Aural Sculptors - The Stranglers Live

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.

Saturday, 25 June 2016

RESTORED LINK - Buzzcocks The Brook Southampton 28th January 2009

Here by request.

The 1st S.I.S. Convention Swallow Hotel Peterborough 14th March 1992

John Ellis at the 1st S.I.S. Convention

Here's at 'In The Night' period set from the band's performance at the first S.I.S. Convention. Many thanks to Damian for sharing!

MP3 (as received): https://we.tl/Sa2AgZDFIt

01. Time To Die
02. Laughing At The Rain
03. Wet Afternoon
04. Heaven Or Hell
05. Mr. Big
06. Never See
07. Brainbox
08. Mumble Jumble
09. Sugar Bullets

Friday, 24 June 2016

Sorry Jean! Uncertain Times Ahead!

Music Press Ads From Madison Wisconsin April 1978

The following two ads appeared in the 'Mad City Music Sheet' a music paper serving Wisconsin in the US. These two ads appeared in the April 1978 issue. Many thanks to John for sharing!

Sunday, 19 June 2016

Adam Ant - Kings Of The Wild Frontier - Then And Now

1980 vintage Adam & The Ants

'Kings of the Wild Frontier' was the first album that I bought with hard earned pocket money. It was 1980 and I was big on the Ants. The album purchase followed on from my buying 'Antmusic'. The other singles followed as I back filled the collection courtesy of Les's record market stall in Burgess Hill. 'Press Darlings', 'Kick', 'Lady', the b-sides were always as good as the A-sides in my opinion. This was even more the case with some of the later singles released when the Adam had realised his ambition and transformed his band from a cult outfit to one that could safely be asked to play a Royal Variety Performance. Chart and child friendly A-sides were backed with re-recordings of much earlier as then unreleased material that was darker and infinitely more exiting, 'Beat My Guest', 'Christian D'ior' and 'Red Scab'.

The album came with a 'catalogue' that introduced the listener to the band. It also listed the bands likes and dislikes and so it was that I became familiar with punk and the like (although it was some time before I understood Marco's passion for 'original Sex clothing'!

With the 'Kings' album, there was still something dark in their sound which very much disappeared in 1981 through to the bands demise in early 1982.

Here's a recording of the band captured in New York in April 1981.

FLAC: https://we.tl/X5nbRJdtb2

01. Prelude
02. The Human Beings
03. Dog Eat Dog
04. Stand And Deliver
05. Magnificent Five
06. Don't Be Square (Be There)
07. Los Rancheros
08. Ants Invasion
09. Killer In The Home
10. Cleopatra
11. Press Darlings
12. Kick
13. Fall In
14. Beat My Guest
15. Jolly Roger
16. Zerox
17. Cartrouble
18. Antmusic
19. Kings Of The Wild Frontier
20. A.N.T.S.
21. Physical

In 2016, following successful gigs centred on the magnificent @Dirk Wears White Sox' album, Adam once again took 'Kings of the Wild Frontier' on the road, I have friends who went to Brighton, London and Brixton and all reported the gigs to be great.

Here he is playing the De Montfort Hall in Leicester.

FLAC: https://we.tl/2oQHTC1qyt

01. Dog Eat Dog
02. Antmusic
03. Feed Me To The Lions
04. Los Rancheros
05. Ants Invasion
06. Killer in the Home
07. Kings of the Wild Frontier
08. Magnificent Five
09. Don't Be Square (Be There)
10. Jolly Roger
11. Making History
12. Human Beings
13. Beat My Guest
14. Christian D'or
15. Press Darlings
16. Stand and Deliver
17. Vive Le Rock
18. Cartrouble
19. Desperate But Not Serious
20. Zerox
21. Never Trust a Man (With Egg on His Face)
22. Lady
23. Goody Two Shoes
24. Prince Charming
25. Encore Break
26. Get It On
27. Red Scab
28. Physical (You're So)

Saturday, 18 June 2016

O2 Academy Glasgow 5th March 2016

Next one up from the 'Black & White' tour. As ever a good night out in Glasgow! Apologies to the donor, I have lost track of who this came in from, but my thanks go to you!

FLAC: https://we.tl/vG8ovrFkax

01. Intro
02. Tank
03. Nice 'n' Sleazy
04. Outside Tokyo
05. Hey! (Rise of the Robots)
06. Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front)
07. Toiler on the Sea
08. Curfew
09. Threatened
10. In the Shadows
11. Do You Wanna
12. Death and Night and Blood (Yukio)
13. Enough Time
14. (Get a) Grip (On Yourself)
15. Walk on By
16. Dead Ringer
17. Mercury Rising
18. I've Been Wild
19. Princess of the Streets
20. Always the Sun
21. A Soldier's Diary
22. Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)
23. Thrown Away
24. Relentless
25. I Feel Like a Wog
26. Something Better Change
27. Peaches
28. Hanging Around
29. Go Buddy Go
30. No More Heroes
31. Outro

Top Secret No. 6

And another one, here!