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Roger Kasper writes a love letter to this oft-underrated album..
It’s the most maligned Stranglers album. No-one has a good word to say about. Every fortnight someone will start a post on a Facebook forum referring to the best/worst long player. And guess which album doesn’t come in at Number One. Yes, ‘10‘.
A recent article by the clickbait-tastic Loudersound – listing ‘The Stranglers’ albums you should definitely own’ had ‘10‘ as ‘one to avoid’. Loudersound listens to the crowd and offered little new, going with the usual suspects of the first four albums as the four best.
So I thought I’d turn things on their head and write my love letter to ‘10‘.
Why is it so hated? Why is it referred to as ‘simply stale and boring.’ And why did no track from ‘10‘ feature on the recent 50th anniversary tour? Are there no redeeming features? Well, yes, there are. And here, with – hopefully – an, at times, wry take on it is my paean to the final moments of the Classic Stranglers Line-Up*.
Released in March 1990, on Epic Records, ‘10‘ peaked at No 15 (just five short of that magic number) and spent four weeks in the album chart. It came nearly four years after ‘Dreamtime‘ and was, er, eagerly awaited.
The Stranglers in 1990 – courtesy of The Stranglers (Official)
When I have a moment to spin a disc or play a CD what is one of my go-to Stranglers albums to play? Yes it’s ‘10‘. So why do I like it?
1. The cover. It’s amazing. All four members are dressed up as notable world leaders. JJ Burnel as Pope John Paul II, Margaret Thatcher and Benazir Bhutto…what’s not to like? Jet Black as Yasser Arafat and Joshua Nkomo – blacked up, he would be cancelled now. The Stranglers being daring as per usual.
2. The powerful bass sound. Roy Thomas Baker had famously produced Queen’s ‘A Night At The Opera‘ and was brought in to give the Stranglers a sound that might appeal to America, who lapped up Queen. Last throw of the dice? Christ, if The Clash could break the States why couldn’t the Guildford Four? Subsequent, post-Hugh Cornwell albums can be criticised for lacking bass but ‘10‘ delivers. Plus JJ, according to Hugh, had to do re-takes when RTB wasn’t happy with his playing. (Insert Meninblack laugh here). From the opening bar of ‘Someone Like You‘, there’s no escaping the four strings. It’s bass-centric. Don’t we love that bass sound Stranglers fans?
3. ‘Man of the Earth‘. What. A. Song. It’s right up there with the best. Easily comparable with ‘The Meninblack (Waitin’ For ‘Em)‘; ‘Enough Time‘; ‘Ain’t Nothin’ To It‘ and ‘Mad Hatter‘. Seriously, it’s a corker and among my faves (yes, don’t worry, I prefer ‘Something Better Change‘, I’m not that off the wall!). It was slated as the third single from the album but the label poo-poohed it. Could have saved the band if it was a hit. I blame Epic.
4. The singles. Imagine if ‘MOTE‘ was a single, following in the giddy footsteps of ‘96 Tears‘ and ‘Sweet Smell of Success‘. ‘96 Tears‘ has been covered by bands such as ? And the Mysterians and the single came…in a tin can. Genius marketing which made it hard to store among my collection. And ‘Sweet Smell of Success‘ became a single because of the reaction of fans on the tour as it was the set opener. It also came in 12” form and I love it because, the other day, I bought it for two quid and inside was a ‘10‘ poster signed by the band. Watch out eBay.
(The Stranglers also made a rather brilliant and quirky video for 96 Tears – ed.)
5. 10 was the TENTH album – original or what? – and featured 10 songs. The synergy is amazing. Just remember, doubters, that Pearl Jam’s ‘10‘ album was their debut. Why wasn’t it called One? And it has 11 tracks, albeit one is hidden. But the lack of synergy is breathtaking.
6. Gapless playback. Not an expression I would have used in 1990, but now made famous by Spotify. There are no gaps between the tracks, which means there is extra energy and momentum to the album. If only this had happened on ‘No More Heroes‘ – it would have elevated it no end.
7. Dave Greenfield‘s keyboards on ‘Someone Like You‘ – first aired on the tour before the album – with the swish at the end which could just go on for ever.
96 Tears in a tin – marketing genius or moment of madness?
8. ‘Too Many Teardrops‘. Another synergy moment. Too many teardrops is a lyric in ‘96 Tears‘ and is also a track. Pearl Jam never achieved these heights.
9. ‘Let’s Celebrate‘ does just that – makes you want to celebrate. I bounce around the living room when this song spins on my turntable. I love it and it is comparable to Robbie Williams’ ‘Millenium‘ moment – it should have been massively picked up by the TV incidental music boffins. The spoken section always sends shivers down my spine.
10. JJ name checks himself in ‘Where I Live‘, the first time – other than on Tits – that he has made it into a Stranglers song. Was he conscious of this and wanting to redress the balance before the inevitable split? Hugh had two under his belt – on ‘Choosey Susie‘ and ‘Something Better Change‘ – and Dave had one on ‘Go Buddy Go‘. So he must have felt left out. What better place to close the loop than on ‘10‘.
And that’s just 10 points I’ve made, without going on to mention the psychedelia – ‘In This Place‘ and ‘Out Of Mind‘ are spaced out, man. The brilliant closer ‘Never To Look Back‘ and the additional tracks and b-sides that fill out the CD re-issues.
In short, you may think I’m out of my mind, but Someone Like You should give this album a break. Instead Of This there’s only efforts like ‘Rattus Norvegicus‘, ‘The Raven‘, ‘Black and White‘ and ‘No More Heroes‘ that come anywhere near it.
Ok, it may have been the final nail in the classic Stranglers coffin, and the supporting tour was flat to say the least (I saw them at Southend and ‘flat’ was being kind. Certainly I wasn’t inspired to go to Ally Pally for THAT** gig, preferring a sunny side up day on Broadstairs beach). But throw away your prejudices, ignore the masses who pour scorn on the album because everyone-but-Hugh hated it, and give it a spin. Dare you!
*Note: Classic Line-Up is: Jet Black, JJ Burnel, Hugh Cornwell, Dave Greenfield. The original line-up is, of course: Jet Black, JJ Burnel, Hugh Cornwell, Hans Axel Wärmling.
** Hugh Cornwell’s final appearance with The Stranglers.
The Stranglers in 1989 – courtesy of The Stranglers (Official)
I’m Roger Kasper, 55. A punk since October 77 when the Stranglers rocked Top of the Pops with No More Heroes. Journalist since 1983 with stints on national newspapers and magazines and editor of local papers. I’m Gravesend born and dragged up I keep poultry, garden, run and generally make a nuisance of myself!
Two sets plus encores equally delighted both hardcore Stranglers fans and casual gig-goers
Punktuation’s Roger Kasper joined photographer Ruth Rae at The StranglersFifty Years In Black gig at Cambridge Corn Exchange on Wednesday 20 March, 2024 – here’s his review of the evening:
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a fucking great time tonight!” That’s Stranglers bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel as we near the end of an epic concert at the Corn Exchange. This is a JJ many longstanding fans have rarely seen. Not that he doesn’t enjoy gigs – but that he’s willing to go up to the microphone and say so.
We all agree, by the way. It’s been a groundbreaking and extraordinary gig from the start, when the traditional taped opening of ‘Waltzinblack‘ is jettisoned in favour of the moog intro to ‘Just Like Nothing On Earth‘.
Unusually they are playing two sets and the new Fab Four land at precisely 8pm for the first set dressed in black evening suits – posh Meninblack! Drummer Jim Macaulay is even sporting a tie.
Despite painstakingly avoiding Facebook posts and reviews which mention the setlists, I had stumbled over the first two numbers, ‘Hallow To Our Men‘ following is not the big surprise for me. It’s an edited version from the ‘Gospel According to the Meninblack‘ album but still feels meaty. Newbies to the Stranglers may have been slightly bemused by the opening two tracks – but there’ll be plenty of time for them to play catch up.
Time for JJ to take to the mic for the first time tonight and tell us what we knew – that we were all here to celebrate 50 years of the Stranglers (they were officially registered on 11 September 1974, Mastermind fans). And no, I didn’t get the Australian journalist question either.
“Not many bands can say that they’ve got to 50 years,” JJ says. “Imagine Taylor Swift celebrating her 50th year. Mind you, she’ll only be 54,” he jokes. He plays tribute to our dear departed friends Jet Black and Dave Greenfield (original Stranglers drummer and keyboardist) and will continue with a tuneful tribute to another departed friend later in the evening – ‘Dagenham Dave‘.
Now he’s back to the mic, this time on vocal duties for ‘The Raven‘ and then guitarist Baz Warne nudges him aside for ‘Baroque Bordello‘ from the same album. It sounds identical to the recent ‘TheMenInBlackInTokyo‘ live album.
The Stranglers JJ Burnel – Cambridge 2024
The band then break away from albums four and five and leap to album eight for ‘North Winds‘ from ‘Aural Sculpture‘ – JJ again on vocals. Has he got his confidence back?
Then it’s the first massive moment of the evening – keyboardist Toby Hounsham on lead vocals – just as Dave was – for ‘Genetix‘. He will feature again later on backing vocals, particularly on crowd pleasers ‘Always the Sun‘ and ‘Wild Stallion‘. A brilliant ‘Princess of the Streets‘ follows (JJ again), then ‘Breathe‘, ‘Hanging Around‘ and an incredible ‘Down In the Sewer‘, really powered through by Jim’s drums.
Phew. Time for a rest as men and women of a certain age head for a comfort break, listening to cover versions of the band’s main hits. Tori Amos’ ‘Strange Little Girl’ sounds particularly good over the speakers. Must give that a spin soon on my modest hif-fi.
It’s precisely 9.20pm. Strap yourselves in and let’s go again. Yes, it’s ‘Who Wants The World‘, the much ignored (by the record-buying public) single from the Meninblack era, which has not had much live play by the band since its release. ‘Time to Die‘ also rears its lovely head as fourth in the second set, rather than an opener.
Some of the usual suspects make up the second set, with noble exceptions being ‘Ships That Pass the Night‘ (electric rather than acoustic) and ‘Lost Control‘ from ‘Norfolk Coast‘. Baz takes the mic and mirthlessly mocks the audience sitting in the balcony (‘lazy bastards’ he jokes). “The real people are down here,” he says, as all hands at the front are raised. “I’ve only been in the Stranglers for 25 years but this is already my favourite venue,” he adds.
‘Threatened‘ sounded dancey, ‘Skin Deep‘ is always a joy, and ‘Relentless‘ is one of the best songs from the post-Hugh Cornwell era. ‘Golden Brown‘, ‘5 Minutes‘ and ‘Something Better Change‘ are mainstays that get an outing and the band leave the stage to an explosive ‘Tank‘.
The Stranglers Toby Hounsham and Baz Warne – Cambridge 2024
God it’s been an amazing evening. The sound is tip top. It’s like a force of nature, absolutely enveloping everyone in the packed hall. The light show has complemented the music perfectly. Not over-the-top like some shows – just pitched perfectly. Chandeliers at a Stranglers gig, eh? Who’d have thought that at the Red Cow in 1976.
And they’re back for an encore. The audience is exhausted by this marathon, but they still want more. “When Dave died during Covid I thought, ‘oh well, I’ve had a good run.’ But we discovered Dave’s clone, Toby. We even found a photo of them together from 30 years ago, although Toby looks like Jacob Rees-Mogg,” says JJ.
“So, it’s given us a few more years as I didn’t think Dave was replaceable.” And it’s true. There’s an even newer energy to the band and with JJ in fabulous martial arts shape – well, why rule out a 2025 tour?
The Stranglers Jim Macaulay – Cambridge 2024
“Now to mark our 50th, we’d like to play the oldest Stranglers song, written when times were more innocent. You could go to a dance, but you wouldn’t get a blow job. But now…” And JJ takes us into ‘Go Buddy Go‘, as the auditorium rocks in aproval – 2, 3, 4 we sing in unison – and then ‘No More Heroes‘ sees us off in brilliant style.
Is this the best Stranglers live era ever? Well, it’s certainly up there. The energy, the songs, the obvious great time they are having on stage, all transfers to us in the standing area – and even the balcony! As my mate Trev said: “They just keep taking things to a new level.” Let’s hope, as JJ says, we’ve got a few more years of them yet.
Main Photo Credit / All Photos and Videos: RUTH RAE
I’m Roger Kasper, 55. A punk since October 77 when the Stranglers rocked Top of the Pops with No More Heroes. Journalist since 1983 with stints on national newspapers and magazines and editor of local papers. I’m Gravesend born and dragged up I keep poultry, garden, run and generally make a nuisance of myself!
Tony Visconti recreates the cover of Ziggy Stardust in February 2007. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire/Alamy
The legendary record producer turns 80 on 24th April 2024 – here are some of his greatest works and collaborations.
Anthony Edward Visconti was born in New York on 24th April 1944, where he pursued a career as a session musician, gradually moving into production. In 1968, he was invited to come to England to produce the jazz musician Georgie Fame, and from then on, Visconti was behind some of the most important records of the 1970s.
His work with Marc Bolan led to a lasting partnership with David Bowie, which stretched from the singer’s self-titled 1969 album, through to his very last work, Blackstar, in 2016.
Here are some of Tony Visconti’s greatest – and most interesting – production credits.
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World (1970)
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World album artwork. Picture: Press
Viscoti helped Bowie make the transition from earnest hippy folkie to glam rock icon on this ground-breaking album, which cranked up the guitars with help from the legendary Mick Ronson. Bowie would refine the formula on his Ziggy Stardust album.
T. Rex – Electric Warrior (1971)
T. Rex – Electric Warrior album artwork. Picture: Alamy
One of Visconti’s first productions on arriving in Britain was for Marc Bolan’s acoustic duo Tyrannosaurus Rex and their debut album My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair… But Now They’re Content To Wear Stars on Their Brows. As with Bowie, Visconti was instrumental in helping Bolan change from folk hippy to electric rock god and the 1971 album Electric Warrior spawned the hits Get It On and Jeepster, ushering the glam rock movement.
In amongst his productions for David Bowie, Visconti also found time to collaborate with the American brothers Russell and Ron Mael, who’d had a major UK hit in 1974 with This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us. For their fifth album – and their last with the UK backing musicians that had appeared on the albums Kimono My House and Propaganda – the Maels employed Visconti to realise some of their more elaborate ideas. The songs run from art rock (Happy Hunting Ground) to swing jazz (Looks Looks Looks), string quartets (Under The Table With Her) and even the sound of a marching band (Get In The Swing).
Iggy Pop – The Idiot (1977)
Iggy Pop – The Idiot album artwork. Picture: Press
When David Bowie threw off the distractions and temptatons of sleazy Los Angeles in the summer of 1976, he hooked up with his old friend Iggy Pop, whose own band The Stooges had crashed and burned spectacularly some years earlier. The pair decided to move to Berlin and work on a series of albums between them. The first to be recorded – but which actually was released after Bowie’s Low – was The Idiot, and with Tony Visconti in the studio, the team teased a nuanced performance from the wild man of rock.
David Bowie – „Heroes“ (1977)
David Bowie – „Heroes“ album artwork. Picture: Alamy
It’s a common misconception that Brian Eno produced Bowie’s „Berlin Trilogy“ – while Eno’s influence on the trio of albums (Low, „Heroes“ and Lodger) was considerable, it was actually Tony Visconti who manned the recording desk. His expertise came into play with Low’s unqique drum sound and was never more in evidence on the reamrkable way that Visconti recorded Bowie’s vocal on the title track of „Heroes“.
The Stranglers – La Folie (1981)
The Stranglers – La Folie album artwork. Picture: Alamy
Once known for their lewd, crude take on punk, The Stranglers had been steadily expanding their psychedelic sound over the previous couple of years. Their image changed completely with the Visconti-mixed La Folie, which gave the world the delicate waltz Golden Brown. Produced by the band and engineer Steve Churchyard, Visconti mixed the tracks accordingly, giving the band their biggest hit.
The Seahorses – Do It Yourself (1997)
The Seahorses – Do It Yourself album artwork. Picture: Press
In the Britpop era, Tony Visconti was rightly feted as a production genius and he helmed the only studio album from John Squire’s post-Stone Roses group The Seahorses. Visconti applied his knowledge of recording fine rock guitarists to songs like Love Is The Law and Blinded By The Sun.
Manic Street Preachers – Lifeblood (2004)
Manic Street Preachers – Lifeblood album artwork. Picture: Press
More beneficiaries of Tony Visconti’s technical know-how were the Manics, who produced three tracks on their 2004 album Lifeblood: Emily, Solitude Sometimes Is and Cardiff Afterlife.
Morrissey – Ringleader of The Tormentors (2006)
Morrissey – Ringleader of The Tormentors album artwork. Picture: Press
Moz was a huge admirier of Bowie, so it was no surprise that he worked on this album with Tony Visconti. Recorded in Rome, the record include the singles You Have Killed Me and The Youngest Was The Most Loved. Visconti called it one of the „best albums I have worked on“, and the finished article featured a string arrangement from il maestro Ennio Morricone.
David Bowie – Blackstar (2016)
David Bowie – Blackstar album artwork. Picture: Press
Visconti rejoined Bowie for 2013’s surprise comeback The Next Day and was with the superstar for his final work. The album is obviously tainted by Bowie’s death mere days after its appearance, but the songs bear witness to the pair’s unique collaboration on tracks like Lazarus and I Can’t Give Everything Away.
Whatever happened to all the heroes? All the Shakespearoes? They watched their Rome burn.
50 years. This was my 23rd outing seeing The Stranglers and like every time for the past ten, I wonder if it will be my last. Sure, they’ve survived and thrived since the departure of Hugh Cornwell 34 years ago. And that’s a statement to their longevity itself, despite a small number who still believe that is when the band ended. Heck, even a recent episode of TV’s Mastermind had a contestant whose specialist subject was The Stranglers, but only 1974 to 1990. Come on, if they were real fans, they would acknowledge The Stranglers are as strong now as ever. Certainly better live with Baz Warne, currently with the band for 24 years (far longer than Cornwell) and playing to huge, sell-out crowds.
They have also survived the 1990s doldrums, then survived the retirement of the late Jet Black, and finally, survived the death of Dave Greenfield which I thought they’d never get past. But there they still are. Entertaining and taking me to heaven. Like they have done throughout all the incarnations. And I have seen the lot. I know it will one day end, but as long as Jean-Jaques Burnell is willing and able, I hope to always have just one more tour. And along with Warne, Jim Macaulay and Toby Hounsham, JJ still delivers the magic, this time on tour taking more of the forefront than recent years in engaging with the audience.
For the 50 Years in Black tour, there was no support, just two packed sets from the guys lasting well over two hours. Starting with Just Like Nothing on Earth, we then had for the first time of my hearing, the final track from The Gospel According to the Men in Black in Hallow to Our Craft. JJ dedicated The Raven to Dave and Jet before continuing in a wide spectrum of classics, all familiar and intimate to me and ending the initial set with Hanging Around and Down in the Sewer. Nice to see Toby take on DG’s role of vocals in Genetix as well.
After a short break, the ante was well and truly upped, entering to the staple Waltz in Black before Who Wants the World, Dagenham Dave and Duchess. Then, Peaches, Golden Brown, Always the Sun, Something Better Change, Five Minutes and Tank, they were all there (Strangely, no Grip, though). We also had White Stallion from their most recent studio album, Dark Matters, as well as Relentless, which I believe is the most played post Hugh song at gigs these days.
Then, returning for an encore which everybody knew would happen (besides, we know where they live), the band finished with the song billed as The Stranglers oldest track in Go Buddy Go before the regular finisher and No More Heroes. I am always thankful that I still do have my heroes and pray that continues just a little longer at least. What an amazing gig from an amazing band.
Antony N Britt (calls himself Nick, to be awkward) is the author of horror novels: Finding Jessica and Dead Girl Stalking, plus, short story collection: Ghost Stories. All page-turning tale that slaps you in the face when you least expect it. He lives in Walsall in a house full of CDs, videos, books and many unread pieces of paper which may hold the secret to eternal life, but are most probably pizza menus.
The ultimate gang of punk outriders, The Stranglers never bothered to endear themselves to the mainstream public or the music press. Early gigs often saw mass walkouts and punch-ups. In 1975, two years before their debut single, Melody Maker sneered that “the only sense in which The Stranglers could be considered new wave is that no one had the gall to palm off this rubbish before”. It’s a put-down that sounds even more risible today, given a catalogue with some 23 hit singles and 19 Top 40 albums.
Forged in the unforgiving pub-rock climate of the early 70s, the band’s combative attitude aligned them to the punk scene without ever being a part of it. This pariah status was due partly to their un-punk backgrounds. Drummer Jet Black was a former ice-cream manufacturer who was already nearing 40; keyboard player Dave Greenfield had been in a prog rock group; bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel was a classically trained guitar player; singer/guitarist Hugh Cornwell was a former biochemist and lab rat.
Yet it was their very separateness that made them special. They refused to follow any codes but their own, and their repertoire found room for arsey post-punk, prog, jazz, avant-garde noise, sophisticated balladry and exquisite pop. The band were capable of being spiky, boorish and arrogant one minute, then smart, intellectual and humane the next.
They formed as the Guildford Stranglers in 1974. Support slots with Patti Smith and the Ramones introduced them to a wider punk audience, while a balance of quality and productivity (their first three albums span just 13 months) brought a loyal following of their own. “More hard-core punks definitely didn’t like us,” Burnel remarked later.
A lesser band may have folded after Cornwell’s departure in August 1990, the singer leaving in somewhat acrimonious circumstances and declaring them a spent force. But The Stranglers pressed on, albeit less successfully at first, with new vocalist Paul Roberts and ex-Vibrators guitarist John Ellis.
They eventually slimmed back to a quartet in 2006, the three original members augmented by guitarist/singer Baz Warne. The COVID-19-related death of Greenfield in 2020 was followed by Black’s passing two years later – after a long period of ill health – but the band’s modified lineups continue to serve them well, and a 50th anniversary tour kicks off next month.
Bridging the gap between pub-rock and new wave, The Stranglers’ debut was a brutal assault on the senses, taking on all-comers and refusing to adhere to membership of any hip London scene. Dave Greenfield’s post-Seeds keyboards and Jean-Jacques Burnel’s bass sketch a trademark sound that was far more musically savvy than most of their peers.
The sneery grunt of Hugh Cornwell only added to the band’s take-no-prisoners allure. And while it’s still difficult to forgive some lyrical misogyny redemption comes in the shape of such magnificent missives as (Get A) Grip (On Yourself), Hanging Around and Peaches.
The experimental minimalism of the band’s third album signalled a subtle change of direction. Witness the outre waltz of Outside Tokyo, or Toiler On The Sea which sounds like a post-punk approximation of The Shadows.
The fluid time signatures of Curfew owe a debt to the anti-pop of Devo; Hey! (Rise Of The Robots) is a frenetic thing with squawky sax (from X Ray Spex girl Lora Logic); Nice‘N’Sleazy is a wonderfully tart, satirical cousin of Sinatra’s Nice’N’Easy (his lawyers supposedly threatened to sue the label).
A bonus seven-inch included a startling cover of Dionne Warwick’s Walk On By that took Bacharach & David into superannuated Doors territory.
Fearful that the band’s volatility might cause them to self-combust at any time, United Artists ensured that The Stranglers’ second album was in the shops just five months after their debut.
The mighty Something Better Change, an antagonistic take on the punk revolution, fired by Cornwell at his shoutiest, was one of three tunes salvaged from the Rattus sessions. The title track was an irresistible spurt of adrenalin with a clear message: don’t follow idols.
Dead Ringer took a hatchet to the ‘street’ pretensions of middle-class punks; the contemptuous School Mam was partly inspired by Cornwell’s brief tenure as a teacher.
Largely written in the Italian enclave of Perugia, The Raven was informed by the band’s travels and came loaded with symbolism. Most notably on Meninblack, which rubber-stamped The Stranglers’ monochrome image. Essentially it’s another song played at half-speed (potential single Two Sunspots).
Swedish maverick Joh Bjelke-Petersen, who once tried to set up his own republic in Australia, was the inspiration for the biting Nuclear Device. Another standout is Don’t Bring Harry, a spare commentary on the seductive pull of smack that sounds like a corollary to the Velvet Underground’s Heroin.
By the mid-80s the band’s sound had become almost unrecognisable from the petulant clatter that had made their name in the punk era. This eighth album was a welcoming upgrade from the icy electronic motifs of predecessor Feline, offering instead a warm textural palette of acoustic guitars, ripe harmonies and a three-piece horn section.
The sense of refinement is perhaps best exemplified by Top 20 hit Skin Deep and Let Me Down Easy. Die-hard fans may baulk at the lack of aggressive machismo, but there’s much to admire in the burnished melodies of No Mercy, Souls and Spain, a highlight of which is Greenfield’s organ break.
The band often struggled to find a signature stamp for their post-Cornwell albums throughout the 90s, but they suddenly hit top form with Norfolk Coast, their first album in six years.
New guitarist Baz Warne appeared to be a catalyst of sorts, helping them land their first Top 40 hit in over a decade with Big Thing Coming, and injecting fire into rabble-rousing nuggets like I Don’t Agree and Lost Control.
The others hardly slouch either. Burnel, in particular, unleashes some of the most belligerent bass lines of his career, while also sharing vocals on the record with departing singer Paul Roberts.
The closest The Stranglers ever got to a full-on prog album, their fifth record is an abstract concept piece that addresses conspiracy theories and the notion of aliens living among us.
Biblical portents abound, most strikingly on Second Coming, a song whose message suggests that, should Jesus indeed return to earth at any point in the future, he is likely to be rejected out of hand.
In the almost total absence of guitars, synths and electronic effects dominate, be it on the very strange Manna Machine or the fairground-like Waltzinblack. Although it’s Cornwell’s favourite Stranglers record, few bought it.
After the avant-garde nature of The Gospel According To The Meninblack, with La Folie the band returned to more commercial climes. Studio mixer Tony Visconti was reportedly instructed to treat each song as if it were a hit single, and that he duly delivered with the remarkable Golden Brown.
The track finds Dave Greenfield’s elegant melodicism to the fore, as Cornwell delivers lyrics about what makes him happy, namely heroin and his Mediterranean girlfriend.
Elsewhere, there’s the terrific The Man They Love To Hate, the Gainsbourg-ish smoulder of Burnel’s title track and the addictive Non Stop, a perverse ditty with an ecclesiastical bent.
It was thoroughly heartening to discover that The Stranglers were still capable of delivering quality product nearly 40 years down the line.
Burnel and Warne divvy up the vocals on this 17th studio album, which plays around with a variety of styles – blues, punk, classic rock and even a dash of tango – while imprinting the whole thing with a salty malevolence.
The nuanced oddness of tracks like Lowlands and the jazz-countryish My Fickle Resolve is offset by the strident rhythm of standouts Another Camden Afternoon and Freedom Is Insane. There’s nostalgia here too, Burnel bemoaning the lack of latter-day heroes on the title track.
As it hardly represents the cream of The Stranglers’ work, it’s perhaps unfair to single out any one album from the Paul Roberts/ John Ellis era as an example of the band’s artistic nadir. In terms of the classic line-up, then, that has to be 10.
Roy Thomas Baker’s big production certainly doesn’t help, filling most of the available space with a brass section. The record’s best moment is a fairly faithful cover of Question Mark & The Mysterians’ old garage classic 96 Tears. The rest of it suffers from a dearth of decent originals. Cornwell clearly thought he’d hit a creative wall too, opting to quit the group five months after the album’s release.
Freelance writer for Classic Rock since 2008, and sister title Prog since its inception in 2009. Regular contributor to Uncut magazine for over 20 years. Other clients include Word magazine, Record Collector, The Guardian, Sunday Times, The Telegraph and When Saturday Comes. Alongside Marc Riley, co-presenter of long-running A-Z Of David Bowie podcast. Also appears twice a week on Riley’s BBC6 radio show, rifling through old copies of the NME and Melody Maker in the Parallel Universe slot. Designed Aston Villa’s kit during a previous life as a sportswear designer. Geezer Butler told him he loved the all-black away strip.
Known as “The Old Men Of Punk” The Strangers transcended the genre’s limitations and parody of itself both before and after the late 70s. Tonight was a celebration of 50 years of The Stranglers, or Guildford Stranglers as they were originally called.
It’s clear that The Stranglers have an affection for their audience, and they received loyal fans in the crowd with open arms and lots of banter, noting that the Concert Hall is a step up from Rock City which “we all love”… but not the toilets. Yes, everyone has a Rock City story.
It was strange to have a sit down gig for The Stranglers, but then the audience are also showing their age. “Old punks don’t fade away they just get bigger with enlarges prostate,” they joked.
There were two sets, the first of newer stuff and then a break for the bar and a second for the hits. The night was a celebration of their songs over those fifty years and included their first ever song, a rough rock and roll tune.
Most people stayed seated during the first half but there was no stopping them later. Not quite an eruption – more an Icelandic lava flow, no less passionate but just a lot slower with age.
Hideously dark with biting sarcasm and insight, The Stranglers were always different, but hearing such a range of their songs tonight across their five decades, you realised just how different they were from other bands at the time and yet they fitted into the genres, if not entirely seamlessly.
Unlike a lot of their contemporaries they were already accomplished musicians and songwriters, and played their strengths to the full. Always the same, always different is an apt description stolen from John Peel’s description of The Fall.
Nowhere is this more apparent than with Peaches, a relentless dub funk, down-beat drawn, with the altered line “I could be on the end of a skewer in the toilets at Rock City.“ They clearly love the place really…
It also saw four young men meet in a pub in Guilford, Surrey, which would result in one of the most influential and creative bands of the punk/new wave era being formed.
Fifty years later, The Stranglers are still going strong and are in the middle of a 13-date tour to celebrate this incredible achievement.
They wanted their golden anniversary tour to be special, visiting iconic venues that meant something to them and to deliver sets that reflected five decades of their music.
The Cambridge Corn Exchange was always going to be high on the list of venues considered, being one of their favourites.
Cambridge has served them well over the years, they performed at the venue back in 1977 on their first national tour and have been regular visitors ever since.
On Wednesday evening their loyal following ensured another sell out and welcomed them back onto the stage.
Of course, there have been changes to the line up over the years. Vcalist/guitarist Baz Warne joked that he has only been in band for 25 years, but he brings all the snarl and menace you would expect, plus some great Mackem banter too.
Bassist/vocalist Jean-Jacques Burnel has been ever-present. The deep, powerful bass lines he creates are simply wonderful and at times he has them reverberating right through you. “Can you feel that?” he quipped – yes JJ we could!
Tributes were paid to former band members, drummer Jet Black and Dave Greenfield, both of whom sadly passed away in recent years.
Dave lived locally, in the village of Somersham, and was a victim of the pandemic back in 2020.
His skills on the keyboard were incredible, helping create the unique sound of The Stranglers and it was clear to see how much he meant to them.
With Jim Macaulay on drums and Toby Hounsham on keyboards, the band have found worthy replacements.
JJ referred to Toby as a “Dave clone who he would be proud of” and you can hear why.
They walked onto the stage for the first of two sets, below three beautiful chandeliers and resplendent in dinner jackets – trademark black of course – but very unlike the Stranglers we have all grown to know.
However, given we were all about to embark on a golden celebration it seemed somewhat fitting.
They blasted through a 10-track set, which concluded with a stunning version of Down in the Sewer, taken from their debut album.
Set two saw them return to the stage, chandeliers still in place, but gone were the DJ’s and they were straight back into action, delivering another 18 songs which finished with their classic No More Heroes.
Fifty golden years, particular in this industry, is something to be proud of and should be celebrated in the appropriate way.
It is also a huge catalogue of songs to choose from and the sets were a great representation of what they have produced and how far they have come over that time.
So, if you were going along expecting a greatest hits tribute, you may have left a little disappointed.
These shows were always going to be far more than that – they were billed as a golden celebration and that is exactly what was delivered, an incredible 50-year journey crammed into a quite brilliant two and a half hours.
“See you in another 50 years” laughed Baz as the Meninblack left the stage for the final time!
The Stranglers – Cambridge Corn Exchange – 20 March 2024. Photo: Robert Adams/MetalTalk
Most of The Stranglers celebratory 50th anniversary UK tour is sold out, including this almost homecoming show in Cambridge. Yes, I am aware that they were formed in Guildford before the comments came flooding in. But when JJ Burnel, the last Maninblack standing from the original lineup, states that Cambridge is a homecoming show of sorts for The Stranglers as both JJ and the sadly departed Dave Greenfield lived in and around Cambridge for a number of years, you don’t argue with him.
The beautiful Corn Exchange fills up nicely with a mostly mature audience clad in every conceivable range of Stranglers tour shirts from years past. There is also quite a healthy representation of the under-30s present in the sold-out crowd.
At 8 pm on the dot, the support band takes to the stage resplendent in black suits and black shirts, with the guitarist sporting a gold Telecaster. Yes, The Stranglers are tonight’s support act. The first set is a selection of rarely played Stranglers songs.
They kick off proceedings with two songs from The Gospel According To The Meninblack, Just Like Nothing On Earth and Hallow to Our Man. Both tracks haven’t been seen on The Stranglers stage since the ’80s.
The Raven is next up, and JJ dedicates the song to his departed brothers, Jet Black and Dave Greenfield. It’s a touching moment.
The stage set is a perfect example of subdued elegance. A plain black backdrop with three glittering chandeliers hanging from the rig with six huge lights set across the stage and several varilights cutting swathes of colour over proceedings.
The Stranglers let their songs do the talking for them, rather than a bells and whistles live show with video screens, lasers and explosions. Genetix, from The Raven album, gets a rare airing with “new” keyboard player Toby Hounsham taking Dave Greenfield’s lead vocal duties and doing a wonderful job.
Breathe, from the Dark Matters album, gets its live debut, and it is a thing of beauty. The first set closes with two better-known songs, Hanging Around and Down In The Sewer.
The band leave the stage for a 20-minute break after a compelling set that more than pleases the Stranglers faithful.
The Stranglers – Cambridge Corn Exchange – 20 March 2024. Photo: Robert Adams/MetalTalk
The dulcet tones of Waltzinblack herald the start of the main set, followed by Who Wants The World and Dagenham Dave. The hits come thick and fast, and you soon realise that the “punk” label the band were lumbered with is grossly misleading. If anything, The Stranglers are a fantastic rock band with few challengers.
Duchess, Peaches, Skin Deep, Always The Sun and even Golden Brown more than prove that The Stranglers are as far away from punk as a band can get. They might have had a sneering punk attitude back in the day, but musically, not one of their punk peers could hold a candle to them.
One of the many highlights of an incredible show was White Stallion from Dark Matters. The song is epic in scale and sound, and with the elegant staging, it is taken to new heights.
Something Better Change and Tank close out the set before the band returns for their obligatory encore. They play the oldest Stranglers song, Go Buddy Go, with its infectious pub rock groove before saying goodnight with a glorious run-through of No More Heroes.
Not many bands are still going after 50 years. Granted, JJ Burnel is the sole survivor from the original lineup, but that’s not his fault.
When two original members die, and original singer and guitarist Hugh Cornwell quit the band in 1990, saying he didn’t want to be playing Stranglers songs in his 60s, JJ has every right to keep The Stranglers flag flying. Cornwell is now 74, and guess what? He’s still playing Stranglers songs with his solo band.
Baz Warne tells us he’s only been in The Stranglers for 25 years, and he is a major reason that the band is not only surviving but also thriving.
Tonight, The Stranglers prove they are still more than relevant and are playing better than ever.
SET ONE
Just Like Nothing On Earth Hallow To Our Men The Raven Baroque Bordello North Winds Genetix Princess Of The Streets Breathe Hanging Around Down In The Sewer
SET TWO
Waltzinblack Who Wants The World Dagenham Dave Duchess Time To Die Ships That Pass In The Night Peaches Threatened Skin Deep Always The Sun Golden Brown Relentless 5 Minutes
Legendary rockers The Stranglers showed their timeless energy as they celebrated 50 years together by performing an unforgettable two-and-a-half-hour set to a sold-out Manchester crowd.
Whilst the group has undergone many iterations and produced a variety of albums hitting different genres, the group remained as popular as ever by captivating three generations of fans in their 19-album catalogue.
Originating from Guildford, the band grew in popularity during the Post-Punk era of the 70s but have since transcended the boundaries of their genres, with their idiosyncratic approach meaning they explored New Wave, Art Rock and Gothic Rock during their five-decade tenure.
Their ability to dabble in numerous genres was notable through keyboardist, Dave Greenfield, who passed away in 2020. Whether that be the melodic hook, moody organs or a captivating keys solo, his presence was undeniably massive within the group
But original bassist Jean-Jaques Burnel, along with Baz Warne, Jim Macaulay and Toby Hounsham, have successfully carried the flame for the band and controlled the stage of Ardwick’s art deco Apollo to 3500 adoring rockers with ease.
The band has been infamous for off-stage dramatics, including being thrown out of Sweden twice, brawls and gaffer-taping a journalist to the Eiffel Tower, but this performance showed they’ve matured from their early years and put their breadth of experience to good use.
The set consisted of 28 songs, and the quartet masterfully navigated through 14 of their albums, including Hallow To Their Men, performed for the first time since 1981.
Chants erupted around the venue as those in attendance were desperate for The Stranglers to take the stage.
When they did, the group donned head to toe in black as they prepared for their first set. The only group worthy of supporting them is The Stramglers themselves.
Formed in Guildford, The Stranglers celebrate their 50th anniversary with a nationwide tour.
Whilst there was little talking between each song, they do have to get through 28 songs, Burnel took the time to dedicate the third song of the set, The Raven, to former drummer Jet Black and Greenfield.
Even though this song was the only one specifically dedicated to the former band members who have passed, the whole evening felt that it was performed for those members; as without them, a five-decade history wouldn’t have been achievable.
Their electrifying energy made performing this hefty show a breeze as they performed all of their timeless classics alongside their obscure back catalogue, which doesn’t often get heard.
Regardless of whether it was a current track or one from 40 years ago, the consistency within the performance came from Burnel’s sensational bass playing, which coursed through all the tracks. The way he can manufacture the bass is pretty remarkable. It is no wonder he has been a highly-regarded musician for so long.
Bassist Jean-Jaques Burnel is the only remaining original member from the post-punk outfit.
The commanding and powerful performance from the frontman was laid down through his sensational guitar solo throughout Princess of the Streets, layered with his gravelly voice, which effortlessly carried throughout the venue.
But the crowd control during Breathe from their most recent album, which topped off the first set and firmly placed the Apollo under the spell of the quartet.
This was reaffirmed all the more apparent after moving into the fan favourite, Hanging Around, from their second release in 1977. This managed to recapture the crowd after playing more obscure hits, which garnered the biggest cheer from the audience.
After returning to the stage for a second time, they ensured those in attendance were not left desiring more, as it was a consistent stream of banger after banger.
There were euphoric chats of ‘God Forbid’, which were constant throughout Duchess and rang around the cavernous venue.
The Stranglers took to the stage to perform their second set, which consisted of some of their biggest tracks.
The rampant display continued when the band performed Skin Deep. The Mancunian crowd were barely given a moment to breathe as we were plunged straight into Always The Sun. The crowd, in unison, bellowed the chorus back to the legendary punk-rockers.
The audience was then teased with the distinct harpsichord melody to Golden Brown. The crowd briefly braced themselves for what was guaranteed to be the best performance of the night, and to no surprise, it captured the excitement of everyone in the venue.
Whilst they may have mellowed and matured since their formation, their immature tendencies still rang true after the lead singer Warne provoked those standing in the Apollo by branding them ‘lazy bastards’ before pointing to those standing stating ‘These are where the real fans are’, which was swiftly followed with a mixture of boos and cheers.
In true Stranglers fashion, their set concluded with No More Heroes,and the feel-good anthem fitting concluded the show, with a band showing they haven’t lost that touch to enthral an audience after so many years.
A band which has stood the test of time allowed the Mancs to revel in their history with them with this mammoth setlist. But this wasn’t a band who had just survived, as they laid down a stamp of authority of why they’re one of the greatest bands from the Post-Punk era. They’ve aged like fine wine.
The only thing left to address was Warne closing off with: “See you in another 50 years.”
And those who experienced this masterclass hope that is the case.
We chat to singer and guitarist Baz Warne about returning to Cornwall, the loss of founder members Dave Greenfield and Jet Black, and their most successful album for 40 years
The Stranglers are returning to Cornwall to headline The Great Estate – Baz Warne is pictured second right
It’s almost ten years since The Stranglers last played in Cornwall and there will be no better time to pogo again when the punk originators headline The Great Estate at Scorrier House at the end of May. This year marks 50 years since they formed and they’re touring again off the back of their most successful album in 40 years.
I chatted to co-frontman Baz Warne, who’s been the guitarist for the MenInBlack for almost a quarter of a century now. Fittingly for a band that terrified audiences in the 1970s, the Sunderland singer looks hard as nails, but in reality he’s a bit of a pussycat and he loves Cornwall, which is a bonus. In fact, one coastal town has a special place in the band’s collective heart.
Is this the last hurrah for The Stranglers as has been reported? „There’s been a bit of misunderstanding about this in the press in the last few months – we never said we wouldn’t tour again, we just said we wouldn’t do any big ones. Originally the idea was that we wouldn’t do any more large tours in one go. Traditionally we’d sometimes do 25 to 35 shows on a British tour, going everywhere, and it was knackering.“
Well, you’re not getting any younger are you? „Aye, well that’s very true. Thanks for pointing that out. Funnily enough, on this upcoming tour in March I turn 60 and I was 36 when I joined The Stranglers, so I’ve been in the band a long time. In our world a tour is when you go out and you don’t go home again until it’s finished. What we’re doing during the summer isn’t really a tour, it’s one-off festival gigs.“
The band last played in Cornwall, at Tunes In The Dunes, in 2016 with several gigs at the Cornwall Coliseum in the 1980s (my first Stranglers experience was a right rollicking night there in 1986) and before that they played during the zenith of punk at the Winter Gardens in Penzance in March 1977. There was even an odd one among the rollercoasters at Flambards in Helston 20 years ago and who could forget their co-headline set with Motorhead at the Eden Sessions in 2015?
„We haven’t played in Cornwall for quite a while, so we’re really looking forward to coming down,“ said Baz, who reminisced about the time he and bass player, singer and original member Jean-Jacques Burnel encamped to Cornwall to write one of their albums.
„We lived in a house on the beach in Looe for about three months in 2005 where we wrote a massive part of the Suite XVI album, so we’ve got a bit of an affinity with Cornwall. There were the Looe festivals we did on the beach, one of which was touch and go whether we’d even play because it was so wet.
„We were all sitting in the hotel room in Looe waiting for the phone to ring for someone to say yay or nay. There were about 5,000 people on the beach in the chucking down rain and we finally got a call to say it was safe. Everything that’s supposed to be protected from the water is protected from the water. So went down and it was magnificent – it was a really good show.“
It’s been a huge rollercoaster for the band with the deaths of founder members keyboard player Dave Greenfield in 2020 and drummer Jet Black in 2022, but also the massive success of their last album, Dark Matters, which was released in 2021. It must have been such a strange time.
„Yeah you could say that,“ said Baz. „When lockdown initially started, because Dave was 70 at the time, he was automatically instructed to be restricted to the house. He was going up the wall, he couldn’t even go up the pub which was a big thing for Dave, part of his daily routine was to go and have a jar and natter with all the old fellas in his village.
„We got the call that he’d been rushed into hospital for other health reasons but unfortunately he contracted Covid while he was in there and that’s what took him. When I heard the news I switched my phone off for about three weeks and had no contact with anyone because it was so upsetting. It was devastating.
„When I switched my phone back on there was literally smoke coming out of it with the messages. JJ was the same. We did say ‘what are we going to do?’ There was talk of maybe not doing anymore because how do you replace someone like Dave Greenfield?“
He added: „Then we found a guy who had posted a little tribute up online who was a phenomenal keyboard player. Toby Hounsham was known to the band because Dave was his hero. We asked him to join but we couldn’t get together for a year because of the pandemic. When we first played together it was quite an emotional thing because he was playing Dave’s keyboard rig. It was bittersweet to say the least.
„He’s been received like a conquering hero by fans. I think God must be a Stranglers fan to deliver Toby to us because we couldn’t have found a better guy who fits in amazingly.“
On Jet’s passing, Baz said: „He was in his mid to late 80s and had had a wonderful, fulfilling life. I was very pleased to speak to him about ten days before he passed away. He was chipper and then he slipped away in his sleep in his little cottage in Wales with his loved ones around him – the ideal way to go.“
JJ Burnel of The Stranglers at Tunes in the Dunes in 2016
The band are looking forward to 2024, which has started with a current UK tour and then some summer festival dates, including The Great Estate in Cornwall alongside the likes of The Darkness and Soul II Soul.
„This year is the 50th year and we’ve sold the Albert Hall out in one day, so we must still be doing something right,“ said Baz. „There was a lot of emotion and curiosity attached to Dark Matters obviously – Dave is on about eight of the 11 tracks but we had to finish it without him.
„The songs stand up and I think we were really pleased and flattered that it got the attention it deserved and became the first Top 5 album for The Stranglers for nearly 40 years. Even though there is only one original member of the band left, it seems that people just want to come along and hear those songs and celebrate.“
I think the songs and the name The Stranglers is bigger than any member now.
„That’s exactly right. Dare I use the word ‘brand’, which I hate, but there’s no getting away from it, I guess that’s what it is. In May we’re having a rare sojourn to the United States – we don’t play in America very often anymore. Apparently everyone is just waiting to see us, so we’re looking forward to the coming year.“
What can we expect in Cornwall?
„Well, we’ve got 18 albums to draw from. There are songs that you are expected to play and you can’t get away from – we all know what they are – but we like to mix it up and surprise people. When you play a festival you look down and a lot of the audience are kids who know the songs but might not be sure who they’re by. You see them going ‘oh, this is them!’ It’s still nice to convert and initiate people after all these years.“
I finished off by telling Baz that I have an affinity with the band. Apart from loving them since 1982, my aunt was one of a bunch of strippers who took to the stage at a notorious Stranglers concert in Battersea Park in 1978.
„You should get privileged passes for life for that.“ I’ll hold Baz to that.
For more details about The Great Estate and how to buy tickets to see The Stranglers who headline the first night, Friday, May 31, head to the website.
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