Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords

Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords
David Vanian
Background information
Also known as	The Phantom Chords David Vanian & the Phantom Chords
Genres	Gothic rock Gothabilly Psychobilly
Years active	1990 — c. 1999
Labels	Polydor, Big Beat, Camden Town
Associated acts	The Damned, Naz Nomad and the Nightmares
Members
Dave Vanian (vocals) Roman Jugg (guitars) Brendan Moon/Mooney? (guitars) Clyde Dempsey (drums) Steff B. Joseph (bass) Donagh O'Leary (bass) Rat Scabies (drums) Steve Lawrence (bass) Bryn Merrick (bass)

Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords (a.k.a. (the) Phantom Chords) were a 1990s British band, featuring The Damned's Dave Vanian on vocals. Playing rockabilly and gothic rock, they performed a mixture of covers and new material.

History

Following the 1989 breakup of The Damned, Vanian, guitarist Roman Jugg and bassist Bryn Merrick formed the Phantom Chords with Brendan Mooney (guitar) and Clyde Dempsey (drums). In 1990, the debut single by the band ("Johnny Remember Me", a cover of a Geoff Goddard song) was released on Polydor in Australia and M&G Records in the UK.

However, although an 11-track album (including "Johnny Remember Me") was written, and Polydor planned to release it, this did not happen, and only two one-sided acetates of it exist (although it has since become available through bootlegs). A promotional cassette was available for purchase at some of the venues when the band toured the United States later in 1993.

The Phantom Chords released another single in 1992, "Town Without Pity" (a cover of a 1960s Dimitri Tiomkin/Ned Washington song) on Camden Town Records. Now featuring Donagh O'Leary on bass following the departure of Bryn Merrick In 1995, after touring in Britain and the US, they released a full-length album, David Vanian and the Phantom Chords, on Big Beat Records. At this time they performed "This House Is Haunted" on VH1 UK [1] as well as "Born To Be Wicked" on ITV's "It's Bizarre".

The band's lineup was very variable. A 1993 Damned reunion (I'm Alright Jack and The Beanstalk) and later resumption of The Damned (with Vanian and Captain Sensible) meant that the Phantom Chords became a side project for Vanian, and they have released nothing since 1995. Roman Jugg left Phantom Chords, saying "I got fed up with relying on someone who was unreliable".^[1] However, concerts by Phantom Chords were still taking place in December 1999.^[2]

Discography

Albums

• Unreleased album (1990)
• David Vanian and the Phantom Chords (1995, Big Beat)

Singles

• Johnny Remember Me (1990, Polydor)

Released as 12" single, 7" and CD.
Featured "Johnny Remember Me" (Goddard) b/w "Ghost Train" and "Relentless"

• Town Without Pity (1992, Camden Town)

Featured "Town Without Pity" b/w "(She's a) Bad Motorcycle"

See also

• Phantasmagoria
• I'm Alright Jack and The Beanstalk
• Grave Disorder

External links

• Myspace pages: 1, 2, 3 (fan)
• Phantom Chords information, Damned12.freeserve.co.uk: page 1 (intro), p2 (album lyrics), p3 (single lyrics)
• Full discography, Idiotbox
• Performance & Dave Vanian interview, November 1993
• On the AMG
• *New* Dave Vanian & The Phantom Chords Website !

References

1. ^ Interview with Roman Jugg, c. 2003- The Limit Club Retrieved 7 February 2007
2. ^ Phantom Chords gig review Retrieved 7 February 2007