The Damned to play Aylesbury Friars Club show at The Waterside

Friars bosses announced this morning that Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian, Monty Oxymoron, Paul Gray, and an as-yet unknown drummer will head to the Waterside on Monday, May 18.

Friars co-founder David Stopps says the pioneering band are one of the most requested for a return to Friars, since they have played the club only once, on December 1 1979.

He said: "It is remembered as one of the best Friars gigs ever. It was with the original line-up of singer Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies."

At the end of last year year, longstanding drummer Pinch retired from The Damned, following a Hammer House of Horror themed spectacular at the London Palladium. A new drummer is yet to be announced, but speculation is rife.

The Damned were the first UK punk band to ever release a single, ‘New Rose’ in 1976, and an album, ‘Damned Damned Damned’ in 1977.

They were also the first UK punk rock band to tour USA. They have had nine top forty singles ‘Love Song’ and ‘Smash it Up’ (1979), ‘Grimly Fiendish’, ‘The Shadow of Love’ and ‘Is it a Dream?’ (1985), their biggest hit ‘Eloise’ which reached No 3 and ‘Anything’ (1986), as well as ‘Gigolo’ and ‘Alone Again Or’ in 1987. Their biggest album was undoubtedly 1985’s ‘Phantasmagoria’ produced in New York by Toni Visconti.

From their first gig in July 1976 supporting The Sex Pistols at the 100 Club, The Damned have had a long and notorious career with involvement along the way from Chrissie Hynde, Lemmy, Nick Mason and Culture Club’s Jon Moss amongst many others.

Tickets available 21 February 10.00am from Waterside Box Office

Telephone: 0844 871 7607

www.atgtickets.comwww.ticketmaster.co.ukwww.seetickets.comSee you at the front!