The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead
Documentary by Wes Orshoski
London Premiere with Q&A
Met The Gang at The Blue Post.
From there we tottered round to the Prince Charles Cinema.
I was walking with Rhiannon who has done time on the Merch Table for the Damned. We were looking forward to seeing how on earth someone could make sense of this band. Our ticket said that there would be a Q&A with Rat Scabies and Brian James.
We were in the queue as Steve Diggle arrived in a rickshaw thing!
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| Steve Diggle arrives |
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| Rat Scabies signs autographs before the show |
And outside, coming out for the early show was Rat Scabies signing autographs.
Meanwhile, at the same time as we're queing up, a band called The Damned goes on stage 80 miles away in Southampton with the other two original members. Man that band is complicated. It seems there are two great guitarists but only room for one in the band. Captain Sensible (a man with two personalities) won't revert to bass player. The singer, Dave Vanian also a man with two personalities, doesn't do Q&A's.
The film is very well made. Sound was excellent, especially the concert footage old and recent. I think it benefitted from being made by a young American who was able to stand and let the band have their say.
Of course there's always been the money issues. Nobody mentioned when Stiff Records dissolved, Rat Scabies and his dad bought the rights to the Damned songs and didn't let on to his band mates. ooOOOh.
Brian James had a few more things to say about "I just want to play" before heading back to the bar leaving Rat Scabies on stage saying, "I don't want to be standing at someone's grave thinking ... could've..."
Whilst I thought the documentary was informative, funny, well-paced and the music was undoubtedly thrilling and sounded great in the cinema, I couldn't help thinking that of course Dave Vanian would want to go straight home after playing with chaps like this. (Especially when he has his wife of 19 years at home (the fabulous Pat Bag A.K.A.Patricia Morrison from The Bags and Sisters of Mercy).
Meanwhile, at the same time as we're queing up, a band called The Damned goes on stage 80 miles away in Southampton with the other two original members. Man that band is complicated. It seems there are two great guitarists but only room for one in the band. Captain Sensible (a man with two personalities) won't revert to bass player. The singer, Dave Vanian also a man with two personalities, doesn't do Q&A's.
The film is very well made. Sound was excellent, especially the concert footage old and recent. I think it benefitted from being made by a young American who was able to stand and let the band have their say.
Of course there's always been the money issues. Nobody mentioned when Stiff Records dissolved, Rat Scabies and his dad bought the rights to the Damned songs and didn't let on to his band mates. ooOOOh.
Brian James had a few more things to say about "I just want to play" before heading back to the bar leaving Rat Scabies on stage saying, "I don't want to be standing at someone's grave thinking ... could've..."
Whilst I thought the documentary was informative, funny, well-paced and the music was undoubtedly thrilling and sounded great in the cinema, I couldn't help thinking that of course Dave Vanian would want to go straight home after playing with chaps like this. (Especially when he has his wife of 19 years at home (the fabulous Pat Bag A.K.A.Patricia Morrison from The Bags and Sisters of Mercy).
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