The Stranglers original line-up live in Paris during 1979 The Raven Tour, the band perform Ice into Down in the Sewer featuring the classic rat walking by Hugh & JJ..... happy times hope all you meninblack ENJOY!
I'll say it once again: The Most Underrated Band in the history of British popular music. If the British media weren't so obsessed with appearing hip, and just focused on being honest, they might have treated The Stranglers over the years with the honesty and respect they deserve.
Yes but being punk was to be bad-mouthed in the press you see. They knew the press were a bunch of morons, so punk provided the alternative. They are still a bunch of morons of course, but the punks still sell records, which is more than some of these music journalists still sell in papers. Remember Golden Brown. They couldn't figure that out - lol.
We know it, Same with PiL, it's for the media to realise they get alot wrong, that's their problem if they're thick I wish Sewer wasn't played so much by them live', my problem
Jet Black was a professional Jazz drummer in his younger years. 40+ years old (or mid late 30's) he played this type of rock music when The Stranglers started out playing in the pubs. I saw The Stranglers around the mid 80's in my hometown of Santa Barbara, CA. at the Santa Barbara County Bowl. They opened up for Roxy Music, which I thought that was a bit odd. But still, both bands were phenomenal!!
I was there in CASCAIS, Portugal, in 1979. (Hall of Dramatico) my very first travel by train alone, I was 19... IOn my way back to Lisbon tocome back to Coimbra (100 km) kids strated throwing stones at the train... I got a stone on my forehead.. blood... got some stiches, walked to Lisbom from 4am to 9am. What an experience...Still have the scar at the age of 52 now! THANK YOU!
my father handed me down his 1979 stranglers tour t-shirt... well, ok.... i nicked it. Pride of my chest when i wear it. My dad was a lucky guy seeing all these groundbreaking late 70s bands live. it will break my heart if that shirt ever gets damaged.
I used to see them every Tuesday at the Nashville rooms in Kensington in the summer of '76, for free! They were great and such fun..... The highlights were this song, Walk On By and Go Buddy Go. Great memories! Jet Black was only 40 at the time, seemed ancient to us!
+David Jerome ..i saw them in '78, alas not for free, but i don't think i've ever spent a better two quid, a great night and went on to see them another 17 times in the original lineup.
These guys surpassed punk... Listen to this tune! Those keyboards, the repetitive trance jam. They were intimidating and slightly threatening. As much as I like the Pistols, they were cartoonish compared to the Stranglers
Once Vicious joined cartoonish was all they could be , they were great with Matlock , his bass lines would have made Bollocks even more of a classic . Not saying he was anywhere near JJ though .
If whoever just recommended this in the comments of a JJ interview reads this... Thank You . Brilliant . I was in a band in 80/81 that pretended we weren't trying to copy them but we were a bit shit . Such a cool Bass player (JJ , not ours)
This is the real Stranglers. My first gig was this four-piece back in 79 - Rattus Tour - at Lancaster University. Myself and two mates ending up on stage dancing along to 'em and they were cool with it of course. Two more encounters were the return gig at same Uni - The Raven Tour with THAT pyrotechnics which was featured on Tomorrows World. Next was The Hugh Cornwall benefit concert at The Rainbow - he was banged up for a mere dope offence. I was with the Factory Records crowd as Joy Division and Section 25 were supporting, great gig that with lots of stand-ins singing for Hugh.
My first ever live gig was The Stranglers at Lancaster University on this tour; I was 14. Next 2 gigs were The Clash and The Ramones at the same venue. Life changing stuff when you;re that age!
The best times of my life so far was had at the front of a Stranglers gig. And for me, JJ Burnell and Jet Black are the best rhythm section I ever heard. Thanks for posting a great reminder.
Hugh Cornwell had a special something channeling through him with this collection of souls, for sure. i had hoped his solo stuff would have a glimmer of this magic...upon 2nd and 3rd listen-thru of his Nosferatu album, i found it IS there, just a wee bit cloaked. and though the discog of his solo work may be, in its own right, good and solid, it ain't anywhere near his personality/presence in The Stranglers. tip-top male attractiveness. ooooozing. why? (probably because he's gonna surviiiiiive...!) 😉🥰
pound for pound this is a good a live performance by themeninblack that you will find.. i've followed them since '77 and had so many great moments and orgasms watching and listening to them.. the best band that will ever grace a stage..
Jarvis Cocker is a big Stranglers fan apparently. I remember he once played this on his sunday afternoon show on BBC6. Apparently Mr Greenfield is known in his house as 'The Arpeggiator'. I wish there was a Desert Island Discs show for the common man, the nobody like me'self. This would be the one I ran back into the sea to save, couldn't live without it.
Yeah, had to watch the video again...hard to believe it still gives me the chills 30 years after they recorded it...4 guys with out MacTools and all the other overdub shit that exists today....still my favorite band of all time and I find myself thinking of their songs DAILY! Walk good...
the dynamics between instruments is VERY audible and superbly intricate! happy that came across in the live recording. right left right left right left right left right left right left CENTER. ♡
Man I love this upload. Been a bit of a Dave Greenfield late afternoon stretching into the evening here. The cover is off the Hammond in many households tonight.
That was proper. Thank you for the posting. I had the times of my life losing my shit at the front of many Stranglers gigs at the back end of the 70's. That clip has left me feeling a bit nostalgic, but with a big smile on my face at the happy memories. Gotta love RU-vid.
Proof that there is no compatible replacement for Hugh. Unreal that this band never got the recognition in the US that it deserved. I still wear Strangler t-shirts; in even in "Hip" Minneapolis, nobody knows who they are! I tell people "If you have to ask who they are, it's too late to matter..."
Remember every bit from TV : Jet between glass plates, Hugh's ripped jacket, JJ going into the front rows..and of course a killer song brilliantly performed! Great memories, now in my favourites.
fantastic version!!! just listen (3'30-3'50) of the track, now we know where the Belew's style in 'discipline' grows up from ;)) bravo, Stranglers! mr.Cornwell - greatest respect!!!
Thriving footage of The Stranglers is so great to see. No matter how limited their major commercial visibility ~ when it was this well oiled they must have felt a great sense of power. In their own league for certain. Best!
Awesome. Really takes you for a dark ride this song. Love how JJ plays in the audience - what a treat eh!, and bashes his bass with such attitude at 6:57. Going to see Stranglers tonight in Belfast and this really gets me hyped for it.