Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned’s second album for Chiswick arrived in 1979 as a masterclass in controlled chaos—four-on-the-floor punk propelled by Captain Sensible’s surgical guitar work and Dave Vanian’s theatrical presence. “Machine Gun Etiquette” strips the band’s sound to its essentials: jagged riffs, lockstep rhythms, and hooks sharp enough to draw blood. Where their debut flailed with ambition, this record proves punk could be both visceral and disciplined, making it a cornerstone of UK punk’s second wave.