The Stranglers

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mixtress, Nov 4, 2010.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. mixtress

    mixtress Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    richmond, virginia
    Thank you all for your input and photos! I'll definitely be sticking with releases that have the original lineup since that seems to be the consensus.

    What a great forum this is. I'm glad to be here.

    :)
     
    Fleet Fox likes this.
  2. Kym

    Kym Former Resident

    This has my favorite version of "Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)", medley'd with "Genetix".
     
    marcfeld69 likes this.
  3. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    The Raven is, no doubt, one that probably many of us can agree on as a high point. It's definitely one of their best albums. I also quite like La Folie, as well as the debut.

    A lot of people can't stand the Epic stuff, but personally, I love Feline and Aural Sculpture. Feline has loads of atmosphere and really good song writing. It's kind of like extremely moody new wave. Aural Sculpture is more upbeat and pop, but despite the slick sound and drum machine, the hooks win out. After that, though, they pretty much lost me.
     
    garythain and pwhytey like this.
  4. PhilBiker

    PhilBiker sh.tv member number 666

    Location:
    Northern VA, USA
    "Dreamtime" has at least two great tracks ("Too Precious" and "Mayan Skies"), but "10" doesn't hold up so well for me.

    Raven is EPIC. There's a nice recent picture-disc LP release that I recommend.
     
    Mosthaf likes this.
  5. PhilBiker

    PhilBiker sh.tv member number 666

    Location:
    Northern VA, USA
    Listening to Feline right now, and remembering everything I like and don't like about this band.

    I love the musicianship of Hugh, JJ, and Jet. I absolutely adore Hugh's guitar playing, JJ was a huge influence on me as a bass player (for better or worse), Jet's drumming is solid as can be, exactly what I love. Hugh's voice is fantastic, JJ's voice is also great.

    Dave Greenfield is not my favorite keyboard player. Many of his parts are performed sloppily, particularly on live tracks. He relies on a small amount of the same licks over and over, plays melodyless and meandering parts for the most part. Ocassionally, he has a nice melody (Like in "Never Say Goodbye"), but usually he's just giving atmosphere. However, considering the very strong melodies coming from both Hugh and JJ, it's possible that a strong melodic keyboard player wouldn't work in the context of this music. Greenfield does have a nice sense of harmony, and his lines tend to swirl around Hugh's guitar melodies. His voice is a nice change of pace on some songs also. (His "Where I Live" on "10" is the high point of that whole album)

    Now I'm going to break out a bunch of albums over the next few days. :)

    I do have two of the post-Hugh albums, "Enough Time" and "In The Night" and I like them - should I get more?
     
  6. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    Interesting, I didn't know that.

    I adore Feline, along with The Raven it's my favourite. I love Feline's kind of stark feel, like darkened europop, and the oddness of my favourite Feline track Paradise. The Stranglers music was a big big part of my childhood and early teens, starting from when Golden Brown was a hit here, what a song to be so high in the pop charts when you're a child: life-changing!
     
    garythain, pwhytey, Neonbeam and 2 others like this.
  7. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    "European Female" is a great, moody song I really like off that album.

    Nice live version on "The Tube" :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bn8se4LXhY
     
    pwhytey and BlueSpeedway like this.
  8. I have the band's entire output incl. the post Hugh stuff, the only two albums I can't recommend are 'About Time' and 'Coup De Grace'.

    Most of Hugh's solo work is worth a listen except for 'Footprints in the Desert', a collection of demos that's atrociously mastered.

    I've met Hugh twice and he's a patient bloke, I'll say that for him.
     
  9. This was true: at the time of the original release, 'La Folie' indeed did not come out in the US. Cassette only releases of this and 'The Raven' came out on EMI America about 8 years later, priced as "midlines".
     
  10. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    Cool, thanks jsayers that song is wonderful. I wish JJ had sung more songs in that whispery voice he uses on European Female and the title track of The Raven. The Tube was a great show, I used to rush home from school to see it when it was on in the early evening, introduced me properly to Iggy Pop, The Fall and others. I must get hold of his Euroman Cometh solo LP again; it's an odd one but grew on me as I got older, as did the couple of Stranglers albums that were a bit much for me as an 11 yr old (Meninblack and Black and White) I lent it to some girl I was seeing 20 years ago and never saw it again.
     
    Mosthaf likes this.
  11. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    I bought the 2 dvd "The Tube" set that came out a few years ago - it's got some great stuff on it, including that Stranglers clip.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tube-Disc-S...ef=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1288928466&sr=1-1

    A very incomplete tracklisting from that Amazon link <there's lots more stuff on the dvds>

    DISC 1 TRACKS INCLUDE:

    HEAVEN 17 - AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FIGHTING
    THE JAM - A TOWN CALLED MALICE
    THE JAM - MODERN WORLD
    YAZOO - DON'T GO
    SHALAMAR - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
    SIMPLE MINDS - NEW GOLD DREAM
    SOFT CELL - MARTIN
    IGGY POP - SWEET SIXTEEN
    TWISTED SISTER - IT'S ONLY ROCK AND ROLL
    GREGORY ISAACS - COOL DOWN THE PACE
    DEPECHE MODE - LEAVE IN SILENCE
    IMAGINATION - BODY TALK

    DISC 1 INTERVIEWS INCLUDE:

    PAUL WELLER, STING, PETE TOWNSHEND, ANDY SUMMERS, MIDGE URE, SIMPLE MINDS, KEVIN ROWLAND, MICK JAGGER, MICK JONES, BRIAN JOHNSON and GARY NUMAN

    DISC 2 TRACKS INCLUDE:

    THE STRANGLERS - EUROPEAN FEMALE
    THOMPSON TWINS - LOVE ON YOUR SIDE
    PAT BENATAR - SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT
    O.M.D. - GENETIC ENGINEERING
    THIN LIZZY - THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
    PAUL YOUNG - LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
    GAP BAND - OOPS UPSIDE YOUR HEAD
    AZTEC CAMERA - OBLIVIOUS
    ICEHOUSE - HEY LITTLE GIRL
    FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD - RELAX DEMO
    MADNESS - IT MUST BE LOVE
    PAUL YOUNG - COME BACK AND STAY
    EURYTHMICS - THIS IS THE HOUSE
    BIG COUNTRY - FIELDS OF FIRE
    NICK HEYWARD - ATLANTIC MONDAY
    THE UNDERTONES - GOT TO HAVE YOU BACK

    DISC 2 INTERVIEWS INCLUDE:

    STEVE STRANGE, NICK HEYWARD, HAZELL O'CONNOR, THIN LIZZY, WILLIAM SHATNER, FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD and ANNIE LENNOX.
     
  12. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    It's unusual to see a picture disc record recommended, does it sound good?

    ***
    How about this classic, one of my alltime favourite singles, the 7" of their version of Walk on By, with its great sleeve of Dionne Warwick's head stuck on Hugh's body :laugh:

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Kym

    Kym Former Resident

    I thought J.J. sang that?
     
  14. mixtress

    mixtress Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    richmond, virginia
    How strange is it that I heard "Golden Brown" in the pub tonight... when I haven't heard it since the 80s? heh
     
  15. A couple of years ago I was on a bus on the way to uni with my iPod set to shuffle. The Stranglers' song Peaches started playing, then, at the very next stop a busty young student wearing a pale orange t-shirt with the word "Peaches" written on it got on the bus.

    I wanted to point this out this amazing coincidence to someone, but I was worried they'd think I was crazy, perverted, or both.
     
    Mosthaf, RTW and marcfeld69 like this.
  16. Razzle123

    Razzle123 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bedford, UK


    I've had the single since it came out, but never made the connection that it was Dionne Warwick's head stuck on the picture! But I was young when I bought it :)
     
    Mosthaf likes this.
  17. SCOTT1234

    SCOTT1234 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scotland
    Is that Dionne Warwick? It doesn't look like her to me!
     
    Dudley Morris and Rufus McDufus like this.
  18. Almost Simon

    Almost Simon Forum Resident

    Great to see a thread on The Stranglers. One of my alltime favourite bands.

    Certainly for a compilation cd I’d head for this one, if its still available. Compiles the best stuff from 77-91 when Cornwell left

    [​IMG]

    For their albums you want all of the 77-82 albums – Rattus Norvegicus, No More Heroes, Black and White, The Raven, Live X-Cert, (you can miss out Themeninblack, not one of my faves,) but La Folie is very good.

    Beyond that Aural Sculpture from 84 is another fave of mine. Softer, more poppy sound but still excellent.

    I have the Old Testament 4cd boxset which captures everything studiowise from the UA years. I also have the accompanying VHS video compilation which sadly has never made it to DVD. Very good featuring their videos, Top of the Pops and other TV appearances, a few tunes from their 1978 Battersea Park gig with the strippers during ‘Nice and Sleazy’ and also a JJ Burnel solo tune and Hugh Cornwell’s version of Cream’s ‘White Room.’

    A good compilation is the place to start as their sound did change between 77 and 90 but if I had to pick their best albums it would be their debut ‘Rattus Norvegicus’ and ‘The Raven’ from 1979.

    There is also an early years collection that has some 1976 live tracks and early demo versions from 1974 and 1976.

    [​IMG]

    The most interesting track being a 1974 demo version of Strange Little Girl which was strangely ignored through all of their early recording career and not properly recorded and released as a single unto 1982. The only difference between the 74 and 82 version being a slight change in Cornwell’s vocal melody.

    Great band. Hated Paul Roberts as their replacement lead singer for Cornwell. The last time I saw them live was their Friday the 13th gig at the Royal Albert Hall. I’ve heard good reports about their new lineup with Baz Warne. May be tempted to go see them play Hammersmith early next year. Will have to see.
     
    Mosthaf likes this.
  19. captone

    captone Forum Resident

    Location:
    BC, Canada
    There is another Stranglers thread entitled "The Meninblack" here.

    Saw them live several times in the 80's and once in the early 90's with Paul Roberts as vocalist.

    My picks for essential Stranglers albums:

    Rattus Norvegicus - their 1st and maybe their best

    Black & White - they really started to define their early period sound - might take a few listens to get into but well worth it

    The Raven - the bridge between their menacing punk-ish sound and a more polished pop sound. not as consistent as some other albums but it also has some of their best songs

    La Folie - mellower and refined, with some gorgeous songs

    Aural Sculpture - a pop masterpiece. instantly catchy and radio friendly (nearly every song was or could've been a hit

    As others have said, the post Cornwell albums are not essential, though there is the occasional great song
     
  20. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    Check out this other pic of her young, especially the smile and eyebrows, although the nose seems different..?

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  21. frank010

    frank010 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    That's definitely not Dionne Warwick. I heard it was Hugh's ex-girlfriend.
     
  22. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    That makes more sense, I don't think it's Dionne Warwick either, looks nothing like her. I searched around on the net and couldn't find anything...
     
  23. DEG

    DEG Sparks ^^^

    Location:
    Lawrenceville Ga.
    I have loved this band since like 1975 or so, I have all of their stuff, The Raven is great, as are most of their records. I think a lot of their songs are not about what we think they are about...?

    Shoot, I even have Nosferatu on cd!!!!

    DEG
     
    Mosthaf likes this.
  24. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    I knew I'd read a good source about that sleeve...and just remembered where...page 119 in this book:

    [​IMG]

    Q Whose idea was it to put Dionne Warwick's head on your shoulders?
    HC That was my suggestion..
     
  25. PhilBiker

    PhilBiker sh.tv member number 666

    Location:
    Northern VA, USA
    JJ sings the high part in the bridge, for which Dave playfully calls out "Well, thank you, JJ!".

    I like the first Paul Roberts album "In The Night" quite a lot. "About Time" has its moments as well.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine