New keyboard player

[StanInBlack]

The only thing you've mentioned there that directly relates to the music is the brass and that was a joint decision. I thought it worked but possibly overstayed it's welcome.

Indeed. It's fair to say the addition of the brass wouldn't have just been Hugh's decision. It's also well worth pointing out that since he left The Stranglers, Hugh hasn't really used brass on his solo albums either.

[Homer]

Gotta agree with this

Indeed, then the MKI stuff can be left to Hugh to do properly.

I do enjoy Hughs take on the Mk1 stuff. .. but its still not 'properly' ... you're so negative its unbelievable.Ive seen a lot of Strangs/Hugh gigs but to say they're better ?? C'mon, if i think something is bad, i say it is and still feel the same with the majority of 'Giants' but I've been to a lot of duff Hugh gigs and Stranglers ... at the end of the day they are what they are.
Wish this was like the FB group ... they I could block you and never see your posts.

I made the effort going to Berlin to see them after they played the Kubix festival and have to say they have got it together more, and i wish they'd play less MK1 stuff, but thats what gets the average gig goer in.
With regards the last album releases by them both ... The Strangs have topped the 'Monsters' album, so much I can't remember the last time i played Hugh stuff.

[theraven1979]

I think Stan is probably referring to hearing the voice, the songwriter and the guitarist which for him makes it "proper".

If you've not heard Hugh's stuff( by your own admission) then you can't really comment on his recent output. I've heard Monster and Dark Matters and I can honestly say Monster is the better album (by a country mile) but again it's all subjective innit

Jim

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[StanInBlack]

I think Stan is probably referring to hearing the voice, the songwriter and the guitarist which for him makes it "proper".

Yup. I mean, I'd rather see Hugh do his solo material more than do songs that he did in The Stranglers because his solo material still has a freshness to it for me in comparison to the done-to-death Stranglers classics. However, when it comes to classic Stranglers material then I'd rather see the person who originally wrote, sang and recorded the track rather than see those tracks "interpreted" (if that's the word) by Baz Warne.

[Greatkudu]

It seems Toby may end up a full band member? Lets wait and see? But he is a great player but of course Dave will never be forgotten but Toby is very respectful and Dave would be happy with what Toby is doing. Lt Kudu.

[Yanders]

... i wish they'd play less MK1 stuff, but thats what gets the average gig goer in.

But this is the odd thing about the arguments here. The four baz era LPs hold up against mk1 stuff, yet gig-goers (fans) don't want to hear them?

[Homer]

I think Stan is probably referring to hearing the voice, the songwriter and the guitarist which for him makes it "proper".

If you've not heard Hugh's stuff( by your own admission) then you can't really comment on his recent output. I've heard Monster and Dark Matters and I can honestly say Monster is the better album (by a country mile) but again it's all subjective innit

Jim

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

C'mon Jim of course I've heard his stuff, played 'Monster' a few times and it just doesn't rock my boat, I reckon I've 'grown out' of them. Always said Hugh is good with a band but Solo/acoustic not so good at times. Tbh, i don't like Stranglers stuff acoustic ... theres just a vast amount of music these days I prefer discovering new stuff by new bands etc.
With regards Toby .... what I've seen on YouTube yeah he's doing things right (apart from his dad dancing behind the keys lol)

[Bear Cage]

... i wish they'd play less MK1 stuff, but thats what gets the average gig goer in.

But this is the odd thing about the arguments here. The four baz era LPs hold up against mk1 stuff, yet gig-goers (fans) don't want to hear them?

I think you’re wrong there, personally I want to hear a balanced set including recent stuff and the ‘classics’, looking at the recent French dates they’ve played a selection from
their last four albums (NC, Wild, Unbroken, Relentless, Fickle, Water, This Song, Lines, Stallion, Moon),
Big hits (Peaches, 5mins, Sleazy, WOB, Heroes, Duchess, GB, Euro F, ATS)
Classic tracks (Grip, Buddy, Hanging, Tank, Toiler)
Rarely played (Folie, Harry)
And they varied what they played each night.

Come the new year they’ll add a few and swap it around a bit more, which to me seems pretty good.

[Yanders]

... i wish they'd play less MK1 stuff, but thats what gets the average gig goer in.

But this is the odd thing about the arguments here. The four baz era LPs hold up against mk1 stuff, yet gig-goers (fans) don't want to hear them?

I think you’re wrong there, personally I want to hear a balanced set including recent stuff and the ‘classics’, looking at the recent French dates they’ve played a selection from
their last four albums (NC, Wild, Unbroken, Relentless, Fickle, Water, This Song, Lines, Stallion, Moon),
Big hits (Peaches, 5mins, Sleazy, WOB, Heroes, Duchess, GB, Euro F, ATS)
Classic tracks (Grip, Buddy, Hanging, Tank, Toiler)
Rarely played (Folie, Harry)
And they varied what they played each night.

Come the new year they’ll add a few and swap it around a bit more, which to me seems pretty good.

Redefining mk1 tracks as big hits, classic tracks and rarely played doesn't alter the fact that fans want to hear mainly mk1 material and only half a dozen other tracks on any given gig.

[droopsnoot]

Wish this was like the FB group ... they I could block you and never see your posts.

If you feel that strongly about it: http://www.themeninblack.co.uk/forums/v ... hp?t=23645

The trouble is, I'm not sure that would work as well on a forum as it does on Facebook. A forum thread has a flow, people get quoted, and (usually) the discussion has some sort of order to it, even if it often ends up going around in circles. On Facebook you have no control over what order posts appear in, when they might appear, and no concept of quoting to put comments in context.

[Bear Cage]

But this is the odd thing about the arguments here. The four baz era LPs hold up against mk1 stuff, yet gig-goers (fans) don't want to hear them?

I think you’re wrong there, personally I want to hear a balanced set including recent stuff and the ‘classics’, looking at the recent French dates they’ve played a selection from
their last four albums (NC, Wild, Unbroken, Relentless, Fickle, Water, This Song, Lines, Stallion, Moon),
Big hits (Peaches, 5mins, Sleazy, WOB, Heroes, Duchess, GB, Euro F, ATS)
Classic tracks (Grip, Buddy, Hanging, Tank, Toiler)
Rarely played (Folie, Harry)
And they varied what they played each night.

Come the new year they’ll add a few and swap it around a bit more, which to me seems pretty good.

Redefining mk1 tracks as big hits, classic tracks and rarely played doesn't alter the fact that fans want to hear mainly mk1 material and only half a dozen other tracks on any given gig.

My response was in counter to your statement about the four baz era LPs, and that “gig-goers (fans) don't want to hear them?” By highlighting that I (as regular gig-goer) want to hear a set list INCLUDING tracks from the four Baz era albums,
Would I want them to only play tracks off these albums, hell no, they are The Stranglers after all, if they didn’t want to play their old stuff they should have changed their name, similarly I wouldn’t want them to ignore their latest stuff.

[theraven1979]

50/50 for me is the sweet spot. Half the set the new album and half classics (but rotated)

Jim