The guitars of The Damned, Brian James & New Rose. Goth Broth

[@classicspagman5164]

I think this might be the best video on The Damned on the internet. Seriously killer job. These guys definitely deserve more praise then they get.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks man. That means a lot.

[@kris_singh]

💯

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

Captain Sensible is vastly underrated as a guitarist loved his tone and playing on their cover of White Rabbit

[@dominou01]

11:20 The bass on the cover of New Rose is a Burns of London Nu-Sonic Bass.

[@THEQueeferSutherland]

Hells yes. I actually love the Captain on guitar - I really love Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album, and Strawberries. MGE was when they really sort of left the punk formula and started becoming their own thing. I feel like third album is the charm for a lot of bands, like The Jam with All Mod Cons, that was the turning point and everything from then on was the true sound of the band after punk died. I'd love to see The Chameleons on here, though I don't know how many people listen to them.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

The Jam was massive for me as a kid. They got a lot of crap from the punk scene for not being true punk. Haha.

[@Ronno4691]

Good point on the 3rd album thing. But not London Calling for me, though. I went off the Clash by Give 'Em Enough Rope but luckily, the Clash singles were always exemplarary (White Man In Hammy Palais, etc). The Black Album was good, too; John Peel was a big Damned fan as well. The psychedelic guitar intro to Smash It Up, the cheesy mock-Heavy Metal intro on the album version of Love Song, the awesome Plan 9 intro riff, Noise Noise Noise (the Ed Hollis produced version) and the Gibson SG - almost ubiquitous in British Punk Rock/New Wave - the Rezillos, the Ruts, etc, all of this made Machine Gun Etiquette a classic rock album! Screw Johnny Marr for slagging the Damned - the Smiths are fucking shit.

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

My two favourite bands, The Damned and The Chameleons 😎🎸✅

[@miguelrodriguez4498]

Chameleons or dr know from the bad brains would be killer. Also the wipers are a killer band check them out everyone

[@gmantramp404]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE Bricks and Mortar is a punk classic imo 🤘

[@SeanMRoberts]

I’d love to see one of these on the bass playing of Peter Hook.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Great shout.

[@DisjectaMembra]

Peter Hook, Steve Severin, Simon Gallup, David J., Simon Raymonde and Craig Adams. Essential foundations of definitive goth bass.

[@iainswales1903]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE ''Yeah! Top Idea!''

[@kevinadamson5768]

First album I ever bought was Damned Damned Damned and I still have it. An absolute classic and it's stood the test of time for being instrumental in the punk movement. Broke my heart when they split up after the second album but glad to see they are still going strong albeit in a reduced role. They are doing a tour next year with the original members and I for one will be going.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

It's kinda cruel that everything else was a backwards step from that album if that is your first. Haha. What a time to be alive!

[@jameshinde7207]

Bauhaus and Sisters!

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIupq4ykhrp6isUsi=K5N9fhXvkQX6beAz

[@Misanola]

Yes, please.

[@Misanola]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE Possibly Fields of the Nephilim in the future? Their use of slide guitar and ebow would be fun to lean about.

[@anarkie2016]

@@Misanola The amazing bass on Celebrate by the fields has to be covered

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIupq4ykhrp6isUsi=K5N9fhXvkQX6beAz

[@alanwilson1724]

Hi Owen! Good to see Brian James getting some praise but I think you're a little harsh on Captain as a guitar player. Both of them are big influences on my guitar playing. If I could combine Brian's in-yer-faceness with Captain's melodicism and nods to psychedelia I'd be very happy.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep absolutely but I can't keep my opinions to myself. Haha. I think he was a seminal bass player and I don't think he gets enough props from a bass playing aspect.

[@iainswales1903]

''Yeah mate! The Damned - with Brian James on the Guitar. That WAS The Damned, New Rose, Neat Neat Neat, The first ever Brit Punk Single & 1st ever Brit-Punk Album. Brian James wrote more or less The Entire 1st album & it's excellent. I agree with You about His Tone & with Capyain as the Bass player, I'm totally with You there, I was there. I was fortunate enough to see The Damned with That Line-Up in Manchester's 'Russel Club' in early 1978. Dead Boys were The Support Band & They were magic. I was only 15, still at school, had to catch the last bus from Chorlton Street back to Burnley & get to school the day after, so I missed the last Half-Hour Of The Damned's set but I was just buzzing 'cos I'd seen my heroes in the flesh. I have to say, Your re-creating 'New Rose at the start of this sounded awesome. It was the Musicmaster Bass That nailed it for Me. Oh man, Great memories of exciting-early Punk days. Thanks mate. I'm going for You're Killing Joke, Geordie Tribute next. With bated-breath. Loving It!'' Regards Iain North UK. x

[@Ronno4691]

IIRC, the back of the Damned Damned Damned album sleeve had a big photo of the band playing live and I think you can see that Brian played Hiwatt amps. Going off on a tangent here, a mate of mine who's a professional musician let me try out an amp modeling pedal and the Hiwatt sound was completely different to a Marshall half stack, etc. As was the Orange amp sound. If I was going to get a full stack, I'd get a vintage Hiwatt. And a Marshall Plexi, of course :-)

[@jamesp9141]

I believe on the Spiders From Mars album Ronno used his live rig @ the time, a Marshall Major Head, Marshall cabs, an original Manlay Tone Bender & a Cry Baby Wah pedal 1/2 cocked & of Coarse his '68 Les Paul Custom. Way later when I saw him w/Ian Hunter his rig was the 212 Music Man combo a 1/2 cocked Cry Baby & the Blue Telecaster. He didn't need much, it was all in his hands like most great players. Nice vid, Brian James used his Hi Watt Cranked all the way up & his SG & that was it. I thought the 2nd album was great to.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep good info. You can watch my Ronno vid here kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2OQlH2XmbGffa8

[@thedondeluxe6941]

Those old Hiwatts sound f***ing amazing. Every time I've tried one of those, I curse the fact that I can't afford one! And yes, they sound AMAZING on bass too. That's mainly what I've used them for.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Very cool. I have only tried modern ones. The maxwatt is insane.

[@thedondeluxe6941]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE The modern ones sound great too! But there was this 70's Hiwatt head at a rehearsal space my old band used, and it was set up as a bass amp with an 8x10 cab. It's still the best amp I've ever tried. So f***ing good! I miss that thing.

[@ShiroiTengu]

Mick Ronson used a late 60s Gibson Les Paul custom into a crybaby wah, Sola Sound MkI Tonebender, and finally into a cranked 200 Watt Marshall Major which sounds little like any other Marshalls. Simple rig with an incredible tone

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Awesome info. Do you have any quotes or links etc?

[@ShiroiTengu]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE theproaudiofiles.com/the-anatomy-of-mick-ronsons-guitar-tone/ Here is a great one

[@dezb1]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE cocked wah / small amp / natural talent from the man himself kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYqvXoqIpqeYntU

[@markferguson3745]

And a great guy to steal an amp from at the same time.

[@DisjectaMembra]

Another trick to his tone is he would play through the wah with the pedal just sitting still, just a little way up. Check the doco about him, Beside Bowie, it doesn't go much into gear etc but that's one trick it talks about.

[@plantpotpeople]

I believe Mick Ronson used a Marshall Major,the 200w.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep. There is an interesting twist though.

[@thedondeluxe6941]

Haha, I used to play a Violin Bass in a punk band around 20 years ago. Didn't know someone had done that before me!

[@miguelrodriguez4498]

I’ve got another one, could we get one for cheetah chrome or Brian when he was in Lords?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks for the Cheetah Chrome suggestion. Honestly never heard of those.

[@Gibboncore]

Love Song with Algy Ward has an awesome bass sound so it wasn't just Sensible that was driving the sound

[@TheGarageRecordingSC]

Great video brother.....about that high end treble sound that they got, I was thinking that it could just have been something as simple as some phase cancellation that thinned out the sound a little ??!! Who knows right ??!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@tankthelord1178]

Good stuff... well put. Subbed.

[@chainedriderlmt3796]

Cap's Tone in the intro of Smash it up part 1 is a precursor to a lot of Goth and Indie guitar tones that came after.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Good point. Def had an impact.

[@chainedriderlmt3796]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE Great video mate! I'm loving this series!

[@LawrieFamily]

Bitchin video mate! From an old UK punk now living in CA !

[@FLITT]

We need more Damned love, easily one of my favourite bands and musical pioneers. They don't get the credit they deserve imo.

[@buddhull]

Rikk Agnew’s tone on the first Christian Death is a good one. Wire’s Pink Flag is too, but I’m not sure it fits the theme of series.

[@VitaTristis]

My favorite punk band

[@johndickey3824]

Captain is BY FAR the best Damned guitarist. The others are not even close.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

A brilliant video, thank you.

[@rikantony6571]

youre talkin about a band called the london ss.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks man.

[@rikantony6571]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE np man.i dare u to do one about a band called the virgin prunes.i bet these young goths never heard of em.....

[@buddhull]

By the way, I totally agree with you and others who are full in on the Brian James era of the band. It’s hard to explain without me sounding like I’m transcribing an old Stooges review, but I’ll just say the band didn’t sound the same without him, or Rat, providing the frantic fun.

[@donsmith5385]

Mick Ronson used that Marshall Major amp, I read early load boxes were used.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep. I got that info too. It was modded and he sent it to the desk. No speakers aparently. Can you remember where you read it?

[@donsmith5385]

Didn’t read it heard it, Steve Jones had a radio show he had Mick Woddmansey on his show and asked how was the guitar recorded, mick couldn’t remember the amp but remembered that there was no cab. It was really awesome that Jonesy nerded out on live radio!

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks man.

[@farleysnerdcaveofdoom5195]

Damned fine video. Dude, your knowledge of music and tone is seriously awesome!

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks man. Love your channel. I've been subbed for a while.

[@FreddyFuFu]

Good evening Circle Of.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

It's always dusk in Goth Broth land

[@joshuacottton6985]

Gotta say I much prefer the Captain Sensible era, Machine Gun Etiquette has great guitar playing

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Depends on my mood but I'm a filthy speed merchant at heart.

[@VitaTristis]

MGE is my favorite punk album. The guitars influenced thrash metal a ton.

[@philhardy18]

Awesome job Owen ! Love it

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Cheers Phil.

[@outis439-A]

Hey man I was wondering If you could do a video on PIL?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Good shout. Did you see my mcgeoch/Banshees vid?

[@outis439-A]

Uh yeah man thats actually where I thought of the idea, Pil was mentioned for a sec. But I was kinda talking about the original line up with Levine and Wobble.

[@markferguson3745]

Definitely.Keith and Jah might have let their personal issues overshadow their impacts, but shit,- I'd be more than content to have "only" created Second Edition and Flowers of Romance.Genius.Absolute genius.

[@outis439-A]

@Mark Ferguson I also really like First Issue. In my opinion those three albums are some of the greatest post punk albums. Real shame because those guys like Levane were pretty damn innovative and U2 makes millions of a similar sound.

[@outis439-A]

No disrespect to U2 just Keith deserves more credit.

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

That guy you where talking had some very good tracks out like "Talking Happy Talk", There is now a DSP based guitar amp with a PWM output stage which can sound like any other guitar amp depending upon the settings which has settings like 6L4,EL34 and so on.

[@fedayeentaqx9956]

So if i cant afford the JHS colorbox, and dont want noise and random radio stations in my mix from cranking my Behringer ultragain 500 up to the max and getting real preamp tube overdrive, do you have a pedal suggestion for that console preamp overdrive sound?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Unfortunately no.

[@z.olderautist2209]

Rat Scabies is also a great fucking drummer, very underrated!

[@rhinohino]

Jesus Christ I'm 55 and have loved all from David Bowie to Black Flag to Devo to anything that wasn't popular at the time. That's punk. How about some Greg Ginn guitar autopsy.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

You may like this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2OQlH2XmbGffa8

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

And this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHzbmX-uZ9yjbJo

[@Ronno4691]

Re: Brian James - three words: Feel The Pain.

[@iainswales1903]

''Incredible Songwriting!''

[@erostypop1]

@@iainswales1903 two words : Fan Club

[@iainswales1903]

@@erostypop1 yeaaah man, top song, 'fish!'

[@buzzardsinuses4780]

How would one get this sound on a budget? Im a fan of both eras of The Damned, but right now I’m on a Brian James kick I suppose.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

A used cranked Bugera 1960 and a Harley Benton DC200 on the neck pickup will get you close.

[@buzzardsinuses4780]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE I just recently got a Marshall Origin, and it’s gotten me closer. Do you know what makes Hiwatts and Marshall’s different?

[@SpiritOfOrange]

Ah, the original line up, & they will be back together (again) for 2021.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep. I watched the live stream that announced it. The sound was all messed up but it's crazy to see Brian back.

[@miguelrodriguez4498]

Can we get one on berny sumner

[@Neil-Aspinall]

What about the Gang of Four?

[@sunnibird]

I had the Goth Explorer but sold it a couple years ago. Never really bonded with it.

[@anthonysclafani3963]

Not surprising he used hiwatts. I’d guess some punk bands asked around for something that wasn’t Marshall but loud af. If you know the Dead Boys they used jet city amps which is a very similar sound

[@williamhayse3685]

Thank you for this amazing video. The Damned are the Beatles of punk rock (except better). Bands like the Sex Pistols and Ramones were great but they never showed the growth and constant artistic exploration of The Damned. From their early punk material through the pop years through the later goth years, they have done it all. If you have not listened to them, don't dismiss the Grave Disorder and So, Who's Paranoid? albums. Both albums cover ground from Gothic melancholy (Beauty of the Beast) to straight ahead rockers (She) to show tunes (Since I Met You) to psychedelia (Dark Asteroid), all with their wry humor. That humor is especially evident on tracks like Would You Be So Hot (If You Weren't Dead)?, Neverland, and W. While I agree with you that Captain Sensible is an incredible bass player, it is hard to beat the talented Mr. Paul Gray. His work on the Black Album is unsurpassed.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks William. Glad you liked it.

[@MusicTeacherGuyNorristown]

Why is there a picture of Ricky Gervais?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

It's my rack. Racky Gervais. (I asked fans of the channel to name my new rack)

[@johntaylor7496]

I appreciate the lengths you go through to decipher these setups. Everyone is all about modelers, virtual amps/effects (which are very nice these days) and autotune now. But hey at least most modern music is fully sterilized so nobody can get hurt anymore. I bet walking around like a vampire in the 70s would have had a person fighting randos regularly. Not like today where theres vamp kids on every corner.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep. Back then if you stood out you had to embrace the pushback. I got punched in the face by a biker when I was 12 just because I wore a certain jacket. That's when I learned mods vs rockers wasn't just a movie with The Who soundtrack.

[@SteveMurrayMusic]

Wow that sounds really good, very interesting video

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Cheers Steve.

[@daverice2426]

Yeah, listening to New Rose now, sounds like a small amp cranked, maybe mic'd off-axis/back some from the grille. I've wondered about that sound for years myself. You're awfully close but I think I'm hearing too much low and high. Anyway, dig your channel, I can get lost for days doing the same thing

[@smeercat]

What pickups do you use?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

My own design. COTMM pickups.

[@sircliff323]

nailed it man. i think the new rose song is a little dirtier (you said crispy top end) because of the recording but the tone is spot on

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep agreed. It's the chaos of bleed from other mics is mostly what I'm missing.

[@hunterkiser4947]

You gotta do joy Division and Bauhaus

[@brianjuffs4662]

Second album was a Mesa boogie

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Thanks man. Do you have any links to that info? I know they used it on the third album but did not hear anything about the second. There were not many mesas in the UK in 77.

[@brianjuffs4662]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE oops it was the 3rd

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

@@brianjuffs4662 ah. Yeah I talked about that in the vid. No prob

[@MidnightVideo666]

Yes! i love his Gibson sound. Wat the Best album of Damned? Machingun etiquette? no i think not. first is best

[@FLITT]

I even named my daughter Eloise 😂

[@MrEthanlevy100]

Very very nice maybe try Rowland Howard next

[@nickmaatjes5611]

ist that a picture of Ricky Gervais in the left corner????brilliant video once again by the way!!!!

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep. That's Racky Gervais.

[@MrMoustacheEatsCow]

Andy Gill from Gang of Four should get a look at some point.

[@Min-xm8tp]

Good vid Matey, but.....................it's vAnian (as in TransylvAnian) and have a listen to the Solo on 'Under the Floor again' (Strawberries), Sensible is a Great Bassist, but better Guitarist, one of the best. And here's a Nugget, their second album (Music for Pleasure) was Produced by Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) and had Lu Edmunds on second Guitar, who's now playing in P I L (the Beardy Guy)

[@jrr832]

That was dammed good

[@ojopipa]

I have an engl combo 50w and wanna get that fucking sound on the guitar! i tried with a big muff bass pedal and i think i get it, whatever, can you tell me another cheap option to get that sound (because that pedal sounds great, and the strymon Deco but i have no money bro) ??? dont wanna hear the ds1 or ds2 thanks :) pd: i talk about new rose sound and that stuff

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Did you try the neck pickup.

[@ojopipa]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE yes of course

[@ojopipa]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE also i play a japan 70s guitar (cheap xd) and it sounds great like silvertone or something.. im in love with that sound man, also if you hear In an aeroplane over the sea by Neutral milk hotel you could understand what i try to explain

[@ojopipa]

@@CIRCLEOFTONE for example (about pedals) an echoplex booster?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Engl in general modern sounding amps. I think a good basic clean chunk with a boost from a Crazy Cacti pedal may get you close.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Remember, you only need a few cords if they are good ones. :-)

[@tankthelord1178]

Old joke btw... Captain Sensible was banned from touring with The Damned in the USA because of a criminal record.... Happy Talk.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Bad boi 4 lyfe

[@MikeFoerster]

You get more views than me.

[@gmantramp404]

There ain't no Damned goth described album that beats the Scream from 78 Just my opinion 🤘

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep. Honestly think Bauhaus was influenced on it. I did this era Banchees kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGOal6isbZppfqcsi=mD_qZHhhZ0WtQKE_

[@sihop9220]

I think it was the back end of `76 that single New Rose was released, i remember it because it was the first punk single ever and a friend of mine had a copy, they were seen as sell outs at the time for signing up but they all followed suit eventually. Before that all we had was bootlegs from the 100 club. So, depending on your view The Damned were the first punk band to sign up or sell out, the first to release a punk record, & the first to appear on ToTP. Considering that the whole scene was about getting out to venues and meeting people, forming a band and joining the queue back stage in the hope to get on and make a noise, & altering clothes you got from the second hand shop to make your own fashion, the commercial influences left a bad taste in a lot of peoples mouths ..

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep I talked about the signing aspect. At least the Damned signed to an indie label. The Pistols etc were holding out for the majors at the time.

[@gmantramp404]

New Rose single on Stiff was reissued in the same year 1976 after it made the charts.👍

[@antigen4]

definitely NOT a hi-watt amp! i can tell you that much - if you look into the story (recommend the stiff records documentary) nick lowe recorded them with his OWN amp inside a damped closet in the back of stiff records' office.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Awesome info. Thanks. Do you know what amp it was? I contacted Nick and he never got back to me. At 18:11 I asked for hard proof because all I had to go on was the sound city link. I didn't know Nick Lowe was an amp builder because he was young young back then. Perhaps he had a sound city prototype or something?

[@sunnibird]

The JHS Colour Box is often grossly overpriced on the used market as they no longer make them. Instead of paying $1000 on Reverb just buy either a Neve 1073 lunchbox preamp, or one of the many manufacturers that make similar ones. No need to spend all that money on a pedal.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

When did you use the colour box? Do you have any clips etc of you using it? Also what 1073 preamps have you used? I honestly didn't know they were discontinued until recently. I have 1073 style preamps and using both, stacking etc is a joy with the Colour box. There is a reason it's priced the way it is, it's not hype. Just supply and demand. Do you know why they discontinued it? Seems crazy. I would not pay a grand for it, but I would not sell it for a grand either. So that speaks for itself really.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

What a coincidence. They just reissued the Colour Box. Hehe. The v2

[@yonicsoothe]

Dude, you are trippin'. Captain Sensible fucking ruLes on guitar.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

You think he's better than the debut?

[@hardrockindaddy]

I knew you were going to say Hi Watt with Fane speakers...SG & Hi Watt = Pete Townsend...lol. I love Blackbacks too. I love the Damned, one of my all time Fav and great bands of all time. Still great

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Yep I have to do the Who one day. Both bass and guitar.