Legendary English punk rockers The Damned were forerunners of the punk movement in the U.K. when they were formed in London in 1976. Lead singer Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible (who subsequently changed to playing guitar), and drummer Rat Scabies formed the band. Their 1976 single "New Rose" and 1977 debut studio album, "Damned Damned Damned", cemented their status as the first U.K. punk band. They became one of the first British punk bands to tour the United States because to their early popularity.

When the band's second album, "Music for Pleasure" (1977), was poorly received by critics, it suffered a setback and briefly disbanded. They swiftly came together again without Brian James, though, and in 1979 they released the album "Machine Gun Etiquette". The band went on to release four additional studio albums in the 1980s, with "Strawberries" (1982) and "The Black Album" (1980) demonstrating a shift in the band's sound toward gothic rock. Before Captain Sensible left in 1984, their final albums were "Phantasmagoria" (1985) and "Anything" (1986).

The band's line-up changed frequently over the years, but from 2004 until West's departure and replacement by former bassist Paul Gray in 2017, the configuration of Vanian, Sensible, Monty Oxymoron on keyboards, Pinch on the drums, and Stu West on bass remained constant. Over the years, the band's music changed, and they released a number of studio albums, the most recent of which, 2018's "Evil Spirits", peaked at number 7 on the U.K. Official Charts.

The Damned continue to be a crucial part of punk history and had a tremendous impact on both gothic rock and punk. The band had a significant impact on the goth subculture thanks to its dark lyrics, fast-paced punk rock style, Vanian's distinctive baritone voice, and vampire-inspired clothes. The Damned continue to be a legendary band that influences new generations of musicians despite going through multiple lineup changes..

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