a b Robbins, Ira (15 March 1991). " Machine Gun Etiquette". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022 . Retrieved 2 November 2020. This is the punk band per excellence and probably the best quality one. With this LP they revealed themselves as "something more" than a punk band with the ability to give their compositions a more elaborate musical touch than the Sex Pistols or the Ramones themselves. Love Song charted and two Top of The Pops appearances ensued, but then Smash It Up was banned by the Beeb for fear of inciting revolution. I Just Can't Be Happy restored the balance a bit, and produced another TOTP appearance, but some momentum had been lost and so it was time to move on: but more of that next year. As The Damned made "Machine Gun Etiquette," The Clash were in the studio next door putting the finishing touches on "London Calling," but while The Clash looked to America for inspiration, The Damned remained resolutely British; eccentric, exciting, and barking mad.

The Damned – Machine Gun Etiquette (1986, CD) - Discogs The Damned – Machine Gun Etiquette (1986, CD) - Discogs

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, which showcases cover versions of songs by MC5. The album also features sometime Pink Floyd lyricist Anthony Moore on synthesiser. Philip Lloyd-Smee contributed to the sleeve and logo design work on Machine Gun Etiquette.Issued in November 1979, “Machine Gun Etiquette” was more than a valediction. A thrilling, wild ride, it took in hyper-speed, guitar-driven pop, psychedelic pop and surreal pop songs drawing from the girl’s comic Bunty and Vanian’s fascination with Hollywood and horror. Pop, though, was what the album was about. Tunes. Whether with the hard-edged anthem ‘Noise, Noise, Noise’ (featuring members of the Clash on vocals; they were recording “London Calling” at the same studio booked by the Damned), the kinetic ‘Liar’ or the astonishing, atmospheric ‘Plan 9 Channel 7’, this new Damned prioritised melody. Issued with a B&W illustrated card inner sleeve which has rounded corners and a wide die cut thumb section to the top opening.

The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette - Vinyl LP+ – Rough Trade The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette - Vinyl LP+ – Rough Trade

This album was the bridge from the bands early 'punk' days to their more creative and commercial eighties phase. Captain Sensible plays the guitar very well and masters the guitar pedals to achieve different effects that go beyond the typical distortion plus chorus or reverb. There is more musical richness in the compositions without losing a bit of the strength, the grit and the madness that they had inside. The bass work is tremendous and Vanian's vocals sound as always soaring. Ed Hollis – producer ("Love Song" (Ed Hollis version), "Noise, Noise, Noise" (Ed Hollis version), "Suicide") There's still the quirkiness (ahem, 'These Hands') that hints the band might end up heading in a very different direction in the near future, though nothing is overtly 'gothic' at this stage - just a hint of the perverse in a similar fashion to say, The Doors. Hutchinson, Barry (2017). The Damned – the Chaos Years: An Unofficial Biography. Barry Hutchinson. p.119. ISBN 978-0-244-30256-6.Some great punk songs & some more ambitious songs but they're all relentless with hardly a gap between them, except for outbreaks of Monty Python style humour (the line at the top was from the Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy and was on the runout groove of side 2 of the vinyl version and so repeated over and over until you took the needle off). It is a very 'British' sounding album, cancel that, it's a very English album! By this point in The Damned’s history, the line-up had changed from their first two albums, “Damned Damned Damned” and “Music for Pleasure”(1977). Brian James left the group, and was replaced on guitar by Captain Sensible, and Algy Ward of The Saints took Sensible’s place on bass. Sensible also played keyboard on the album.