Any Love For...The Stranglers

[lewdd]

I just read that they have a new album coming out in September that features their keyboard player who passed away last May from Covid-19 on the majority of the songs and includes a tribute song to him.

I probably only like about 10 or so songs by them would be my guess, but I may have to go back through their discography again.

[patient_ot]

I'd say I like most of their classic period on UA. The Old Testament box is a good option if you want everything in one go. No idea about their material after the early 80s though.

[JGJR]

I only have the 1st 2 Lps; love em, especially No More Heroes. I only know a handful of songs after that, though.

[lewdd]

I'd say I like most of their classic period on UA. The Old Testament box is a good option if you want everything in one go. No idea about their material after the early 80s though.

I don't know much after the UA period either.

They seem to be a mix of post Black Album era Damned, some Wire, maybe some XTC, potentially some Gang of Four, and even some of those 80s era synth new wave pop bands.

[Markonomicon]

Rattus Norvegicus is a classic.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Black and White is my favorite album from them. Its the most straight forward punk album. And then they start going off into all other areas of the musical map.

[xxxHunterxxx]

Great bass sound. 10-15 classic songs.

[lewdd]

Great bass sound. 10-15 classic songs.

+1

[patient_ot]

I only have the 1st 2 Lps; love em, especially No More Heroes. I only know a handful of songs after that, though.

NMH is great, but Black and White might be my favorite.

[patient_ot]

I'd say I like most of their classic period on UA. The Old Testament box is a good option if you want everything in one go. No idea about their material after the early 80s though.

I don't know much after the UA period either.

They seem to be a mix of post Black Album era Damned, some Wire, maybe some XTC, potentially some Gang of Four, and even some of those 80s era synth new wave pop bands.

They actually predated punk rock - didn't really fit in anywhere and just so happened to get lumped in with the whole punk/postpunk thing.

[JGJR]

I'd say I like most of their classic period on UA. The Old Testament box is a good option if you want everything in one go. No idea about their material after the early 80s though.

I don't know much after the UA period either.

They seem to be a mix of post Black Album era Damned, some Wire, maybe some XTC, potentially some Gang of Four, and even some of those 80s era synth new wave pop bands.

They actually predated punk rock - didn't really fit in anywhere and just so happened to get lumped in with the whole punk/postpunk thing.

They were, at least early on, really a psych rock/garage band in punk disguise, I think.

[lewdd]

I don't think they were ever disguised as punk as I don't think they acted or dressed that way, but I wasn't there. From a pour sound standpoint, they probably properly were lumped in the punk and its many offshoots genres. I don't think they quite fit the pure rock and roll or prog rock labels. I am not sure they wanted or would still want to be labeled as punk, but again, I wasn't there.

Part of the reason I started the thread because I don't recall them ever being mentioned on this board and we have covered many bands over the years. The Wire thread made me think of them as they seem to be another band that may have been initially recognized as punk and then went off in other directions musically. I think the two bands have that in common.

[scannest]

I read recently that Hugh Cornwell and Richard Thompson were high school classmates who remained close friends. So, Hugh was much older than most of the class of '77 punks. Which kinda makes sense given the Stranglers reputation as 'carpet baggers' when it came to the scene (much like the Police, who also features some older dudes). Not a comment on their music, just an observation. I think their okay. I tend to like bands influenced by the Stranglers more than the band themselves. J Robbins has touted them as a huge band for him.

[xxxHunterxxx]

We’ve played with Hugh Cornwell a couple of times. Nice guy.

[lewdd]

I read recently that Hugh Cornwell and Richard Thompson were high school classmates who remained close friends. So, Hugh was much older than most of the class of '77 punks. Which kinda makes sense given the Stranglers reputation as 'carpet baggers' when it came to the scene (much like the Police, who also features some older dudes). Not a comment on their music, just an observation. I think their okay. I tend to like bands influenced by the Stranglers more than the band themselves. J Robbins has touted them as a huge band for him.

Please provide a list of some of those bands that you like that you feel were influenced by the Stranglers. I may need to give them a try.

[version sound]

I just listened to Rattus Norvegicus for (I think) the second time ever. It was a mixed bag. If I had bought this record when I was 12 and listened to it over and over, I’d probably love it. As an adult with limited time to devote to music, it’ll probably be a few years before I return to it.

[patient_ot]

I just listened to Rattus Norvegicus for (I think) the second time ever. It was a mixed bag. If I had bought this record when I was 12 and listened to it over and over, I’d probably love it. As an adult with limited time to devote to music, it’ll probably be a few years before I return to it.

Rattus is really the band just getting started. The next few albums are more interesting. Try Black and White instead.

[version sound]

Funny thing, I actually started listening to Black and White and just wasn’t feeling the synths, so I went back to RN. Maybe I’ll give another shot.

[scannest]

Please provide a list of some of those bands that you like that you feel were influenced by the Stranglers. I may need to give them a try.

I'm thinking of bands that go for an angular, post-punk sound - but with more muscle. Jawbox is certainly one. Also a lot of stuff that leans kinda metal - some Coliseum, some Godflesh, some Mastodon, Killing Joke, etc. I hear it in all that stuff.

[version sound]

Peter Hook cited Jean-Jacques Burnel as the primary model for his bass sound. So Joy Division kinda goes on that list.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Funny thing, I actually started listening to Black and White and just wasn’t feeling the synths, so I went back to RN. Maybe I’ll give another shot.

Old man Danny from the East Coast Youth Brigade got me hooked on 'Black and White'. Its a really good album. They were 'pub rock' if I remember their self description and yeah, they were embraced by the early punk community. Some of their records I just can't digest, but the early stuff is real good. And that singles collection CD is good. I bought that first before anything else.

[lewdd]

that singles collection CD is good.

Yes it is. Not sure I like many songs in their catalog that are not on that compilation

[johnnotkathi]

Sat down for work this morning and said......Alexa, play the Stranglers....they have been playing the last 2 hours and love them!!

[lewdd]

Sat down for work this morning and said......Alexa, play the Stranglers....they have been playing the last 2 hours and love them!!

Did you like them before today or were you just giving them a try based on this thread?

[Fillavoid]

They were, at least early on, really a psych rock/garage band in punk disguise, I think.

I agree with the psych/garage rock description. The Stranglers always reminded me of L.A. bands like the Doors. I read somewhere that their keyboardist was influenced by Ray Manzarek, which you can certainly hear in his playing. This thread is making me want to revisit their early albums. I enjoy No More Heroes but never listened to Black and White and their first album. I gotta check those out.

[JGJR]

They were, at least early on, really a psych rock/garage band in punk disguise, I think.

I agree with the psych/garage rock description. The Stranglers always reminded me of L.A. bands like the Doors. I read somewhere that their keyboardist was influenced by Ray Manzarek, which you can certainly hear in his playing. This thread is making me want to revisit their early albums. I enjoy No More Heroes but never listened to Black and White and their first album. I gotta check those out.

100%, but ironically, they didn't have such a great time there.

[johnnotkathi]

Sat down for work this morning and said......Alexa, play the Stranglers....they have been playing the last 2 hours and love them!!

Did you like them before today or were you just giving them a try based on this thread?

Always liked them...since the 70's.....was just a kind of coincidence seeing the post and them playing here at the house in the background....