Darkadelic

rkadelic is the first album by the Damned to feature drummer William Granville-Taylor after he replaced Pinch, who left the band in 2019.The album's title has been described as recognising the Damned's "influence asDa a pioneering goth band and interest in psychedelia". For Darkadelic, the Damned teamed up with producer Thomas Mitchener, formerly of the bands Haunts and Spycatcher, because he was, as guitarist Captain Sensible put it, a "purveyor of the '70s sound" they were going for on the album.Singer Dave Vanian stated that, for him, "the only criteria was to have this album driven by more pronounced guitars." Prior to recording, Sensible and Granville-Taylor spent time working out arrangements for the tracks. "We actually sat down and we listened to a few Beatles songs, 'cause the songs were so beautifully arranged on those," Sensible said. "We really arranged the drums for what's right for the song. There was a lot of brainstorming during those two weeks of laying down the basic tracks." Prior to its release, the majority of the album was played during shows by the Damned on their April 2023 tour of the United Kingdom. The track "Leader of the Gang" is based on the crimes of former glam rock star Gary Glitter. "Follow Me" is about influencers, and "Beware of the Clown" deals with politicians. "Wake the Dead" was written specifically to be played at funerals. Through his online activity, Sensible had become aware that Damned songs were being played at fans' funerals. "So I thought, ‘Well, they're playing these songs 'cause the deceased love the band. Why not write one actually for that purpose?"