JJB, massive inspiration to me. The aggressive sound way up in the mix and the great bass lines, brilliant.
Listening to Stuart Henry's punk show on Luxembourg 208 on Sunday evening in my dad's car, hearing Neat Neat Neat by the Damned and Peaches turned me on to music and made me want to play bass. Playing along with The Ramones showed me that I could do it too!
The Stranglers were so beyond the usual punk ethos, clever songs with tricksy timings, jagged guitar parts, flowing keyboard, great drum patterns, monster bass. At the time, I bundled them in with all the other punk stuff I was listening too as it came out but it was obvious they were different.
Yes, that Golden period from Rattus up to Gospel are my favourites, with the odd one or two from after.