Hold on to those thoughts about the Doors. They were all Doors fans and you can see the influences in the first two albums. Wait until you get to Walk On By -- it's a cover of a classic laid on top of Light My Fire's song structure. Or as I like to put it, Burt Bacharach Meets The Doors in an acid nightmare.
Only bass player JJ Burnel is a Doors fan. Sometimes Dave's keyboard was a bit Ray Manzarek or Jon Lord, however mostly he was Dave Greenfield one of the most unsung musical geniuses of rock music.
This track probably sums up the Strangler's sound,especially over the first couple of albums. Driving,thumping bass,haunting keyboards,melodic guitar,and often snarling vocals and aggressive lyrics. Fantastic!!!
AMAZING BAND! Golden Brown is their biggest hit song and you’ll love that song. Down in the sewer, no More Heroes, Peaches, Tank, La Foile, Always the Sun.
Greetings from Birmingham, UK. I'm so glad the Stranglers are finding a whole new audience. They've been criminally overlooked in the past. It's testament to how good and timeless their music really is.More successful contemporaries of this era are not unearthed, revised and reviewed as much as these guys. As Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote-'Justice limps along..but gets there in the end.' Keep safe, JP.
YOUR finally doing one of the best Punk/best bands in the world. This album is a masterpiece No more Heroes is amazing, La Foile with their biggest Hit Golden Brown. YOU WILL LIKE these guys their material is really good. Dave greenfield is a great keyboardist RIP. Youd really enjoy the song Down In the sewer off this album which has some intence keyboard solos and mad druming by Jet Black. These GUYS are amazing!
The Stanglers version of “Walk On By” by Burt Bacharach is amazing, their such a great band definitely have a Doors sound, “energetic” describes them perfectly, you won’t be disappointed if you check out more of their work
The stranglers were going long before punk and existed long after punk but they were happy to ride the wave while it was there , that’s JJ’s words and if you want to contradict him good luck with that 👀 This is a pure cracker btw love it 👍🏴
Thank you for getting around to this band. I liked the comparison to a Doors/Cure collision but with a bit more menace. I'm not going to sling any other song suggestions at you, as other posters have offered great picks. I'd only say continue in this era of the Stranglers with stuff from their first three albums. You made my morning!
There is a tendency to lump The Stranglers in with Punk as they really broke out at that point, they had a rather aggressive reputation as well, but the reality is that they were far more complex as musicians and in their viewpoints and lyrical content, I saw them live a number of times way back then but fell out of love with their direction beyond the fourth album, Sometimes always pulls me back to 1977 and the first time I put it on the record player, it had me bouncing around the house.
Yeah, the Stranglers did not play Punk music even though they came out at that time. Left field choice, JP, but yes, The Stranglers made made some good records though they can get quite dark for my tastes sometimes.
@@onsesejoo2605 So true, they were smart enough to go along with any current tag, if it sold more records and got them publicity. They were experienced players and gradually they could introduce that sophistication once they'd made their name, without risking alienating their young audience. I'd also include Elvis Costello in that technically competent sphere of artists, who at first used the aggression of Punk to get a foothold but soon moved on to broader styles and instrumentation.
They were indeed punk because punk is not a kind of music as much as it is an attitude. I love The Stranglers, but I think their success would have been unthinkable without the punk explosion.
One of my all time favourite bands ,you can't go wrong with their first 4 albums ,absolutely fantastic , no more heroes ,5 minutes ,nice n sleazy ,peaches ,London lady , just a few of their early singles .
Justin, I knew you were going to get hooked on the Stranglers on first listen !!! You absolutely have to do the entirety of Rattus Norvegicus. I promise you won't be disappointed with the trip ! Next station: "Goodbye Toulouse".
They were indeed punk because punk is not a kind of music as much as it is an attitude. I love The Stranglers, but I think their success would have been unthinkable without the punk explosion.
Wonderful surprise! Great stuff, I'm sure there'll be loads of recommendations here so I won't bother. Suffice to say they have a great many songs worth checking out. I'm happy, great song nice review!
As your love for the great Talk Talk saw a great style change later, and as much as I like The Stranglers material, many will be negative to their 'change' in the 80s but many, like me, love their edgy pop-like sounds in their hits Skin Deep, and Always The Sun and later would love your opinion on this change.
Always dig your intelligent, honest reviews.... welcome to the wonderful world of The Stranglers. For songs, Nice 'n' Sleazy or Hanging Around should be your next port of call. You will not be disappointed.
Really glad you get the song, the album and the band. It was an incredible statement of intent, everything aboiut the band is right there.... the menacing lyrics (sung by Hugh), dirty driving bass from JJ, Jet Black's Sonor drums smacking away incessantly, powerful elegant lead guitar from Hugh and of course Dave Greenfields hypnotic keyboards. I got the album on my 14th birthday from WH Smiths in Liverpool with a £5 gift voucer from my grandmother. when I played it the first time after doing my afternoon paper round I was immediately hooked.... You get to just dial it up on your smartphone !
It did me good to hear this. The Stranglers were one of the more unlikely success stories to emerge from the Punk/New Wave era, having emerged from the earlier underground pub-rock scene. But that was true of many of their contemporaries such as Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Graham Parker and the Rumour, Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Motors and Nick Lowe. Punk, and independent record labels offered a break-out for many previously non-mainstream acts. It made for a very dynamic and entertaining music scene at a time when a lot of people were looking for something a bit more energetic, exciting and novel than the next twenty minute prog epic.
Often used to open their concerts... JJ's bass! So underrated as a bassist. Dave's onstage party piece - playing with one hand, drinking a pint of beer with the other...
Love the Stranglers, so many good tunes. For a real 'Doorsy' view, listen to the Stranglers' cover of 'Walk On By' and the instrumental break therein. For me, the Stranglers ended when Hugh Cornwell left, but there are many great albums to listen to up to that point.
For the second time on here may I say...YOU UTTER, UTTER LEGEND!!! One of my favourite bands and I was gutted when Dave got taken by Covid a year or so ago and just had a feeling you would take to them...if you don't go ahead with this album but pick and choose, then may I concur with others...No More Heroes, 5 Minutes and Nice'n'Sleazy as the opening salvos. I saw them in Battersea Park in London in 1978 and when they performed Nice 'n' Sleazy they had strippers on stage...may not sound like much, but this was 1978...strippers in a public park!!!. As a maturing teen I didn't know where to look...that is a lie, I knew exactly where to look, but it didn't detract from the song...that is also a lie, it did...Jet Black was 100 years old when they broke onto the scene and has only just retired at the grand old age of 250...enjoy them mate, and thanks for doing them
My first live Stranglers gig too!! I was blown away when footage of it started appearing online. Still feels like yesterday although it was nearly 43 years ago!!!!!
Good for you, Justin, for choosing to react to The Stranglers. Probably not for the faint of heart... Hahaha! My favourite album by them is The Raven, but several others are strong, too. And they sound distinctly different at different times. There's a good live video of three songs on RUclips from the British TV show The Tube recorded in 1983 showing the transition in sound. I like the best of both sounds from the band. And there was a live Stranglers concert in 1978 in London (btw, with the opening act being Peter Gabriel) that led to some notoriety, though relatively tame by today's standards (parts of that show may still be on RUclips). Check out "No More Heroes", "Nice & Sleazy", "Dead Los Angeles", "Duchess", "The Raven", "Golden Brown", "Strange Little Girl", "Toiler on the Sea", "Midnight Summer Dream", "Always The Sun", a cover of "Walk On By", etc. (There are a few songs of theirs that I enjoy that may not be ideal for family viewing... Hahaha!) Btw, Hugh Cornwell was in a high school band with Richard Thompson (who started out with Fairport Convention, and has had a lengthy solo career, but closer to folk, NOT punk!). And since leaving The Stranglers, Hugh Cornwell has made a couple of good albums and is always great to see and hear live, when he usually plays a few Stranglers songs. Hope you continue to enjoy the music!
Yes, because of the keyboards being so crucial it is like a British version of The Doors, but Hugh's vocals, the driving drums and the growling bass takes it into Punk territory. Much like The Doors too, their gigs could be anarchic and confrontational when they started out, but they were always more accomplished and melodic than most of their Punk contemporaries and the keyboards gave them a distinctive edge. Other Doors-ish style songs are 'Strange little girl' and 'Always the sun'. They were already older, compared with the majority of teen Punk bands, when they began in 1974, Hugh and Dave were 25, Jean-Jacques 22, and Jet Black 36. The next song you should check out is 'Golden brown', it's about heroin, but so hauntingly beautiful it managed to bypass the BBC radio controllers and became one of the band's biggest chart hits at No.2, it could have easily got to No.1 if the bassist hadn't explained too soon the inspiration for the lyrics to the press, which got it quickly dropped from playlists. Other great songs include 'Skin deep', 'Peaches', 'No more heroes', and 'Nice 'n' sleazy'. They were, and remain, hugely successful and had 23 top 40 UK hits, 7 of them top 10's. Sadly Dave Greenfield, the keyboard player passed away last year from Covid-19.
The Stranglers were always a cut above most other new wave bands. Adding to the list of suggestions below, I would recommend Dagenham Dave, Toiler OnThe Sea and one of the best b-sides ever - Rok It To The Moon
I view a lot of reactor vids and the telling thing with most is they tend in the large part to 'React' to what all the others are reacting to?? Its such a refreshing view to see someone gleefully being outside the box, actually listening to the song without stopping it to talk about nothing and reviewing it with sense.. There are 3 or 4 other reactors that also do this and research, discuss the bands.. Top banana for being amongst that small but enlightening group 😁
So many great Stranglers songs to check out. 5 Minutes, Something Better Change, Bear Cage, Hanging Around, Head On The Line and Achilles Heel to name a few.
This was interesting, I'd be happy to see out this album with everybody. I liked that raw punk energy done more subtly than someone you'd normally associate with the punk movement. I too get a more groovy The Doors feel and for that I'm thankful (not really a The Doors fan).
Couldn`t be a mixture of the cure, they came later. Sometimes is my favourite track of all time and I saw them several times in the late 70`s. They were beyond brilliant.
Please do more reactions...No more heroes, Always the sun, etc.etc. So many great songs. Best band ever. Still going strong after 45 years although some members are no more.
Hey JustJP, this was the first song I ever heard from these guys back in the day and I had the exact same reaction. Love to see you react to 'Get a Grip On Yourself' or 'Goodbye Toulouse'
Hey Justin ~ First off, let me just say, I LOVE THE STRANGLERS! Back in the day, when they first came out we called their music Rhythmic Punk. So many great rhythmic moments and sounds, as you discovered, but still definitely Punk in attitude and lyrically. I HIGHLY recommend you listen to "Something Better Change" from their album 'No More Heroes'. It's my all time favorite of theirs. So glad you decided to check them out and that you GET them on a first listen. Great reaction, Justin. =)
Yesss! I hope you've been hooked enough to keep trying their stuff out! So radically different over their career from other 'punk' bands, transitioning into some kind of pseudo-New Wave sound that was unlike anyone else in the 1980s. Mixture of the Doors and Cure is spot on, and yet, so much more too.
“No more heroes” opens up one of my favorite radio shows of the same name, on KXLU Los Angeles. A fitting song for the show!! “Life has no Mercy” is one of my favorite Strangers songs!!
Hehe, you really have a knack for choosing bands that have some importance in some period of my life. The Stanglers, while I did know their biggest hit Golden Brown, I didn't really know. I had then in my 3rd year at University a new room mate, who was very diferent from all the guys I used to hang out with (geeky nerds). He was much more "Rock'n'roll" and we got along really well, even if noone would have guest as we were really very different personalities. The nice thing was that thanks to him I had the chance to get to know a whole bunch of other people and one of them was a Stranglers fan. So it happened that parties at his place were often sounded with them. Stranglers thus are always linked to me "coming of age" period (sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, except without drugs and punk instead of rock, :-) )
Awww an The Stranglers! Yes. The band of my yoof lol Must do Walk on By - the proper full length version. Dave Greenfield's keyboard playing is immense! RIP Walk on By ruclips.net/video/jqfqVDHNW6c/видео.html
And legend has it that Dave Greenfield's style had developed completely without knowing The Doors! After he'd joined The (Guildford) Stranglers, they mentioned to him that he reminds them of Ray Manzarek from The Doors, and his response was, "Who?!" 😄
First time hearing these guys, and will be listening to more. For some reason, I was reminded of the band ‘Little Bo Bitch’ (later ‘The Lonely Boys’), and luckily, their eponymous - and only - album is here on RUclips. Today already gets the ‘win’ label.
Do the Stranglers version of Burt Bacharach's 'Walk On By'. These guys had a number of different phases. They begin very punkish without ever really be punks musically, rather the attitude, especially of the singer (/guitarists and main composer) Hugh Cornwell. Some songs have great sense of humor (check out 'Peaches' and/or 'Tank') others are interesting points of view regarding our society (as of the late seventies and eighties). Cornwell was a heroin addict that did manage to kick his habit. Listen to the song 'Don't Bring Harry'. A true poet turns personal pain into an artistic statement, it has been said. This song falls in that category and is both beautiful and eerie. 'Golden Brown' another favorite is possibly the most radio friendly, melodically catchy a song in their repertoire. Hard to believe songs so different in shade and demeanor can come from the same brain. I'm so happy that you've discovered The Stranglers and really liked it straight away. Their album Aural Sculpture, I consider their most mature work and I highly recommend a full album listen. Enjoy.
Down In The Sewer........ 7 plus minute song (Last track on side 2 of album) has the most phenomenal Bass and Bass solo outro that has ever been in music. Their 1st 3 albums are by a million miles the best they have ever done. Rattus was the first album i bought as a Punk rock kid, and as an old codger (hahaha) it still blows me away now.
Yess, The Strangles…takes me back to ‘77. For me the Stranglers were a welcome alternative to the 2 chord punk at that time. I never made the Doors connection but it’s spot on. Thanks JP!
Hi Justin ! I Looooove The Stranglers ( with Cornwell ) since the first to the last ! Justin, you Must try their " Walk on By " cover ( the original of H. David/B. Bacharach was sung by Dionne Warwick ) which was a limited edition single with the 3rd album "Black and White" ! It's a Killing Version !! Have more good times with good Music !
The last three tracks on this album come in killer, Grip, then Ugly, man i hope you give that track a whirl ha ha, and then Down In The Sewer, the Rats Rally ending is one of my fav musical passages by anyone.
The punk bands, if they ever had keyboards, eschewed the Hammond with its prog association and chose the more cheesy sounds of the Vox Continental or Farfisa. But you can tell Dave Greenfield dug Wakeman. And Burnel’s Rickenbacker harks back to Entwhistle and Squire. The Stranglers rode the punk wave but they were far too creative and as their albums progressed they explored weirder and more esoteric territory. Worth exploring.
@@RickBenbow - I couldn't believe it myself when I saw a picture of him playing with the Fender, that sound shouldn't be coming from that bass. Until I saw them live. : )
As someone who has been listening to the Stranglers since 1977 its nice to see someone enjoying them for the first time. Rattus has so many good tracks and 'Sometimes' is not the one I would have chosen for you when there is 'Grip' 'Hanging around' 'Princess of the streets' 'Peaches' 'Down in the sewer' 'London Lady' on the same album. Other tracks I would recomend are as follows..... Cerfew, Tank, Nice, Sleazy and Toiler on the sea from the 'Back and White' album No more Hero's and School Mam from the 'No more hero's' album Don't Bring Harry from the 'Raven' Album And 'Who wants the World' and 'Strange little Girl' which were singles The later albums also had some great tracks but anything after 1990 when Hugh left is not really up to much with one or two exceptions Anyway,welcome to the family in black Ps: Hugh's surname is pronunced CORN-WELL
Rattus Norvegicus - the Norway Brown Rat! I've got to say that Peaches was the most famous track on this album in the UK, mostly because Keith Floyd used it for the theme for his series of cookery shows where he got drunk while cooking (the 80s were a simpler time!)
Lol the song was a hit before Keith floyd played it on he’s show ..that show never influenced the success of the song in any way ..what a ridiculous comment
@@terry3881 Hi Terry, it was a number 8 hit in May 1977, it was Keith Floyds theme tune for a decade and a half. I'll stand by its the best known track on the album and thats because of Keith Floyd.
@@EwanV no mate because Keith Floyd's tv program never started until 4 years after yhe song was realised.. in 1981 The song was already a hit by then and wasn't available to buy as a single only on album .. and the albums peak selling period was 77 to 79. Keith Floyd on food was a 6 part series ending in October 1986 bb2 ..also the theme song to the show was changed to waltzing black in 1986 .. since it was only relesed in 77 it couldnt be used for a decade and half
@@terry3881 I agree the single and albums were their own thing. I'm just saying Peaches sold somewhere between 200,000 and 400,000 singles (given it was a BPI silver) while Keith Floyd's programmes were watched by millions every week for years. Unless you are an avid Stranglers fan, you know Peaches as the Keith Floyd theme tune. Now No More Heroes is remembered as a Stranglers track, as is Golden Brown but Peaches is a theme tune to most people.
@@EwanV no mate the song and the show were completely different time periods . Peaches was a hit in 77 to 79 .. and Keith Floyd's show wasn't until 81 . He's show never had anything to do with the sales because the album wasn't in the top 30 charts by then and wasn't available on single
When Dave Greenfield first joined The Sranglers, Hugh and JJ (both big Doors fans) said 'you sound like Ray Manzarek.' Dave, apparently, replied 'Who?'.
Great band. tons of material. never got the credit they deserved - at least in the states. The community has called it in terms of songs - Golden Brown, Always the sun, No more heroes etc
Me too.... I was living down by the Ballet School on Maitland... Can't remember which bar but also saw Stevie Ray at the Elmocombo. Wish he would do the Shuffle Demons... Great fun
Good timing for this song. I found it interesting, had a decent groove. Guitar runs were a bit practice oriented but serviceable. Yes, I agree not thaaat punk. More garage bandy. May hear it again, I don’t know. Well played sir. Peace and sometimes Music
Looking at this and many previous selections, it's remarkable just how many British bands/artists have obviously made no impact on the American market, radio or other mediums. Glad you're having fun catching up though.
Because at that time the American music market was totally different from what was happening in the UK. US radio stations were broadcasting stuff like Boston, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton .... in other words, classic pop-rock smooth sound. the complete opposite of the raw and rough sounding Stranglers music !
Best new wave band with the exception of the Clash IMHO. You have to do - ‘No more Heroes’, and one of the best covers ever ‘Walk on by’( by Burt Bacharach and made famous by Dionne Warwick) also ‘Always the Sun’ is brilliant.
On the topic of British artists, and knowing your interest in Canterbury, you Really need to hear Robert Wyatt's remarkable Rock Bottom album if you're not familiar with it already. It's like nothing else you'll have ever heard. Start at the beginning with Sea Song and take it from there.
You will feel the same about Brian Augers Oblivion Express “Straight Ahead Album “. Straight Ahead, Change, You’ll Stay in my Heart. That entire side of album kicks butt. The other side is Great too
If you'd like to hear some punk with even more Doors influence, listen to X "The World's a Mess; It's in My Kiss" off their "Los Angeles" album - Ray Manzarek produced and plays the organ.
for years ... never even gave them a listen just because of their name... ASS U MED they were hard core punk .... then I learned that a song I really liked ... Golden Brown was actually their version of the song ... even though it's just a cover .... yes, I am guilty of judging a book by it's cover
in this ganre .... you should also look up the minutemen ... a very beginning of punk band from San Pedro that I used to hang with and they got to be quite famous ... Mike Watt is still in demand to play with big names .... and the guitar player ( rest his soul is still on many BEST GUITAR PLAYER list out there
The Stranglers are great .. so many great tunes .. "Straighten Out", "Hanging Around", Nice and Sleazy", "No more Hero's", "Walk on By" ... I could go on forever. PS. I agree with you about The Doors sound.
@@Katehowe3010 Here's mine (one track from each album between 1977 to 1981): from Rattus Novegicus - "Goodbye Toulouse" from No More Heroes - "Peasant in the Big Shitty" from Black & White - "Death and Night and Blood (Yukio)" from The Raven - "Baroque Bordello" from The Gospel According to the Meninblack - "Second Coming" from La Folie - "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead"
@@Katehowe3010 Fine selection as well ! You know what ? I almost hesitated between "Baroque Bordello" and "Genetix" and I really like "Let Me Introduce You to the Family" too !!! In fact, t's hard to make a choice on the first six albums because there are so many great tracks. One thing that caught my attention in your selection is the absence of songs from the album The Gospel According to the Meninblack! (probably not a fan of this one Christian ?).
@@Katehowe3010 I've always loved this rather experimental concept album. Oh yes "Manna Machine" is the weirdest track on the album but it's really great ! The longest track "Hallow To Our Men" with its evolving structure always made me think of a mix between Captain Beefheart, Devo and Kraftwerk !!!
Love this band!! This song has to be one of the best opening tracks on any album ever!!! And it is on my all time list!!!!! Beautiful reaction!!!!!!!
One of the few albums I've continued to listen to from 1977 to today. One of the best forever.
The Stranglers! Far and beyond the best band from that place and era. Throw a dart at their songs, you can't fail. :D
Hold on to those thoughts about the Doors. They were all Doors fans and you can see the influences in the first two albums. Wait until you get to Walk On By -- it's a cover of a classic laid on top of Light My Fire's song structure. Or as I like to put it, Burt Bacharach Meets The Doors in an acid nightmare.
Only bass player JJ Burnel is a Doors fan. Sometimes Dave's keyboard was a bit Ray Manzarek or Jon Lord, however mostly he was Dave Greenfield one of the most unsung musical geniuses of rock music.
This track probably sums up the Strangler's sound,especially over the first couple of albums. Driving,thumping bass,haunting keyboards,melodic guitar,and often snarling vocals and aggressive lyrics. Fantastic!!!
...and Jean-Jacques Burnel...monster bass player :)
AMAZING BAND! Golden Brown is their biggest hit song and you’ll love that song. Down in the sewer, no More Heroes, Peaches, Tank, La Foile, Always the Sun.
No More Heroes, 5 Minutes, Golden Brown, Walk On By are fantastic. La Folie, Strange Little Girl, Always the Sun, awful!
Golden Brown even speaks to me, though I never took drugs.
@@Katehowe3010 Not sure when the first Magazine album was but all three would be close. Great to see someone else likes Wire 😀
No there biggest hit was no more heroes ..not golden brown .
Greetings from Birmingham, UK. I'm so glad the Stranglers are finding a whole new audience. They've been criminally overlooked in the past. It's testament to how good and timeless their music really is.More successful contemporaries of this era are not unearthed, revised and reviewed as much as these guys. As Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote-'Justice limps along..but gets there in the end.' Keep safe, JP.
YOUR finally doing one of the best Punk/best bands in the world. This album is a masterpiece No more Heroes is amazing, La Foile with their biggest Hit Golden Brown. YOU WILL LIKE these guys their material is really good. Dave greenfield is a great keyboardist RIP. Youd really enjoy the song Down In the sewer off this album which has some intence keyboard solos and mad druming by Jet Black. These GUYS are amazing!
Golden Brown is too clever for words.
bah humbug
The Stanglers version of “Walk On By” by Burt Bacharach is amazing, their such a great band definitely have a Doors sound, “energetic” describes them perfectly, you won’t be disappointed if you check out more of their work
Walk on By is superb.
I never thought I would like these guys. However! I loved this. Thanks for expanding my horizons. Again!
The stranglers were going long before punk and existed long after punk but they were happy to ride the wave while it was there , that’s JJ’s words and if you want to contradict him good luck with that 👀
This is a pure cracker btw love it
👍🏴
Thank you for getting around to this band. I liked the comparison to a Doors/Cure collision but with a bit more menace. I'm not going to sling any other song suggestions at you, as other posters have offered great picks. I'd only say continue in this era of the Stranglers with stuff from their first three albums. You made my morning!
There is a tendency to lump The Stranglers in with Punk as they really broke out at that point, they had a rather aggressive reputation as well, but the reality is that they were far more complex as musicians and in their viewpoints and lyrical content, I saw them live a number of times way back then but fell out of love with their direction beyond the fourth album, Sometimes always pulls me back to 1977 and the first time I put it on the record player, it had me bouncing around the house.
Yeah, the Stranglers did not play Punk music even though they came out at that time. Left field choice, JP, but yes, The Stranglers made made some good records though they can get quite dark for my tastes sometimes.
Same with The Police, bit older and actually could play their instruments from the start.
@@onsesejoo2605 So true, they were smart enough to go along with any current tag, if it sold more records and got them publicity. They were experienced players and gradually they could introduce that sophistication once they'd made their name, without risking alienating their young audience. I'd also include Elvis Costello in that technically competent sphere of artists, who at first used the aggression of Punk to get a foothold but soon moved on to broader styles and instrumentation.
They were indeed punk because punk is not a kind of music as much as it is an attitude. I love The Stranglers, but I think their success would have been unthinkable without the punk explosion.
In my mind, The Stranglers were post-punk, before the tag was even thought of. Brilliant musicians, but with an anger to the lyrics and execution.
How could they be post punk when their first album came out BEFORE "Nevermind the Bullocks" in April of 1977?
@@philwillett9102 Bullocks, you're talking Bollocks
One of my all time favourite bands ,you can't go wrong with their first 4 albums ,absolutely fantastic , no more heroes ,5 minutes ,nice n sleazy ,peaches ,London lady , just a few of their early singles .
A great choice again, JP. Check out Down In The Sewer on this album! It's a bit proggy!
The Stranglers; a clever, funny punk band. Loved them. This is a great album - listen on!
Congrats on discovering the greatest band in the world :)
And definitely more to come!
My first album and still a classic..got to do nice n sleazy, walk on by as well!
Love The Raven album too..
Absolutely love this band! I was that guy, always dragging their albums to parties. Ha! "Skin Deep"
Justin, I knew you were going to get hooked on the Stranglers on first listen !!!
You absolutely have to do the entirety of Rattus Norvegicus. I promise you won't be disappointed with the trip ! Next station: "Goodbye Toulouse".
@@Katehowe3010 True !
R.I.P. Dave Greenfield 1949 - 2020. Keyboard player with The Stranglers for 45 years.
Categorized as a punk group but much more subtle. My favorite track on this album is Goodbye Toulouse.
yeah. I was 16 in 1976 at the start of punk. Not interested in it - liked The Stranglers.
They were indeed punk because punk is not a kind of music as much as it is an attitude. I love The Stranglers, but I think their success would have been unthinkable without the punk explosion.
Wonderful surprise! Great stuff, I'm sure there'll be loads of recommendations here so I won't bother. Suffice to say they have a great many songs worth checking out. I'm happy, great song nice review!
A nice surprise indeed, long awaited. Let's hope Justin perseveres and gives also John Foxx's Ultravox and Wire a shot.
@@mariosandri4010 Fingers crossed.
As your love for the great Talk Talk saw a great style change later, and as much as I like The Stranglers material, many will be negative to their 'change' in the 80s but many, like me, love their edgy pop-like sounds in their hits Skin Deep, and Always The Sun and later would love your opinion on this change.
Always dig your intelligent, honest reviews.... welcome to the wonderful world of The Stranglers. For songs, Nice 'n' Sleazy or Hanging Around should be your next port of call. You will not be disappointed.
Really glad you get the song, the album and the band. It was an incredible statement of intent, everything aboiut the band is right there.... the menacing lyrics (sung by Hugh), dirty driving bass from JJ, Jet Black's Sonor drums smacking away incessantly, powerful elegant lead guitar from Hugh and of course Dave Greenfields hypnotic keyboards.
I got the album on my 14th birthday from WH Smiths in Liverpool with a £5 gift voucer from my grandmother. when I played it the first time after doing my afternoon paper round I was immediately hooked....
You get to just dial it up on your smartphone !
Not much to add with all the great comments. Just glad you found and like 'em. More Stranglers please...
It did me good to hear this. The Stranglers were one of the more unlikely success stories to emerge from the Punk/New Wave era, having emerged from the earlier underground pub-rock scene. But that was true of many of their contemporaries such as Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Graham Parker and the Rumour, Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Motors and Nick Lowe. Punk, and independent record labels offered a break-out for many previously non-mainstream acts. It made for a very dynamic and entertaining music scene at a time when a lot of people were looking for something a bit more energetic, exciting and novel than the next twenty minute prog epic.
The stars aligned and four members of The Stranglers came together. Brilliant band
So nice to see a new fan of this band. You are in for a treat.
Love it! The Stranglers put out a bunch of great albums. I really like the sinister sense of humor that comes through in all of their music.
Often used to open their concerts... JJ's bass! So underrated as a bassist. Dave's onstage party piece - playing with one hand, drinking a pint of beer with the other...
Love the Stranglers, so many good tunes. For a real 'Doorsy' view, listen to the Stranglers' cover of 'Walk On By' and the instrumental break therein. For me, the Stranglers ended when Hugh Cornwell left, but there are many great albums to listen to up to that point.
For the second time on here may I say...YOU UTTER, UTTER LEGEND!!! One of my favourite bands and I was gutted when Dave got taken by Covid a year or so ago and just had a feeling you would take to them...if you don't go ahead with this album but pick and choose, then may I concur with others...No More Heroes, 5 Minutes and Nice'n'Sleazy as the opening salvos. I saw them in Battersea Park in London in 1978 and when they performed Nice 'n' Sleazy they had strippers on stage...may not sound like much, but this was 1978...strippers in a public park!!!. As a maturing teen I didn't know where to look...that is a lie, I knew exactly where to look, but it didn't detract from the song...that is also a lie, it did...Jet Black was 100 years old when they broke onto the scene and has only just retired at the grand old age of 250...enjoy them mate, and thanks for doing them
Ty Mario! This was fantastic!
My first live Stranglers gig too!! I was blown away when footage of it started appearing online. Still feels like yesterday although it was nearly 43 years ago!!!!!
Ha, I have that recording of that concert on VHS, strippers and all.
So glad you loved this and hope you'll listen to many more tracks. They have a huge back catalogue so happy listening.
Good for you, Justin, for choosing to react to The Stranglers. Probably not for the faint of heart... Hahaha! My favourite album by them is The Raven, but several others are strong, too. And they sound distinctly different at different times. There's a good live video of three songs on RUclips from the British TV show The Tube recorded in 1983 showing the transition in sound. I like the best of both sounds from the band. And there was a live Stranglers concert in 1978 in London (btw, with the opening act being Peter Gabriel) that led to some notoriety, though relatively tame by today's standards (parts of that show may still be on RUclips).
Check out "No More Heroes", "Nice & Sleazy", "Dead Los Angeles", "Duchess", "The Raven", "Golden Brown", "Strange Little Girl", "Toiler on the Sea", "Midnight Summer Dream", "Always The Sun", a cover of "Walk On By", etc. (There are a few songs of theirs that I enjoy that may not be ideal for family viewing... Hahaha!)
Btw, Hugh Cornwell was in a high school band with Richard Thompson (who started out with Fairport Convention, and has had a lengthy solo career, but closer to folk, NOT punk!). And since leaving The Stranglers, Hugh Cornwell has made a couple of good albums and is always great to see and hear live, when he usually plays a few Stranglers songs.
Hope you continue to enjoy the music!
Yes, because of the keyboards being so crucial it is like a British version of The Doors, but Hugh's vocals, the driving drums and the growling bass takes it into Punk territory. Much like The Doors too, their gigs could be anarchic and confrontational when they started out, but they were always more accomplished and melodic than most of their Punk contemporaries and the keyboards gave them a distinctive edge. Other Doors-ish style songs are 'Strange little girl' and 'Always the sun'. They were already older, compared with the majority of teen Punk bands, when they began in 1974, Hugh and Dave were 25, Jean-Jacques 22, and Jet Black 36. The next song you should check out is 'Golden brown', it's about heroin, but so hauntingly beautiful it managed to bypass the BBC radio controllers and became one of the band's biggest chart hits at No.2, it could have easily got to No.1 if the bassist hadn't explained too soon the inspiration for the lyrics to the press, which got it quickly dropped from playlists. Other great songs include 'Skin deep', 'Peaches', 'No more heroes', and 'Nice 'n' sleazy'. They were, and remain, hugely successful and had 23 top 40 UK hits, 7 of them top 10's. Sadly Dave Greenfield, the keyboard player passed away last year from Covid-19.
Try ‘Hanging Around’. It has one of the fattest bass intros you’ll ever hear.
@@Katehowe3010 it’s a close call!
Hanging around was my first introduction to the Stranglers in 1977. Been a fan ever since. Saw them 3 times with all three singers in the states.
The Stranglers were always a cut above most other new wave bands. Adding to the list of suggestions below, I would recommend Dagenham Dave, Toiler OnThe Sea and one of the best b-sides ever - Rok It To The Moon
I love a bit of Punk Rock, such an awesome and iconic band :)
I view a lot of reactor vids and the telling thing with most is they tend in the large part to 'React' to what all the others are reacting to?? Its such a refreshing view to see someone gleefully being outside the box, actually listening to the song without stopping it to talk about nothing and reviewing it with sense.. There are 3 or 4 other reactors that also do this and research, discuss the bands.. Top banana for being amongst that small but enlightening group 😁
So many great Stranglers songs to check out. 5 Minutes, Something Better Change, Bear Cage, Hanging Around, Head On The Line and Achilles Heel to name a few.
This was interesting, I'd be happy to see out this album with everybody. I liked that raw punk energy done more subtly than someone you'd normally associate with the punk movement. I too get a more groovy The Doors feel and for that I'm thankful (not really a The Doors fan).
Couldn`t be a mixture of the cure, they came later. Sometimes is my favourite track of all time and I saw them several times in the late 70`s. They were beyond brilliant.
Please do more reactions...No more heroes, Always the sun, etc.etc. So many great songs. Best band ever. Still going strong after 45 years although some members are no more.
Definitely will do!
Hey JustJP, this was the first song I ever heard from these guys back in the day and I had the exact same reaction. Love to see you react to 'Get a Grip On Yourself' or 'Goodbye Toulouse'
Nice and Sleazy is easily my favorite Stranglers song. JJ Burnel FTW!
Check for Stranglers version of "Walk on by",simply incredible!
Hey Justin ~ First off, let me just say, I LOVE THE STRANGLERS! Back in the day, when they first came out we called their music Rhythmic Punk. So many great rhythmic moments and sounds, as you discovered, but still definitely Punk in attitude and lyrically. I HIGHLY recommend you listen to "Something Better Change" from their album 'No More Heroes'. It's my all time favorite of theirs. So glad you decided to check them out and that you GET them on a first listen. Great reaction, Justin. =)
Ty Tolemac! Workin on getting some more from them!
Yesss! I hope you've been hooked enough to keep trying their stuff out! So radically different over their career from other 'punk' bands, transitioning into some kind of pseudo-New Wave sound that was unlike anyone else in the 1980s. Mixture of the Doors and Cure is spot on, and yet, so much more too.
“No more heroes” opens up one of my favorite radio shows of the same name, on KXLU Los Angeles. A fitting song for the show!! “Life has no Mercy” is one of my favorite Strangers songs!!
Timeless band! So unique.
Hehe, you really have a knack for choosing bands that have some importance in some period of my life. The Stanglers, while I did know their biggest hit Golden Brown, I didn't really know. I had then in my 3rd year at University a new room mate, who was very diferent from all the guys I used to hang out with (geeky nerds). He was much more "Rock'n'roll" and we got along really well, even if noone would have guest as we were really very different personalities. The nice thing was that thanks to him I had the chance to get to know a whole bunch of other people and one of them was a Stranglers fan. So it happened that parties at his place were often sounded with them. Stranglers thus are always linked to me "coming of age" period (sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, except without drugs and punk instead of rock, :-) )
Great band
Golden Brown next! Im going to see these guys in feburary next year so exicited
Oh man, I *looove* 'Ace Ventura II - When Nature Calls' ! 😄 "Do *I* have something in my teeth?!" 😂
Awww an The Stranglers! Yes. The band of my yoof lol Must do Walk on By - the proper full length version. Dave Greenfield's keyboard playing is immense! RIP
Walk on By
ruclips.net/video/jqfqVDHNW6c/видео.html
... and I just realised while watching this video: I'm hearing this song for the very first time right now! 😳😆
Hope you enjoyed!
@@JustJP - Sure did, mate! 😀 And not only the song! 😊
Great band, grew up listening to these
Listen to the whole album, it’s a classic!
Thanks for posting this video as I've never heard this track before.
I am was more aware of their bigger hits, but my fave is Skin Deep.
And legend has it that Dave Greenfield's style had developed completely without knowing The Doors! After he'd joined The (Guildford) Stranglers, they mentioned to him that he reminds them of Ray Manzarek from The Doors, and his response was, "Who?!" 😄
First time hearing these guys, and will be listening to more.
For some reason, I was reminded of the band ‘Little Bo Bitch’ (later ‘The Lonely Boys’), and luckily, their eponymous - and only - album is here on RUclips. Today already gets the ‘win’ label.
Do the Stranglers version of Burt Bacharach's 'Walk On By'. These guys had a number of different phases. They begin very punkish without ever really be punks musically, rather the attitude, especially of the singer (/guitarists and main composer) Hugh Cornwell. Some songs have great sense of humor (check out 'Peaches' and/or 'Tank') others are interesting points of view regarding our society (as of the late seventies and eighties). Cornwell was a heroin addict that did manage to kick his habit. Listen to the song 'Don't Bring Harry'. A true poet turns personal pain into an artistic statement, it has been said. This song falls in that category and is both beautiful and eerie. 'Golden Brown' another favorite is possibly the most radio friendly, melodically catchy a song in their repertoire. Hard to believe songs so different in shade and demeanor can come from the same brain. I'm so happy that you've discovered The Stranglers and really liked it straight away. Their album Aural Sculpture, I consider their most mature work and I highly recommend a full album listen. Enjoy.
Down In The Sewer........ 7 plus minute song (Last track on side 2 of album) has the most phenomenal Bass and Bass solo outro that has ever been in music. Their 1st 3 albums are by a million miles the best they have ever done. Rattus was the first album i bought as a Punk rock kid, and as an old codger (hahaha) it still blows me away now.
Yess, The Strangles…takes me back to ‘77. For me the Stranglers were a welcome alternative to the 2 chord punk at that time. I never made the Doors connection but it’s spot on. Thanks JP!
Try their version of „Walk on buy“ in my opinion the best organ solo ever. 🤪😎🤘
A bonus thought. The Stranglers put in a surprise appearance in Season 14, Episode 2 of Time Team (a British reality show about archeology).
Hi Justin ! I Looooove The Stranglers ( with Cornwell ) since the first to the last ! Justin, you Must try their " Walk on By " cover ( the original of H. David/B. Bacharach was sung by Dionne Warwick ) which was a limited edition single with the 3rd album "Black and White" ! It's a Killing Version !! Have more good times with good Music !
A few Stranglers tunes: Golden Brown, Something Better Change, Skin Deep, No More Heroes.
Good stuff. Reminds me a little of Elvis Costello (organ sound).
JP, continue with Joe Jackson Look Sharp?
Stay tuned 🙂
The last three tracks on this album come in killer, Grip, then Ugly, man i hope you give that track a whirl ha ha, and then Down In The Sewer, the Rats Rally ending is one of my fav musical passages by anyone.
glad you like this gem
The Stranglers were a great melodic punk band (probably the best) - but their keyboard player Dave G was pure prog! RIP Dave x
Suggestion Raven - The Stranglers ..... glad you are enjoying and reviving music so much... Hugh C is my uncle, believe it or not
The punk bands, if they ever had keyboards, eschewed the Hammond with its prog association and chose the more cheesy sounds of the Vox Continental or Farfisa. But you can tell Dave Greenfield dug Wakeman. And Burnel’s Rickenbacker harks back to Entwhistle and Squire. The Stranglers rode the punk wave but they were far too creative and as their albums progressed they explored weirder and more esoteric territory. Worth exploring.
I don't think Jean Jacques ever used a Rickenbacker, I believe he has always used a Precision bass (and still does).
@@module79l28 My apologies - I bow to your better knowledge. But it's a mightily grungy sound nonetheless!
@@RickBenbow - I couldn't believe it myself when I saw a picture of him playing with the Fender, that sound shouldn't be coming from that bass. Until I saw them live. : )
As someone who has been listening to the Stranglers since 1977 its nice to see someone enjoying them for the first time. Rattus has so many good tracks and 'Sometimes' is not the one I would have chosen for you when there is 'Grip' 'Hanging around' 'Princess of the streets' 'Peaches' 'Down in the sewer' 'London Lady' on the same album.
Other tracks I would recomend are as follows.....
Cerfew, Tank, Nice, Sleazy and Toiler on the sea from the 'Back and White' album
No more Hero's and School Mam from the 'No more hero's' album
Don't Bring Harry from the 'Raven' Album
And 'Who wants the World' and 'Strange little Girl' which were singles
The later albums also had some great tracks
but anything after 1990 when Hugh left is not really up to much with one or two exceptions
Anyway,welcome to the family in black
Ps: Hugh's surname is pronunced CORN-WELL
Rattus Norvegicus - the Norway Brown Rat!
I've got to say that Peaches was the most famous track on this album in the UK, mostly because Keith Floyd used it for the theme for his series of cookery shows where he got drunk while cooking (the 80s were a simpler time!)
Lol the song was a hit before Keith floyd played it on he’s show ..that show never influenced the success of the song in any way ..what a ridiculous comment
@@terry3881 Hi Terry, it was a number 8 hit in May 1977, it was Keith Floyds theme tune for a decade and a half.
I'll stand by its the best known track on the album and thats because of Keith Floyd.
@@EwanV no mate because Keith Floyd's tv program never started until 4 years after yhe song was realised.. in 1981 The song was already a hit by then and wasn't available to buy as a single only on album .. and the albums peak selling period was 77 to 79. Keith Floyd on food was a 6 part series ending in October 1986 bb2 ..also the theme song to the show was changed to waltzing black in 1986 .. since it was only relesed in 77 it couldnt be used for a decade and half
@@terry3881 I agree the single and albums were their own thing.
I'm just saying Peaches sold somewhere between 200,000 and 400,000 singles (given it was a BPI silver) while Keith Floyd's programmes were watched by millions every week for years.
Unless you are an avid Stranglers fan, you know Peaches as the Keith Floyd theme tune.
Now No More Heroes is remembered as a Stranglers track, as is Golden Brown but Peaches is a theme tune to most people.
@@EwanV no mate the song and the show were completely different time periods . Peaches was a hit in 77 to 79 .. and Keith Floyd's show wasn't until 81 . He's show never had anything to do with the sales because the album wasn't in the top 30 charts by then and wasn't available on single
One of the best bands to come out of the UK ever.
Another band worth a listen is Goldfrapp, try their songs 'Ooh La La' and 'Utopia'
Lyrics are a pain in the neck,music though is a breath of fresh air! Peace and remember---Breath Deep the Gathering Gloom!
Lots of great songs by the Stranglers. Check out "Golden Brown", "No More Heroes", "Peaches", and "Skin Deep", to name a few.
Best band of that period, this whole album is awesome!!
When Dave Greenfield first joined The Sranglers, Hugh and JJ (both big Doors fans) said 'you sound like Ray Manzarek.' Dave, apparently, replied 'Who?'.
Great band. tons of material. never got the credit they deserved - at least in the states. The community has called it in terms of songs - Golden Brown, Always the sun, No more heroes etc
Smoke a "fat one",shut your eyes & listen to the whole album.Superb!!!!😎
Saw this band in 1979 at a bar in Toronto
Me too.... I was living down by the Ballet School on Maitland...
Can't remember which bar but also saw Stevie Ray at the Elmocombo.
Wish he would do the Shuffle Demons... Great fun
@@davidgale7384 It was the Horseshoe on Queen , the LP Black And White tour.
Good timing for this song.
I found it interesting, had a decent groove. Guitar runs were a bit practice oriented but serviceable.
Yes, I agree not thaaat punk. More garage bandy. May hear it again, I don’t know. Well played sir.
Peace and sometimes Music
Looking at this and many previous selections, it's remarkable just how many British bands/artists have obviously made no impact on the American market, radio or other mediums. Glad you're having fun catching up though.
Because at that time the American music market was totally different from what was happening in the UK. US radio stations were broadcasting stuff like Boston, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton .... in other words, classic pop-rock smooth sound. the complete opposite of the raw and rough sounding Stranglers music !
Got to go to Down in the Sewer also on Rattus album- amazing track
Best new wave band with the exception of the Clash IMHO. You have to do - ‘No more Heroes’, and one of the best covers ever ‘Walk on by’( by Burt Bacharach and made famous by Dionne Warwick) also ‘Always the Sun’ is brilliant.
Infinitely more musically gifted than the Clash, but I accept it's all marmite.
On the topic of British artists, and knowing your interest in Canterbury, you Really need to hear Robert Wyatt's remarkable Rock Bottom album if you're not familiar with it already. It's like nothing else you'll have ever heard. Start at the beginning with Sea Song and take it from there.
"Sea Song" is an all time great track.
You will feel the same about Brian Augers Oblivion Express “Straight Ahead Album “. Straight Ahead, Change, You’ll Stay in my Heart. That entire side of album kicks butt. The other side is Great too
If you'd like to hear some punk with even more Doors influence, listen to X "The World's a Mess; It's in My Kiss" off their "Los Angeles" album - Ray Manzarek produced and plays the organ.
for years ... never even gave them a listen just because of their name... ASS U MED they were hard core punk .... then I learned that a song I really liked ... Golden Brown was actually their version of the song ... even though it's just a cover .... yes, I am guilty of judging a book by it's cover
in this ganre .... you should also look up the minutemen ... a very beginning of punk band from San Pedro that I used to hang with and they got to be quite famous ... Mike Watt is still in demand to play with big names .... and the guitar player ( rest his soul is still on many BEST GUITAR PLAYER list out there
The Stranglers are great .. so many great tunes .. "Straighten Out", "Hanging Around", Nice and Sleazy", "No more Hero's", "Walk on By" ... I could go on forever. PS. I agree with you about The Doors sound.
For me their best song is 5 Minutes, it's just got an aggressive but melodic quality, if that makes sense? 😌
@@Katehowe3010 Here's mine (one track from each album between 1977 to 1981):
from Rattus Novegicus - "Goodbye Toulouse"
from No More Heroes - "Peasant in the Big Shitty"
from Black & White - "Death and Night and Blood (Yukio)"
from The Raven - "Baroque Bordello"
from The Gospel According to the Meninblack - "Second Coming"
from La Folie - "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead"
@@Katehowe3010 Great ! I look forward to it.
@@Katehowe3010 Fine selection as well !
You know what ? I almost hesitated between "Baroque Bordello" and "Genetix" and I really like "Let Me Introduce You to the Family" too !!!
In fact, t's hard to make a choice on the first six albums because there are so many great tracks.
One thing that caught my attention in your selection is the absence of songs from the album The Gospel According to the Meninblack! (probably not a fan of this one Christian ?).
@@Katehowe3010 I've always loved this rather experimental concept album.
Oh yes "Manna Machine" is the weirdest track on the album but it's really great ! The longest track "Hallow To Our Men" with its evolving structure always made me think of a mix between Captain Beefheart, Devo and Kraftwerk !!!
Ah the running battles between the punks and the Perry boys(casuals) were epic mayhem in the North.