theraven1979 wrote:The Stranglers are MKI for most people. It's not JJ, it's not Hugh, it's the 4 of them that created those songs. In the example you gave with Dave it was Hugh that sat down with Dave and encouraged him to lay Golden Brown down and Hugh then added the lyrics. If it wasn't for Hugh Dave would've just had this cool keyboard part in his head forever. Also, JJ didn't want anything to do with it.
To keep the facts flowing what you have now is 1 original member just as Hugh is 1 original member also performing with the band.
No emotion in the above from me - just the facts
Jim
sendwarrior wrote: ↑17 Dec 2021, 10:55
Some on here are working from the mistaken beilief that Shug was entirely responsible for all the MK1 hit songs, and therefore of far greater importance than as a mere 1/4 of the band..
The fact is that Mr Greenfield was mainly responsible for their greatest hit (Golden Brown) and arguably his keyboard work made many of their songs stand out. The other indispuatable fact is that Mr Burnel was an equal force in the song writing and his contribution on bass and vocals can hardly be considered minor. And finally the band wouldn't have even got off the ground if it wasn't for Mr Black giving them a place to live, a tour (ice cream) van and the benefit of his business acumen, not to mention his unique drumming style.
But hey, some people believe Trump and Johnson, so the facts don't really matter do they?
I agree it was always the four of them that made this unique band what they were. They were all equally important. If any part had not been there it could've never have been the same.
So I really don't like doing this but if pushed I would have to vote for Dave as being the biggest factor.
Again I'm not entirely comfortable with saying it, because they're all equally responsible.
So I'm contradicting myself a bit, but I did read something once which said that once they got Dave that's when things really started to happen for them.
And Hugh was right when he said that Dave was the difference between The Stranglers and every other punk band.
Dave was the initial catalyst for the writing of "Golden Brown", but it was Hugh that turned it into a song. Without Hugh's crucial input, the song may never have happened.
StanInBlack wrote: ↑17 Dec 2021, 14:46
Dave was the initial catalyst for the writing of "Golden Brown", but it was Hugh that turned it into a song. Without Hugh's crucial input, the song may never have happened.
Hugh refined the song "Golden Brown", but it was Dave that initiated the idea and created the melody, rhythm and feel of the song. Without Dave's crucial input, the song would never have happened.
StanInBlack wrote: ↑17 Dec 2021, 14:46
Dave was the initial catalyst for the writing of "Golden Brown", but it was Hugh that turned it into a song. Without Hugh's crucial input, the song may never have happened.
Hugh refined the song "Golden Brown", but it was Dave that initiated the idea and created the melody, rhythm and feel of the song. Without Dave's crucial input, the song would never have happened.
FTFY #confirmationbias
"I bathed in sun and walked in rain
It taught me how to laugh again"
ozymandias wrote: ↑17 Dec 2021, 16:53
Hugh refined the song "Golden Brown", but it was Dave that initiated the idea
Yes, this is basically what I said, except the part I disagree with is that Hugh "refined" the song. He took a series of chord sequences, arranged them into the order we know and love today and then wrote the lyrics and the "top line", which in publishing terms is the song. I'm not denying Dave's importance to "Golden Brown" at all (to do so would be ludicrous, and the keyboard playing - as with many a Stranglers track - is a huge part of the appeal of the song) but Hugh wrote the actual "song" part, using Dave's ideas as a springboard for that. As ever, I'm glad that they split the publishing equally on this and on other Stranglers tracks - I could well imagine the arguments that could possibly have ensued if they hadn't.
ozymandias wrote: ↑17 Dec 2021, 16:53
Hugh refined the song "Golden Brown", but it was Dave that initiated the idea
Yes, this is basically what I said, except the part I disagree with is that Hugh "refined" the song. He took a series of chord sequences, arranged them into the order we know and love today and then wrote the lyrics and the "top line", which in publishing terms is the song. I'm not denying Dave's importance to "Golden Brown" at all (to do so would be ludicrous, and the keyboard playing - as with many a Stranglers track - is a huge part of the appeal of the song) but Hugh wrote the actual "song" part, using Dave's ideas as a springboard for that. As ever, I'm glad that they split the publishing equally on this and on other Stranglers tracks - I could well imagine the arguments that could possibly have ensued if they hadn't.
Golden Brown- original keyboards, brilliant lyrics and beautiful guitar. Just no good live....
Lafleur wrote: ↑17 Dec 2021, 10:01
I always felt the way Hugh left, quit the band was a strange one. Why didn't he say to the other free members vis à vis I don't like how we work together any more and let us discuss the whole situation. If we don't find a way how I can feel comfortably I will quit the band. Maybe we should make a break for a year or so and see how we can manage it to continue or not. Just make a Telephon call to each of the three and say I quit, bye bye... strange for me.
It was strange but he didn't know how to do it in person, but his relationship with JJ was really the catalyst? What with his thinking the band had gone as far as they could with the four of them, but they had become a band of two halves, JJ and Dave and Hugh and Jet, Hugh never had any beef with Jet apart from his use of drum machines etc instead of acoustic drums on albums, I just wish Hugh and JJ would bury the hatchett, but it looks like it will never happen now, I'm a big softy despite my reputation I would just love it to happen and we all would. Lt Kudu.
A lot of people focus on the relationship (or lack of) between Hugh & JJ, but what amazes me even more than that is the apparent lack of contact between Hugh & Jet since Hugh left the band. Reading through Song by Song, it would seem that some of Hugh's fondest memories in the band involve Jet and there was never any real beef between them.
Hugh admits it was Dave who made the difference, not himself, Jet or JJ 
I would just love it to happen and we all would. Lt Kudu.