Jake wrote: ↑01 Dec 2021, 23:37
I really don’t like that guitar he uses, what’s that all about?
I’ve no idea what make it is, but it looks and sounds shocking..
Just why
Perhaps the reason for that is that it's NOT a standard guitar. It's a baritone guitar, specifically a Burns Barracuda model. You'll notice the fretboard is far longer. Baritone guitars are an octave lower than standard guitars, although unlike 6 string basses they're tuned to the same tuning as a standard guitar. Baz clearly uses it to get those low notes at the beginning of the song, enabling JJ to fart around on the bass in the intro.
Thanks for the explanation Stan, that makes sense, It still looks horrible though.
jason wrote: ↑01 Dec 2021, 13:32
Yes but that was ruined by the brass section!
You've mis-spelled the word "enhanced"
Imo , Jason is correct , I hated the brass in that era ......how many gigs I went to and the brass destroyed everything it was in ..........something I would like to forget really . It's like , UB40 made a career by destroying other people's songs , The Stranglers were destroying their own with addition of brass .
I think I'd like to hear them take the time to create a version of White Stallion that can be played live without any backing tracks, if indeed that's what we are hearing here. Certainly it would be a different take on the song, but it could work.
porkymeat wrote: ↑02 Dec 2021, 15:07
Similar to the Fender Bass VI Lennon is playing in the Get Back films?
Yeah, along similar lines to a Bass VI. The Beatles used the Bass VI a fair bit in the late '60s, whenever McCartney was playing guitar or piano occasionally Lennon or Harrison would use the Bass VI. Probably the most notable user of the Bass VI is Robert Smith - all of the basslines on The Cure's The Top are Bass VI and he used it as a lead instrument on Disintegration etc.
theraven1979 wrote: ↑02 Dec 2021, 12:01
I think the brass works well on Aural Sculpture. It *did* work live for me on certain songs also.
I think it works really really well on both "Down in the Sewer" and "Nice 'n' Sleazy"!
For me it ruined them , completely and totally , then it's down to taste isn't it ? If you enjoy it fine , but it was that sort of stuff , plus the 10 tour and Ally Pally and the brass being there that made me think if that was the way Hugh wanted the band to go at that stage , maybe the band was better without . For me personally there are 3 ( I think , unless forgetting some ) Stranglers no-no's ..........brass , jazz and MR .
Jon the Impaler wrote: ↑02 Dec 2021, 15:39
For me it ruined them , completely and totally , then it's down to taste isn't it ? If you enjoy it fine , but it was that sort of stuff , plus the 10 tour and Ally Pally and the brass being there that made me think if that was the way Hugh wanted the band to go at that stage , maybe the band was better without . For me personally there are 3 ( I think , unless forgetting some ) Stranglers no-no's ..........brass , jazz and MR .
I'm sure it wasn't just Hugh that felt that the brass was a good idea. You'll notice that brass is mostly absent from Hugh's solo material.
Have to agree with Stan on this one the start of Sleazy with the brass really adds to the song's build up. It also enhances various musical breaks in Sewer. Kinda accentuates them. When done on the two aforementioned tracks it really works. However, songs like Peaches it grates too much.
theraven1979 wrote: ↑02 Dec 2021, 12:01
I think the brass works well on Aural Sculpture. It *did* work live for me on certain songs also.
I think it works really really well on both "Down in the Sewer" and "Nice 'n' Sleazy"!
For me it ruined them , completely and totally , then it's down to taste isn't it ? If you enjoy it fine , but it was that sort of stuff , plus the 10 tour and Ally Pally and the brass being there that made me think if that was the way Hugh wanted the band to go at that stage , maybe the band was better without . For me personally there are 3 ( I think , unless forgetting some ) Stranglers no-no's ..........brass , jazz and MR .
"I bathed in sun and walked in rain
It taught me how to laugh again"
