New Rat Chat out

[StanInBlack]

I mean he actually took the time to type out comments from a video and place them into quotation brackets on here

Given that I don't type with only my index finger and know how to use the functions on this forum, it took me about a minute. Possibly two, max.

as if posted by JJ himself!

Anyone with a fully functioning brain can recognise that they weren't, whether they've watched the video or not.

This from someone who allegedly has no interest in the current line up.

On the contrary, when it comes to the sad reality of The Stranglers turning into a tribute act, I DO give a shit.

[adeinblack]

Stan. You clearly are very anti the Stranglers as of the current line up so why not just retire yourself from chatting about it, you are not going to convince anyone they are shit and to be honest you are just making yourself look really stupid in the eyes of most people here.

HUGH LEFT IN 1990
JET HAD TO PACK IN WHEN HE WAS IN HIS LATE SEVENTIES
DAVE DIED
THE BAND ARE STILL GOING PLAYING STRANGLERS SONGS WITH THE MELODIES MADE BY THOSE AND ARE ENJOYED BY SELL OUT CROWDS IN MOST UK CITIES.
PLENTY OF BANDS HAVE JUST ONE ORIGINAL MEMBER WHEN THEY GET INTO THEIR LATER YEARS.

A TRIBUTE BAND IS WHEN IT IS NOT THE OFFICIAL BAND.
AN OFFICIAL BAND COULD HAVE NO ORIGINAL MEMBERS PROVIDED IT HAS AGREEMENT FROM THE OWNERS OF (THE BAND)

So go you back into your hole and strike up your guitar.

[droopsnoot]

... things ...

You're wasting your time if you think Stan is going to stop repeating his opinions, over and over again, any time soon, as he clearly enjoys winding people up, and people keep falling for it. It's easiest just to tune his diatribes out. I tend to just scan through them with half an eye on the off-chance there's any change in the content.

[StanInBlack]

So go you back into your hole and strike up your guitar.

Or how about you accept that people have opinions regarding this band that are counter to yours and stop getting defensive about it and deal with it? This isn't supposed to be a utopia where everyone agrees on everything all of the time regarding The Stranglers. Even better, talk about what you like about the video.

[marky]

But you keep saying the same thing Stan you keep saying the same thing Stan you keep saying the same thing stan

[StanInBlack]

I appreciate this is the same thing again, but you're free to talk about what you like about the video.

[toilerinblack]

I think Stan's frustrations are that he believes they could/should be a great band and in his eyes they aren't.

Jim

(he was replying to comments from the ratchat I believe)

It was a rhetorical question.
I mean he actually took the time to type out comments from a video and place them into quotation brackets on here, broken down individually,as if posted by JJ himself! This from someone who allegedly has no interest in the current line up.Bizarre.

That they could/should be a great band......They are a great band and if some think they are not then what the hell makes a great band then? because to my ears they are all bloody good musician's sounding a very tight unit who are entertaining and have written produced and released very good material that ok might not be everybody's cup of tea i get that but their quality and skills as musician's in my opinion can never be in question,so for me they have all the ingredients without question to be classed a great band and if their not then what would make them a good one? just a curious question because i'd like to be told what is missing from this current line that would make them a good one.
Everybody is entitled to their own opinion's and i respect that fact but surely even if you don't like the current line up i don't believe you could say they could/should be one and because some may think that they will never be as good as MK1 ever was which i do totally understand and fully get that point because i feel that to be the case too but they should/could be a good one surely not?.....So if someone could point out to me what would make this band a good one that is not there now i'd be intrested to hear what....,But as usual everybody has their own opinion and i always respect that.

[StanInBlack]

so for me they have all the ingredients then to be classed a great band and if their not then what would make them a good one? just a curious question because i'd like to be told what is missing from this current line that would make them a good one.

Relevance (which they've not had since MKI) and credibility (which they don't have post-Jet and Dave) ... I dug out my vinyl copy of The Raven last night and marvelled at how the quality of the packaging and presentation matched that of the music in the grooves, especially that excellent photo of the band on the back. Credible, relevant and magnificent. And not a Baz or a Jim in sight.

[toilerinblack]

so for me they have all the ingredients then to be classed a great band and if their not then what would make them a good one? just a curious question because i'd like to be told what is missing from this current line that would make them a good one.

Relevance (which they've not had since MKI) and credibility (which they don't have post-Jet and Dave) ... I dug out my vinyl copy of The Raven last night and marvelled at how the quality of the packaging and presentation matched that of the music in the grooves, especially that excellent photo of the band on the back. Credible, relevant and magnificent. And not a Baz or a Jim in sight.

So Jim & Toby have no credibility? i can't agree there i'm afraid but again just my opinion,presentation of DM is brilliant with an incredible cover to it i think so i can't agree i'm afraid with you on both credibility *& presentation,but again we all think different but i don't get comparing and picking out the Raven album from over 43 years ago to the present line up who have just released one of their best sleeve covers for i don't know how long i think it's an excellent stranglers sleeve picture,so for me as one fan i think they have credibility,presentation and professinalism.....but again each to their own as usual.

[StanInBlack]

So Jim & Toby have no credibility?

I was referring to the collective entity, and no - in my opinion it doesn't.

presentation of DM is brilliant with an incredible cover to it

If you're comparing it to the painfully low bar set by the sleeves to About Time or Coup de Grace, then sure. If you're comparing it to the high bar set by MKI (who ALWAYS had great artwork and presentation), then no. If you're comparing it to the world of album sleeves in general, then absolutely categorically no.

[Yanders]

Of all the criticisms we can throw at the stranglers and their albums, is the cover art really that important?

Doesn't it just show that they have less record company money behind them now?

[StanInBlack]

Of all the criticisms we can throw at the stranglers and their albums, is the cover art really that important?

Doesn't it just show that they have less record company money behind them now?

Well, I suppose to a degree it ties in with the notion of relevance. A record company isn't going to pony up the money for an elaborate sleeve for an act that they don't think are going to recoup those costs. One could argue that it's possible to do decent artwork on the cheap, but none of the sleeves post-Hugh really look all that good.

Anyway, my main point was more that when I hold my copy of The Raven in my hands, it feels like an artifact from a time when the band were credible and relevant, and when I look at the photo on the back sleeve, I think "THAT, right there, is The Stranglers" as opposed to who is currently onstage calling themselves The Stranglers at the moment. Dark Matters just feels to me like the last strained fart of a brand that's gone on for far too long.