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 October 2014

!Action Pact! Southall 16th May 1986


And now I have my West London head on!.....

Here's a gig that Action Pact did in Southall back in 1986. Sadly, this predated me, I lived in Southall for six months in 1991. In fact, I never saw this band, when they played the Richmond in Brighton I was otherwise engaged..... homework probably :(. What a swot!

FLAC: http://we.tl/igCI7GH025

Artwork: http://we.tl/JYQkHL0rn1

01. Back To The 30's
02. Consumer Madness
03. Keep It Tickin' Over
04. Double Standards
05. Human Beings/Run With The Pack
06. People
07. Open Your Eyes
08. Cocktail Credibility
09. Last Sunrise
10. Rockaway Beach
11. Let's Have A Party


Ruts DC O2 Academy Leicester 3rd December 2013


To mark another home ground gig for Ruts DC, here's a really good sounding full set recording from the Winter 2013 tour that reunited Ruts DC with The Damned. As Junior Murvin had died the previous day, Segs dedicated the opener 'Mighty Soldier' to him and later the band played in part, his 1976 song 'Police & Thieves', covered by The Clash the following year.

Thanks to the original Dime uploader.



FLAC: http://we.tl/t9i7sloZXI

Artwork: http://we.tl/Uqs3wOrshO

01. Mighty Soldier
02. Fools
03. Back Biter
04. It Was Cold
05. Smiling Culture
06. One Step
07. No Time To Kill
08. Love In Vain/Police And Thieves
09. Staring At The Rude Boys
10. West One (Shine On Me)
11. Babylon’s Burning
12. In A Rut

Ruts DC play the Garage Islington tonight.


Sunday 19 October 2014

The Guildhall Southampton 20th October 2008

The Stranglers at The Guildhall Southampton
20th October 2008

FortyTwoForty hits the south coast and here's what it sounded like.

FLAC: http://we.tl/na5D244Q1V

Artwork:http://we.tl/QvPd9uRmoO

01. Intro
02. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
03. Five Minutes
04. Peaches
05. Nice N Sleazy
06. Spectre Of Love
07. Skin Deep
08. No Mercy
09. Always The Sun
10. Strange Little Girl
11. Golden Brown
12. The Raven
13. Thrown Away

01. Walk On By
02. Hanging Around
03. Straighten Out
04. Big Thing Coming
05. All Day And All Of The Night
06. Duchess
07. Tank
08. Nuclear Device
09. Something Better Change
10. No More Heroes

The Long Walk To Freedom
Jet Black at at The Guildhall Southampton
20th October 2008

John Lydon On Radcliffe and Maconie - BBC 6 Music 9th October 2014


Love him or loathe him, there's no getting away from him, especially when he has a new book out! Here's Mr Rotten doing as Mr Rotten does in the company of Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie on their BBC 6 Music show.

This one's for Big Andy in honour of his quest across the South East of England('s Dreaming) to get his book signed!

MP3: http://we.tl/ftadwRnOtQ

'Anger Is An Energy: My Life Uncensored' is out now, published by Simon & Schuster.


Sunday 12 October 2014

Highline Ballroom New York 3rd June 2013


Great gig, great location and a privilege to have been there for it. The back of my bald head can be seen on the left!

MP3 (as received): http://we.tl/KptIp2KukA

Artwork: http://we.tl/yTRadw9sPv


Waltzinblack
Toiler on the Sea
Goodbye Toulouse
(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
Norfolk Coast
Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)
Freedom Is Insane
Mercury Rising
Peaches
Relentless
Golden Brown
Skin Deep
Always the Sun
Walk on By
Burning Up Time
Nice 'N' Sleazy
Bring on the Nubiles
Who Wants the World?
Time Was Once on My Side
Duchess
No More Heroes
Five Minutes
Straighten Out
Hanging Around
Tank

Where's Wallyinblack? Gijón 4th April 2014

I can spy a few!............


The gig of the year for me thus far. 

Saturday 11 October 2014

Maison Des Sports Clermont Ferrand 11th October 1983



31 years ago The Stranglers were doing that thing that they do in the middle of France in a place called Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne region of the country.

This is a full set show.

FLAC: http://we.tl/DNB034lqs4

Artwork: http://we.tl/QWMXA7sVsv

01. Down In The Sewer
02. Toiler On The Sea
03. Ships That Pass In The Night
04. Its A Small World
05. No More Heroes
06. Who Wants The World
07. Never Say Goodbye
08. Golden Brown
09. Midnight Summer Dream
10. European Female
11. The Raven
12. Five Minutes
13. Tank
14. London Lady
15. Nubiles (Cocktail Version)
16. Bring On The Nubiles
17. Hanging Around


John Cooper Clarke Now Added To The Hugh 'N' Hazel London Gig


The great John Copper Clarke has now been added to Hugh's Electric Ballroom gig on 4th December. As for Hugh and Hazel, is this an opportunity for a duet with a difference. The Peters and Lee on punk rock springs to mind!


Wednesday 8 October 2014

Glasgow Apollo 7th October 1979 - NEW LINK


Here's a re-functioning link to gig that I posted back in January 2013 and now reposted on it 35th birthday (albeit plus a few hours). Last week I had a request for some more Scottish gigs from Si in Falkirk, so this is for him.

FLAC: http://we.tl/7LUpetcyBX

1. 5 Minutes
2. Shah Shah A Go Go
3. Ice
4. Down In The Sewer
5. Hanging Around
6. The Raven
7. Dead Loss Angeles
8. Threatened
9. Curfew
10. Tank
11. Burning Up Time
12. Bring On The Nubiles
13. Nuclear Device
14. Genetix
15. I Feel Like A Wog
16. Duchess
17. Toiler On The Sea

Tuesday 7 October 2014

Norfolk Coast Radio Promos 2004


Widely regarded as the first and assured step out of a creative wilderness, 2004's 'Norfolk Coast' blew away the accumulated cobwebs of the previous 10 years. From the opening bars of the title track, it was clear that the band had gone back to the drawing board and returned with something very satisfactory. The elements that made that 'Stranglers sound' were resurrected, Dave's keyboard swirls, JJ's trademark bass rumble and a guitar sound that was at once reassuringly familiar and made even the most jaded old Stranglers fan's head turn.

And key to this about turn was simply that JJ regained interest in the band, and that is what was required.

As the press release at the time put it (and interestingly my comments above were written before I read the release!):

'The lead track off the album, 'Norfolk Coast' typifies all he distinctive signatures of a classic Stranglers song and sets the mood for this quintessential album, which travels through hi-speed rock, driving rhythms, anthemic melodies and occasional, off-the-wall quirkiness Trademark Stranglers qualities, including JJ Burnel's rumbling bass and Dave Greenfield's distinctive keyboard sounds, are captured on record as never before'.

Here's a selection of radio interviews conducted at the time to promote the album.

FLAC: http://we.tl/O3ctwwqP5i


Sunday 5 October 2014

NEW LINK - Palasport Parma Italy 3rd July 1980


A repost at the request of Michele from Parma.

Enjoy!

FLAC: http://we.tl/XumYfn9FCn

Please see original 1980 post for artwork.