''Strawberries'' is the fifth studio album by English punk rock band the Damned. It was released in October 1982 by record label

Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

Background

The record was released as the Damned were enjoying a higher public profile, thanks to the solo success of

Captain Sensible Raymond Ian Burns (born 24 April 1954), known by the stage name Captain Sensible, is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. Captain Sensible co-founded the punk rock band The Damned (band), the Damned, originally playing bass before switc ...

. Sensible performed lead vocals on "Life Goes On" and "Don't Bother Me". He also introduced new instruments to the band, including sitar, and cello played by his then-girlfriend, Rachael Bor of the pop group

Dolly Mixture Dolly mixture is a British confection, consisting of a variety of multi-coloured fondant shapes, such as cubes and cylinders with subtle flavourings, and sugar-coated jellies. The origin of the name is uncertain. It has been passed down throu ...

. While ''Strawberries'' was generally praised for its positive, up-beat melodies, the album marked a time of conflict and division within the band. During the recording, bassist Paul Gray fought with drummer

Rat Scabies Christopher John Millar (born 30 July 1955), known by his stage name Rat Scabies, is a musician best known as the drummer for English punk rock band the Damned. Career Millar was born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. He played drums with Tor ...

over management and song-writing responsibilities. Gray would leave the band in February 1983 (later replacing

Billy Sheehan William Sheehan (born March 19, 1953) is an American musician. He is best known for playing the bass guitar with acts such as Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, Niacin, and The Winery Dogs. He is also known for his "lead bass" playing ...

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...

), and

Bryn Merrick Bryn Merrick (12 October 1958 – 12 September 2015) was a bassist who was a member of Cardiff-based punk band Victimize. He later joined the Damned between 1983 and 1989, replacing Paul Gray, who had left for UFO. Merrick's first release wit ...

took over on bass. Keyboard player

Roman Jugg Roman Jugg (born 25 July 1957 in Caerphilly, South Wales) is a keyboard player and guitarist. He began his career in the Welsh punk band Victimize in the late 1970s. An acquaintance of Paul Gray, Jugg was originally hired in late 1981, recordi ...

officially became the Damned's fifth band member. His arrival led to further experiments with the band's sound, including loops and sampling. Jugg would later move to guitar, replacing Sensible, who left the band after the ''Strawberries'' concert tour. In 1982

Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

joined the Damned in the studio during the recording of this album. However, the only track they recorded together, "Fun Factory", was left off the album and did not receive any official release until 1990. Robert also joined the band on stage for a few songs on 11 October 1982 at the Hammersmith Odeon. A bootleg of this concert is available but is of low quality. As an

easter egg Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian feast of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tr ...

, the band included various sounds at the end of different tracks, including an egg whisk and a pair of jeans being ripped. At the end of the track "Bad Time for Bonzo", a sound of a flushing toilet was used. The album's working title was ''Strawberries for Pigs'', a name inspired by the reception the band's newer music received from some of their older fans. As Vanian explained, "we were playing a lot of new material, and we had an audience that didn't want to hear about anything, they just wanted to hear "

Neat Neat Neat "Neat Neat Neat" is the second single by English punk rock band the Damned, released on 18 February 1977 by Stiff Records, simultaneously with their debut studio album ''Damned Damned Damned''. The single was reissued in Stiff's ''Damned 4 Pa ...

" and "

New Rose "New Rose" by The Damned was the first single by a British punk rock group, released on 22 October 1976 on Stiff Records, and in 1977 in the Netherlands, Germany and France. Written by guitarist Brian James, "New Rose" was also included on t ...

," nothing else. And they wanted to just smash everything. And they weren't interested in hearing music at all. So at one point, I turned around and said, 'It's like giving strawberries to a fucking pig, this gig, you know?' And that stuck in our minds, and we used it".

Release

''Strawberries'' was released in October 1982. Limited editions included a strawberry-scented lyric insert. The album reached No. 15 in the Official UK Album chart.

Reception

Critics praised the album's musicianship and 60s influences. Writing in ''

Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand fo ...

'', Fred Dellar gave the album 9 out of 10: "The Damned go totally melodic, offer harmony vocals, employ cellos, sitars and brass sections, and even remember to include a lyric sheet ��This is the kind of pop album Paul McCartney would be pleased to have his moniker on". In ''

Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

'', Steve Keaton wrote that "Strawberries is the Damned at their most melodic and subversive". He added that the album "manages to indulge both Dave Vanian’s darkly obsessive Gothic vision and the good Captain's psychedelic whims without sacrificing any hard rock sensibilities. 'Strawberries' should be the LP to grant the Damned the recognition they've courted for so long". ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' described the album as "eclectic and inconsistent but well-produced ..and boasting some fine tunes .. 'Strawberries''shows Sensible's increasing pop prominence ..and Vanian's willingness to explore a stylistic Pallette with no debt to punk". Other critics have noted the album's embrace of

psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, backwards recording, ...

, as well as

gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie a ...

. In a negative contemporary review, ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' called ''Strawberries'' "a miserable (w)retch of a record, spewing fourth enough nauseous 'nostalgia' to fill a book entitled 'Why The Damned Never Made It', without once touching any spirit. It seems they're doomed to regurgitating their history 'til the aftertaste becomes too bad to bear".

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's retrospective review was favourable: "Recuperating a bit from '' The Black Album'''s uneven impact while still aiming to try whatever they want in studio, .. 'Strawberries'' isby turns sprightly and cheerful, dark and dramatic, energetic and snarling, or all that and more at once, .. nddefies usual expectations to be yet another good rock album from the band".

Reissue

On 7 January 2005,

Castle Records A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

re-released ''Strawberries'' in the United Kingdom on CD. On October 7, 2022, Iconoclassic Records issued a 40th Anniversary 2 CD Edition of ''Strawberries'' remastered by Mark Wilder, including 15 bonus tracks and new liner notes by Jack Rabid of

The Big Takeover ''The Big Takeover'' is a bi-annual music magazine published out of New York City since May 1980 by critic Jack Rabid. History Establishment Jack Rabid and Dave Stein began publishing ''The Big Takeover'' in May 1980 as a fanzine dedicated to N ...

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. ;Note Some versions of ''Strawberries'' have altered songwriting credits.

2005 deluxe edition

*The previously untitled 30-second long instrumental

harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...

piece between track 7 ("Pleasure and the Pain") and track 8 ("Life Goes On") on the original album has been titled "The Missing Link" and given its own track number, track 8, on the deluxe edition. ;Notes * Tracks 13 and 14 from the "Lovely Money" single, released June 1982; produced by the Damned and

Tony Mansfield Tony Mansfield (born 19 January 1955) is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. Early work Mansfield was born in Wimbledon, London, and became best known as the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that perfo ...

; track 13 features spoken word by

Viv Stanshall Vivian Stanshall (born Victor Anthony Stanshall; 21 March 1943 – 5 March 1995) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his exploration of the British upper ...

. * Tracks 15-17 from the "Dozen Girls" single, released September 1982; produced by the Damned. * Tracks 18 and 20 from the "Generals" single, released November 1982; a Bimbeo Production.

2022 40th Anniversary 2 CD Edition

;Notes * Track 1 from the

Fun Factory (song) "Fun Factory" is a single by English rock band the Damned, released in December 1990 on Deltic Records. The band had split in 1989, but reformed shortly thereafter for touring. Captain Sensible was set to return, and sought the other band memb ...

single, released January 1991; produced by

; features guitar by

. * Tracks 2-4 from the

Lovely Money "Lovely Money" is a single by English rock band the Damned, released on 18 June 1982. Their first release with new label Bronze, it showcased the band's willingness to experiment, being a seemingly lightweight slice of pop thanks to a disco-sty ...

single, released June 1982; produced by the Damned and

; tracks 2 & 4 feature spoken word by

. * Tracks 5-8 from the

Dozen Girls "Dozen Girls" is a single by English punk rock band the Damned, released on 17 September 1982 by Bronze Records. After the experiment of "Lovely Money", the song returned the band to slightly more familiar territory, but failed to chart. The ...

single, released September 1982; produced by the Damned. * Tracks 9 and 10 from the Generals (song) single, released November 1982; a Bimbeo Production. * Tracks 11-15 recorded live at The Mayfair, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 14 October 1982. From Live at Newcastle album, released November 1983.

Personnel

; The Damned *

Dave Vanian David Vanian (born David Lett, 12 October 1956) is an English rock musician, and lead singer of the punk rock band the Damned. Formed in 1976 in London, the Damned were the first British punk band to release a single, release an album, have a ...

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

(1-7, 9, 10) *

–

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

, backing and lead (8, 11, 15, 17) vocals,

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in ...

(10) * Paul Gray –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

– keyboard solos ; Additional musicians * Simon Lloyd – brass (2) * Rachel Bor –

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

(7) ; Technical * The Damned –

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

(1–11) * Hugh Jones – co-producer (1, 4, 6–9, 11), engineer * Dave Vanian – album cover design * Martin Poole – album cover design * Linda Roast – album cover concept * Nigel Greerson – sleeve photography

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1982 albums The Damned (band) albums Albums produced by Hugh Jones (producer) Bronze Records albums Albums recorded at Rockfield Studios