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Damn Shames

  • Source: The List (Issue 592)
  • Date: 13 December 2007
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Damn Shames

Exposure - tomorrow's music today

One of Edinburgh’s worst kept musical secrets for some time, the scratchy post-punk three piece (four, counting the drum machine), Damn Shames, are about to break out and give the rest of the UK the earful it deserves, having recently signed to XL Recordings and released their debut double A-side single ‘Fear of Assault’ b/w’ Last Things’. Guitarist and singer Simon Richardson gives us a potted history

We all met at school. Me and Matthew (Deary, guitar and vocals) have been in various different outfits before, but we’re not very proud of any of them. Jacob (Burns, bass) has also had a bit of a shady rock’n’roll past, but it’s all come together to make something quite respectable and enjoyable for all. It’s a fairly boring history I’m afraid.

Drummers: a bit passé these days?

We got a drummer in for the sessions that we did for the single, basically because it sounds a lot better, but there’s pros and cons to both things – you can just carry a drum machine about, and don’t have to pay him – the one we’ve got just now is a bit temperamental though. I don’t know if that’s because we’re annoying it, or because it’s just a piece of crap.

You’re now label mates with Dizzee Rascal, The White Stripes and Radiohead. That must be pretty mental?

Yeah, it’s good, it just came out of nowhere. We met Dizzee Rascal the day we signed, which was pretty bizarre. He wished us luck, in his own incomprehensible way. (Malcolm Jack)

‘Fear of Assault’ is out now on XL; Damn Shames play King Tut’s, Glasgow, Wed 19 Dec.

More: Music, Damn Shames

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