Strangler in the light

[shah]

My conclusion:
Hugh needed JJ, Jet and Dave to make his dream/band come true.
Hugh was surprised how much he needed JJ -for musical and image/agitation reasons.
JJ needed Hugh. JJ could not cut it alone (see solo efforts - laudable but not great)
JJ was lost when he lost Hugh.
JJ leaned on Paul and John in his hour of need. He had to find something, this was his best option.
JJ knew it was wrong. It was flaccid and mediocre.
JJ needed Baz. Baz reignited the flame.
Baz needs JJ - Baz is not good enough or whole enough without the band cloak.

Dave was really important. Really. But was replaceable.
Jet was really important. Really. But was replaceable.
Hugh is replaceable, but will never be bettered. He is a unique talent.
JJ is irreplaceable.

[theraven1979]

One of the many things Hugh did was to temper JJ's louty behaviour with sardonic wit. Without that control they're just this laddish rock band with standard rock songs

Jim

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[Bogenbroom]

Agree. Baz leans into it, so it all ends up a bit one note. The thing is, Baz has a thoughtful side to him - the best things he’s written for the band, I would say, are songs like Dutch Moon, Bless You and My Fickle Resolve.

Also think Shah’s summary is pretty much bang on. Hugh was replaceable, because he was replaced (twice!) and the band has had a certain level of success since (you can argue with the quality but not really with the numbers seeing them live these days) but he’ll never be bettered.

[ThinkTank]

My conclusion:
Hugh needed JJ, Jet and Dave to make his dream/band come true.
Hugh was surprised how much he needed JJ -for musical and image/agitation reasons.
JJ needed Hugh. JJ could not cut it alone (see solo efforts - laudable but not great)
JJ was lost when he lost Hugh.
JJ leaned on Paul and John in his hour of need. He had to find something, this was his best option.
JJ knew it was wrong. It was flaccid and mediocre.
JJ needed Baz. Baz reignited the flame.
Baz needs JJ - Baz is not good enough or whole enough without the band cloak.

Dave was really important. Really. But was replaceable.
Jet was really important. Really. But was replaceable.
Hugh is replaceable, but will never be bettered. He is a unique talent.
JJ is irreplaceable.

Yeah Its how i see it mostly as well

I personally think all 4 were irreplaceable but i could have still been supporting the band if it was Hugh that was still there as the new songs would have still been happening and sounded great.
JJ does seem to need a bromance in his life for some reason.
I think if Hugh does need JJ i don't think he realises it himself and from my perspective he's writing great songs and albums as a solo artist and doesnt seem to need anyone to still be so consistent.

When in the band I think Hugh added more to the songs that JJ wrote on his own unrecognised probably just little tips like if you try this or change that it would improve the song because now JJ is in a much happier place where are all these amazing songs he used to write like Skin deep i honestly think his songs of today are very mediocre at best now. I think Baz could well be holding back JJ's artistic talents

In conclusion i think all of them to the Audience are replaceable including JJ its the name "The Stranglers" that isn't because if they changed name no one would be interested. I think even Baz will be successful continuing on his own under the title of the "The Stranglers" as i feel a large proportion of the audience are there for the nostalgic Hugh period of songs which has been proven when you see how much the band members have been changed already and people still come.
3 lead singer, 2 drummers , 2 keyboardists and 1 bass player when JJ is gone and a new bass player one day happens the audience will still be there Lets not forget that before the loss of Hugh Cornwell, Dave Greenfield, Jet Black the fans said about all 4 how all of them were individually never replaceable and history shows oh yes they are.

[theraven1979]

You can replace anyone but there's no denying the "classic" line up is the Cornwell years. What we have now is a very poor fading tribute to a once great band. If you enjoy that then great - crack on.


Jim

[Ruby]

Had JJ walked away in 1990 then Hugh could have found a replacement if he wanted to continue the band.It would have been unimaginable at the time,a Stranglers without JJ but no more unimaginable than a Stranglers without Hugh but that still happened.

[theraven1979]

Yeah I quite enjoyed Paul as a replacement. Well for the first 5 years anyway.

Jim

Had JJ walked away in 1990 then Hugh could have found a replacement if he wanted to continue the band.It would have been unimaginable at the time,a Stranglers without JJ but no more unimaginable than a Stranglers without Hugh but that still happened.

[Lafleur]

Yeah I quite enjoyed Paul as a replacement. Well for the first 5 years anyway.
Jim

Not for me. He was the wrong person to continue under the name of The Stranglers. Can't imagine what JJ, Jet and Dave thought why Paul as frontman and singer is the right replacement for Hugh and why the decision has to be made within 3 or 4 months instead of waiting a few months more and testing some other persons for the job. This is not said to slag off Paul, he just wasn't the right person imho.
Hugh's unique vocal delivery, his special style playing guitar and his marvellous song writing skills are still missing.

[Ruby]

Not for me. He was the wrong person to continue under the name of The Stranglers. Can't imagine what JJ, Jet and Dave thought why Paul as frontman and singer is the right replacement for Hugh and why the decision has to be made within 3 or 4 months instead of waiting a few months more and testing some other persons for the job. This is not said to slag off Paul, he just wasn't the right person imho.

It was a rush job,a marriage of convenience.A lazy, half arsed effort to continue the band.Ellis was already in place as a guitarist and much easier to find a stand alone singer as opposed to a singer/guitarist.And of course as we all know,JJ had lost confidence in his singing. Amazing that after a gap of 16 years he suddenly found the confidence again.

[theraven1979]

I wasn't a rush job at all - took months to find someone and they went through a lot of rehearsals and meeting potential singers etc.

Jim

Not for me. He was the wrong person to continue under the name of The Stranglers. Can't imagine what JJ, Jet and Dave thought why Paul as frontman and singer is the right replacement for Hugh and why the decision has to be made within 3 or 4 months instead of waiting a few months more and testing some other persons for the job. This is not said to slag off Paul, he just wasn't the right person imho.

It was a rush job,a marriage of convenience.A lazy, half arsed effort to continue the band.Ellis was already in place as a guitarist and much easier to find a stand alone singer as opposed to a singer/guitarist.And of course as we all know,JJ had lost confidence in his singing. Amazing that after a gap of 16 years he suddenly found the confidence again.

[Greatkudu]

Jesus I thought we had long ago discussed,the Hugh leaving story,so will add my 5 Eggs of course the original lineup will always be the best,that's a given,but they still are a great live band now IMHO and still produce good albums IMHO,but of course no comparison to the classics,so you either like it or not,it's very simple,we live in a sort of free Country? Communication ends.Major Kudu.

[Palais23]

Jesus I thought we had long ago discussed,the Hugh leaving story,so will add my 5 Eggs of course the original lineup will always be the best,that's a given,but they still are a great live band now IMHO and still produce good albums IMHO,but of course no comparison to the classics,so you either like it or not,it's very simple,we live in a sort of free Country? Communication ends.Major Kudu.

Spot on Kudu.