Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale of dual personalities, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has had the world rocking, says DAVID TURNBULL
Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Victorian horror novel The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde turned 140 earlier this year.
Over that period, its unsettling tale of duality and monsters within has spawned no less than 120 movies, as well as countless theatrical, radio, television, and graphic novel adaptations.
It has also created another double life by weaving its way into the fabric of rock history and stitching its own little gothic niche.
The Who’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Originally considered for release as a single The Who’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde appeared as the B side on their 1968 release Magic Bus. It was also the B side of the American release the same year ‘Call Me Lightening’ and later featured on the track listing of the American Magic Bus compilation album.
Written by bassist Pete Entwistle, the subject matter is The Who drummer, Keith Moon, who was calm and pleasant when sober, but maniacally hyperactive when drunk.
The potion in the song which transforms mild mannered gentleman, Jekyll, into the depraved monster, Hyde, is a metaphor for Moon’s alcohol consumption.
The lyrics tell of a loveable fellow who will buy you drink but who’ll change in a wink when he’s drunk. The character complains that ‘someone else’ is spending his money.
As might be expected from a bass player Entwistle gave the song a grinding, heavy bassline. It leans into the same sort of vibe Screaming Lord Sutch went for in his horror themed songs. Moon and Sutch were close friends with Moon often standing in as drummer for his backing band.
Two years earlier, Entwistle had visited similar gothic territory with Boris the Spider which became a firm favourite with Who fans as part of their live set.
The Damned’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Over a decade later it was the turn of punk rockers The Damned to pick up where The Who left off and revisit Stevenson’s creation.
Their Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde appeared on their 1980 release The Black Album at a period when they were transitioning from three chord punk into new wave and synth pop.
The album was co-produced by the band and future cinema legend Hans Zimmer, then still in his early 20s.
Like The Who before them The Damned’s Jekyll and Mr Hyde explores the duality concept of the novel with lyrics telling the story of someone who is normal on the outside but evil on the inside and whose clothes will impress but whose claws will undress.
The songwriting is credited to band members of the time Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies and Paul Gray. But music journalist Giovanni Dadomo is said to have contributed to the lyrics and Welsh keyboard player, Roman Jugg, added the gothic synth melody which underpin Vanian’s brooding, crooner style vocals.
Jugg later replaced Captain Sensible as the band’s lead guitarist, helping them develop the goth rock style that emerged on the 1985 album Phantasmagoria.
Jekyll and Hyde, The Musical
By the time ‘Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde’ had gone a decade past its 100th anniversary it had also notched up a rock opera to its credit.
Written by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, the musical had its Broadway debut in 1997.
‘The Confrontation’, one of songs from the show. requires the male lead to alternate between the clean vocals of Jekyll and the guttural rasping of Hyde, as each battle for control.
Sebastian Bach, lead vocalist with heavy metal band Skid Row, and Knightrider, David Hasselhoff were amongst those to take on the lead role in America.
The UK version saw Marti Pello, lead singer with Wet Wet Wet, and 70s pop star, Paul Nicholas, take on the Jekyll and Hyde persona. Like Keith Moon Nicholas also had connections to Screaming Lord Sutch, having appeared as keyboard player on Sutch’s Dracula’s Daughter back in the 1960s.
Other rock bands who’ve explored the duality theme and added to the novel’s expanding rock legacy include:
- Five Finger Death Punch: Jekyll and Hyde (2015)
- Ice Nine Kills: Me, Myself & Hyde (2018)
- Halestorm – Mz. Hyde (2012)
Country rock combo The Zac Brown Band also released an album in 2015 entitled Jekyll + Hyde.
Listen to The Damned’s Jekyll and Hyde
