Hugh will always wear the crown of being the 'original' stranglers lead singer,Been a fan since 80, went to see them at Preston an they were BRILLIANT!! Baz is doing a great job an cant wait to see them in March xx
good times! - back when good ol' hugh and JJ had some chemistry :) they lost it further towards the 90's it appears.... here they really rock! what a band...
the pistols without johnny? come on, everybody to his liking, but the pistols are just noize and a big mug,-the stranglers are a superb band with loads of brillant albums, -a daring comparison!!!
The way the Stranglers are now in 2008-2009 betters a large chunk of the Hugh-era stuff anyway. Saw them on the 10 tour...good but nowhere as good as they are now in 2009.
i think your wrong, if Hugh had not been in the band, you would not have the majority of the songs you listen to in 2009. Also without his vocal input ,style, and enthusiasm, would the Stranglers have been as big as they became. In my view the Stranglers without Hugh are like the Pistols without Johnny. What there doing today is a fair effort, but cannot be compared to yesterday.
Don't get me wrong, Hugh was great and obviously was partly responsible for most of the songs as Paul says. That's not my point though. All albums were good to La Folie and after that it was downwards. Yes there were good songs on Aural Sculpture, Dreamtime, 10 (which is a period of 6 years?) but that's what I meant by a large chunk. Also seeing them live during that time....autopilot. Can't accuse of that now can you? No brass section either. Cheers David
Just to get this right ... I said "Hugh-era" not "Hugh"...I wasn't directing my criticism specifically at Hugh just at the post-La Folie years I suppose. Yes there were hits, but the albums and live performances weren't so good imho.
the stranglers play good these days but don't reach the credibility of this. This is pure energy. The Stranglers ain't The Stranglers without Hugh, JJ, Jet or Dave. It's just another band now. With all respect.
Too many changes took place since Hugh packed up, none of them succesful. It is a sorry state when the founder member and the driving force leaves. A band now that's a shadow of it's former self :-(
I agree completely. I'm only a fan of the Cornwell-era. A part of me died when they replaced Hugh with that Michael Hutchence wannabe Paul Roberts *shudder*
@SteveResin so do you not like Norfolk Coast the album? Yeah ur mate is on it, but the music is very reminiscent of early Stranglers work. I don't know why fans give Roberts such a hard time. His vocals sound ok to me. Is it because he parades around the stage like a showman? He could never replace Cornwell, but then again who could. Do you think Baz Warne does a better job now than Roberts?
@katoness I don't mind Warne fronting the band along with JJ, they're just a nostalgic live act now aren't they? Rat in a basket. That's fair enough, we've all got to eat. Roberts was just a terrible choice imo, I couldn't believe some of those dark, brooding songs were being sung by a guy prancing around stage in showbusiness shirts and shiny shoes topped off with a perm. Urgh... WTF!! In a perfect world the band would have split soon as Hugh left.
@SteveResin yeah I see your point. Its a bit hard looking at him when hes singing "Down in the Sewer", compared to Cornwells commanding performance. I can listen to Roberts though, it don't bother me.
@katoness one man's meat is another man's poison I guess. I only heard Norfolk Coast once, maybe I'll give it another spin. I live in fear of the perm tho! :o
what planet r u on you dont think he will ever go back... its gettin on a wee bit granted ? duh uh weve all moved on but thats not his decision..... the stranglers as a band are far greater than one mans ego trip.. and i love hugh as a top musician but he was wrong an i think he knows that now.. WHEN I WAS A VIKING MY FRIEND HE WAS THE RAVEN
Hugh will always wear the crown of being the 'original' stranglers lead singer,Been a fan since 80, went to see them at Preston an they were BRILLIANT!! Baz is doing a great job an cant wait to see them in March xx
08tigerbabe 3 months ago
gives me palpatations just listening to it lol, my fave stranglers song. this is so raw and aggressive and mindblowingly ace!!!
Icequeen1962 7 months ago
On those years the stranglers were so insane and we loved it, the atmosphere was electric
Shine5757 10 months ago
I saw them in 78, and have seen the various incarnations subsequently,They were quite simply a very good live act.
garylongden 1 year ago
good times! - back when good ol' hugh and JJ had some chemistry :) they lost it further towards the 90's it appears.... here they really rock! what a band...
bassdude250194 2 years ago
the pistols without johnny? come on, everybody to his liking, but the pistols are just noize and a big mug,-the stranglers are a superb band with loads of brillant albums, -a daring comparison!!!
MoveOverCasanova 2 years ago
The way the Stranglers are now in 2008-2009 betters a large chunk of the Hugh-era stuff anyway. Saw them on the 10 tour...good but nowhere as good as they are now in 2009.
davidcassell 3 years ago
i think your wrong, if Hugh had not been in the band, you would not have the majority of the songs you listen to in 2009. Also without his vocal input ,style, and enthusiasm, would the Stranglers have been as big as they became. In my view the Stranglers without Hugh are like the Pistols without Johnny. What there doing today is a fair effort, but cannot be compared to yesterday.
PaulBriden 3 years ago 5
i agree with paulo, there nowt without hugh. its like the misfits are nowt without danzig, although danzig is a massive gleeb.
proffesornutbutter 3 years ago
Don't get me wrong, Hugh was great and obviously was partly responsible for most of the songs as Paul says. That's not my point though. All albums were good to La Folie and after that it was downwards. Yes there were good songs on Aural Sculpture, Dreamtime, 10 (which is a period of 6 years?) but that's what I meant by a large chunk. Also seeing them live during that time....autopilot. Can't accuse of that now can you? No brass section either. Cheers David
davidcassell 2 years ago
Just to get this right ... I said "Hugh-era" not "Hugh"...I wasn't directing my criticism specifically at Hugh just at the post-La Folie years I suppose. Yes there were hits, but the albums and live performances weren't so good imho.
davidcassell 2 years ago
the stranglers play good these days but don't reach the credibility of this. This is pure energy. The Stranglers ain't The Stranglers without Hugh, JJ, Jet or Dave. It's just another band now. With all respect.
These guys made the soundtrack of my youth.
offerUcannotrefuse 2 years ago 7
amazing. Love the improvised end where JJ goes into the hello Little girl bit at the end of Dead Ringer
GUGUG 3 years ago
viva the stranglers and Nottingham Forest of that times!!!
rsusic 3 years ago
I don't think Hugh will ever go back. Not after what I've read in the books. After all, JJ did put him through a wall :(
SteveResin 3 years ago
Too many changes took place since Hugh packed up, none of them succesful. It is a sorry state when the founder member and the driving force leaves. A band now that's a shadow of it's former self :-(
fleetinglance 3 years ago
I agree completely. I'm only a fan of the Cornwell-era. A part of me died when they replaced Hugh with that Michael Hutchence wannabe Paul Roberts *shudder*
SteveResin 3 years ago
@SteveResin so do you not like Norfolk Coast the album? Yeah ur mate is on it, but the music is very reminiscent of early Stranglers work. I don't know why fans give Roberts such a hard time. His vocals sound ok to me. Is it because he parades around the stage like a showman? He could never replace Cornwell, but then again who could. Do you think Baz Warne does a better job now than Roberts?
katoness 1 year ago
@katoness I don't mind Warne fronting the band along with JJ, they're just a nostalgic live act now aren't they? Rat in a basket. That's fair enough, we've all got to eat. Roberts was just a terrible choice imo, I couldn't believe some of those dark, brooding songs were being sung by a guy prancing around stage in showbusiness shirts and shiny shoes topped off with a perm. Urgh... WTF!! In a perfect world the band would have split soon as Hugh left.
SteveResin 1 year ago
@SteveResin yeah I see your point. Its a bit hard looking at him when hes singing "Down in the Sewer", compared to Cornwells commanding performance. I can listen to Roberts though, it don't bother me.
katoness 1 year ago
@katoness one man's meat is another man's poison I guess. I only heard Norfolk Coast once, maybe I'll give it another spin. I live in fear of the perm tho! :o
SteveResin 1 year ago
what planet r u on you dont think he will ever go back... its gettin on a wee bit granted ? duh uh weve all moved on but thats not his decision..... the stranglers as a band are far greater than one mans ego trip.. and i love hugh as a top musician but he was wrong an i think he knows that now.. WHEN I WAS A VIKING MY FRIEND HE WAS THE RAVEN
RattusNorvegicus67 3 years ago
With Baz up front now they're really rocking - as tight/good as with Hugh (Roberts was a numpty though)!
jackal2071 3 years ago
@SteveResin did he really? Why? any idea?
BigChrisButler 1 year ago
what a brilliant band - will Hugh ever come back? does he really not get on with JJ?
sandprof 3 years ago
ah...here's more...brilliant.
mooseharris 3 years ago
long live hugh cornwell
sofaguard 3 years ago
They need to bring the strobe lights back.
AL
ALTRENT900 3 years ago