The Damned at 50 and the memories (and regrets) of Rat Scabies episode artwork

EPISODE · May 20, 2026 · 35 MIN

The Damned at 50 and the memories (and regrets) of Rat Scabies

from Word In Your Ear

The Damned are – yes! - 50 years old with three of the originals still onboard. And just starting a world tour. In this immensely funny and touching podcast, Rat Scabies (who’s smoking!) points up the repercussions of life in a band. He looks back at their first shows, their devoted audience, “old-fashioned rules”, highlights, regrets, the value of friendship, “putting on the black suit again” and how it felt to rejoin after 30 years on the outside. And all this too … … playing drums in an Essex panto while pelted with boiled sweets … Dave Vanian when he was a grave-digger … punk rock strongholds the world over – “South America was like being in the Beatles” … Mexico and other places you can still torch a drumkit … Mr Scabies, aged 70. “Even my mother calls me Rat. The name’s done me well over the years” … going to the Isle Of Wight aged 14 (with the Danish nanny) and running a hot-dog stand during Hendrix … supporting the Pistols at the 100 Club: “like letting a greyhound out of a trap” … Tim Burton, the Goth revival, the Young Ones, steampunk and other factors that keeps the Damned in motion … “One band’s an oddity, two’s a fashion, three’s a movement” … rejoining the Damned after 30 years – “like a great stain had been lifted” … Green Day, algorithms and how they acquired a whole new following. Order Damned tickets here: aegp.uk/the-damnedHelp us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourearHelp us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 20, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

The Damned at 50 and the memories (and regrets) of Rat Scabies

0:00 35:42

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Word In Your Ear?

This episode is 35 minutes long.

When was this Word In Your Ear episode published?

This episode was published on May 20, 2026.

Can I download this Word In Your Ear episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!