new Baz interview

[StanInBlack]

Oh it's the Baz Warne fan club Secretary A little harsh,he was making a living out of music before the Stranglers,and he wrote quite a few songs on the NC album which projected the band to a situation where more people wanted to see and hear them again.Major Kudu.

No one is saying he isnt making a living, just it cant have been a childhood dream to play someone else's work 70% of the time.

Indeed, I'm sure Baz would have preferred to have more success with Smalltown Heroes or solo etc. Before he replaced John Ellis, his career highlight was playing bass for Toy Dolls.

[ThinkTank]

I agree with this. When it comes down to it, his biggest success in music has come from piggybacking on a brand that was long established and a legacy that was set in stone long before he joined. He's added very little to it, too. Kept the brand going? So what!?

Oh it's the Baz Warne fan club Secretary A little harsh,he was making a living out of music before the Stranglers,and he wrote quite a few songs on the NC album which projected the band to a situation where more people wanted to see and hear them again.Major Kudu.

The thing is with me I get more confused by the day with the post Hugh vocalists stuff lol
Both Paul and Baz both sung the same Hugh songs so was it all ok when Paul sung them live or was it not? As it is for Baz in general..... like I say I wouldn't know.
Myself only I find it hard to listen to any vocalist doing Hugh's songs and I don't think one did it ok but the other doesn't ....for me there can only be one Hugh so I do get confused on the post Hugh vocalists.

From my perspective Paul could sing and Baz cant. Pauls voice is quite unique as well to be fair although i cant really say he suited the songs he tried to replicate of The Stranglers. The band should have tried to go there own way on their own merits back then when Paul joined.
Both are no good for me as i have made my points quite clear why i think Baz is not suitable and i have also made it very clear why Paul isn't. The real issue for me is that the lead singer is not Hugh and i doubt any replacement for me would be good enough unless they were to start a new, under a different persona and leave the Stranglers legacy behind them. Hugh's vocals were far to important to the sound with out even taking his writing ability in to account.

Hugh really added so much more to the original Stranglers more than was obvious until he left. I think the mistakes that JJ makes since Hugh has gone hi-lights this.
The Stranglers were unique and very special but one of the most important things of all was Hugh's Voice. The vocals are the most unique instrument that any band can have you cant replicate that. If you buy a Fender Stratocaster you can replicate a sound of the bands guitar but the Hugh vocals you cant get that unique sound anywhere for all the money in the world.

JJ writing ability has been affected for the worse since Hugh isn't about for support or maybe advice. Whereas you can still see Hugh writing is just as good and effective as when he was in the band even though he's writing very different songs now.

I have said this before and i will say it again any Singer / Songwriter worth their salt would never join another band to sing and play someone else's songs unless it was for charity , Tribute , or to help out for a temporary time period. It really is that simple. When you listen to what The Stranglers were to what they are now its quite a ridiculous situation for a band like The Stranglers to become. The continuing of the band to just keep going regardless of the music quality regardless of who is replaced in the band is very sad to observe and something that would never have happened if Hugh was there.
If Baz or Paul had anything that special about them they would have made it on their own merit with out the Stranglers and if they believed in themselves they wouldn't even consider another band like the Stranglers they would have their own path mapped out with their own sound and style in their own band.

I have never been able to understand when you have experienced the original line up and how good they were with Live performances and written songs how a step down to what they have become without Hugh is so acceptable . I understand more for the new fans and why they may Like the current line up as they have nothing to compare but its something i could never just accept.

[theraven1979]

T'is a tough call. I think if someone said to me when I was relatively near the start of my career "Here's a big pay cheque that you can get now or you can roll the dice for another 10 years hoping to earn this money" then I'd probably take the cheque. Fine line between keeping integrity and success. It's not like he's a prostitute or something. He's doing what he loves at the end of the day.


Jim

Oh it's the Baz Warne fan club Secretary A little harsh,he was making a living out of music before the Stranglers,and he wrote quite a few songs on the NC album which projected the band to a situation where more people wanted to see and hear them again.Major Kudu.

No one is saying he isnt making a living, just it cant have been a childhood dream to play someone else's work 70% of the time.

Indeed, I'm sure Baz would have preferred to have more success with Smalltown Heroes or solo etc. Before he replaced John Ellis, his career highlight was playing bass for Toy Dolls.

[Greatkudu]

He knows how lucky he is,he was broke at the time of the Stranglers call for the Audition,had to borrow the train money,he obviously loves music and what he does,so good luck to him and he is a a very nice chap when you meet him so genuine and down to earth.Major Lizzo Styles.

[Yanders]

Being in a band isnt the worst job in the world.

But its a bit weird everyone clutching their pearls at any criticism of baz, given he is happy to critise other artists.

Will people still be talking about the Harry Styles or Sam Smiths or any of the ‘top’ acts of today in five years, let alone fifty? hmmmmm….

They've both had careers for over 10 years, selling millions of records, of course people will remember them in 5 years.

Its just different genres.

[Greatkudu]

Being in a band isnt the worst job in the world.

But its a bit weird everyone clutching their pearls at any criticism of baz, given he is happy to critise other artists.

Will people still be talking about the Harry Styles or Sam Smiths or any of the ‘top’ acts of today in five years, let alone fifty? hmmmmm….

They've both had careers for over 10 years, selling millions of records, of course people will remember them in 5 years.

Its just different genres.

No no and thrice no

[jetblacksdad]

Indeed, I'm sure Baz would have preferred to have more success with Smalltown Heroes or solo etc. Before he replaced John Ellis, his career highlight was playing bass for Toy Dolls.

Whose biggest hit was , ironically, a cover version..............!

[Grip]

Being in a band isnt the worst job in the world.

But its a bit weird everyone clutching their pearls at any criticism of baz, given he is happy to critise other artists.

Will people still be talking about the Harry Styles or Sam Smiths or any of the ‘top’ acts of today in five years, let alone fifty? hmmmmm….

They've both had careers for over 10 years, selling millions of records, of course people will remember them in 5 years.

Its just different genres.

Also, they're both fabricated artists and cunts, in my opinion.

[ThinkTank]

T'is a tough call. I think if someone said to me when I was relatively near the start of my career "Here's a big pay cheque that you can get now or you can roll the dice for another 10 years hoping to earn this money" then I'd probably take the cheque. Fine line between keeping integrity and success. It's not like he's a prostitute or something. He's doing what he loves at the end of the day.


Jim

No one is saying he isnt making a living, just it cant have been a childhood dream to play someone else's work 70% of the time.

Indeed, I'm sure Baz would have preferred to have more success with Smalltown Heroes or solo etc. Before he replaced John Ellis, his career highlight was playing bass for Toy Dolls.

That's a good point Jim and i might have done similar as well. But.....

I don't think its quite the same thing i don't know what you do but in my line of work i wasn't looking to be recognised as a artistic unique and original worker i was just another cog in the system that when i left another person just replaces me and that happens for everyone else and i try to the best of my abilities to work my way up through different companies to reach as high a success that i can. You don't see that happening in the music business because how ridiculous and absurd would that look if all the singer / songwriters were swapping and changing to better themselves and its really what's happening in the Stranglers band and failing. The music Singer / Songwriters do what they do to escape the rat trap and the out of the system because they believe they have something special to show the world. Baz is obviously just trying to fit in the best he can to appease the fans,media and all so i cant see anything original or any brilliance coming from him and its not what i would expect from a person who wants to be seen as a Strangler but then again i do think he would be happy to have been a one direction member if the pay check was right.

[StanInBlack]

Being in a band isnt the worst job in the world.

But its a bit weird everyone clutching their pearls at any criticism of baz, given he is happy to critise other artists.

Will people still be talking about the Harry Styles or Sam Smiths or any of the ‘top’ acts of today in five years, let alone fifty? hmmmmm….

They've both had careers for over 10 years, selling millions of records, of course people will remember them in 5 years.

Its just different genres.

Indeed. I mean, Harry Styles and Sam Smith's music is very much firmly in the "not for me" category, but they have undeniably had long, successful careers.

I remember people saying the same shit about George Michael, Take That, Spice Girls and Westlife, and last time I checked they were all still very much remembered. Perhaps not fondly by some, but remembered nonetheless.

[StanInBlack]

Indeed, I'm sure Baz would have preferred to have more success with Smalltown Heroes or solo etc. Before he replaced John Ellis, his career highlight was playing bass for Toy Dolls.

Whose biggest hit was , ironically, a cover version..............!

Well, yeah! I don't even think Baz played on the album version. I think he's on the single.

[theraven1979]

I doubt very much that The Stranglers sit alongside those "bands" mentioned though certainly not in terms of success. Even now your average Joe will probably get confused about who The Stranglers are and probably confuse them with Echo and The Bunnymen or something crazy like that. This obscurity will only increase with time. The best you will get is people stumbling across them over punk compilation albums or something.

Jim

I remember people saying the same shit about George Michael, Take That, Spice Girls and Westlife, and last time I checked they were all still very much remembered. Perhaps not fondly by some, but remembered nonetheless.