Friday, 14 March 2014

Assessing the Damage: Drugs, drink and debt... '90s boyband Damage can't forgive and forget on The Big Reunion

At the height of their fame they had a string of top ten hits and released two studio albums.
But the five original Damage members; Coreé Richards, Rahsaan J Bromfield, Andrez Harriott, Jade Jones and Noel Simpson could not let bygones be bygones after meeting face to face for the first time in four years.
During a tense and heated discussion which saw the group discuss their many demons of the past which led to their demise, they failed to agree to disagree on The Big Reunion on Thursday night.
Rumours: The band tried to confront their issues, but were unable to move forward from their explosive past
Rumours: The band tried to confront their issues, but were unable to move forward from their explosive past


Fraught: Andrez Harriott (right) and Jade were nervous about their meet up as a full band
Fraught: Andrez Harriott (right) and Jade were nervous about their meet up as a full band

It came to light that after a reunion gig in 2010 all the band admitted he was 'a lot worse for wear', which left for a tense 15 minutes while the group waited for ousted member Coreé to arrive.
After discussing their last reunion, which ended up with Coreé getting inebriated and causing a fight on the motorway, the 36-year-old musician admitted: 'To be fair I can't remember what happened at the end of the show'

Jade started by opening up the can of worms: 'So much has been brushed under the carpet, so much has happened over 20 years.'
The group then went on to discuss their own personal demons and their inability to communicate with Coreé  about his wild behaviour.

Rahsaan said: 'Whenever we want to talk to you about something, you were quite confrontational, which is why we never dealt with it.'
Reflective: Jade admits that he was affected by the break-up of the band
Reflective: Jade admits that he was affected by the break-up of the band

Tense: Each member of the group had their issue to air
Tense: Each member of the group had their issue to air

Argumentative: Coree fought his corner when it came to defending his behaviour
Argumentative: Coree fought his corner when it came to defending his behaviour

Noel said: 'There is a piece of your personality which was really difficult to deal with growing up, I personally saw signs when it was difficult to come to you when there was an issue.'
Rahsaan added: 'These debts run up to £100,000 with Jade, yourself and Coreé why wasn't anyone paying the debts, why weren't anyone answering the letters that were coming to your houses? I was ready to bankrupt everyone.' [sic]
Coreé then went on to criticise their bond and admitted his addictions were his demise: 'We have never clicked the same way I have clicked with others. There was a very low point with the drugs, at one point I was very suicidal.'
Pointing the finger: Coree blamed Andrez for some issues in the past
Pointing the finger: Coree blamed Andrez for some issues in the past

Flying solo: Coree is now a solo artist and works on music at his home studio
Flying solo: Coree is now a solo artist and works on music at his home studio

Troublemaker: The rest of the band partly blamed Coreé's disruptive behaviour on the band not getting back together
Troublemaker: The rest of the band partly blamed Coreé's disruptive behaviour on the band not getting back together

In an intimate chat with his mother, Coreé revealed that his lowest point was when he slept on Brighton beach for two weeks, which caused his mother to burst into tears. 
Coreé then spoke about the juxtaposition of how the public perceived him and the dark times he was going through with addiction.
He said: 'You're dealing with meeting dealers on the street, and you're met by people who ask for your autograph and they don't know where I'm going.'
Not impressed: Jade wasn't impressed by the outcome of the groups discussion
Not impressed: Jade wasn't impressed by the outcome of the groups discussion

Lost in thought: The group were at a loss of how to move forward as a 5 piece
Lost in thought: The group were at a loss of how to move forward as a 5 piece

Adding that when he was in prison for drink driving, he found the reality hard to deal with: 'I went to prison and could see my school from the window and thought how did I get from there to here. Not one of them came to visit me, none of them sent me a letter.'
Bringing things back to the present Coreé admitted he thought it was all about the money: 'We had left a record deal, we basically chopped our foot off for leaving that, I thought we were doing gigs just to pay debts.'
Confrontation: None of the group could come up with a solution to solving the issues of the past
Confrontation: None of the group could come up with a solution to solving the issues of the past

Unhappy: Andrez was affected by the personal issues that were raised in the groups heated discussions
Unhappy: Andrez was affected by the personal issues that were raised in the groups heated discussions

Dark times: Coreé revealed being in prison for drink driving was a very bad time for him
Dark times: Coreé revealed being in prison for drink driving was a very bad time for him
Andrez revealed that it was him that took the brunt of their debt: 'I remember trying to be smart and trying to contact the creditors and organise a monthly repay, I tried and tried and no-one responded, I got some financial advice and I had to declare myself bankrupt, the other boys, no they left it and let it be.'

Jade, now a trained chef, then admitted that after he left the band, he found life difficult: 'After everything ended with Damage there was my dark days where I would be drinking.'
And then there was four: Damage looked confident as a four piece
And then there was four: Damage looked confident as a four piece

Excited: Jade was keen to start rehearsing as a four piece
Excited: Jade was keen to start rehearsing as a four piece

Sizing up the competition: Jade and Rahsaan kept their thoughts to themselves as all the bands met for the first time
Sizing up the competition: Jade and Rahsaan kept their thoughts to themselves as all the bands met for the first time

Revealing that his personal saviour came in the form of his long-term partner and former Spice Girl Emma Bunton: 'My missus shes been amazing, very supportive of me, we've been together 15 years.'
Further drama and disagreement unfolded, and unable to call a truce on their past Andrez concluding: 'I can't feel any positivity moving forward as men.'
Rashan added: 'I think the five piece sitting here today is the last time Damage will be sitting together.'
Damaged but not broken: The other four members of the band still felt like they had a strong connection
Damaged but not broken: The other four members of the band still felt like they had a strong connection

Honest: Noel opened up about finding life tough after the band
Honest: Noel opened up about finding life tough after the band

Back together again: the group seemed happy to be performing as a four
Back together again: the group seemed happy to be performing as a four

Unhappy: Rahsaan was not prepared to forgive and forget
Unhappy: Rahsaan was not prepared to forgive and forget



DM

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