spongebob Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 I've always been a massive fan of The Stranglers '77-72, and quite enjoy some of the last couple of albums, too. Tended to shy away from their '80s stuff, but thought this year to give it a go. I started a few months ago with 'Feline', my previous cut-off point....and I love it! What a great record - a total departure from before, but great stuff. Quite sparse, but really excellent songs, and very much an 'album'. I've no idea what bass JJB is using on the album, but his sound is fab throughout. I'm really taken with 'Paradise' - [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7recSoG8xA[/media] Guess I'll try 'Aural Sculpture' next....never thought I'd say that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Thought Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) Feline-he was either using a Yamaha bass (dunno which model) at that time, or this:- Recently sold at auction at the Stranglers Convention in London for about £3500 I believe-a Kinkade handbuilt acoustic bass. The Yamaha apparently broke when he thumped it, as he is fond of doing, and he went back to his black Precision. Feline isn't my favourite of their albums, and according to most of what I've read, the band aren't terribly keen on it either. I do like Midnight Summer Dream, and I don't think Paradise is a bad track, but Jet Black is on record as saying he thinks Blue Sister is the worst thing they ever did. Jet was using a drum machine rather excessively at the time, which didn't help. I saw them live around this time, and it was one of the best Stranglers gigs I ever went to! They may have mellowed on record, but certainly not live! Aural Sculpture isn't a bad album-certainly better than Feline IMHO. Couple of classics on there-Skin Deep and North Winds-and some other decent tracks. It also contains another of their biggest turkeys-Mad Hatter. I quite like Dreamtime, the album after that, but none of their output of this period was a patch on the early stuff. Next was 10, Hugh's last album, which I never bought, because by then I'd lost interest, not to see them again until 2006 after Paul Roberts had left and Baz Warne had taken over, and they were back to a four-piece. Edited December 16, 2011 by Deep Thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_skezz Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 [quote name='Deep Thought' timestamp='1324062799' post='1470547'] Feline-he was either using a Yamaha bass (dunno which model) at that time, or this:- Recently sold at auction at the Stranglers Convention in London for about £3500 I believe-a Kinkade handbuilt acoustic bass.[/quote] I was about three feet away from the bloke who bought it - couldn't believe it fetched that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 [quote name='the_skezz' timestamp='1324065263' post='1470593'] I was about three feet away from the bloke who bought it - couldn't believe it fetched that much. [/quote] I can. It's an actual JJ bass. Had I been there, I would've topped that bid to have it hang on my wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Alsatian Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 I really like Feline and Aural Sculpture these days but can struggle a little through Dreamtime and to a greater extent, 10 at times - I have to be in a certain mood to listen to those two albums. When I first heard Feline (in the early 90s), it took me a good few listens to get into it with it being such a massive change in direction from La Folie, which still had some of their hallmarks - Hugh's jagged guitar, JJ's angry bass and Dave's swirling keys. Feline sounds quite sparse in comparison but I absolutely love 'Midnight Summer Dream'. The brass section in Aural Sculpture took a bit of getting used to, but I suppose if they'd had Dave using synth brass stabs (don't think he got the sampler until a couple of years later), it would have sounded very dated now. 'North Winds Blowing' is a fantastic song! My old man got me into them - he had Rattus and No More Heroes when they came out and I remember owning a few singles from back then (still got a Strange Little Girl and Golden Brown 7" somewhere). Got properly into them when I got my old man the Greatest Hits 77-90 for his 40th birthday - I'd not long been playing bass and listened to the tape more than he did! Only seen them three times though - twice with Paul Roberts and John Ellis and last year with them back as a four piece with Baz. Excellent gigs (especially with Baz) - seeing them next year too. I'd love another new album from 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Green Alsatian' timestamp='1324077657' post='1470762'] When I first heard Feline (in the early 90s), it took me a good few listens to get into it with it being such a massive change in direction p. I'd love another new album from 'em! [/quote] You can, like me, pre-order their upcoming new studio album (which is called "Giants" ) from their website. www.stranglers.net. Edited December 17, 2011 by mercuryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Alsatian Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Thanks for the tip-off, sir. Pre-ordered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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