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.


Tuesday 28 February 2023

999 Resolution Festival 100 Club London 15th January 2023

 

999
Resolution Festival, 100 Club, London
15th January 2023.

So the punk stalwarts, 999, brought January's Resolution Festival to a close (if you discount the rescheduled Conflict gig), with support from another band of the Class of '77, Menace. This was a great package to see in the spiritual home of the London punk scene.

Menace are not really big on my horizon, but I respect their position within UK punk. They play well enough but I am not overly familiar with their material, but of course I know G.L.C. with which they closed their set.

Before long, the familiar figures of Nick Cash, Guy Days, Arturo Bassick and Stuart Meadows were poised stage right. The 100 Club does not accommodate grand entrances! So is often the case the band opened up with 'Black Flowers For The Bride', but problems were just around the corner. Zap! Part way into the second number 'Inside Out' and Nick gets his first jolt of electricity from his guitar and the song comes to a rapid, ramshackle end. This wasn't a problem for Menace, nor the Subs a few days earlier. It's just the luck of the draw I guess. The interim solution is to cast the guitar to one side and crank up the mike volume. ' Inside Out' restarted and we were off once more. 

Several 'new' songs now appear in the set, new in the sense that they are lifted from the most recent 999 studio album, 'Bish Bash Bosh'.... that was released two and a half years ago... it is only too easy to forget now the extended period of suspended animation that we endured so recently! 'Shoot!'  (although not in tonight's set), 'Don't Wanna Know' and 'My Dad Trashed My Submarine'. Of the latter song Nick mentions that his Dad (who served in the RAF) suffered from PTSD... which would explain the otherwise rather obscure track title. Some weeks previously I mentioned this song to brother Guy (at another 999 gig at the Dublin Castle) and asked about their old man's PTSD. Guy said 'I don't think he had it..... Nick was just more annoying... he didn't trash my submarine!' Brilliant!

After a while, with the power issue resolved, Nick was reunited with his guitar and the 999 sound was once again complete. Pablo got a shout out on this night. He was present, but unfortunately I was unable to locate him to say hi. Next time.

Great to see 'No Pity' in the set and all credit to the band to rip through it. I have to say, rather selfishly that I would love to see some obscure tracks thrown in.... but what to drop? If they want an endurance test, how about 'High Energy Plan', and then there's 'Subterfuge', or 'Trouble', or 'All Of The Days', or, or, or...

Always a great night out and a pleasure to see musician's on stage that have had such a connection with The Stranglers over the years. Long may all this continue!

 


FLAC: https://we.tl/t-6Gz9EsnpdY

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-Sz0PMlEeD9

01. Black Flowers For The Bride
02. Inside Out (Aborted)
03. Inside Out
04. Hit Me
05. Boys In The Gang
06. My Dad Reashed My Submarine
07. Feeling Alright With The Crew
08. Let’s Face It
09. Lil’ Red Riding Hood
10. Lie Lie Lie
11. No Pity
12. Don’t Wanna Know
13. Titanic (My Over) Reaction
14. I Really Like You
15. Emergency
16. Nasty Nasty
17. Homicid
18. My Street Stinks
19. I’m Alive

European TV and Radio March 2012

 


The Spring of 2012 really did throw up a bonanza of quality live material (audio and video) as the band crisscrossed France and Belgium visiting radio stations to promote the then new offering 'Giants'. This I think is the last that I have to be posted. Just search '2012' and the rest is there.

Disc image: https://we.tl/t-GjLX4NqL4d

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-dkt6AhfkjZ



Monday 27 February 2023

TV Smith Inked

 


'Life's short, don't make a mess of it
To the ends of the earth, you'll look for a sense in it
No chances, no plans
I'll smash the windows of my box, I'll be a madman
It's no time to be twenty-one
To be anyone'

TV Smith (The Adverts/TV Smith's Explorers/Cheap)
Linoprint 30cm x 21cm (A4)
Black ink on cream card.

Hugh Cornwell Borders Bookshop Oxford Street London 30th November 2001


 Here we have a short in-store appearance from Hugh at Borders Bookshop which existed 20 or so years ago in Oxford Street. Back then he spend some time being interviewed and playing in book shops and at literary events as he promoted his book 'Song By Song'. Accompanied by co-writer, Jim Drury, he played a handful of acoustic Stranglers' songs at these events.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-4kemp139h1

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-Zx54GRhrSL



Sunday 19 February 2023

Hugh Cornwell Crossroads Festival Harmonie Bonn 23rd March 2007

Here is a pro-shot TV recording of Hugh in Germany in March 2007. As usual, a mixed set of Stranglers and solo material. This is a partial set (i.e. not the full gig) that was broadcast as pert of the long running Rockpalast series by the WDR Channel.

DVD image: https://we.tl/t-ouzuFdaXey

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-44XGsy2BaD

01. Nice 'N' Sleazy
02. Picked Up By The Wind
03. Hanging Around
04. Bear Cage
05. Black Hair, Black Eyes, Black Suit
06. Always The Sun
07. Nerves Of Steel
08. Walk On By
09. No More Heroes
10. Interview
11. Peaches
12. Down In The Sewer
 

Peter And The Test Tube Babies Le Truck Lyon 15th December 1989

 


Here's a great set from Peter & The Test Tube Babies in France in the late 1980's. Peter has a few health issues at the moment, so we wish him well.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-YuExG47DvE

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-rp2Z94pSP8



Oxford Apollo 11th February 1985

 


And another one to fill in some of the 'Aural Sculpture' tour gaps.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-VTETIfJt2v

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-QX2SeZE8ep

01. Something Better Change
02. Nuclear Device
03. Uptown
04. Dead Ringer
05. No Mercy
06. Nice ‘N’ Sleazy
07. Thrown Away
08. Let Me Down Easy
09. Midnight Summer Dream
10. European Female
11. Ships That Pass In The Night
12. Golden Brown
13. Peaches
14. Death & Night & Blood
15. Threatened
16. Punch & Judy
17. Hanging Around
18. I Feel Like A Wog
19. Down In The Sewer

Godiva Festival Coventry 7th July 2017

 

Here is a slightly abbreviated festival headline set from Coventry's Godiva Festival in 2017, courtesy of Malcolm 769. Cheers!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-ZPqEamA1D6

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-ZNokc2Uii2


01. Intro
02. Toiler On The Sea
03. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
04. Nice 'N' sleazy
05. Relentless
06. 5 Minutes
07. Golden Brown
08. Always The Sun
09. Norfolk Coast
10. Peaches
11. Bear Cage
12. Walk On By
13. Skin Deep
14. Duchess
15. Hanging Around
16. Something Better Change
17. Tank
18. No More Heroes

Thursday 16 February 2023

New Email Address


My old email address has been put out to pasture by Yahoo. 

adrianandrews1@sky.com has been replaced with adrianandrews@myyahoo.com. The new email also appears in the bio header at the top of the page.

Any emails sent after 26th January have been lost to the ether I am afraid, so can they please be resent.

Many thanks,

Adrian.

 

Monday 13 February 2023

Joe Strummer (The Clash 1978) Inked

 

'Midnight to six man
For the first time from Jamaica
Dillinger and Leroy Smart
Delroy Wilson, your cool operator'.

Joe Strummer (The Clash 1978)
Linoprint 29.7cm x 21cm
Black ink on cream card.

Ian Curtis (Joy Division 1980) Inked

 


'Do you cry out in your sleep, all my failings exposed?
There's a taste in my mouth as desperation takes hold
Just that something so good, just can't function no more'.

Ian Curtis (Joy Division 1980)
Linoprint 29.7cm x 21cm
Black ink on cream card.

Tubeway Army Inked

 


'Please listen to the sirens
We don't wish to be your friends
Please listen to the sirens
We won't ever call again'

Tubeway Army/Gary Numan (1978)
Linoprint 15cm x 20cm
Black ink on cream card.

Sunday 12 February 2023

City Hall Newcastle 12th February 1983

 


Here's a pretty good sounding recording from Newcastle on this night an amazing, not to mention sobering 40 years ago.

'Feline' was such a change in direction, even for a band that had foisted 'The Gospel According To The Meninblack' upon their unsuspecting fanbase, that many were left baffled and disappointed with the 'new direction'. However, as I have stated on these pages on several occasions in the past, in my opinion, 'Feline' is an immense body of work. Soft and melodic it may be, but it nevertheless contains within its grooves a degree of menace that was lost in the albums that followed.

Missed them in Brighton on this tour (unlike my mates who went). I could have gone as although just shy of 14 at the time of the tour, I had been to a few gigs at Brighton Centre and Dome by this time. I am still kicking myself for such an error of judgement some 40 years down the line!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-QlGqq4Eway

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-QJC7mqurr4

01. Intro
02. Nuclear Device
03. Toiler On The Sea
04. Ships That Pass In The Night
05. It's A Small World
06. Just Like Nothing On Earth
07. No More Heroes
08. Who Wants The World?
09. Never Say Goodbye
10. Baroque Bordello
11. Golden Brown

01. Princess Of The Streets
02. Midnight Summer Dream
03. European Female
04. Tramp
05. Duchess
06. London Lady
07. Nubiles (Cocktail Version)/Bring On The Nubiles
08. I Feel Like A Wog
09. Down In The Sewer

Friday 3 February 2023

Shepherds Bush Empire London 24th November 2002

 


I am very grateful to the person (sorry you didn't have your name on the email) who sent me a link to this Mk III gig in London. There's a few tracks in there that went on to 'Norfolk Coast' which wouldn't see the light of day for another 14 months or so.

MP3 (as recieved): https://we.tl/t-2n5mR6sOIh

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-5cKlvaVMQV

01. Intro
02. Goodbye Toulouse
03. Was It You?
04. Peaches
05. I’ve Been Wild
06. Skin Deep
07. Never To Look Back
08. Mine All Mine
09. Golden Brown
10. Walk On By
11. Tuckers Grave
12. Dead Loss Angeles
13. Death & Night & Blood
14. Something Better Change
15. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
16. Coup De Grace
17. Nuclear Device
18. Curfew
19. Duchess
20. Tank
21. Always The Sun
22. Five Minutes
23. Hanging Around
24. No More Heroes

Thursday 2 February 2023

'Born a rocker, die a rocker!'
Charlie Harper (UK Subs)
Linoprint 15cm x 20cm
Black ink on cream card.

 

UK Subs Resolution Festival 100 Club London 12th January 2023 - The Gig

 


So then, here is the gig. The inimitable UK Subs in the hallowed 100 Club. Charlie says he loves the venue because there are no barriers. And really it is funny how we have come to accept the stage barrier as the norm these days in so many venues... that strange narrow no-man's land occupied by crouching figures with outsized camera lenses and scowling muscle men patrolling with menace (although in fairness most are OK these days!). I'm with Charlie!


FLAC: https://we.tl/t-RfhWIWql75

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-n0c0vW1flk

01. On Stage
02. Emotional Blackmail
03. You Don’t Belong
04. Endangered Species
05. Rocker
06. New York State Police
07. Bitter & Twisted
08. Fear Of Girls
09. Limo Life
10. Down On The Farm
11. Ice Age
12. Tommorow’s Girls
13. Warhead
14. Riot
15. Stranglehold
16. Disease
17. CID
18. I Live In A Car
19. Keep On Running
20. Kicks
21. Party In Paris
22. Teenage