italy.

Expanded Edition[]

All tracks are written by Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg and Bryn Merrick, except where noted.

Note

• "Let There Be Rats" and "Wiped Out" were originally released as a Rat Scabies 7" solo single in 1984.

Personnel[]

The Damned

• Dave Vanian – lead vocals
• Roman Jugg – guitar, keyboards, lead vocals (7), backing vocals
• Bryn Merrick – bass, backing vocals
• Rat Scabies – drums

Additional musicians

• Paul Shepley – additional keyboards (8)
• Andy Richards – additional keyboards
• Luís Jardim – percussion
• Gary Barnacle – saxophone and brass
• Steve Nieve – keyboard inspiration (4)

Production

• Jon Kelly – production, engineering
• Chris Ludwinsky – additional engineering
• Bob Sargeant – production (6)
• The Damned – production (6)
• Bob Carlos Clarke – cover photography
• Booce – cover artwork

Expanded Edition disc 2

• Vivian Mason – vocals (7)
• Rat Scabies - guitar (11, 12)
• Roman Jugg - vocals (2), drums (11, 12)
• Paul Shepley – keyboards (9, 10, 11, 12)
• The Damned – production (2, 4, 7)
• Will Birch – production (5, 6)

References[]