Tried listening to The Stranglers today....

[Nail Soup]

1 minute ago, Beedster said:

an abundance of bass player cool 👍 

Yeah, he really showed that Burnell chap how bass cool is done!

[Beedster]

15 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

Yeah, he really showed that Burnell chap how bass cool is done!

 

I'm imagining a bass version of the Chad Smith versus Will Ferrell drum off. Only cooler

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by Beedster

[silverfoxnik]

15 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

Well there goes my Wal theory

 

I was way too poor for even such lofty instruments as a Shaftesbury Ricky copy then, Chris.

 

Let alone a Wal. 😁

[Beedster]

9 minutes ago, silverfoxnik said:

I was way too poor for even such lofty instruments as a Shaftesbury Ricky copy then, Chris.

 

Let alone a Wal. 😁

 

On the subject of basses, I've got a strange longing for a late '70s Precision, black body and bit beaten up with black pick-guard, maple neck and with both ashtrays in place. Strung with rounds. An possibly a large tube head and a speaker with at least one ripped cone.....

 

No idea why though  

[howdenspur]

1 hour ago, silverfoxnik said:

Very true Chris! 

 

I played that gig with my Hondo II Ricky copy, which I still have... 

Didn't Hooky notice it was missing?

[merello]

On 21/09/2022 at 20:32, Nail Soup said:

The Raven was the first LP I bought 'new' too. I'd bought the back catalogue of 3 LPs plus the live LP and loved them as a punk band. The fact that teen-punk me really liked the new album when it was a bit (spit) prog speaks volumes for their talent.

My garage still has my 3D copy….

[Nail Soup]

9 minutes ago, merello said:

My garage still has my 3D copy….

My loft likewise.

Reminds me of the day I bought it. On release day, me and a fellow Stranglers-mad schoolmate went down town to HMV after school to buy our copies. Out first 'new' Stranglers album... we had the first three as back-catalogue.

We walked into HMV, I picked up the LP - with the 3D cover. The one underneath had a 2-D cover. So did all the rest. He bought the 2-D copy.

I still often get a negative guilt-twinge when I listen to the album!

[Velarian]

The problem with the 3D cover was that it was colourful and sunny whereas the 2D one was dark with a sense of foreboding; far more in keeping with the mood of the album.

 

Needless to say I only have the 2D one. 😉

Edited September 27, 2022 by Velarian

[silverfoxnik]

2 hours ago, howdenspur said:

Didn't Hooky notice it was missing?

Nope 😁

[silverfoxnik]

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

On the subject of basses, I've got a strange longing for a late '70s Precision, black body and bit beaten up with black pick-guard, maple neck and with both ashtrays in place. Strung with rounds. An possibly a large tube head and a speaker with at least one ripped cone.....

 

No idea why though  

Do it! 😁

[Beedster]

13 minutes ago, silverfoxnik said:

Do it! 😁

 

Funny feeling I might.......

[jezzaboy]

Just in case you haven`t seen this, a cracking interview from 2013 that was broadcast on Vintage tv. Enjoy

 

[Marky L]

17 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

On the subject of basses, I've got a strange longing for a late '70s Precision, black body and bit beaten up with black pick-guard, maple neck and with both ashtrays in place. Strung with rounds. An possibly a large tube head and a speaker with at least one ripped cone.....

 

No idea why though  

Well, I still have an early 80's black bodied Precision that I bought a few years back from a certain person on here.. ahem! Replaced the neck with an after market maple lefty and threw my fave SD Quarter Pounders in there and it absolutely is my No.1 go to

 

 

[Beedster]

21 minutes ago, Marky L said:

Well, I still have an early 80's black bodied Precision that I bought a few years back from a certain person on here.. ahem! Replaced the neck with an after market maple lefty and threw my fave SD Quarter Pounders in there and it absolutely is my No.1 go to

 

 

 

Brilliant  

[JellyKnees]

16 hours ago, merello said:

My garage still has my 3D copy….

 

After reading this thread, I had my 3D copy out and cranked up on the turntable a couple of days ago. Scratched to flip, but till one of my favourite albums ever. I also had a play along to the title track with my Dingwall ABZ though my recently acquired Bass Rig Super Vintage, which sounds the absolute dogs btw - I may have to reconsider my decision to move the Dingwall on...

[Col the Plunker]

I've really enjoyed reading this thread guys. Yes I was a fan from the start, love those first three albums with their free singles bought from HMV. Loved JJ's old sound of a Pbass through his Trace Elliot with distorted treble and still do. I recently met a delivery guy who it turned out he did the lighting at all their shows until retiring recently, and he has bought me up to speed with all the newer material with Baz on vocals. They can still do the job...just a bit differently!

Stranglers are the reason that I have a bass (coz I'm a guitar player shhhh) and I'm picking up a Trace Elliot 300w rig on Friday. That is just coincidence and happenstance. Discovering this thread and fellow Strangler enthusiasts has put the cherry on the cake. I'm really looking forward to attempting (or trying) JJ's tone, but defo not tearing a speaker!

Cheers.

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by Col the Plunker
Typo

[merello]

8 hours ago, Col the Plunker said:

I've really enjoyed reading this thread guys. Yes I was a fan from the start, love those first three albums with their free singles bought from HMV. Loved JJ's old sound of a Pbass through his Trace Elliot with distorted treble and still do. I recently met a delivery guy who it turned out he did the lighting at all their shows until retiring recently, and he has bought me up to speed with all the newer material with Baz on vocals. They can still do the job...just a bit differently!

Stranglers are the reason that I have a bass (coz I'm a guitar player shhhh) and I'm picking up a Trace Elliot 300w rig on Friday. That is just coincidence and happenstance. Discovering this thread and fellow Strangler enthusiasts has put the cherry on the cake. I'm really looking forward to attempting (or trying) JJ's tone, but defo not tearing a speaker!

Cheers.

 

Yup. Love the old stuff. Thought The Raven and Black n White had great stuff too. I think in those days most albums had a good A side and dodgier B side. Not really listened to new stuff save the Stuart Pearce effort which was good. I never get the “hate” for new band members, would folks prefer they disbanded?

[mikel]

On 20/09/2022 at 09:28, Barking Spiders said:

The Stranglers..... prog?!!??? 😲😱. Don't hear it myself. Sure the keyboards are reminiscent of the Doors. While the sound wasn't ever really punk, in the early years their attitude definitely was.  Some of their best tunes are from their mellow more pop phase with gems like Always The Sun, Skin Deep, La Folie, Life Shows No Mercy as well as the ubiquitous Golden Brown. Incidentally I've always considered Hugh Cornwell's guitar playing very overlooked. Many of their songs contain tasteful, melodic and pointful solos.

Agreed, Iike them but prog? never. 

[Lozz196]

Of the Baz/recent years material my fave is Suite XVI, some great tracks on that album.

[Beedster]

17 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Of the Baz/recent years material my fave is Suite XVI, some great tracks on that album.

 

I'll give it a listen Lozz, thanks 👍

[Barking Spiders]

12 hours ago, merello said:

Yup. Love the old stuff. Thought The Raven and Black n White had great stuff too. I think in those days most albums had a good A side and dodgier B side. Not really listened to new stuff save the Stuart Pearce effort which was good. I never get the “hate” for new band members, would folks prefer they disbanded?

I've never bothered listening to them post Hugh C. I don't 'hate' the new band members but for me the original line-up was too seminal and distinctive esp HC with his sardonic vocal style. Now with Dave G gone IMO it's a case of 'what's the point?'  I feel the same with many other bands where the 'classic' line-ups made the best of the albums. Dr Feelgood are one such. I like both the Wilko and Gypie Mayo eras but without Lee Brilleaux i think they should've called it a day.

[Beedster]

20 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

I've never bothered listening to them post Hugh C. I don't 'hate' the new band members but for me the original line-up was too seminal and distinctive esp HC with his sardonic vocal style. Now with Dave G gone IMO it's a case of 'what's the point?'  I feel the same with many other bands where the 'classic' line-ups made the best of the albums. Dr Feelgood are one such. I like both the Wilko and Gypie Mayo eras but without Lee Brilleaux i think they should've called it a day.

 

I feel exactly the same way. What I try to do is listen to the new version as if it'a a different band, and very often, hey presto, the similarities leap out from the music (not always I should add). Little Feat without Lowell George is a good example, thought he was irreplaceable. But there'a a limit, so many bands loose a key player and to my mind become more like a tribute act of the band they used to be, Queen with Adam Lambert spring to mind, no absence of talent, but.....

 

In the case of The Stranglers, I'm going to listen to the album @Lozz196suggested, and try to be impartial in putting them in either the Little Feat or Queen camp 👍

[Velarian]

I too lost interest post-Hugh but my musical tastes had evolved in a different direction by that time so it felt right to move on.

 

I did see them live a few times with Paul Roberts fronting when they were a five piece with John Ellis. I didn’t hate it and he’s accomplished in the frontman role, but that was the problem the Stranglers were not about having a flamboyant frontman leaping around. I think Baz Warne is a much better fit but I’ve not been particularly motivated to get back into them. However, as a result of this thread I will visit their later catalogue to see what I make of it. 

[Nail Soup]

1 minute ago, Velarian said:

I too lost interest post-Hugh but my musical tastes had evolved in a different direction by that time so it felt right to move on.

 

I did see them live a few times with Paul Roberts fronting when they were a five piece with John Ellis. I didn’t hate it and he’s accomplished in the frontman role, but that was the problem the Stranglers were not about having a flamboyant frontman leaping around. I think Baz Warne is a much better fit but I’ve not been particularly motivated to get back into them. However, as a result of this thread I will visit their later catalogue to see what I make of it. 

I lost interest when Paul joined, and regained when Baz took over vocals (and JJ returned to singing his old songs).

Totally agree - It just seemed totally wrong to have Paul doing his front-man act.

[Barking Spiders]

3 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

I feel exactly the same way. What I try to do is listen to the new version as if it'a a different band, and very often, hey presto, the similarities leap out from the music (not always I should add). Little Feat without Lowell George is a good example, thought he was irreplaceable. But there'a a limit, so many bands loose a key player and to my mind become more like a tribute act of the band they used to be, Queen with Adam Lambert spring to mind, no absence of talent, but.....

 

In the case of The Stranglers, I'm going to listen to the album @Lozz196suggested, and try to be impartial in putting them in either the Little Feat or Queen camp 👍

I liken it with going back to cities, towns, places where you've holidayed etc  with which you associate some very fond memories. Fr'instance I've not been back to Liverpool since I left in the late 80s.  From what I've learnt from chats with people I know who do still go there, a lot of my fave haunts have since gone. I don't want to tarnish the memories of very happy times by going back there and seeing how much it's changed.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Barking Spiders