Aural Sculptors - The Stranglers Live 1976 to the Present


Welcome to Aural Sculptors, a blog aimed at bringing the music of The Stranglers to as wide an audience as possible. Whilst all of the various members of the band that have passed through the ranks since 1974 are accomplished studio musicians, it is on stage where the band have for me had their biggest impact.

As a collector of their live recordings for many years I want to share some of the better quality material with other fans. By selecting the higher quality recordings I hope to present The Stranglers in the best possible light for the benefit of those less familiar with their material than the hardcore fan.

Needless to say, this site will steer well clear of any officially released material. As well as live gigs, I will post demos, radio interviews and anything else that I feel may be of interest.

In addition, occasionally I will post material by other bands, related or otherwise, that mean a lot to me.

Your comments and/or contributions are most welcome. Please email me at adrianandrews@myyahoo.com.


Sunday 24 April 2016

Cambridge Corn Exchange 23rd March 2016


And here's another one from the 'Black & White' tour. It's Sod's Law, normally I do Cambridge as it is a local gig for me but this one I missed. I missed the one that audience and band alike claimed was one of the, if not the gig of the tour. Ah, shite! as Baz would put it. Thankfully Chatts captured the set (and it is of great quality! Note that the start of 'Tank' is missing due to a technical glitch). Once again MeAnIe has turned his hand to some fine accompanying artwork. Cheers folks!

FLAC: https://we.tl/oamBFR1Vko


The Rezillos 100 Club London 30th March 2016

Jo Callis and Fay Fife
100 Club on 30th March 2006

As London gets into the swing of the 40th anniversary celebrations of punk rock, here's something from the 30th anniversary when 2015 tour support, The Rezillos, played a set for BBC 6 Music at Oxford Street's legendary 100 Club, a venue having its own key place in the punk story. Thanks to Scott for this one.



'Destination Venus'
100 Club on 30th March 2006

Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife
100 Club on 30th March 2006

MP3 (as received): https://we.tl/sBJONoTlre

01. (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures
02. Flying Saucer Attack
03. Top Of The Pops
04. Cold Wars
05. Love No More
06. 25 Miles
07. No. 1 Boy
08. Mystery Action
09. Yesterday's Tormentor
10. Can't Stand My Baby
11. Destination Venus


The Maniqui Falkirk 13th February 1977 - Artwork Added


Artwork added to this early gig that can be found here. Thanks to MeAnIe!

The Spizzles The Paris Theatre London 4th March 1981


Here's a short radio broadcast from The Spizzles in 1981. Spizz in the incarnation of Spizz Oil supported the band on 16th September 1978 at the infamous Battersea Park gig.

Of that performance, NME had this to say:

'A couple of loons called Spizz Oil followed, and played a few numbers so disastrous that, had they sacrificed the novelty of their one guitar/one vocal line-up for an entire band, their plastic crash helmets might well have been indispensable.

‘Better than Sonny and Cher any day’, claimed DJ Pete Drummond. That much I’ll go along with'.


Spizz is still performing, once again under the name of Spizzenergi.

FLAC: https://we.tl/7EeXGQ4oPy

01. Downtown
02. Brain Washing Time
03. Scared
04. Five Year Mission
05. Dangers Of Living
06. When I Get Home From Work
07. Clocks Are Big Machines Are Heavy
08. Where's Captain Kirk?
09. Soldier Soldier

Saturday 23 April 2016

Sunday 10 April 2016

Stiff Little Fingers Edinburgh Playhouse 22nd January 1982


Here's a late one from the band's early career, if you get what I mean. Heavy on the 'Now Then' material, and there's nothing wrong with that. Many thanks to Scott for this one.

MP3 (as received): https://we.tl/nVj2tJhX3W

01. Falling Down
02. Two Guitars Clash
03. Wait & See
04. The Only One
05. Gate 49
06. Johnny Was
07. Bits Of Kids
08. Touch & Go
09. Listen
10. Roots, Radicals, Rockers & Reggae
11. Fade Away
12. Fly The Flag
13. Blockbuster
14. Tin Soldiers
15. Gotta Get Away

Top Secret!


Some weeks ago I again posted a memory of a critical stop gap publication, Top Secret. This was a labour of love from fans who were becoming increasingly pissed off with the ever increasing intervals between issues of the official organ, Strangled.

Thanks to Nick P I have the first 18 issues in pdf format and I plan to post one a week. Thanks also goes to those who have also kindly sent on other issues. The set is not yet complete, but I will get there.

Here!

Kate Bush Manchester Apollo 10th April 1979


An anniversary gig and a bit of a departure for the site. Not a huge fan of Kate Bush, but I know of regular visitors to Aural Sculptors who are. This is a great quality recording of her first tour.... before she took a couple of years off from live performance!

FLAC: https://we.tl/UBEKzplGGk

Artwork: Alternative artwork is included in the download folder.


Sunday 3 April 2016

NEW LINK - Bingley Hall Stafford 30th May 1978




 A repost here for Duncan Round. His 4th Stranglers gig.

Incidentally me and 'poster boy' Owen Carne were having a discussion recently along the lines of the fact that whoever it was that provided the artwork in the days when Harvey Goldsmith was responsible for the band's live promotion should have had his or her knuckles rapped! The 'Dateline' logo was well established for some times by Black & White and what was appearing on gig posters was almost a child's interpretation of the proper version.

Only one worse example exists!


Ironworks Inverness 4th March 2016


Here's the second offering from the recent tour. Thanks go again the the collaborative efforts of Chatts99 and MeAnIe. Original technical hitches now conquered and the band start to get into their stride.

FLAC: https://we.tl/KOUHkBGlXI