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Author
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Topic: The Stranglers
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chain-wallet bitch
Punk Posts: 592
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 12-07-2002 02:15 PM
   
I was so happy to to see some talk about the Stranglers here on TCPunk, I decided they should have a thread of their own. This in in spite of the fact that back in the day, all the clerks at the old (pre-fire) Oarfolk would harrass me endlessly about liking The Stranglers, and Jethro Tull, more than anything else.The Stranglers were one of my favorite groups from the punk and post-punk eras, and one whom I've made the trek to see every time they've played here. I wasn't living here when they played Thumper's, or years later (with a different vocalist, I guess) at The Rogue. Did anyone see these shows? There must be some good stories here - especially from Thumper's. Did anyone tape either of those, by any chance? Also, I had some tapes go missing years ago, of their shows at The Longhorn, and the Meninblack show at First Avenue. I had loaned them to Kevin Cole, and a friend of a friend ripped them off from his appartment. If any of you trader-types out there know of any copies of these, I'd flip to hear them again! I had put together an ink portrait of The Stranglers, and got it signed by the band at the First Avenue show - Hugh Cornwell signed his by way of a series of pseudonyms, due to the fact that he thought my drawing made him resemble James Garner, and Hugh was evidentally a big fan of "The Rockford Files". I'll post that drawing if anyone is interested, if someone can remind me how to post images to TCPunk these days (I have a short attention span). First Stranglers record listened to: "No More Heroes" (also, the first song I performed at Punk Rock Karoake!) Favorite Stranglers album, when I'm feeling aggressive: "Black and White" ("Toiler of the Sea"!) Favorite Stranglers album when I'm feeling introspective: "The Raven" okay, I'm starting to feel like a fan-boy... IP: Logged |
RipVanWinkle
Punk Posts: 409
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 12-07-2002 02:59 PM
I think we went to the Thumper's show. Billy Redcloud would no more, he was a huge Stranglers fan.IP: Logged |
quagmire
Punk Posts: 280
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-07-2002 03:43 PM
Unfortunately, the only show I was able to attend was the "Dreamtime" tour @ 1st Ave - '87-ish (I still have the stub somewhere). Hugh sarcastically called the audience "so cool". I'm glad I saw them before he quit.
The story I heard about the replacement lead vox(Paul Roberts), was that he was a fan that got really lucky. Is this true?
Did they bring the nude dancers with them for those earlier shows? So many of their songs pop into my head in so many situations, on an almost daily basis.
I keep expecting to hear of Jet Black's demise, he has had "health problems" for so many years now. Check out any recent pic of him... Finally, has anyone heard the tribute/cover album put out by Elevator Music recors called "No More Heroes". Here's the song list: SONG-ARTIST
Shut Up -U.S. Chaos
Something Better Change -The Reducers
No More Heroes -Wreached Ones
Curfew -The Truents
Bring on the Nubiles -U.S. Chaos
Tank -Ugly Truth
Rok It to the Moon -Joe Diaz and the Disruptors
Vietnamerica -Sanity Assassins
Duchess -Time Bomb 77
Choosey Suzy -Tedio Boys
Go Buddy Go -Wat Tyler
London Lady -Dead End Kids
Nice 'n' Sleazy -Candy Snatchers
Peaches -The Invaders
Golden Brown -The Independents
Always the Sun -Sisters of Morrissey
Love 30 -Blast Fence
I do not know any of these bands.
CWB, Thanks for starting this thread. As I've stated elsewhere, these guys are a big part of the ongoing soundtrack to my life.
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quagmire
Punk Posts: 280
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-07-2002 03:58 PM
Almost forgot, one of my favorite new scores is the meninblack "Last Supper" promo poster. I wish the movie of the same name hadn't tainted the image for me. IP: Logged |
zomzom
Punk Posts: 77342222
Registered: Mar 1920
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posted 12-07-2002 04:52 PM
Ha, I was going to start a Stranglers thread, I even did a search to make sure I wasn't being unknowingly redundant.
Yeah, I missed seeing them at Thumper's, I remember my 1968 Plymouth wagon wasn't running, and it was out in what, Coon Rapids or something?
One of my all-time favorite bands. I haven't heard any of the stuff without Hugh, as far as I'm concerned it ain't no Stranglers except when they do La Folie, The Raven, and other JJ Burnel-sung tunes. I have a Hugh Cornwall solo record and it's fairly slick but I like it. His voice was one of the best in that early punk scene, although they pretty much distanced themselves from it,using it only to help them get shows and sell records from what I gather. Fair enough.
They were around before the punk rock hit anyways.
JJ Burnel's bass playing influenced many players, and it was really cool to hear the bass so up front back then, previous to that it was usually way in back (unless of course it was Yes  ).
Lots of people love the early stuff and hate the later eighties records, much like Wire. I like all of their output, and the various solo things I've heard are cool. I have Fire and Ice by Greenfield and Burnel, it's a film soundtrack and it's good.
Lots of info on the web about them, they could be one of the toughest bands in rock, they're all pretty hard-ass dudes.
Jet Black..heh, that's like the coolest name in rock and roll. The guy's like in his 60s I think, and still drumming! La Folie and Feline need to be listened to now.  IP: Logged |
Ollie Stench
Admin Posts: 2393
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 12-07-2002 05:01 PM
Golden Brown
Strange Little Girl
and my fave, Always The SunOf the early "punky" stuff my fave has to be Something Better Change, one of the funnest bass lines to play, ever! I tried to get the Subversives to cover it but I guess it didn't fit the mold well enough so we never got thru it. Anyone have JJ Burnel's "Euroman Commeth"? Never heard it but I'd love to. IP: Logged |
crack up
Punk Posts: 154
Registered: May 2000
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posted 12-07-2002 05:53 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Ollie Stench:
Anyone have JJ Burnel's "Euroman Commeth"? Never heard it but I'd love to.
Yeah. I have it on LP. It's pretty cool. If ya want a "burn" just lemme know. It's not overtly hooky and (insstrumentally, at least) sorta like a Euro version of Suicide, at times. Vocals are also distinctively European but whaddya expect from someone named Jean-Jacques? More bass than gtr (logical, huh?) but fuller sounding and not as ripping as the early Stranglers bass lines. Maybe like Snakefinger if he played bass instead of gtr? The more weathered my ears get the better this kinda music sounds.
In the book that i brought up in that other thread (Stranglers:Song by Song) Cornwell kinda tries to dispell their reputation as rough guys... but that's just his perspective. And
Soul and jazz influences? What th'? I guess I never thought about it but I listen to Stranglers records differently now cuz Cornwell brings these things out (Mezz Mezzrow text as lyrics, songs about Marvin Gaye, etc but Hugh might be pushing it when he compares "Let Me DOwn Easy" to "Sittin By The Dock of the Bay). And it is probably common knowledge that A FLock Of Seagulls took their name from "Toiler In The Sea".. but that was news to me. IP: Logged |
crack up
Punk Posts: 154
Registered: May 2000
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posted 12-07-2002 06:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by quagmire:
Did they bring the nude dancers with them for those earlier shows?
When asked this question Hugh said that this started by accident when one of his friends told his girlfriend to go onstage and strip during the song 'Nice And Sleazy" and from then on whenever they played this song on that particular tour women from the audience would jump onstage and disrobe. He sez they later organized a mass strip as a publicity stunt. Footage of this might have appeared in the promo vid for Nice And SLeazy but I don't recall seeing any black boxes in it. Before I go out tonight I will be watching Stanglers vids. IP: Logged |
Tom Thumb
Punk Posts: 177
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 12-07-2002 07:12 PM
I saw that Thumpers show, so strange, Fragile was the opening act kept harrassing us as we did them.
Stranglers did Bring on the nubiles as a lounge tune. Hugh made some comment about how happy he was to have rented a station wagon and traveled to lovely Coon Rapids Minnesota..
One and only time I saw them so I'm happy.
My 19 month old daughter really likes The men in black cd. Sun Spots is her current favorite tune but all the giggles get her too.IP: Logged |
quagmire
Punk Posts: 280
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-07-2002 07:21 PM
Used to have Euroman Cometh...really only remember "Do the European", serious bass lines.
So, the $1.98 question. If they were to tour here w/ the current line up, would you go?
If they'd play 1st Ave, I would. I would just avert my eyes from the "new" lead singer. In fact, I would probably go see any of the original members,( JJ Burnel, Dave Greenfield or Jet Black) if they deigned to come our way.
I don't believe Baz Warne was an original, was he?
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2fisted
Punk Posts: 1819
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 12-09-2002 02:45 AM
good call cwb! There's been sprinklings of stranglers talk on the board... but I think my all
time fav band deserves a thread of their own too! (there must be a tcp psychic connection
going on cuz I was thinking this recently too!)I always wondered about that Flock of Seagulls thing myself Crack up... thx!
Wish I saw em at the 1st ave show IP: Logged |
chain-wallet bitch
Punk Posts: 592
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 12-09-2002 10:39 AM
Friends who went to the Thumper's show told me that all punk gear - jackets with spikes, chains, dog collars, wrist bands, etc - had to be checked at the door, making the line in kind of slow.Yeah, Hugh or not, I'd go in a heartbeat if any version of The Stranglers came back this way! IP: Logged |
RQuelder
Punk Posts: 59
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-09-2002 09:10 PM
I didn't see the show at Thumpers' - Glad someone here did - but all I remember hearing about it was that the warm up band was being harassed by the punk crowd and the warm up band's lead singer was all bummed out/pissed off and saying things like "This isn't First fucking Avenue!" I was happy to hear some payback for once - punk and new wave bands were always getting stuck as warm ups for metal bands... Foreigner/Ramones
Ted Nugent/B-52's
IP: Logged |
chain-wallet bitch
Punk Posts: 592
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 12-09-2002 11:29 PM
Rolling Stones/PrinceIP: Logged |
quagmire
Punk Posts: 280
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-10-2002 01:15 AM
Rolling Stones/Lamont Cranston/Stray Cats...IP: Logged |
LEMMY
Punk Posts: 118
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 12-11-2002 12:29 PM
The Stranglers were always one of my favorites of the British punk bunch. Only saw them once, on the "Dreatime" Tour at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1987 or so. Before the show, I went to the bathroom to discharge beer and made the mistake of standing at the center of three urinals - ended up shaking hands "urinal-fresh" with Hugh Cornwell and Burnell who sidled up to me to relieve themselves. A great rock-hero moment for me (much better than pissing next to Gatemouth Brown once, who made a point of standing about three feet back from the wall, so his hose could reach full extension).Also, I believe that "Feline" is the greatest screwing record ever made. Get it on to that one sometime! Another Stranglers-related thought - they were in MOJO - a huge profile this summer, I believe. One of the best Stranglers articles I've ever read, although that's hardly surprising. And one last thing, I caught Hugh Cornwell on a solo club tour about three years ago, and only my friend and I showed up to the show. He said hello and got up there and played for us for about an hour. We then finally said, "Hey Hugh, whatta ya say you put that guitar down and go drink with us?!" He climbed down and we got all pissed up with the legend. He was VERY nice - compared to the prick he sometimes seemed on record in the old days. IP: Logged |
Billy Redcloud
Punk Posts: 234
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 12-19-2002 02:06 AM
Saw them in 81' at Foist Ave. and they were really cool. J.J. did this weird kick thing that I used to try and copy. I remember when they did "Genetix" and how his bass solo blew everyone away. Hugh also introduced "Duchess" with the following statement:
"I have this really good friend of mine who collects all things related to royality and one of the best items he has is a picture of Lady Di being fucked by a goat." Then they kicked into it. Also went to the Thumpers gig and that was pretty dam good as well. All this talk about the "punk" crowd hasseling Jiggs Lee(it's amazing I can remember his name) simply isn't true. We were pretty outnumbered with all that scooter trash everywhere and simply tolerated Fragile's uncanny ability to cover popular classic rock to the exact note. Hugh also reffered to Coon Rapids as the "cultural Mecca of America." Yes I really liked that "Fire and Ice" album as well. Also the "Euroman Cometh" and Hugh's first solo album he did is good with a pretty nice version of "White Room" on it. I saw that crappy movie "Sexy Beast" where they used "Peaches" in that ugly opening sequence and I tried to sit through the rest of that flick just because I heard that there was another song of theres in it. I didn't make it though. They also played Duffy's in 80 as well, that supposedly was a really great show with a rousing version of "Down In The Sewer". Don't get me started......![This message has been edited by Billy Redcloud (edited 12-19-2002).] [This message has been edited by Billy Redcloud (edited 12-19-2002).] IP: Logged |
quagmire
Punk Posts: 280
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 12-19-2002 02:46 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Billy Redcloud:
I saw that crappy movie "Sexy Beast" where they used "Peaches" in that ugly opening sequence and I tried to sit through the rest of that flick just because I heard that there was another song of theres in it. I didn't make it though.
The opening sequence was the "highlight" (and only Stranglers song), the movie should've ended right there. Ben "Gandhi" Kingsley as a ruthless killer, please. IP: Logged |
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