Machine Gun Etiquette (1979)

Machine Gun Etiquette is the third studio album by the English punk rock band the Damned, released on 9 November 1979 by Chiswick Records. The album peaked at No. 31 on the UK Charts.

The album was the group's first since reforming with a new lineup of previous members Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on lead guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, plus newcomer Algy Ward of Australian punk band The Saints on bass guitar on his only album with the band.

Background

On Machine Gun Etiquette, the band brought more variety to their usual punk rock to add wide-ranging influences from hard rock and heavy metal to psychedelic rock, a tinge of progressive rock and even classic 1960s rhythm and blues and the record has been described by journalists and fans alike as The Beach Boys meets Motörhead with T. Rex and Judas Priest influences thrown in for good measure. The album also features more fast-paced punk tracks, and has been cited as a 'proto-hardcore' record crucial for the later rise of hardcore punk into the 1980s.

The voice at the album's start is actor Jack Howarth, taken from his 1971 album 'Ow Do, a recording of Lancastrian monologues.

The album features multiple guest musicians. Lemmy plays bass on the band's take on The Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz", which was not on the album at time of release but released as a single; the song was also added to the reissued version of the album. Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon also appear on the album. Philip Lloyd-Smee contributed to the sleeve and logo design work on Machine Gun Etiquette.

Critical reception

AllMusic's retrospective review reported that when it was released, Machine Gun Etiquette was "deservedly hailed as another classic from the band". The website praised the variety of styles explored and the group's typically strong wit.

Scott Rowley of Classic Rock magazine, reviewing the 25th Anniversary Edition of the album, defined it as "a riotous, ballsy rush of an album [...] the sound of a band coming into its own", adding that "while the Clash looked to America for inspiration, the Damned remained resolutely British", perhaps ironically given that the front cover depicted the band in a New York street scene at 704 7th Avenue, New York City.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the 2004 CD reissue liner notes.

• The Damned
• Dave Vanian – lead vocals

Captain Sensible – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, bass ("I Just Can't Be Happy Today", "Smash It Up (Parts 1 & 2)"), bass solo ("Anti-Pope"), mandolin ("Turkey Song"), lead vocals ("Turkey Song")

Rat Scabies – drums, backing vocals, lead vocals ("Burglar")

Algy Ward – bass, backing vocals, guitar ("Machine Gun Etiquette", "Liar")

Additional personnel

Joe Strummer – backing vocals ("Noise, Noise, Noise"), hand claps ("Machine Gun Etiquette")

Topper Headon – backing vocals ("Noise, Noise, Noise")

Henry Badowski – backing vocals ("Noise, Noise, Noise")

Paul Simonon – hand claps ("Machine Gun Etiquette")

Lemmy Kilmister – bass, backing vocals ("Ballroom Blitz")

Anthony More – synthesizer ("Rabid (Over You)")

• Production and artwork
• Roger Armstrong – producer
• The Damned – producer

Ed Hollis – producer ("Love Song" (Ed Hollis version), "Noise, Noise, Noise" (Ed Hollis version), "Suicide")

Alvin Clarke – engineer (Sound Suite)

Mike Shipley – engineer (Wessex)

Gary Edwards – engineer (Wessex)

Jeremy Green – engineer (Wessex)

Rik Watton – engineer (Workhouse)

Damian Korner – engineer (Utopia)

G. H. Wallis – engineer (SGS)

Vic Keary – engineer (Chalk Farm)

• Phil Smee – artwork
• Alan Ballard – front cover photography
• Mick Young – photography
• Captain Sensible – inner sleeve drawing

Martin Baker – video director ("Plan 9, Channel 7")