How to Listen to the Stranglers
A simple guide to the Stranglers' albums and songs over their 1977–2022 Career
The Stranglers are one of those bands that have a mythology and history all of their own. Typified by an independent path, a strong and devoted supporter base, and only a little mainstream success.
I have been listening to them (on and off) since discovering those early albums at a formative stage of life. Live wise I was only fortunate to see the more recent Jean Jacques/Baz Warner/Dave Greenfield/Jim Macaulay line up; and around the same time the Hugh Cornwell power trio, who rocked out a second-half Stranglers set. So no Jet Black on drums but a compilation of the band resides in my mind and the songs were a powerful punch to hear live by either side of the divide.
The quick history is marvelous: Back in London Hugh Cornwell (vocals/guitar) returns from unsatisfactory postgraduate biochemistry studies/lab work in Sweden. Picks up an Anglo-French hitchhiker Jean Jacques Burnell (bass/vocals) who plays classical guitar. He is on his way to Jet Black’s (drums) ice cream van business/rehearsal space in Guildford. Keyboard virtuoso Dave Greenfield completes the line-up. They start with covers, write their own tunes, and gig anywhere and everywhere. It is 1977 and punk explodes. Heresy these guys can play their…
