As part of the Tough guys of Rock series. JJ Burnel leads the way with his karate chops and awesome bass playing he had a big part to play in the Stranglers sound and image.
I met j.j on 2 occasions when the stranglers played H.M.V in Birmingham some years back , and he came across as a good guy. He signed some of my stranglers stuff with no bother atall. I've met all stranglers past and present and every single one of them could not of been more respectful. They would certainly not of been people to cross though. I first seen the stranglers back in around 79 and the last time was 2022. They are without doubt the best live band I've ever seen . Long may they continue, because sadly one day their will be no more stranglers.....maybe then people will appreciate how brilliant they really were.
Saw him wade out into various big crowds - leapt off the stage, elbowed through the crush, which parted like the Red Sea, and proceeded to sort a spitting heckler out, no problem.
...Since childhood, Bass guitar was my best friend and refuge. When i first heard 'I'll Cry Instead' by The Beatles, I was 5 yrs. old. that Bass run-down told me Bass was the Shit. J.J.'s bass on 'The Raven' change my life. I bought all the albums. They became my Gods, Saw them at The Whiskey A-GoGo w/ rented equip. Bigger then Life.
Great video. I'm a Stranglers fan since 1977 and I've had the privilege of meeting JJ on a couple of occasions. Very down to earth guy. At one concert he took my son from the crowd and got him a chair and he watched fron the side of the stage. One small error JJ is 72 born 21st of February 1952. Great video. I've subscibed.
The incident with hugh Cornwell changed their relationship for ever and Cornwell left a few years later and they don't speak a shame because they were very close
I'm not a forgiving person either don't think I am quite as bad as Cornwall refusing to reconcile with JJ. I did read though that Hugh did consider more than once about re-joining The Stranglers on stage then backed out at last min. A shame for the die hard fans and why I don' t really care what Hugh does or says anymore.
@@imogenimeson664 JJ broke up the band by regularly using abusive behaviour towards Cornwall (and others, as in the video) to get his way. That's not Hugh's fault. As nice and cool as he is sober, he's a FC drunk. He caused the end of the Stranglers.
Seen them in 1977 at the Market Hall in Carlisle, they came on and only played two songs before fighting with each other and stomping off the stage, us, the crowd weren't happy.
The Stranglers made a lot of enemies. They get nowhere near the recognition they are owed. The fact that they are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a Badge of Honour. I imagine they would tell them to shove it.
What is this Rock 'n' roll Hall of Shame anyway? Why do some people talk about it in hushed, hallowed tones? It's a promotional racket, a self-serving business with only one aim... Make money. It suddenly appeared one day & people talked as if it had always been, always existed like some indelible mark of quality... It's music business PR gone up its own ass. You want awards & medals? Sport will sort you out, leave art out of this useless nonsense. That's my take on it, loved what the Pistols told them to do.
@@bruceblackburn9423 PS. 'Fire and Water' was named after its creators astrological groups ie Dave Greenfield's Aries (fire) and Burnel's Pisces (water).
In Aberdeen, on the Feline tour in the 80s, some punter made the mistake of getting onstage and dancing beside Burnel during No More Heroes. I remember the bass coming off, a violent commotion moving to offstage, and no more dancing punter. Nobody else clambered onstage after that...
JJ Burnel - The Karate Kid of Rock! Interesting upload - his sound reminds me of the sound Phil Lynott used to get out of his Fender Precision bass guitar. Incidentally, he apparently got his famous, early, bass sound because, unbeknownst to him and the record producers, his bass amplifier was busted and damaged, distorting the sound through the mixing desk! Thanks for uploading.
@@Rockstardust69 He did a kind of Karate kick when playing bass the times that I saw The Stranglers live. Apparently, he was a pretty accomplished classical guitarist too, which is how he got into music in the first place - bass guitar was definitely his bag though, and that bass sound on their first three albums is both fantastic and unique. How a real bass guitar should sound.
@@markdoughty8780 Yes. So many bass guitarists just played the equivalent note of whichever chord the rhythm guitarist was playing. JJ elevated the bass into an exciting instrument in its own right, almost as if it was a lead guitar. I took up playing bass guitar because of JJ - suddenly, the bass was sexy!
He also went on the run in Queens land after beating up some punks in the crowd in Brisbane who turned out to be the local cops! Ended up in Japan. That's what thier song WIZARD OF OZ is about
Sorry, that's not what Nuclear Device is about...the main incident your refering to centred on a well known local character who attended the gig who took the punk rock attitude way too far considering it was 1979 not 1976-77 and ended up with a knock to the head with a guitar...hence the attention from cops who were present in the hall that JJ presumed were mates of the guy who had his head caved in as they were not wearing uniforms and decided to make it to the stage....the band managed to get out of the state before the cops caught up with them. The song actually refers to the guy who was running Queensland at that time, the forced removal of Aboriginies from land and the mining of Uranium which was eventually banned from 1982 - 2012 in Queensland. The Japanese tour had always been planned as part of the itinery after the Australian tour so that's exactly where they were due to go.
when i was learning the drums....one album i used to play along to (just for basic timing etc) was rattus...fast forward a few decades and a bass player i worked with (folk background) said "oh no,not that shitty sound") i said nah mate,thats how a bass should sound angry and f**k you.i play bass now and my sound is just like jj's,i just love the attack and attitude of his sound...at 58 i can still say f**k you,thanks jj and the stranglers.
I did see a bit of 'Stranglers retribution' once , after some gobbing by an ill informed audience member the' fan ' was hauled onstage where JJ & Hugh gave him a spanking , followed by an attempt to insert a banana .... the ex ? fan wasn't happy after the event & looked like he would square up ...but decided trying to get off the stage with what dignity was left being the best choice.
@@Rockstardust69 Well you would have to pay several hundred £s for a spanking & banana dessert in some clubs nowadays ! But seriously the spitting was one of the less enjoyable aspects around the punk scene.... Regarding the JJ/ Paul Simonon stand off - I think this may have been at the Ramones 2nd UK gig (5- July '76) as the previous evening the Clash made their 'official debut' supporting the Pistols in Sheffield . & I can't think of any dates they were on the same bill . (Though Joe Strummer did know Hugh quite well from his days playing pubs with 101ers ) Most of the 2 groups (& Sid Vicious) went to Ramones 2nd night & spent much of the day hanging around the venue ( there are photos of Paul & others with the Ramones outside the venue) - the Stranglers connection being they were the support band at the Roundhouse gigs .
I'd agree with the journo's criticism of 'No More Heroes' - an lp rush released by UA with unreleased leftovers from the first lp & largely sold due to a couple of top rate 7"s .
This guy's bass is truly original. There is no one who sounds like him. His aggression certainly comes out in his playing and some lead vocals he does. Musician-wise; easily the toughest musician in the world - I think!
Love JJ and worship the Stranglers. Regarding your claim: I reckon it's a toss up between him and Billy Cobham, the drummer who was a Navy Seal prior to his fame. Big powerful looking fella is Cobham.
