Bastard ‘Doctor Gong’ premiere
Pre-Damned proto-punk from 1974, unearthed. It’s time for BASTARD
Some records arrive fashionably late. Others, like this one, take 52 years and are worth the wait.
For the first time, recordings by Bastard – the short-lived band featuring future The Damned guitarist and songwriter Brian James and future Elton Motello frontman Alan Ward — are being released to the public. The release comes courtesy of Amsterdam-based punk and rock ’n’ roll label Wap Shoo Wap Records as a special celebration of the label’s 30th release.
Formed in Crawley, England, Bastard quickly built a reputation as a hard-living, high-energy outfit, playing Hell’s Angels clubhouses, biker parties and dive bars across the UK and Belgium.
Recorded in 1974 and unheard ever since, the two tracks on this single capture a moment when British rock was still wrapped up in flares, prog excess and the last embers of glam. Bastard, however, were already pushing against those boundaries. Raw, loud, urgent and undeniably ahead of their time, these recordings offer a fascinating glimpse of the musical DNA that would soon help fuel the punk explosion.
The A-side, ‘Doctor Gong’, opens with an ominous riff reminiscent of John Carpenter’s Halloween theme — despite being recorded several years before the film’s release. Brian James’ lead guitar work channels the ferocious energy of MC5’s Wayne Kramer, while echoes of Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper can also be heard throughout the track.
Band Members:
Brian James – Guitar
Alan Ward – Vocals
Nobby Goff – Drums
Dez Lover – Bass
On the flip side, ‘Comfort’ finds the street-level menace of The Stooges colliding with the razor-sharp rock ‘n’ roll instincts of The Flamin’ Groovies, resulting in a powerful snapshot of a band operating years ahead of its time.
Within a few years, Brian James would go on to write and record with The Damned, including ‘New Rose’, widely recognised as the first UK punk single and a cornerstone of British punk-rock. Alan Ward would achieve international notoriety with Elton Motello, whose ‘Jet Boy, Jet Girl’ remains one of punk’s most infamous and enduring anthems.
For decades, these recordings survived only as rumour, memory and ageing tape. Now, they have finally been unearthed, restored and made available for a new generation of listeners, collectors and punk devotees.
The release will be available as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl pressing, strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide, and can be pre-order from Wap Shoo Wap Records here.
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