The Damned. Ray Burns (bass), Dave Vanium (lead singer) and Rat Scabies (drummer) on the ferry to Calais travelling to The First European Punk Rock Festival, Mont de Marsan, August 1976

On the coach journey to the South of France, the Damned (but mainly Rat) used the occasion for a verbal and physical confrontation with the old guard, Nick Lowe, the psychedelic hippies The Pink Fairies and pub rockers the Tyla Gang. Peace was restored after Nick and Rat’s t-shirt shredding fight. The bands became friends and in October 1976, Nick Lowe produced the single ‘New Rose’. It was the first UK punk sound on vinyl, preceding the Sex Pistols’ first single by six weeks.