Guitarist/songwriter Alan Lee Shaw writes about his journey through rock and punk world of the 1970’s, on to his turbulent tenure in the early 1990’s reformation of The Damned as the band’s main songwriting contributor, documented in his memoir “Damned If You Do: From Punk to Eternity Vol. 1“.
Alan Lee Shaw (photo courtesy of Ian Dickson)
What inspired you to write down your story? How did being a ‘Forces kid’ impact you growing up?
Legacy for one thing, if truth be known and a need to get some of a lifetime of interesting/funny/bizarre experiences in the music biz down in print and most importantly to get my take of my time touring with the Damned and my contribution to writing and playing on the Damned 8th studio album “Not of this Earth.” Growing up as a forces kid gave me a wonderful cosmopolitan outlook on life mainly from being posted abroad with my family at a very early age to Cyprus and Germany.
You were at art school in Cambridge in the early 70s – what was the music scene there like at the time?
The 70’s music scene for those in the provinces was mainly based around the College circuit which was the breeding ground and launch pad for newly formed bands with record deals wanting to break it big! With no internet or social media, gig guides in weekly music papers, local posters and flyers were the only forms of info for up and coming shows. Most acts at that time were bands born out of and influenced by the late 60’ Blues boom that were transforming into either Heavy Metal Prog rock or a combination of both i.e. Zeppelin, Purple, Sabbath, Genesis etc. It was a time of the fashion for long hair ww2 greatcoats over flared denim jeans sitting cross-legged on cold dusty floors watching the latest wanna be rock behemoth many of which I had the privilege to witness first hand.
It was also the coming of the rock festival phenomenon. Woodstock the movie had made it around the world and the rock festival was born. I was there to witness the Bath and 1970 Isle of Wight Festival (my favourite) mainly for it’s size and experience of the mind blowing bill of bands.The Who, Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Free, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell etc.
When did you first meet Twink and how did your friendship develop? What are your memories of Twink and Syd Barrett playing as Stars?
I firstly encountered Twink around 1971/2 at the Cambridge Corn exchange, it would have been one of the many Pink Fairies / Pink/Wind shows. At that time Twink had the discernible rep of being one of the movers and shakers in the so called alternative underground London hippy Ladbroke Grove scene, somewhat subversive in nature which I guess was appealing at the time. Twink was connected in the biz, had an affable and open friendliness to young and somewhat greenhorn budding musicians like myself and we were to strike up a loose friendship only to be cemented when he left the Pinks to live in Cambridge (I was an Art student there at the time). In Twink’s sojourn in Cambridge around 71/72 he was to link up with Syd Barrett (an acquaintance and contemporary from Twink’s mid to late 1960’s Psychedelic period) and along with bassist Jack Monck (ex Delivery) they were to cajole a still very fragile Syd into forming a loosely put together band named Stars. I was to witness the odd rehearsal and for a better word, performances at Kings College cellars and the Dandelion cafe. It was obvious that Syd was in a very fragile metal state of mind and for the casual observer to be “just going through the motions” of playing, nevertheless to a party faithful audience of gentle hippies Syd and Stars were to generate a slight ripple in Cambridge for a short while, that is until the fateful gig with the MC5 at the Corn Exchange.
Coming after an incendiary performance by the MC5 and toping the bill (probably the worst band for Stars to follow) they were sadly to say a ramshackle embarrassment and quite rightly Syd’s management were to pull the plug on Syd’s further involvement with Stars.
Why did you move to London and meet manager Ken Pitt?
I was playing as a duo with my friend /musical associate, drummer Rod Latter in and around the Cambridge area at the time and responded to an ad put in Melody Maker by Ken Pitt (Bowie’s first significant manager) looking for new talent. London at time was the obvious place to head for “if you wanted to make it” and I/we were no exception. Ken was affable and well meaning but by 1973 with Bowie now gone and Ken’s now 1950/60’s showbiz style seriously on the wane. I was to sign a management deal with Ken only to get out of it a year later when it was clear I’d hit a brick wall with Ken and we parted the waves amicably. (Although I did get to record and release one single “She Moans” with his guidance in 1974).
The Maniacs (photo courtesy of Ian Dickson)
Can you tell me more about The Maniacs?
The Maniacs came about in two parts The Maniacs part one the Duo 1974-76 and the Maniacs part two Punk Rock 1977-78 The Maniacs the duo I formed with Rod Latter on drums /bass pedals/ and myself on lead vocals/guitar. We played mainly Lou Reed/ Velvet Underground covers with a smattering of original material at the fag end of the Pub Rock circuit in London around 75/76’. Having now moved to London and rekindled our relationship with Twink (also now back in London) at the height of Punk it was decided to knock The Maniacs the duo on the head and form the Punk/Garage band The Rings with Twink as front man lead vocalist with Rod Latter/drums Dennis Stow/Bass/and myself guitarist /songwriter. I had been writing songs since the beginning of the 70’s but had only crystallize my songwriting, having found a voice at the beginning of Punk in76’.
And you formed The Rings with Twink, what did your setlist consist of?
The Rings set list at the time consisted of my originals I Wanna be Free, Automobile, News of the World, I Wanna Get High, Shoot You Down and songs from Twink’s past, Get Yourself Home, Do It, The Snake, Teenage Rebel. Out of these songs two of my originals “I Wanna be Free” b/w “Automobile” were chosen for the now considered seminal Punk/Garage single on Chiswick Records. Twink disillusioned with Punk opted to jump ship and move on for a mainly solo career from then on.
After the demise of the Rings Rod and I went on to form The Maniacs part two with bassist Robert Crash, as a full on Punk Rock band signed to United Artistes records releasing the single “Chelsea 77”b/w “Ain’t no Legend “and appearing on two tracks of the Live at the Vortex album 1977/78.”You don’t break my Heart” and “Ain’t gonna be History” With the original creative thrust of the Punk Rock Phenomenon lasting a mere 18 months or so and with the demise of the Damned and The Sex Pistols in early 78’.
I came to the conclusion that Punk had run it’s course and moved on to form a more Rock/Garage/Glam style unit and called it The Physicals, releasing a self financed/produced EP All Sexed Up. that was promptly banned by the Beeb because of the title, thus scuppering our success a tad so to speak. A follow up single “Be like Me” on Big Beat records with Paul Cook on drums and production with Bill Price recorded at Wessex studios was released , just missing out on Radio One airplay.
The Physicals
What did you do after The Physicals?
After extensive gigging and beginning to make head way with The Physicals I jumped ship myself in order to link up with Brian James, himself only just free from the Damned and his
short lived band Tanz der Youth in 1979. Strangely enough I’d first met Brian James at Twink’s place in Ladbroke grove in 76’ only to cement the relationship when appearing at the second Mont-de-Marsan Punk festival in France 5/08/77, him in the Damned and myself in the Maniacs. Brian and I became friends and musical sparing partners in many of his musical projects, constantly working together on and off up until the early 90’s.
Also in the 80’s I had the fortune to work firstly with the effortlessly talented singer/songwriter Kirsty MacColl. Kirsty was a super talented singer with a fabulous gift for three part harmony. She had an eclectic taste in music like myself and wicked sense of humour who didn’t suffer fools, very comfortable as one of the boys, drinking and carousing with the best of them. I was fortunate to work with her briefly on co-writing and recording songs plus the odd TV shows.
One other brief but eventful musical encounter was to be at the end of the 80’s when I was introduced by my friend Brian James to Dee Dee Ramone. In London’s Portobello. Dee Dee having not long extricated himself from the Ramones and an aborted attempt to link up with Stiv Bators and Johnny Thunders in Paris was on the look out to form a band and I was rowed in to play bass along with long time journeyman drummer George Butler. I even coined the name DeeDee Ramones Deadline which as it turned out was to be somewhat prophetic.
It was obvious from the get go that Dee Dee had experienced a lifetime of drug addition and personality issues and a once in a lifetime opportunity in 1974 to link up with like minded /kindred spirits at the right time in the right place NYC and form arguably the most influential Punk band of all time The Ramones.
This said at the time DeeDee was trying hard to rid himself of all his demons but alas it was not to be as after much rehearsing, a record deal and tour lined up he took it upon himself to up sticks and disappear back to NYC for us never to cross paths again.
Alan Lee Shaw and Brian James (photo courtesy of Ian Dickson)
Was it your relationship with Brian that ultimately led you to join The Damned in 1992?
In hindsight it’s true to say that my time spent working with Brian James and Rat Scabies especially in the late 80’s was to be the precursor to me joining the Damned as rhythm guitarist/songwriter.
I had a handful of song demos which Rat happened to feel would sit nicely with a new Damned line-up and I was duly rowed into a new look Damned, 1992-95 version, along with Kris Dollimore, Moose Harris and Dave Vanian, basically writing all the material for the Album “Not of this Earth”.
The band was super tight live, highly professional, filled with talented musicianship and nicely beginning to win over an old and new following but unfortunately irreconcilable fallouts between the two founding members Rat Scabies and Dave Vanian sadly put paid to that line-up and three years of work. My favourite tracks and for me the strongest on the album being “I Need a Life” “Tailspin” “My Desire” and “Never Believe” and “No more Tears.”
The Damned with Alan Lee Shaw (second right) (photo courtesy of Ian Dickson)
Since leaving the Damned I went on to work with Paul Gray (Ex Damned, Eddie and the Hot Rods, UFO) recording the album Wicked Gravity, some producing in the USA and releasing numerous unreleased songs from my back catalogue on limited edition vinyl and recently publishing my book of memoirs “Damned If You Do: From Punk to Eternity Vol. 1” (LULU Publishing). Available from LULU, Amazon, Barns Noble and Waterstones and all good online book stores.
Alan Lee Shaw
April 2022
