old friends return

hi there

every now and then you get a most peculiar thing happening in the world of music. that would be a well established singer leaving the band, the band deciding to carry on with a new singer and somehow, despite assumptions that it would not work, it works out rather well. well in the sense that the band continues, at the least, if not with the success once experienced.

Marillion are a rather fine example of this. lead singer Fish departed at pretty much the height of their fame (they were after all huge with the singles Kayleigh and Lavendar), fearing that the success and constant touring were wiping him out and certainly turning him towards alcoholic oblivion. the band carried on and have done rather well since, as indeed has Fish in his own right. the fact that the band and the singer remain on speaking terms, indeed even performing together every now and then, makes that a winner of a story.

the same is not quite true of The Stranglers, but pretty close. Hugh Cornwell left in 1990, claiming that he believed the group had "run its course" and were creatively exhausted. well, the last album he recorded with the band, 10, certainly suggests that as it is the weakest the band ever produced. Dave Greenfield, JJ Burnel and the legendary Jet Black did not have quite the same view, however, and have been getting on with it, with different singer and guitarist combinations, for the 22 years since Hugh left.

and it seems unlikely they are going to stop any time soon, what with the release of their 17th studio album today, Giants.




nice one, men in black! i am looking forward to hearing this one as and when it lands.

there exists, of course, a pocket of fans that refuse to have anything to do with The Stranglers sans Hugh. this is their loss, really, and they have missed out on some great music in the last two decades - About Time in particular being a great album. the hits and the scandalous stories may not be as much of an ever present for the band these days, but in general, the saying once a Stranglers fan always a Stranglers fan comes to mind here, and i have no doubt that this new album will find a substantial audience with their devout fanbase.

at the moment i'm busy in the car with a mix of The Style Council, Depeche Mode and Adam & The Ants. i think, however, it could well be time to listen to a few of the previous albums from The Stranglers whilst i await the arrival of this one.


be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!