Greatkudu wrote: But I am glad The Stranglers again with all their flawes never
totally sold out and became what The Clash became with the Cowboy hats and boots.
You never seen the 'Big In America' video I take it?
I think Big In America was a piss take - good song really but apparently a pisstake of America etc , mind you later on they tried to sell out to USA but failed(10) .To me the difference was - listen to Rattus , listen to Dreamtime - there is always an element of the Stranglers sound there .....something there you just know its The Stranglers ( probably Hugh's voice or the keyboards) whereas listen to The Clash ( first album ) then Sandanista - you wouldn't even know it was the same people .The Clash did what they did , some people accept that and fair enough .....I liked the first 2 albums but couldn't stick them from London Calling onwards but its just about what sort of music you like - I don't like that South American/Spanish dance type stuff The Clash got into , that's just me though .
If you think about it,what's the difference between The Clash dressing up as cowboys,sporting slicked back hair and rocking mohawks and The Stranglers changing their dress sense to black from let's say green boiler suits.I'd say none.It's all about image.What I will say though is what I thought was cool in the 80s I now cringe at today.
(1) Rolling Stones
(2) The Clash
(3) Primal Scream
(4) Calvin Harris
Every so often I play London Calling (the album) , and I just do not get it.
To have this mish mash of a record overshadowing The Raven is a victory for hype over substance.
From Glasgow, the centre of Stranglermania (copyright Strangled 1982)