The Stranglers

I remember the sleeve to Let Me Down Easy -- a very mellow pop single but the band on the sleeve looked like they'd been in a brawl 5 minutes earlier. Hugh has an adhesive bandage over his eye.

 

True - I was talking about the PIL reformation. Scott Firth is very good at playing a part and filling a vacancy, but he brings no idiosyncrasy to the sound.

By the way, I was comparing Jah Wobble then to JJ then. Jah's grown (and grown .. and GROWN) as a musician since then, as has JJ.

 

That was funny, wasn't it? Did you hear the story about Hugh and JJ having an argument in the dressing room of a German tv studio? This was in the mid-80s. JJ threw Hugh at the wall, and Hugh went through leaving a man shaped hole in his wake?

Hugh wasn't the toughest bloke. He almost went to pieces in prison. And when they got arrested again in Nice a year later, he had a meltdown.

 

Hadn't known any of that stuff, but it gives some perspective to Hugh's subsequent career choices.

 

Both great I think, but big difference in style. Wobble simpler, with more dub & experimental influence. JJ, virtuosity and aggression and that unique 'growl'. I just give the edge to JJ. Interesting characters, both with a fierce reputation - often bass players are the shy retiring type, but not these two.

 

I love JJ's early bass sound. I was confused. A huge Clapton fan and got a guitar when 16 and wanted to play lead. But then started listening to The Stranglers and Peaches, No More Heroes and that crunching bass intro to Hanging Around. Just glorious

So bass won out in the end. But I never ever managed to get a sound like JJ. I know his bass cabinet was damaged and he got that dirty sound. And in turn Martin Rushent turned the bass up really loud in the mix on those early LP's, Just fantastic. A great bass player, but originally a classical guitarist persuaded to change instruments by Hugh so he could join the band. A very good decision.

Guess what my music of choice is this afternoon on my ipod? Great to be having a healthy discussion about The Stranglers and see so much love for them around these parts.

 

Listened to this last night.

There's a link to hughcornwell.com.He's selling Hooverdam on vinyl.

 

Ever seen the A&M Foreplay with "Something Better Change" and "Dagenham Dave"?

 

No; I think it's pictured somewhere on this thread. Two great songs FTW!

 

Of course. In their original incarnation, they were a superb group. They never repeated themselves, every album is different one from the other - even No More Heroes, part of which was recorded at the same time as Rattus. They were also terrific live - Hugh's dreadful jokes and sarcastic banter (you even thought he was kidding when he said "Thank you") were as much part of the experience as those songs.

Maybe I'm in a minority here, but I think Hugh was right to leave when he did. They ran out of steam around Dreamtime, and 10 wasn't very good.

Despite being a big fan, I have kept up with neither the post-Hugh Stranglers or Hugh himself. I do have Nosferatu, which is superb (and even makes me wonder if he wasn't the experimental soul of the band). I've heard good things about Norfolk Coast, but nothing good about the other albums. Anyone give me any tips?

 

I haven't heard any recordings that I'd recommend. But if Hugh plays in your area he is well worth seeing. He played here with a trio recently. Played mostly Stranglers music -- no keyboards -- and the live band had the new material sounding pretty good too. The trio format really lets you hear Hugh's under-appreciated guitar playing.

 

I'll check him out, thanks.

Actually, I was remiss to have written that Hugh was the 'experimental soul' of The Stranglers. I'd completely forgotten about JJ's Euroman Cometh. It's no masterpiece, sometimes sounding like a bunch of not very interesting, stoned demos. But it has its moments. And then there's the stuff he was singing (in French, German and English), about the necessity of a united Europe/United States of Europe and also the reunification of Germany. This was in 1979. The guy was a visionary. The music is highly experimental. JJ does his array of voices - the threatening growl, the p*ssed off roar, the hyperactive, higher pitched register. Jellyfish is very reminiscent of Tago Mago-era Can.

The CD release was very good - both the sound and content (a bonus live disc).

 

Yeah, that is a particularly revolting story.

If even only half of the stories in that book about what JJ's done are true, then I can't say I blame Hugh for being so adamantly against rejoining for all these years.

 

As a longtime Stranglers fan, this thread piqued my curiosity in the No Mercy bio people keep mentioning. But damn - I checked for it on Amazon only to find that it's out of print and people are asking $60 for it.

 

As I said earlier in this thread I'd given up with the Stranglers after Hugh left, but after seeing the Mk3 line-up (at a festival I think) I got back in to them. Of the post-Hugh albums 'Norfolk Coast' is definitiely the best, and is really good - the others are all a bit hit-and-miss, but there are definitely good tracks scattered throughout. What I really did like though was seeing the band live again - no Hugh, but always a good show. In particular the last few years they've always had a gig around Christmas at the Shepherd's Bush Empire - which is like a mass party! Even I couldn't stop myself fighting my way down to the front for a pogo when they played 'Toiler On The Sea' !

So, buy 'Norfolk Coast' and catch them live - they've got a big tour lined up in the UK for early 2011

 

I'm there. Thanks!

JJ has hinted that they're coming to the end of their careers, and that this current round of touring could be the last.

 

It wouldn't suprise me .. Jet must be about 102 years old now

 

Turns out I had these. I've played them both. Where the originals were tinny and the 2001 ones too loud, these are pretty good for CD. In fact, they're very close to the Old Testament versions. No details on who mastered them. Probably an in-house job. The packaging was very good too. Why they couldn't have done this for the rest of the Stranglers catalogue is beyond me. What a crap company. Every Mistake Imaginable.

 

I've just compared the original Live X Cert CD to the 2001 remaster. For once I have to say that the remaster is actually better. The 1988 CD is tinny. I had to crank the bass up on my player to get it sounding right. The remaster corrects this flaw, and the CD sounds closer to the vinyl (the original pressing sounded terrific - never got the reissue). The only drawback to the remaster is the grubby, badly printed cover artwork. The inside is fine - period live shots and a good essay, but the cover lets it down.

 

Since the Old Testament set is so scarce now (cheapest I can find is around $150), what is the best way to gather up the non-album singles from the UA years? I have the comp "IV", so that covers a number of them, but I know I don't have "Strange Little Girl" and possibly some others.

 

"Strange Little Girl" is on the Liberty/EMI compilation The Collection 1977-1982, which you can usually find pretty cheaply on ebay. http://www.discogs.com/Stranglers-The-Collection-1977-1982/release/1786119

And most of the others are on EMI's similarly titled The Collection, which I think is also known as "The Gold Collection". http://www.discogs.com/Stranglers-The-Collection/release/1183441

Off the top of my head, you'd only be missing out on the two Cilia Black & the Mutation tracks "Mony Mony" & "Mean to Me" (personally, I don't miss them) and "The Meninblack (Waiting For 'Em)". I might have forgotten one or two others, though.


EDIT: Looks like Hits and Heroes might be an even better bet for you. http://www.discogs.com/Stranglers-Hits-And-Heroes/release/367963

 

Take a look at amazon.de. Often you will find there those fantastic boxes for much and much less...Like right now....

 

Thought I had one until I hit a brick wall....

Dieser Artikel kann nicht an die ausgewählte Adresse versandt werden. (Erfahren Sie mehr.) Ändern Sie entweder die Lieferadresse, oder entfernen Sie den Artikel durch klicken auf "Löschen".

Pretty sure the first sentence means the seller won't ship to my address. Bummer.

Thanks for trying though!

 

I'd thought about that early one disc comp from EMI. Just stumbled upon this 3 disc set. Came out just last year.

http://www.amazon.com/Ua-Singles-19...1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290801116&sr=1-1-fkmr1

Really looks good and that's an insanely good price. I doubt anyone's heard this? I guess I should just take a chance.

 

"pm" me if you get "stuck" with any of the rarer tracks if you want.