INDEX
- History
- Band Name
- The 3 Phases of Damarge
- Early [late 1981 to early 1983]
- Mid [1983 to mid 1984]
- Late [late 1984 to mid 1985]
- Afterword
- Equipment
- Kirt
- Oaf
- Snowboy
- Cliff
- Miscelaneous
- Songs
History
[top]
Damarge existed as a functioning unit between
late 1981 and 1984 and were based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK and comprised:
- Bill 'Kirt Tempest' Bailey: keys/tapes/electronic beats
- Iain 'Oaf' Weir: bass
- Cliff Gee: voice
- Mark 'Snowboy' Cotgrove: percussion
The band was originally formed by Kirt, Oaf & Cliff above who all attended
Westcliff High School together.
The band was later complimented by the addition of
Snowboy
sometime in early 1983 after a chance meeting with Kirt at Honky Tonk music store
(Hadleigh, Essex) earlier that year.
The original 3-piece band practiced in Oaf's bedroom with pretty minimal
equipment (see equipment list).
The first song to be written was 20,000 Souls -
a chorus chant about West Ham United's Upton Park football ground in East London
(Kirt & Oaf both supported the club).
The Band's Name
[top]
The name of the band is subject to some confusion - and rightly so as no-one in
the band could actually get it right. Originally the suggested band name was
"Malicious Damage" (Killing Joke's record label) but this seemed a bit cliched.
As Kirt was utterly (and famously) inept when comes to do with anything
related to foreign languages his pathetic attempt at translating that name into
French was (phonetically) "Mal-shay-hers Dam-arge" (but in awfully
heavily-accented pseudo-French).
The thing was no-one knew how to spell Kirt's pitiful (almost shameful) attempts
at the French for "Malicious".
Although the word damarge was quite easy,
everyone agreed with that, the first word caused some debate regarding how to
spell it.
Various (somewhat elaborate) variants were tried such as Malcéeurse,
Malschheeursse, Malshooheurrse, Malshéeurres, Malsheeurse and so on
(Malshoes was also tried but didn't last long).
The problems with the first word was a source of amusement (for a short while at
least) so it remained in the band's official name - although the spelling tended
to vary significantly. However, most people opted for the sensible approach and
simply referred to the band as "Damarge".
The Three Phases
[top]
The band's output was marked by three relatively distinct phases.
Early
[top]
A period of early exploration and experimentation - usually undertaken in Oaf's
bedroom-cum-studio or Kirt's lounge.
Snowboy was not a member
at this time and no polished recordings were made and just one gig performed
(Zero 6 where all these songs were performed).
Songs written at this time included 20,000 Souls
(the first song ever written by the band),
The Awakening,
Are You Getting Enough (Sex In Your Life)?,
In Remembrance of M.P. (about our good friend Mark Paveley who
tragically killed himself while only 18 years old) and
Jazz-Funk - a fabulous concoction of
self-indulgent solo Fender-Rhodes improvised jazz riffs (in the vein of the
jazz-funk style popular at the time) and an eccentric cacophony of sounds and
effects resulting from feeding the Dr. Rhythm through a Big Muff distortion
peddle and a Korg x911 guitar synthesizer (not what it was meant for).
Note: Are You Getting
Enough (Sex In Your Life)? was based on a Test Card tune Kirt heard while off school one day.
Middle
[top]
This was the most productive era and was marked by
Snowboy joining the band
(any connection anyone?).
Bodyrock was written and
Damarge played at
The Cliffs Pavilion band contest (one of the biggest venues in Essex).
This phase marked the use of more sophisticated equipment, notably - all be it
on day hire - the E-mu Drumulator sample drum machine and completion of the main
demo tape using some borrowed digital effects.
Other songs written/recorded here was Cold
(a 5 minute instrumental that would be described as Dark Ambient nowadays
and of which only a couple minutes survive),
I Feel Love (the classic Donna Summer track from 1977 who
some say was the best thing the band did) and
Break On Through (To The Other Side) - a cover
of the classic Doors song.
Late
[top]
The later period (1984) was marked by a more fragmented set of styles and a few
songs that were never recorded but performed live a few times.
These songs include Bostok & Chandler
(the authors of an A-level mathematics text book),
'The 60's Sound' (never completed nor given a
complete title), OBN (which stands for Old Boy
Network and was a reference to the real OBN Kirt encountered on a
daily basis while working in The City) and
Heteroman - an outrageously pumping
gay-disco anthem with a catchy Eastern-style riff.
The band also wanted to perform a version of Hendrix's
Purple Haze - but only a Simmons syndrum track was
recorded by Nigel Wilshire (now lost).
Nigel - a great drummer and neighbour - also recorded the drums for
Heteroman and the high-hats heard on the main
recording of The Awakening.
One of the catchiest songs that was never recorded by the band itself
was The Maceeursse Waltz,
a rediculously catchy little song that was later recorded (in demo form only)
by Oaf for his unreleased solo album Neuf Oaf beuf sur la plat
(that album title was given to the album by Kirt whose knowledege of French was
limited to the phrase "neuf oeaf beauf sur la plat" - which is meaningless
nonsense).
Kirt played this tune to Oaf one day and it also stuck in his head,
so much so that he later crudely recorded it himself using a casio VL Tone.
This was during his brief (one afternoon) solo excursion into keyboard orientated
music that was a piss-take of Damarge.
This period was mainly marked by more gigging
and some loss of focus as band members started their
working lives and going to college (the usual stuff).
The only surviving record of these songs is on the pretty poor-quality
live recording from The Pink Toothbrush concert - however upon closer
listening to these tracks one hears some pretty good songs - shame
they never got recorded properly. Oh well.
Afterword
[top]
The band never officially broke-up, members just went on to do their own things
and still keep in touch. There is always talk (or should we say 'threats') of
reforming for a one-off gig - but current obligations and logistics may make this
worthy goal unrealistic. Well, at least for the time being … but then again …
Equipment List
[top]
Kirt
[top]
Jean-Michel Bill (a small side-project of Kirt's that no-one was really interested in): Moog Source, Kawai drum machine, Oberheim Matrix 6R, Yamaha QX5 sequencer, Godwin String Ensemble, Melos Space echo
Snowboy
[top]
- Congas
- Berumbau
- Clave
- Bongos
- Finger chimes
Oaf
[top]
Cliff
[top]
Cliff just had a good hair-cut, decent shades and maybe a microphone lead.
Miscellaneous
[top]
- Simmons Syn7 syndrum set
[click
for more]
Used for backing of
Heteroman,
OBN and
Bostok & Chandler.
All these backings were played (very well) by Nigel Wilkshire.
The kit was very fashionable in its day but now has a somewhat
antequated and dated sound. This was hired for the weekend.
- Ibanez DM2000 digital delay
[click
for more]
This was borrowed from the guitarist of
Snowboy's other band at the time - The Skyscrapers.
Used in the final demo for
20,000 Souls,
The Awakening and
In Remembrance of M.P.
- Anvil
[click
for more]
This was played (badly out of time) by Nik Turner when we played our version
of Break On Through at The Queens when we
supported Inner City Unit (yes - we played with a member of Hawkwind - such joy!)
Songs
[top]
20,000 Souls [from 1981]
[see words
]
The atmosphere is strange
20,000 Souls
Fury and rage
20,000 Souls
Strange as a strobe
20,000 Souls
Passion and world wars
20,000 Souls
Are You Getting Enough (Sex In Your Life)? [from 1981]
[see words
]
Bodyrock [from 1982]
[see words
]
He's standing in the middle and he's No. 1
Got more speed than a bullet from a gun
He goes out every night he's the king of the town
The nightclub scene is where he can be found
He goes down The Palace* on a Thursday night
The scene is cool and the lights are bright
The Roxy in New York is the place to be
'cos the kid is hot he's the one to see
rap
He's standing in the middle and he's No. 1
Got more speed than a bullet from a gun
He goes out every night he's the king of the town
The nightclub scene is where he can be found
He goes down the Hippodrome on Friday nights
'cos the scene is cool and the lights are bright
The Roxy in New York is the place to be
'cos the kid is hot he's the one to see
*The Camden Palace - a famous and trendy nightclub in London around 1982
Bonjour [instrumental from 1982]
Bostok & Chadler [from 1983]
Break On Through (To The Other Side) [from 1983]
[see words
]
By The Doors (from 1971)
You know the day destroys the night
Night divides the day
Try to run
Try to hide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side - yeah
We chased our pleasures here
Dug our treasures there
But can you still recall
The time we tried
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Everybody loves my baby
Everybody loves my baby
She gets
She gets
She gets
She gets - ahhh
I found an island in your arms
A country in your eyes
Arms are changes
Eyes are lined
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through oh!
Oh Yeah
I wait to see
Window week
Day to day
hour to hour
Gains his strength
Deep and wide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through
Break on through
Break on through
Break on through
Yeah × 9
Cold [instrumental from 1982]
Hashcake [mainly instrumental from 1984]
Heteroman [from 1984]
[see words
]
Some words are missing, others maybe incorrect but this is the best we could come up with:
A real man's world is where we live
Pumping iron - must keep fit
Heteroman whole lot to give
Keeping up that concentration
Man of steel lets hold that burn
Heteroman in an all Gold's nation
Take you chances where you find them
Because he's tired of being appeased
Heteroman is brave and strong
Heteroman just live and strive
Heteroman - Hey you there Guy!
Heteroman so proud and so fine
Heteroman takes a girl in hand
Shake down with Hi-NRG beats
...
...
Heteroman is brave and strong
Heteroman just do what's right
Heteroman - Hey you there Guy!
Heteroman so proud and so fine
Heteroman is brave and strong
Heteroman just do what's right
Heteroman - Hey you there Guy!
Heteroman so proud and so fine
The real man's world is where we live
Pumping iron - must keep fit
Heteroman whole lot to give
Keeping up that concentration
Heteroman is brave and strong
Heteroman just do what's right
Heteroman - Hey you there Guy!
Heteroman so proud and so fine
Heterosexual and brave and true
Heteroman just do what's right
Heteroman - Hey you there Guy!
Heteroman so proud and so fine
I Feel Love [from 1983]
In Remembrance of M.P. [from 1981]
[see words
]
Christ take a life
Christ take a leaf
Spin them until …
The brain is brown
Christ take an eye
Blind it deep red
Heat: a final bed
Christ take a rope
Christ take a neck
Churn them within
A seconds hell
A ladder is …
His green hill
His thorny glory …
A bloodless pill
Christ sing us songs
That we can't hear
Damn us being
Deaf to your ear
Make a life
Take a life × 4
Jazz-Funk [instrumental from 1981]
O.B.N. [from 1984]
The Awakening [from 1981]
[see words
]
Gold dripping from a wealthy hand
See the bitch she wants that man
Passion and ridicule for years to come
She will do what has to be done
Awakening my senses re-appear
Awakening the sounds of life are here
Awakening my visions re-appear
Aching limbs now into gear
Imagine her dreams lost in time
She sold her body and her mind
She sees her life slipping away
A guarantee that the future's grey
[chorus]
Gold dripping from a wealthy hand
See the bitch she wants that man
Passion and ridicule for years to come
She will do what has to be done
The Malcsheeurse Waltz [instrumental from 1984]