The Damned
NEW ROSE

NEW ROSE was the first single by The Damned, released on October 22, 1976.
It was the first single by a British punk group, and was released in the Netherlands, Germany, and France in 1977.

Written by guitarist Brian James, NEW ROSE was issued on the Stiff Records label. The B-side was a cover of The Beatles' hit HELP!, performed about twice as fast as The Beatles's original version. Both songs have since become staples of The Damned's live shows, and appear on various compilations.
NEW ROSE was included on the group's full-length debut DAMNED DAMNED DAMNED.

The single was reissued in Stiff's mail order Damned 4 Pack mail-order set.
A CD version was issued in the Stiff Singles 1976-1977 boxed set by Castle Music in 2003.
HELP! also appears on Hits Greatest Stiffs.

OFFICIAL RELEASES

1982 FRANCE Mankin Records AE 140 104733

BOOTLEGS

See Also

Stiff Fourplay - Australia 1978 Stiff / EMI RAM 78
Stiff Fourpack - UK 1979 GRAB2

MISCELLANEOUS

FACTS

NEW ROSE was recorded in a single afternoon (17 September 1976) and was in the shops just over a month later, ahead of the release of the first Sex Pistols single. Though the Ramones, and Australian band The Saints had already released punk singles, NEW ROSE became the first recording issued from the UK punk scene. Producer Nick Lowe thought the band the worst thing he'd seen since the Pistols, but decided that the experience of recording them would be 'a good laugh'. "We did that purely on cider and speed", recalls bassist Captain Sensible.

The record did not chart, but was instrumental in accelerating a feeding frenzy among record labels desperate for a punk band to add to their roster.