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, 31 May 2026

Danforth Music Hall Toronto 31st May 2013

 

I cannot make any claims about this recording. It is posted today solely because the gig was played on this day back in 2013. For one it is MP3, more importantly it is incomplete (online sources indicate that the gig ran to 22 songs). The arrangement of the songs, not to mention the fact that 'No More Heroes' features twice, suggests that this may be a composite recording from mobile phone footage. As I say I have no idea... but here it is regardless.



MP3: https://we.tl/t-edKGjXCBWbZr2GYd

01. INTRO/TOILER ON THE SEA
02. (GET A) GRIP (ON YOURSELF)
03. NUCLEAR DEVICE
04. FREEDOM IS INSANE
05. NO MORE HEROES
06. PEACHES
07. GOLDEN BROWN
08. SKIN DEEP
09. NICE 'N' SLEAZY
10. ALWAYS THE SUN
11. WALK ON BY
12. NO MORE HEROES
13. HANGING AROUND
14. TANK

Ruts DC 100 Club 31st May 2026

 


The gig tally is diminished somewhat in the last couple of years (since an unplanned for sojourn in Harlow hospital ICU). Nevertheless, tonight it will be a pleasure to enter the hallowed basement of the 100 Club for the final date of Ruts DC's European and UK tour. Thankfully, the temperature at ground level is not as extreme today as it has been over the past week, nevertheless I am sure that the temperature down below will be nothing short of burning.

I have no idea what happened in terms of Ruts DC dropping off the Misty In Roots RAR 50th billing at the Electric Ballroom... but give me the 100 Club every time. Reggae vibes for this evening will be offered up by General Saint.

Wednesday, 27 May 2026

Siouxsie Sioux Royal Festival Hall London 15th June 2013 (With Viv Albertine)

 


Here's an upload of a significant event in Siouxsie's long career and it seems apposite to post it today on the lady's 69th birthday. For some time now a cultural festival has been hosted the South Bank Centre in London. Each year a prominent figure from the arts world is invited to curate the festival comprising a programme of events and performers having a particular resonance with the host. In 2013 the task fell to Yoko Ono, who invited Siouxsie to play at the event.

On the night in June, the former Banshee shared the stage with another giant of the UK punk scene of '76/'77, Viv Albertine, formerly of The Slits. Siouxsie and Viv are among a handful of female musicians that turned a staid music business on its head in the mid to late seventies and in doing so changed the perception of women in popular music for ever.

FLAC (Siouxsie and Viv Albertine): https://we.tl/t-nN0ibFbpMFfPgADi

Artwork (Siouxsie): https://we.tl/t-tGV7HxHAR5SVM25S


Artwork (Viv Albertine): https://we.tl/t-qmpH1JSA3JSgS3ny

Thanks to the original poster (Phil). A link to his blog appears in the download info file, but it would appear to have been doemant for some years now.

Monday, 25 May 2026

Ramones Arturo Vega's Loft New York 3rd February 1975

 


Having posted sone shocking scenes earlier today from the interior of Joey Ramone's boudoir, this point me into a Ramones frame of mind. This short DVD was always an item of interest. Filmed in early 1975 (although there is some on-line debate as to whether this was 1975 or early '76 - it matters little in the grand scheme of things, we can agree that it is early!) in Arturo Vega's New York loft. Whilst raw, all of the elements are present and correct... even down to Dee Dee's '1-2-3-4'.

Arturo as I am sure you knew was part of Da Brudders inner circle who was responsible for the band's iconic logo... as design that earned the band more money merch wise than a career of recording and touring ever did! Sadly, Ramones T-shirts are more likely to be seen covering the flesh of supermodels and Hollywood actors than music fans these days. But hey ho... as the band themselves would say!

As I recall this was originally downloaded from the very much missed Punktorrents site.






Warwick Arts Centre 19th November 1997

 


Thanks to yesican for the share of this gig. Much appreciated! It's 1997 and 'Written in Red' is ten months old (just three tracks from the album feature in the live set at this point). I am truly glad that the band got through this period to attain further critical acclaim some years further down the road. The fire was burning low in the grate at this point, the live performances retained some semblance of the band but if I were subjected to a cold hearing of 'Written In Red' I would struggle to identify the band. Nevertheless, the late '90s Stranglers, love them or loathe them are all part of that convoluted 52 year career path that we all to a varying extent followed assiduously.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-OOkX5NDjE8wBEmGY

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-crRfpjt0giiaPjHU



In Bed With Joey Ramone

 For a strange looking chap, Joey had a tremendous hit rate!









Sunday, 24 May 2026

Stinky Turner's Top 10 Punk Albums

 

My mate Tony Clarke pointed me in the direction of the Rejects' pugilistic shouter Jeff Turner's punk podcast. I am running a Top 30 punk album thread on Aural Sculptors, but here is his.... I'm not gonna argue with him! No spoilers other than to say that The Stranglers are in their somewhere. Of his Top 10 I have nine of them. When it comes to the one missing from my collection it is because I share Stinky's opinion of the lead singer!