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Captain Sensible

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For the 1950s singer, see Ray Burns (singer).

Captain Sensible
Captain Sensible performing live with the Damned at the Ritz in Manchester, 2015
Captain Sensible performing live with the Damned at the Ritz in Manchester, 2015
Background information
Birth nameRaymond Ian Burns[1]
Born (1954-04-24) 24 April 1954 (age 70)[2]
Balham, London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • bass
  • keyboards
  • vocals
Years active1976–present
Labels
  • A&M
  • Deltic
  • Humbug
Member of
Formerly of

Raymond Ian Burns (born 24 April 1954), known by the stage name Captain Sensible, is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded the punk rock band the Damned in 1976, originally playing bass before switching to guitar. He is known for his distinctive appearance including a red beret and sunglasses, typically with white frames. Sensible embarked on a solo career during the 1980s, achieving a UK number one hit with his version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Happy Talk" (1982) and further hits with "Wot" (1982) and "Glad It's All Over" (1984). In 2006, Sensible founded the Blah! Party. He continues to perform in the Damned.

Early life

[edit]

Captain Sensible was born in Balham, London, on 24 April 1954.[2] He went to Stanley Technical School for Boys in South Norwood, Croydon. The first musical instrument he played was a Bontempi organ. Growing up, he listened to Brian Auger, Syd Barrett, Small Faces, Egg, Stray, Soft Machine and the Groundhogs.[5]

The Damned

[edit]

Originally a member of the Johnny Moped band, Captain Sensible joined the Damned in 1976 on the suggestion of his colleague Rat Scabies, the band's drummer, filling a number of positions during his tenure (including bassist, lead guitarist and keyboardist), and eventually becoming the band's main songwriter following the departure of Brian James.

Captain Sensible left in the 1980s to concentrate on solo projects,and studied in West Sussex but rejoined in 1996 after Scabies left, and co-wrote Grave Disorder, the band's first new studio album for 8 years, in 2001. He continues to tour and record with the band.[6][7]

Solo career

[edit]

Captain Sensible's first solo release came in 1978 with the single "Jet Boy, Jet Girl", an Elton Motello cover recorded while the Damned were on hiatus.[8] He followed this in 1981 with the This Is Your Captain Speaking EP on Crass Records.[8] He signed to A&M Records and had a UK number one hit in 1982 with a cover of "Happy Talk", the Rodgers and Hammerstein song from South Pacific, featuring backing by Dolly Mixture and a band including Robyn Hitchcock on guitar.[8] This was later sampled for British hip hop artist Dizzee Rascal's 2004 song "Dream".[9]

Other Captain Sensible songs that became hits in the UK and Europe were "Wot", "One Christmas Catalogue" and anti-Falklands War "Glad It's All Over", which was co-written and produced by Tony Mansfield. After quitting A&M Records he continued recording for various independent labels, including Deltic Records and Humbug Records. He has also toured with his solo band Punk Floyd.

Captain Sensible's recording of "The Snooker Song" from Mike Batt's musical The Hunting of the Snark was used as the theme music for the BBC gameshow Big Break, and he also wrote and performed a song called "Brain's Theme" for the movie Skinned Deep in 2004.

Captain Sensible performing live in Abergavenny, 1994

Captain Sensible is also a member of Dead Men Walking, a supergroup featuring Mike Peters, Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny) and Slim Jim Phantom,[10] and the Sensible Gray Cells with current Damned mate Paul Gray.

Politics

[edit]

"I always wanted to put a brick through the TV when I saw Blair pop his head up. It's quite easy to write lyrics when politicians are so corrupt. I had to start my own political party I was so angry. I called it the Blah Party. It was 50 per cent joke, 50 per cent serious but was my way of dealing with it."

Burns in November 2008[11]

In September 2006, Captain Sensible formed a new British political party known as the Blah! Party,[12] saying, "We believe that voting is an important part of the democratic process, and we want the Blah! Party to be the party of protest, a channel through which the people of the U.K. can vent their dissatisfaction at nonsensical everyday things, and protest against the government and the current crop of political parties."[13]

The Blah! Party was largely modelled on the principle of direct democracy, with suggestions being made by anyone on the party website. These suggestions would then be voted on by the membership, resulting in a "rolling manifesto."[14][15] The party was launched on 24 September 2006 at a conference in Manchester.[16] Initial policies included stopping "chav culture and the idolisation of airhead celebrities like the Beckhams, Paris Hilton and Jade Goody", alongside more serious policies of opposing the Iraq War and ID cards, instead spending money on public transport, hospitals and renewable energy.[15]

The Blah! Party entered into a sponsorship deal with Seabrook Crisps in September 2006, with the party logo and details on joining for free printed on their packets.[16][17] The party also received non-financial support from PR company Propaganda. The party received £168,309 in the last quarter of 2006.[18] The party was debt-free in 2008, with a membership of 8,544, up from 5,000 in 2007.[19]

The first Blah! Party candidate was Carl Finlan, who stood in the 2007 local elections in Thornton and Allerton ward, Bradford.[20] He gained 69 votes (1.6%).[21] Deputy leader Melodie Staniforth stood in the Holme Valley North ward of Kirklees as 'Boney Maroney' in 2008.[22] She gained 38 votes (0.68%).[23] She resigned shortly afterwards.[24]

On 11 September 2007, Propaganda handed total control of the Blah! Party to Captain Sensible, former Official Monster Raving Loony Party deputy leader Melodie Staniforth, Robert Staniforth, Sadie Ingoldby, Shaun Nightingale and Gary Spate.[24] In December 2008, Propaganda closed the website. The party ended its association with Propaganda and Seabrook, launching a new website. At the same time it de-registered from the register of political parties, deciding to instead be a protest group.[24]

Personal life

[edit]

Captain Sensible was previously in a long term relationship with Rachel Bor of Dolly Mixture.[25] The couple have three children together.[25] He is currently married to Mayumi.[25][26]

Burns adopted his stage name Captain Sensible ironically because he described himself as a "debauched maniac" who had fun "regardless of the consequences."[27] However, after living at Dial House (the commune where the anarcho-punk band Crass lived) for a week to record an EP in 1981, his life changed and he became a vegetarian who adhered to Crass' pacifist and creative aims.[27][28] Captain Sensible has written several songs about animal rights, including "Torture Me" and most notably the 1985 single "Wot! No Meat?".[29][30]

He is a supporter of Crystal Palace F.C..

Burns is a railfan, particularly enjoying diesel locomotives after being rescued from a stranded service in cold weather by one as a child.[3] He later named Deltic Records after the Deltic locomotives.[3] Class 47 diesel locomotive 47810 was previously named Captain Sensible after Burns.[31][3]

Discography

[edit]

Solo

[edit]
Albums
Compilations
  • Sensible Singles (1984), A&M
  • A Day in the Life of ... (1984), A&M
  • A Slice of Captain Sensible (1997), Humbug
  • The Captain's Box (1997), Humbug – [contains A Slice of Captain Sensible and Meathead]
  • Sensible Lifestyles: The Best of Captain Sensible (1997), Cleopatra
  • The Masters (1998), Eagle [reissue of Mad Cows and Englishmen, including bonus tracks]
  • The Collection (2003), Spectrum Music
EPs
  • This Is Your Captain Speaking (1981), Crass – UK Indie No. 3[32]
  • The Universe of Captain Sensible (1998), Jarmusic [contains 5 tracks from Revolution Now and The Universe of Geoffrey Brown]
Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions
UK
[33] 		AUS
[34] 		AUT
[35] 		BE
[36] 		GER
[37] 		IRE
[38] 		NL
[39] 		NZ
[40] 		SWI
[41]
1978 "Jet Boy, Jet Girl" (Netherlands-only release)[A] — — — — — — — — —
1980 "Millionaire"[B] — — — — — — — — —
"Disco Girls" / "Blu Shoes"[C] — — — — — — — — —
1982 "Hey Jo"[D] — — — — — — — — —
"Happy Talk" 1 35 — 36 — 1 37 24 —
"Wot" 26 30 4 3 4 24 14 6 3
"Croydon" — — — — — — — — —
1983 "Stop the World" 82 — — — 72 — — — —
"I'm a Spider" 177 — — — — — — — —
1984 "Glad It's All Over" / "Damned on 45" 6 — — — — 6 — — —
"There Are More Snakes Than Ladders" 57 — — — — — — — —
"One Christmas Catalogue" / "Relax" 79 — — — — — — — —
1985 "Wot, No Meat?"[E] — — — — — — — — —
"Come On Down" 116 — — — — — — — —
1987 "Revolution Now" 120 — — — — — — — —
1988 "The Snooker Song" — — — — — — — — —
"The Toys Take Over" — — — — — — — — —
"I Get So Excited" — — — — — — — — —
1990 "Smash It Up (Part 4)"[F] — — — — — — — — —
1993 "Holiday in My Heart" — — — — — — — — —
"Wot '93" — — — — — — — — —
1994 "The Hokey Cokey" 71 — — — — — — — —
1995 "Flip Top World" — — — — — — — — —
1997 "While Wrecking the Car" (Germany-only release) — — — — — — — — —
1998 "Cigarette Sandy"[G] — — — — — — — — —
1999 "Missing the Boat" — — — — — — — — —
2005 "Wot (I Say Captain)"[H] — — — — 80 — — — —
2014 "Wot"[I] — — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released

Notes

  1. ^ Credited to 'Captain Sensible and the Softies'. The song also appeared as the B-side to the Damned's 1982 single "Wait for the Blackout"
  2. ^ Credited to 'Magic Michael with Rat Scabies & Captain Sensible'
  3. ^ There were three different simultaneous releases, which had different credits: 'The Sunset Boys + Captain Sensible', 'Maxims Trash with Captain Sensible', and 'Maximum Mania with Captain Sensible'
  4. ^ Split promo single with Dead Kennedys, Infa Riot and Flux of Pink Indians titled "Extracts from Wargasm"
  5. ^ Credited to 'Captain Sensible & the Missus' (duet with Rachel Bor of Dolly Mixture)
  6. ^ Split single with the Brotherhood of Lizards
  7. ^ Split single with the Real People
  8. ^ Credited as 'Erkan & Stefan feat. Captain Sensible & Trooper Da Don'
  9. ^ with LaBrassBanda

The Damned

[edit]
See also: The Damned discography

Dead Men Walking

[edit]
  • Live At CBGB New York City (2005), Resistance
  • Graveyard Smashes Volume 1 (2006), Resistance
  • Easy Piracy (2015), Slimstyle Records

The Sensible Gray Cells

[edit]

The Jack Tars

[edit]
  • The Jack Tars EP (2015)[42]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Valcourt, Keith (4 May 2017). "The Damned's Captain Sensible: 'What Is Punk?'". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Captain Sensible Official Site – Bio". Archived from the original on 4 June 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Turner, Luke (10 November 2009). "The Damned's Captain Sensible on Why He Likes Trains". The Quietus. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. ^ Abjorensen, Norman (2017). "New wave music". Historical Dictionary of Popular Music. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 367–368. ISBN 978-1-538-10215-2. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  5. ^ Coyote, Ginger. "Captain Sensible Interview". Punk Globe. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  6. ^ "The Damned Return with First Album Since 2001". Uncut. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  7. ^ Kielty, Martin (23 January 2018). "The Damned Announce New Album, 'Evil Spirits'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d Strong, Martin Charles (2003). The Great Indie Discography. Canongate. pp. 23–24. ISBN 1-84195-335-0.
  9. ^ "Happy Rascal". NME. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Dead Men Walking". BBC Online. 5 October 2006. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009.
  11. ^ "The Damned are back". Derby Telegraph. 28 November 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  12. ^ "The Blah! Party". Archived from the original on 12 November 2006.
  13. ^ "Captain Sensible Starts Political Party". Retrieved 6 January 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  14. ^ Campling, Katie (10 August 2007). "It's a load of Blah! as punk and politics mix". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  15. ^ a b Balakrishnan, Angela (3 May 2007). "Voter apathy? Here's the Sensible solution". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 October 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  16. ^ a b Loweth, Jenny (27 September 2006). "Crisp firm backs the new force in politics!". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 8 February 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
  17. ^ Varley, Melinda (29 September 2006). "Seabrook sponsors political party". Mad.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  18. ^ "Tories' donations outstrip rivals". BBC News Online. 26 February 2007. Archived from the original on 28 February 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  19. ^ White, Roland (1 June 2008). "Atticus". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  20. ^ Winrow, Jo (9 April 2007). "Election hopefuls line up for ballot". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  21. ^ "District Council Election" (PDF). City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. 3 May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  22. ^ "Candidates for the 01 May 2008 District Council Election by party". Kirklees Council. 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008.
  23. ^ "Results for the 01 May 2008 District Council Election". Kirklees Council. 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008.
  24. ^ a b c "Welcome to your new home". Blah! Party. 13 December 2008. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009.
  25. ^ a b c De Silva, Lisa (April 2009). "Almost Famous: Dolly Mixture". South Downs Living. No. 47. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  26. ^ Dewhurst, Tony (11 July 2013). "The Damned, Clitheroe Grand". Lancashire Telegraph. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  27. ^ a b Sullivan, Jim (21 October 2014). "40 Years and Counting: The Damned and Captain Sensible Still Rock the Stage". WBUR-FM. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  28. ^ Gentile, John (1 November 2016). "The Damned's Captain Sensible on "punk," Lemmy, and the band's new LP". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  29. ^ "Damned : "Torture Me"". La Terre d'abord ! (in French). 23 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  30. ^ Tamarkin, Jeff; Rockmaker, Deirdre (November 1985). "Greening of Rock". Vegetarian Times. No. 99. pp. 32–36. ISSN 0164-8497. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  31. ^ "Notable Workings Pictoral". Railway Herald (72): 16. 16 February 2007.
  32. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1989. Cherry Red Books. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  33. ^ "Captain Sensible". Official Charts Company. 18 November 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  34. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 54. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  35. ^ "Raymond Burns". Austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  36. ^ "Captain Sensible" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  37. ^ *"Captain Sensible". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
    • "Raymond Burns". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  38. ^ "The Irish Charts – All There Is to Know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  39. ^ "Captain Sensible" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  40. ^ "Captain Sensible". Charts.org.nz. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  41. ^ "Captain Sensible – Wot!". Hitparade.ch. (in German). Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  42. ^ Woodhall, Dave (1 December 2015). "Ahoy there Jim lad!!!". The Birmingham Press. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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