Vive Le Rock #88

[StanInBlack]

Well, when you’ve got Gary Bushell saying Dark Matters is the best album they’ve released in years, that’s a pretty overwhelming statement of support from a Gammon

Hahah yes. Also - don't forget that this was a guy, after all, that put together an Oi! compilation in the early '80s, put a shirtless skinhead flexing his muscles and looking as if he was about to stamp on someone's head on the cover, and called it - wait for it - Strength Through Oi! ... I mean, really.

But thats how things were in those days ,look at the nice n sleazy cover.

I'm confused - where are the Nazi/far-right connotations on the "Nice 'n' Sleazy" sleeve?

[Jake]

Well, when you’ve got Gary Bushell saying Dark Matters is the best album they’ve released in years, that’s a pretty overwhelming statement of support from a Gammon

Hahah yes. Also - don't forget that this was a guy, after all, that put together an Oi! compilation in the early '80s, put a shirtless skinhead flexing his muscles and looking as if he was about to stamp on someone's head on the cover, and called it - wait for it - Strength Through Oi! ... I mean, really.

But thats how things were in those days ,look at the nice n sleazy cover.

Yes, glad times have moved on for most, though some of the OI! brigade are still stuck in the late 70s/early 80s. It’s kind of telling thst the stranglers play so much of their 70s material to appease a large section of the audience and some seem to think the current sound is akin to late 70s stranglers, I’m not one of them. After what 3 months since it’s release I’m not reaching to repeat play Dark Matters and have concluded that I rate it about equal to Giants, possibly a bit more than you rate both albums, but neither are anything more than “alright” albums imho

[BikerinBlack]

Hahah yes. Also - don't forget that this was a guy, after all, that put together an Oi! compilation in the early '80s, put a shirtless skinhead flexing his muscles and looking as if he was about to stamp on someone's head on the cover, and called it - wait for it - Strength Through Oi! ... I mean, really.

But thats how things were in those days ,look at the nice n sleazy cover.

I'm confused - where are the Nazi/far-right connotations on the "Nice 'n' Sleazy" sleeve?

i was thinking along the lines of sleeves that would not be allowed nowadays but just accepted at the time.

[jason]

I remember buying the Sleazy single when I only about 10 and being pretty shocked by the sleeve. I think I hid it away!

[Jake]

It’s not the most subtle of sleeves and it has aged badly , it definitely wouldn’t be tolerated today, and before anyone bites my head off for being too “woke” - why should it be? No one decent wants to look at pictures of murder victims.

[STEVEh]

They've even got Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins on the cover!

Joking aside, stolen 2021 from who exactly? Black Midi? CHVRCHES? Black Country, New Road? Squid? Wolf Alice? I mean, nobody told all of those young, successful and vital bands that a band with only one original member left in 'em was stealing 2021 from 'em* ...

(*that's because they're not)

Of those acts only Chvrches and Wolf Alice, both excellent bands, have performed better than the Stranglers in the chart.

Vive Le Rock appeals to a different demograph to other magazines or media, which would doubtless dispute the front page and put Chvrches and Wolf Alice up there. In terms of Vive Le Rock the Stranglers are probably the their biggest band, hence the cover. Horses for courses I think the saying is.


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[STEVEh]

. The band whatever happens now and in future will always be remembered for the period between 77 and 91 , that's no insult to the latest version or a reflection on DM , it's purely a fact .[/quote]

I would narrow it down to 77-82. Had Feline or Aural Sculpture been their first two albums would any of us be on here now? That’s not to say everything they have done has been rubbish since. There is something on every album to have held our interest. However, would that have been the case had we not been serious followers to start with.?


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[theraven1979]

Aural Sculpture was the first album I heard by the band. I'd still be into the band if they only released AS, Dreamtime and 10. I was in a pub yesterday and they were playing music. ATS and Skin Deep was played ( no other stranglers songs)


Jim

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[Greatkudu]

. The band whatever happens now and in future will always be remembered for the period between 77 and 91 , that's no insult to the latest version or a reflection on DM , it's purely a fact .

I would narrow it down to 77-82. Had Feline or Aural Sculpture been their first two albums would any of us be on here now? That’s not to say everything they have done has been rubbish since. There is something on every album to have held our interest. However, would that have been the case had we not been serious followers to start with.?


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[/quote]

Sir i disagree I think AS and Feline are fantastic albums, but each to their own, AS has one of JJs finest songs and so many Gems on Feline, I think the last four have been excellent IMHO, Giants a bit patchy, but i think DMs will stand the test if time, they really have done something different with DMs, OK it may not be ground breaking but it's certainly not a standard rock album and is certainly not middle of the road, I must play it again as I have been listening to the latest live album recently which I really like, very raw and great energy. Lt Kudu.

[StanInBlack]

i was thinking along the lines of sleeves that would not be allowed nowadays but just accepted at the time.

Ah, right - in that case yeah, you undoubtedly wouldn't be able to get away with a sleeve like "Nice 'n' Sleazy" these days - certainly not in the mainstream, anyway. I'm led to believe that Oi! compilation sleeve/title was considered dicey even at the time, though.

[StanInBlack]

Of those acts only Chvrches and Wolf Alice, both excellent bands, have performed better than the Stranglers in the chart.

Putting aside the fact that nobody gives a shit about the chart anymore other than people of a certain age who haven't realised that the world has moved on and that bands these days measure their success in other ways other than how they fare on the UK chart (and The Stranglers were nowhere to be seen on the streaming chart, which is the chart that really matters if ONE has to count), CHVRCHES and Wolf Alice are not only two of the more established bands I've mentioned (being on their 4th and 3rd album respectively, while Black Midi are on their 2nd album and Squid and Black Country, New Road are still on their debuts), but they're the most accessible of all the bands I've mentioned. In any case, it doesn't matter - all of these artists have released stupendously criticially acclaimed albums this year and the lesser established of the bands are rapidly building their following, but above all: all of these bands are the sound of NOW. Young, vital, exciting. None of which, of course, applies to The Stranglers in 2021.

[StanInBlack]

The band whatever happens now and in future will always be remembered for the period between 77 and 91

Absolutely, and for good reason. That reason - of course - being that Hugh Cornwell, JJ Burnel, Dave Greenfield and Jet Black... The Stranglers... were one of the best bands ever, and everything afterwards has been like living in a world where Kellogg's Corn Flakes have been removed permanently from the shelves and you have to settle for supermarket own-brand shit instead. Or switch to Kellogg's Rice Krispies.