So whilst driving home from dropping my friend off this evening, Pinball Wizard came on the radio and it flashed me back to my younger years when I had a major Tommy obsession. So I began thinking how awesome it would be to have a mix tape with all the songs that describe my life to date. I then began thinking that it would probably end up being more than one, so I decided to break it down into eras.

I sat down and began going through everything and asked my dad to see if he could think back. My favourite era is obviously the one I remember the most so I though I would start on that one. It was the eras of music that defined me and has lead me in so many directions and bought me the person I am today. My punk rock era.

I was about 12ish when I found punk. My aunty was a punk with a big blue mohawk and all my family were huge fans of anything punk. I remember listening to Never Mind the Bollocks when I was young and always got embarrassed knowing what the word "bollocks" meant and seeing it loud and proud in my face. It all started one day when I was rewatching the young ones for the billionth time and the Nasty episode came on. My aunties were in love with the romanticism of vampires, Anne Rice and Dracula (Coppela's version had come out not long previously and I remember them raving about it. I begged for them to take me but begin so young I wouldn't have been able to get in...I looked much younger than I was). SO I latched onto this beautiful idea of vampires and became slightly obsessed. I think The Lost Boys had something to do with it too.

So I was watching Nasty and this band came on. And as soon as I saw the lead singer I asked my aunty " Who are they?!" and she replied with a sense of respect "The Damned". And from then on, I was hooked. I bought every album and I'm proud to say, that Totally Damned was the first CD I ever bought. I remember desperately searching for all the albums and ordering them from this brilliant little CD shop in the city Andromeda music (which unfortunately closed down but was there for me during the Great Placebo Discovery of the late 90's)

I really love and miss that time in my life. When I was living in Brighton in late 2005, I found out they were touring and I could have gotten tickets. But I was sick so decided not to go. It's one of those decisions that when I think back on, physically hurts me. I can't believe I let myself miss that. But anyway, I'm holding onto the thought that I will see them one day.

So here for your musical pleasure, remembrance or discovery...ladies and gentleman, The Damned.





Dave Vanian. What a beautiful man. I believe this is what assisted my deep deep attraction for fella's with mad hair, pale and divine wit and intelligence.

(apologies for the terrible pixelated vid. I tried so hard to find a decent one! This was the only one out there)