The Damned - 1976
It's England, December 1976 - Punk's ground zero. The Sex Pistols Anarchy tour is in full swing and The Damned's debut 45 New Rose has just hit the charts. Rat Scabies, in probably his first radio interview, chats with an unknown interviewer about the band and their future.
Interviewer: Rat. I can't get used to calling you Rat but nevermind. What music did you listen to before you started playing it?
Rat: I dunno. There was nothing that I really liked. I used to try and be a musician and appreciate things. I didn't have a natural like, dislike, I just had, erm... You know I used to listen to jazz and things like that. Sort of like the Heavy Metal Kids, bands like that. That was the only band I ever really enjoyed I think but the rest of it was just sort of because they were technically good.
Interviewer: People like Emerson, Lake and Palmer?
Rat: No, not Emerson, Lake and Palmer, I don't think they were ever good. Carl Palmer was alright, but the rest, I don't think... I never really liked them. No, people, sort of like Santana, bands like that. I only used to listen to drummers.
Interviewer: Can I be very rude and ask you how old you are?
Rat: Nineteen.
Interviewer: Nineteen? Actually you're older then I thought. Somebody said most of the band were around 16 or 17.
Rat: No, that's Eater. (laughs) That's 15.
Interviewer: 15! Or is it the Runaways? So, um, I've got a record I want to play you that you'd said you hadn't heard. Mainly I want to play it to you because after listening to New Rose it reminded me of material that was coming out 12 years ago, done by London bands who were at that time playing in pubs, although there were more clubs about. It's sort of riding on the wave of the Stones, at that time, who were still the good guys in those days and not rich. Well, at least not very rich. So, um, tell me what you think. This is the Pretty Things from 1964, a track called Rosealyn.
song plays
Interviewer: Rosealyn, The Pretty Things. I was 13 when that came out, my mother threw all my records in the dustbin, she thought I had dreadful taste. I did reclaim them however. What did you think of that? I find a striking similarity actually.
Rat: I don't find any similarity at all but I can't really pass comment 'cause I feel that... Who's interested in 10 year old groups now? Why are you playing it tonight? You should be playing f*cking...swearing, sorry about that. You should be playing records of today, you should be playing more of the Pistols, you know, more of the kids today on the street. You know like, that's got no relation to a 15 year old up on a council estate who's only just got home from kicking a football around in the yard or something. You know, why cater for, sort of, 30 year old people who've sort of seen it all before and they've had their thing and they've settled down now...
Interviewer: You don't have to grow up with a records to appreciate it, surely?
Rat: No, maybe not, but you know, it's like, I just can't see many sort of young kids relating to it in any sort of way. Apart that their dad maybe likes it. Sorry and all that.
Interviewer: Yeah, well fair enough. We shall beg to differ on that point. Where do you see the band going? What happens when you all reach 25?
Rat: Dunno. I really don't know, you know, it's sort of...
Interviewer: Do you care?
Rat: Uh, do I care? Well, maybe I will, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll still care about the other 25 year olds who've grown up with us.
Interviewer: That's it. It's the people growing up with you.
Rat: Yeah, it's just like... I wanna give the kids a chance. No matter how old I am. If I'm 30 I doubt...you know I'd expect I'd knock it on the head by then because...there just won't be any point anymore, will there?
Interviewer: Interesting. Thank you very much, it's been nice talking to you. And to you and also Stiff records, I wish you a lot of luck and give you all a bit more of a plug when I can. 'Cause I like the music which is the only reason I play stuff is if I like it, so no one can accuse me of bias.
Rat: Thank you.
Interviewer: Still with Stiff, yeah, leave the money at the door.