Backstory:
Born from the quiet, grey suburbs of Manchester, England, Damaged Shortage captured the raw, angst-filled spirit of their neighborhood and channeled it into their music. The band emerged in late 2010, primarily composed of four friends; Charlie “Chaz” Brookes on vocals and guitar, Pete “Pogo” Jones on lead guitar, Sean “Spike” Murphy on bass, and Tommy “Tubs” Evans on drums. The band’s name was inspired by the socio-economic issues they saw plaguing their community, and the members’ shared feeling of being “damaged” and having a “shortage” of opportunities to get ahead.
Their journey began in Evans’ mother’s basement, where they would rehearse late into the night, drawing on their shared love for punk and angst-filled lyrics, inspired by the likes of Green Day and The Clash. They started gaining local fame through their high-energy performances at local pubs and eventually caught the attention of a small indie label that helped them produce their debut album.
Genre: Punk Rock
Title: “Riot in Suburbia”
Full Song Lyrics:
(Verse 1)
[C] Riot in suburbia, can’t [F] you feel the heat?
[G] Our dreams are burning on the [C] empty street.
[C] Screaming out the words, [F] we won’t admit defeat,
[G] We’re the voice of the [C] forgotten, marching on [F] beat.
(Chorus)
[F] We are the [C] damaged shortage, [G] the lost and unseen,
[F] Rioting in [C] suburbia, [G] amid the grey and green.
[F] We are the [C] voice of rebellion, [G] loud and obscene,
[F] We are [C] Damaged Shortage, [G] and we’re letting off steam.
(Verse 2)
[C] Tattered flags of [F] our heartache, flying high and proud,
[G] We’re painting our defiance [C] on the shroud.
[C] We’re the unheard melodies, [F] screaming loud,
[G] We’re the pulse of the [C] rebellion, lost in the [F] crowd.
(Chorus)
[F] We are the [C] damaged shortage, [G] the lost and unseen,
[F] Rioting in [C] suburbia, [G] amid the grey and green.
[F] We are the [C] voice of rebellion, [G] loud and obscene,
[F] We are [C] Damaged Shortage, [G] and we’re letting off steam.
(Outro)
[C] Riot in suburbia, [F] this is our creed,
[G] We’re Damaged Shortage, [C] and we won’t concede.
Favorite Fan’s Testimonial:
My name is Rachel. Damaged Shortage is my favorite band because their music speaks to my soul. Their raw, unfiltered lyrics capture a certain reality that resonates with me and my life. I was at their first gig, and there was something electric about them. The way they channel their feelings of frustration, anger, and longing for change into their music is incredibly powerful. It’s like they’re screaming out my thoughts and emotions. To me, they’re more than just a band, they’re a voice for people like me who often feel overlooked and unheard.