History [top]
Damarge existed as a functioning unit between late 1981 and 1984 and were based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK and comprised:

• Bill 'Kirt Tempest' Bailey: keys/tapes/electronic beats
• Iain 'Oaf' Weir: bass
• Cliff Gee: voice
• Mark 'Snowboy' Cotgrove: percussion

The original 3-piece band practiced in Oaf's bedroom with pretty minimal equipment (see equipment list).
The first song to be written was 20,000 Souls - a chorus chant about West Ham United's Upton Park football ground in East London (Kirt & Oaf both supported the club).

The Band's Name [top]
The name of the band is subject to some confusion - and rightly so as no-one in the band could actually get it right. Originally the suggested band name was "Malicious Damage" (Killing Joke's record label) but this seemed a bit cliched. As Kirt was utterly (and famously) inept when comes to do with anything related to foreign languages his pathetic attempt at translating that name into French was (phonetically) "Mal-shay-hers Dam-arge" (but in awfully heavily-accented pseudo-French).
The thing was no-one knew how to spell Kirt's pitiful (almost shameful) attempts at the French for "Malicious".
Although the word damarge was quite easy, everyone agreed with that, the first word caused some debate regarding how to spell it. Various (somewhat elaborate) variants were tried such as Malcéeurse, Malschheeursse, Malshooheurrse, Malshéeurres, Malsheeurse and so on (Malshoes was also tried but didn't last long).

The problems with the first word was a source of amusement (for a short while at least) so it remained in the band's official name - although the spelling tended to vary significantly. However, most people opted for the sensible approach and simply referred to the band as "Damarge".

Early [top]
A period of early exploration and experimentation - usually undertaken in Oaf's bedroom-cum-studio or Kirt's lounge. Snowboy was not a member at this time and no polished recordings were made and just one gig performed (Zero 6 where all these songs were performed). Songs written at this time included 20,000 Souls (the first song ever written by the band), The Awakening, Are You Getting Enough (Sex In Your Life)?, In Remembrance of M.P. (about our good friend Mark Paveley who tragically killed himself while only 18 years old) and Jazz-Funk - a fabulous concoction of self-indulgent solo Fender-Rhodes improvised jazz riffs (in the vein of the jazz-funk style popular at the time) and an eccentric cacophony of sounds and effects resulting from feeding the Dr. Rhythm through a Big Muff distortion peddle and a Korg x911 guitar synthesizer (not what it was meant for). Note: Are You Getting Enough (Sex In Your Life)? was based on a Test Card tune Kirt heard while off school one day.

Middle [top]
This was the most productive era and was marked by Snowboy joining the band (any connection anyone?). Bodyrock was written and Damarge played at The Cliffs Pavilion band contest (one of the biggest venues in Essex). This phase marked the use of more sophisticated equipment, notably - all be it on day hire - the E-mu Drumulator sample drum machine and completion of the main demo tape using some borrowed digital effects. Other songs written/recorded here was Cold (a 5 minute instrumental that would be described as Dark Ambient nowadays and of which only a couple minutes survive), I Feel Love (the classic Donna Summer track from 1977 who some say was the best thing the band did) and Break On Through (To The Other Side) - a cover of the classic Doors song.

Late [top]
The later period (1984) was marked by a more fragmented set of styles and a few songs that were never recorded but performed live a few times. These songs include Bostok & Chandler (the authors of an A-level mathematics text book), 'The 60's Sound' (never completed nor given a complete title), OBN (which stands for Old Boy Network and was a reference to the real OBN Kirt encountered on a daily basis while working in The City) and Heteroman - an outrageously pumping gay-disco anthem with a catchy Eastern-style riff. The band also wanted to perform a version of Hendrix's Purple Haze - but only a Simmons syndrum track was recorded by Nigel Wilshire (now lost). Nigel - a great drummer and neighbour - also recorded the drums for Heteroman and the high-hats heard on the main recording of The Awakening. One of the catchiest songs that was never recorded by the band itself was The Maceeursse Waltz, a rediculously catchy little song that was later recorded (in demo form only) by Oaf for his unreleased solo album Neuf Oaf beuf sur la plat (that album title was given to the album by Kirt whose knowledege of French was limited to the phrase "neuf oeaf beauf sur la plat" - which is meaningless nonsense). Kirt played this tune to Oaf one day and it also stuck in his head, so much so that he later crudely recorded it himself using a casio VL Tone. This was during his brief (one afternoon) solo excursion into keyboard orientated music that was a piss-take of Damarge.

This period was mainly marked by more gigging and some loss of focus as band members started their working lives and going to college (the usual stuff). The only surviving record of these songs is on the pretty poor-quality live recording from The Pink Toothbrush concert - however upon closer listening to these tracks one hears some pretty good songs - shame they never got recorded properly. Oh well.

Afterword [top]
The band never officially broke-up, members just went on to do their own things and still keep in touch. There is always talk (or should we say 'threats') of reforming for a one-off gig - but current obligations and logistics may make this worthy goal unrealistic. Well, at least for the time being … but then again …

Equipment List [top]

Kirt [top]

• Godwin String Ensemble (very rare, great sound)
• Fender Rhodes 73 [click for more]

THE classic electronic piano, round-top, 73 keys, heavy as fuck

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• MiniMoog (early period) [click for more]

This was (and still is) once of the great classic synthesizers. Kirt did not want to sell his but had to in order to have presets for quick sound changes needed for both live and recording use (purchased the Moog Source instead as this had 16 presets and a very crude real-time sequencer). He regretted selling the MiniMoog then and remains so to this day.

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• Moog Source [click for more]

A lovely little machine: unique and revolutionary - but just didn't have the punch of the MiniMoog. It blew up completely in the middle of The Queens Hotel gig and cost an arm and a leg to get repaired. 16 presets and a very crude real-time (not step-time) sequencer.

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• Hohner Clavinet Model "I" [click for more]

A knackered old plucked-string clavinet painted light beige and the words "CMI" painted on the back to people would think it was a mini-Fairlight when placed on top of Kirt's ever expanding keyboard rig. (The Fairlight CMI was the original sample synthesizer and cost as much as a house. CMI stood for Computer Musical Instrument). No-one was fooled and was used mainly for show and seldom used (a couple of base notes here and there). It was purchase at the SoHo Soundhouse grand Boxing Day sale (which meant 'sleeping' overnight on Christmas Day in SoHo Square, in the cold and drizzle, with Oaf and Gavin French [who were snuggly bivoaced in a make-shift cardboard tent] while Kirt was left out in the cold!)

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• Roland Dr. Rhythm DR-55 [click for more]

Made by Roland under the "Boss" banner. This was actually used live at the Zero 6 concert and the early demo recordings. The smallest, lightest and most basic rhythm machine invented my man - but still great nevertheless with effectively only one useable preset (and sound!). It can be heard on the early versions of most Damarge songs.

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• E-mu Drumulator [click for more]

An early sample drum machine. Too expensive to buy so had to be hired. Kirt recalls going up to London on the train and carrying this heavy (and expensive) piece of kit back on the train from Fenchurch Street.

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• Melos DE-1 Echo (tiny & fab) [click for more]

This was - and remains to this day - a great little effects unit. Robust as shit. never failed. Great range of echos and alot of fun. This was with the band from the very beginning and is now in the hands of Oaf who still uses it.

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• (The dreaded) Claptrap [click for more]
A tiny syndrum device with a small touch-pad which made a vaguely flatulent 'clapping' sound. Pretty useless but appealing in its own way (clearly heard on both versions of The Awakening).

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• Korg x911 guitar synthesizer [click for more]

Actually owned by Oaf but used live by Kirt on the track Jazz-Funk). The original squeaking noises in the middle of 20,000 Souls uses this being fed by the DR-55 and passed through the Melos effects box. The x911 is featured most prominently in Jazz-Funk.

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• Tandberg cassette player - used to play the backing tapes in all live gigs (a true workhorse)

Snowboy [top]

• Congas
• Berumbau
• Clave
• Bongos
• Finger chimes

Oaf [top]

• Marshall 100w super bass head (1971 vintage) [click for more]

A classic unit. Real bollocks and a sound to die for.

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• 2 x Marshall 4x12 cabs
• Fender Precision bass guitar
[click for more]

Just like what Dee-Dee uses. A true classic of design and what a sound.

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• Gibson heavy plectrum and an unnamed guitar lead [click for more]

How anal can one get! Here's a picture of the plectrum used by Oaf in the band. Does this inclusion enter me into the most anally-retentive spod contest?

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Cliff [top]
Cliff just had a good hair-cut, decent shades and maybe a microphone lead.

Miscellaneous [top]

• Simmons Syn7 syndrum set [click for more]

Used for backing of Heteroman, OBN and Bostok & Chandler. All these backings were played (very well) by Nigel Wilkshire. The kit was very fashionable in its day but now has a somewhat antequated and dated sound. This was hired for the weekend.

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• Ibanez DM2000 digital delay [click for more]

This was borrowed from the guitarist of Snowboy's other band at the time - The Skyscrapers. Used in the final demo for 20,000 Souls, The Awakening and In Remembrance of M.P.

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• Anvil [click for more]
This was played (badly out of time) by Nik Turner when we played our version of Break On Through at The Queens when we supported Inner City Unit (yes - we played with a member of Hawkwind - such joy!)

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