A Belated Black And White Birthday

 Unfortunately, over the last couple of weeks I have had some data compromising issues with my PC (Happily resolved) and as such post-wise I did not contribute anything marking the 45th anniversary of the release of 'Black And White'. This is redressed in the article below that Record Mirror that appeared in the 25th February 1978 issue. In it Ronnie Gurr discussed much of the meaning behind the 'Black And White' tracks a full 11 weeks ahead of the album's release. Of the big four music weeklies that existed in the UK at that time, Record Mirror took most kindly to The Stranglers, which journalists such as Barrie Cain and Ronnie Gurr stating themselves to be fans foremost... not that that fact was sufficient to save Ronnie's skin/pride a little further down the line!

In this piece, Gurr I think writes a very well balanced appraisal of where the band are in early 1978. He does not rip the band to shreds based on the popular perception of the band and the band members as individuals. Having said that neither does he fawn over them. One moment he defends the band against the ever present accusation of sexism, describing a moment of tender affection displayed by the 'regressive neanderthal this Frog leather kid' (brave that!), whilst at the next he is challenging some of Burnel's iffy outpourings (of the type he reserved for the press).

The interview draws much from a review that Gurr had penned of the band's low-key gig at Clouds in Edinburgh (see next post). From this he assumes that 'Little Choirboys' will make the cut and feature on the forthcoming album. Interesting that this, an early version of 'Duchess' was played live in early 1978. It is also clear from the interview that the band listened to a recording of the Clouds gig as Dave commented on his playing of 'Toiler'. Now that could be a new 'Holy Grail'.... does it still exist...

Question, several references are made to a track called 'Confused'. I am assuming that this is/was a working title for 'Threatened'. Would you agree?

So here it is in full. Please excuse any typo's... I had to type it out from a poor quality scan.

Record Mirror 25th February 1978

'Warriors of the World Unite

Ronnie (I want to be one of those warriors) Gurr marches into battle with THE STRANGLERS on their secret tour.

THE STRANGLERS must be the most irresistible band currently raking in the greenbacks. While the blue faced media level the required criticisms – screwed up sexists… cathartic chauvinists – The Stranglers carry on their sweet way, selling out gigs and shifting record company product like there was no tomorrow.

Why? More than one music journalist has stated that The Stranglers’ appeal lies in the fact that they are the voice in the wilderness for all the sexually repressed males of the world.

On a superficial level there could be some truth in that. If however, one stops , steps back and thinks it’s clear that that one missing link in the theorem is that about one third of The Stranglers’ audience comprises of ladies., and you can bet your bondage suit that not all of them came for a glimpse of the Burnel ‘hot young stud about town’ torso.

No, surely the band’s forgotten element, music, has more than a little to do with their success factor doncha think? And besides, if people were hell-bent on snapping up vinyl that defames women, then how come Runaways’ albums ain’t up there jostling?

A Tuesday night in Edinburgh and the last thing on the collective minds of the punters at Clouds is resistance. Down below, the art pukeau décor some 800 kids are jigging and simultaneously attempting to give the hall’s foundations the architectural equivalent of a cardiac arrest.

Boy, these crazy kids are doing just the opposite to what the music media has told them. I mean, liking The Stranglers is bad enough, but singing along, imitating the Burnel rubber-leg or the Cornwell knees-bend-sway is a little uncool, a little uncouth. Hmmmmmm… maybe these people haven’t read that this band is musical cholera, or, GASP!... worse still perhaps they don’t even buy rock mags. Which is maybe just as well for The Stranglers.

“We’ve had more bad press than anyone, apart from The Damned, in the past four or five months.” JJ Burnel muses. “Some of it’s been downright slanderous… I’m considering suing two journalists.”

That last statement trails off almost threateningly. Not to worry though, where The Stranglers are concerned I’m totally on their side, a fan. I must admit, however, that I was really hoping they would blow it. On our meeting previous to this I had had a bad day and Burnel was at his most arrogant. As a result I wrote a vitriolic diatribe, which never saw the light of day. So I was poised to write another conformist review and article , but as I ain’t about to write lies, they’d have to blow it first.

Backstage it nearly happened. It’s a strange fact that, when in the company of others, Jean-Jacques adopts a brutally arrogant façade. The others, and indeed Burnel, are their usual amiable selves. Hugh Cornwell sits in a corner sipping lager, answering a fan’s questions, the epitome of Mr Nice GuyDave Greenfield lounges on a chair, cross-legged, sucking his pipe, clutching his ever present shoulder bag. Jet Black is… well simply Jet.

But first, a quick look at the reason why The Stranglers were in Scotand in the first place – the gigs.

Secret gigs may be the conclusive proof that a band has “arrived” and to a certain extent inverted snobbery, but there is no denying that they are the only way to witness a band who have become an economic entity.

A dilemma for a band who, despite selling sewers full of records, want to remain as close as possible to the people who bought those platters. In the secret gig the band can enjoy the gig as much as the audience, and that is what The Stranglers did in Scotland last week. The two dates, which were the third and fourth of  six-date mini-tour took place in Edinburgh and Falkirk.

The tour certainly ain’t playing the more luxurious venues, the gigs preceeding Edinburgh being Scarborough and Alviston. But if the halls are small and cold, then the grandiose warmth of the music is more than making up for those deficiencies. I said in my live review last week that only two of the six new songs had any immediate effect, one of those being ‘Sleazy’, a song which surely must be the next single. It’s possibly the most non-Stranglerised of the new songs, and is a unique synthesis of (Egyptian) reggae and what sounds not unlike a mediaeval French quadrille.

“Yeah, it’s a real roots song,” joked Burnel on hearing my description.

The only other, for want of a better word, classic, which made any impact was ‘Toiler Of The Sea’, a song which features Greenfield on what he describes as the fastest keyboards he has ever played.” On listening to a tape of the gig Greenfield was literally astounded that he “could actually play that fast.”

“I must be good” he chuckled as he disappeared into the sunset… and a master of understatement too I would venture. 

To move from keyboards and return to vocals, on ‘Toiler’ Hugh Cornwell’s vocals bear an uncanny resemblance to a British Jim Morrison as he quirks his way through this lyrical epic.

There then are the two that thudded home. At this point, however, I think I should qualify last week’s review where I dismissed the other newies out of hand. Two nights later in Falkirk I found myself humming the hooks to ‘Sweden’ and ‘Little Chiorboys’ (the latter song which thankfully has lyrically nothing to do with canticles in the cloisters) almost before they had been sung.

The remaining two new creations are ‘Drive Your Own Tank’ which seems to have been inspired by Burnels desire to drive down Park Lane in an armour plated Austin ramming Arabs’ cars, and ‘Confused’ which sounds an appropriate title , I am still not sure about. Pass.

Now then, to deftly return to he of the Rollerisms – Jean-Jacques Burnel. The first question just had to be on… uh… sexism. Any overtly sexist lyrical content on the new album?

“No, or at least I don’t think so.” JJ curtly replies. NOTE: This Burnel at his most arrogant, a virtue (?) which is impossible to convey on paper. 

To continue on the point about the two fronts of Burnel. On my last visit to the Metropolis I had the pleasure of meeting Burnel’s Japanese lady, and well off course you all know what a regressive neanderthal this Frog leather kid is, well her’s the rub, when the man tripped over his lady’s feet he knelt down and apologized in genuine tender tones. Hardly “Beat you honey ‘till you drop.” is it? Similarly, after the Falkirk gig, JJ ushered in three young ladies from his bedroom in what could only be described as an object lesson in gentlemanly etiquette. The point I’m making is that The Stranglers have been totally mis-represented by the music media. Listen…

Now that you’re happily involved with a lady (it looked like love) can we expect to hear a love song from The Stranglers?

“We already do love songs” replied an apparently miffed Burnel, “’Nubiles’ is a love song.”… Aww, come on Jean… ‘Nubiles’ was a very personal fantasy. Hence the scathing press attacks, remember it is not, repeat not a good idea to make a fantasy public.

Have you ever written a love song as opposed to a lust song?

Burnel: “Sure we’ve got a new song called “Tokyo”, which is a love song about clocks.”

It’s at times such as these that one is forced to ask oneself if the man is serious. The nearest that Burnel comes to the crunch is off-stage, where usually in front of press, he is apt to do and say some very silly things.

“I think love is a very false emotion, a fabrication. Showing emotions is a sign of weakness. We should try to eliminate feelings, but still try to do things passionately.” Bleats Burnel in an ever so slightly fanatical croak.

He continues by saying he’s “really into artificial insemination” and that we should try to breed “a race of zombies.” These opinions are delivered in a manner which never comes near to sounding convincing. God knows why these beliefs were publically expressed – perhaps maintenance of his hard press image? Later, in private, he qualifies his quasi-Fascist ideology. The next album, which is to be titled ‘Black And White’ in part reference to the band’s politics.

Burnel: “For the last 25 years the European democratic system has been run by the leftovers. A whole generation was wiped out during World Wr Two and since then we’ve been in grey. There now seems to be a polarisation on all levels, political, scientific, philosophical. Our generation must shape a new Europe and to do that we must build a race of warriors, warriorhood is the only way to govern.”

That smacks of Fascism, I spit, you a Fascist?

“I’d never call myself a Fascist because everyone thinks Fascism is racism, things like that. When I say we must build a race of warriors, I mean warriors not only in physical terms but also on an emotional and intellectual level.” So the spirit of Yukio Mishima, the last of the Samuri, and Burnel’s number one hero, lives on. Mishima, who committed the most elevated form of ritual suicide, was alleged to have been a fascist who had a private army of homosexual youths.

Burnel, however, is emphatic that his followers were noy gays “they were just teenagers who were fed up with American influence.” he states.

Me? I dunno. There is no denying that Burnel’s basic ideology is shaped by Mishima and all things Nipponese, despite my grave doubts about his striving for a brave new world, he is fully convinced that he, and the band as a whole, are the most “honourable” combo on the go.

Disregarding the arrogant, non-sensical public/press façade, he may just have something there. While The Clash chant ‘White Riot’ they are regretting their “we don’t wanna be rich” spiels and the Pistols are out making friends with Ronnir Biggs. The Stranglers are still out playing to the kids.

Since they formed in 1974 this band have gigged harder than almost anyone. They’ve arrived through hard work and the ability to create good singles ad great album tracks. They were heralded by the press, for about two weeks, and before the acclamation they received unbelievably bad press for their live gigs. In fact much of it was probably justified. At the beginning they were, by Burnel’s own admission, “noy very good, but nowhere near as bad as the press made out”. Then, after a peak of critical acclaim around about ‘Rattus Norvegicus’ the brickbats came thick and fast. The experience has left Burnel “cynical” and “paranoid about the press”.

Any messages for hacks in general?

“Not really… I think we’ve proved we’re bigger than the press.”

That’s a dangerous attitude.

“Well we’ve proved that the people are bigger than the press.”

That’s better… and the phenomenon is getting bigger all the time. On the subject of ‘star’ alienation Burnel’s sole comment is that “this, (a four star hotel room) – isn’t exactly on street level.” He sounds almost maudlin about his present state, but it’s a dilemma all rebels face when the product starts moving.

Later he informs me that the band are “honourable” and that their “attitudes are still punk”, still the same.

Still the same as the attitudes which pervaded a band called Johnny Sox who were the pre-cursor of The Stranglers. During the pub rock boom of 1973 Johnny Sox, a band comprising of Cornwell, two Swedes and two American draft dodgers , came to London to seek their fortune.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. The two Swedes split back to the land of their fathers, leaving the remnants of a band. Cornwell incited off-license owner Jet Black to become drummer. Then, coincidence of coincidences, Burnel, on returning frm karate in Kingston-on-Thames, gave a lift to Gerth, one of the dodgers.

When the two Yanks fled to the complete safety of Sweden, Burnel took up bass and presented the other two with his first song – an autobiographical slice of rock ‘n’ roll which he had written as a 15 year old called ‘Go Buddy Go’. Then they discovered Dave Greenfield, a refugee of the sixties Hamburg scene through an ad. The rest, as they say, is history.

After nearly four years, what Burnel describes as once being “a bunch of freaks” (trivia collectors might like to note that Jet Black once has cropped peroxide locks) have become the biggest band to hit Britain since la belle Roxy Music. And with the release of ‘Black And White’ they’ll undoubtedly sustain their momentum.

The record, which will be out late March/early April, will attract the Stranglophiles as well as those who can’t take the formula. It should contain the aforementioned ‘Sleazy’, ‘Toiler Of The Seas’, ‘Sweden (All Quiet On The Eatern Front), a song about the sterility of so-called Swedish socialism, ‘Tank’, ‘Confused’. ‘Choirboys’, which has an almost Byrds-like intro, two songs entitled ‘Do You Wanna?’ and ‘Death And Night And Blood’ which flow into each other.

The former is another Greenfield sung acid anthem, and the latter bears a resemblance to a classical composer who is for the moment forgotten. It has a hymn-like countenance, hardly surprising then when one learns later that the title comes from one of Yukio Mishima’s last speeches.

Also in line for inclusion are a couple more barracuda bass numbers, and a song called ‘Hey’ which features ex-X Ray Spec Laura Logic on saxophone. Looks like being an album of extremes which will live up to the title. Lurking amongst the newer songs will be two or three oldies.

Those of you who have a desire to hear The Stranglers’ rendering of Burt Bacharach’s ‘Walk On By’ which was the last cover version they ever played, and a song called ‘Tits’ (which was a song they played to bottling audiences in the good old days and is “the ultimate insult” to a lousy crowd) should rush round to the dealers and place an order for the album right away.

Jean-Jacques Burnel: “Tonight we were working on two levels. We played in front of 20 million on Top Of The Pops, and at the same time we played to a couple of hundred in Falkirk… I just hope it can last.”

It will Jean, it will.