Based in Lisbon, Damage Fanclub were a trio consisting of Miguel Ferreira (vocals, bass), Sérgio Ferreira (drums), and Pedro Baptista (guitar). They had been playing together since 1991, though their lineup only stabilized in the summer of 1993. With a sound heavily influenced by Sonic Youth and Nirvana, they were one of the bands that pioneered the lo-fi trend in Portugal, arriving just as grunge was beginning to fade. They also confessed a passion for Metallica, despite possessing almost no instruments of their own and instead using gear rented from Senófila, their rehearsal space. Their approach was proudly amateur and self-taught, and while they recorded a cassette through the Bee-Keeper label, they never released any vinyl records under their own name.
In a move that may be globally unprecedented, they were the subject of a tribute album—“This Is Not a Damage Fanclub Tribute”—released on CD by Milkshake in partnership with Bee-Keeper in 1996, following the group’s dissolution. The highlight of their brief existence was a 1995 mini-tour to Barcelona and Berlin alongside Canal Caveira; in fact, the group disbanded shortly after this adventure. More recently, Pedro Baptista was a member of Stuka (who have also since split), while Miguel Ferreira has gone on to perform in various other musical projects.
