Peacedogman V 3.0

THE SKINNY: My introduction to The Stranglers about 22 years ago was a rather awkward affair. I was introduced to “Aural Sculpture”, “Always The Sun” and the like. They appeared to be a pleasant pop-rock band that were not too awfully unlike a lot of what was popular at the time. The more I think about it, that material was edging itself awful close to adult contemporary territory. It was not until I got a copy of the late 70’s A&M compilation “No Wave” in the early ‘90’s that I realized the band could actually rock out pretty hard. You know the album. The A&M compilation from ‘78 with THE DICKIES, THE POLICE, SQUEEZE, JOE JACKSON and CLARK KENT (Stewart Copeland’s alter ego). “Bring On The Nubiles” and “Nice ‘N’ Sleazy” changed my view of the band forever. In the next few months I snatched up just about every record they put out between 1977 to 1982. It was weird to find out that the band had such a bass heavy sound back then. Jean Jacques Burnel is perhaps one of the best rock bass players of all time. I put him right up there with JOHN ENTWHISTLE. It is impossible for me to listen without grabbing a pick and playing air bass. David Greenfield’s keyboard sound was like a cross between THE DOORS and DEVO. His virtuosity is non-debatable. Although Jet Black and Hugh Cornwell kept the drums and guitars pretty minimal by comparison, they were also very adept at their instruments. With “Live (X Cert)” as their first legit live record, it was clear that these lads had the late’70’s by the balls.

With live recordings mostly caught between mid 1977 to late 1978, it was clear that onstage The Stranglers were perhaps one of the best bands of the era. They were like the missing link between psychedelic classic rock, prog, punk and new wave. They could be all them wrapped together and yet none of the music sounds forced at all. As pummeling and abrasive as some of the material from this era is, it all flows very organically. A record collection without the any of the first four albums of these guys is pretty worthless in my book. We get “(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)” and “Hangin’ Around” from the debut. “I Feel Like A Wog”, “Dead Ringer” and “Burning Up Time” from “No More Heroes”. Seeing as how it was the most current studio album they had, the masterpiece “Black and White” could have been better represented. I do believe the vastly inferior A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS got their name from “Toiler On The Sea” off this amazing work of art. Here we have “Curfew” and “Do You Wanna/Death and Night And Blood (Yukio)”. And of course, these tunes smoke live. “Dagenham Dave”, “Straighten Out” and “Go Buddy Go” round out the roster.

There really is no “raise the lighter” moment to be found here. This is punk rock after all. There is no drum solo or extended guitar wankery (for which lots of times I’m game for dudleys). The thing just slams through with one solid tune after another. There is nothing here that is too radically different from the studio stuff yet I believe it to be an essential accretion of music to add to one’s record collection. It’s quite extraordinary. Really.

- Herring