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, 31 May 2025

Kraftwerk Coachella Festival Second Week 20th April 2025

A somewhat incongruous choice this one. Kraftwerk... more 'Kraut Rock' than 'Post-punk Rock' if you ask me. But hey, it's Kraftwerk, surely a welcome addition to any festival bill.... Cambridge Folk Festival excepted perhaps!

There is not much more for me to say about the band, they are an institution and just brilliant. There is quite a bit of their material on this site should you care to venture further.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-EMFX1KFCgo

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-C4wxQp2in9

So there you have it 14 of the 17 bands appearing on the 'Forever Now' one day festival line up. If you are going have fun and please let me know how it went.

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

The The Palladium Cologne 16th December 2000

Getting near to the end of this particular batch of themed posts. The The and Matt Johnson. As I recall he had some early involvement with Marc & The Mambas, but I know next to nothing about his own band. I reckon I may have to put Spotify through its paces in the coming week and gen up on some of these bands!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-Eo2FeaPtYz

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-gme7Linbnf

Billy Idol Cruel World Festival Pasadena CA 20th May 2023

Billy Idol is not well represented on these pages as neither he nor Generation X for that matter have ever appealed to me. It always seemed to fly in the face of all that punk stood for to disband and high tail it to the US in order to become a bona fide 'rockstar'. There is also the other consideration that I really don't go for their material.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-NhuC5eurxo

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-wz8MhgofrS

Death Cult Cruel World Pasadena CA 17th May 2025

I had a near miss with the Cult once. It was around the time of 'She Sells Sanctuary', so '86/'87. A mate wanted me to go with him to see them in London. I made some excuse. This isn't for me, but if it works for you, then I am happy with that.The joke always was that in their last incarnation that would just be known as 'The'.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-xsulYHRqT5

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-DNu4PYmGB2

Johnny Marr The Moore Seattle 21st September 2024

Now in The Smiths I can recognise a great British band, one of the greatest that we have produced. Despite this in their lifetime I bought just one single 'How Soon Is Now?' and to date I have just a greatest hits CD. But I get it, I get them. What I also get is the damage that has been done to their legacy by the former lead singer of that band. With his undoubted talent, Johnny Marr seems to have weathered that particular storm and he is content to play his former band's material in his solo sets.

Thanks to Mr. Sifter from Dime.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-csodpSPfMl

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-o6jyiUUGlA

Peter Murphy The Observatory Santa Ana CA 30th December 2012

So this brings me back to some more familiar turf at least. Bauhaus are a band that just won't lay down and die. They are the Undead band, such is their legacy within the realms of post punk that people just won't let them go. Dave Vanian may have gone on record slating Pete Murphy for stealing his vampyric image, but certainly no band at that time sounded like Bauhaus and it didn't take too long before they were copied and a whole 'gothic' scene took to the wing as a result. Bauhaus' albums have stood the test of time I think and the members are still active. Peter Murphy has a new album out and it sounds great.... actually it sounds very like a Bauhaus album!

Anyway I digress, back to the recording at hand. This is from the 'Mr Moonlight' tour, a celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Bauhaus. sadly, it would appear that Pete Murphy has a few demons to battle, but on stage he is a great performer/frontman. I am glad I got to see Bauhaus back in '98 (first time comeback!).

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-OHdfkaO9Lg

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-3T5DDmRr5v

The Psychedelic Furs Youtube Theater Inglewood CA 9th November 2024

A theme is developing here as I once again enter a plea of general ignorance. I must admit for all their longevity and new wave credentials I have nothing by them... not even 'Pretty in Pink'... especially 'Pretty in Pink' as I really don't like the song. Thanks to the original Dime uploader, fangsarrow.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-M071apja4D

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-TKbCtkDZk7