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The Stranglers

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Stranglers is an English rock band from Guildford in Surrey, formed in 1974. The classic line-up from 1975 to 1990 consisted of the guitarist and singer Hugh Cornwell, the bassist and singer Jean-Jacques Burnel, the keyboard player Dave Greenfield and the drummer Jet Black. Black had previously run a fleet of ice-cream vans and an off-licence, and used his money to form a band. The ice-cream vans served as the first tour buses. Cornwell was a blues musician, Burnel a classical guitarist, Black a jazz drummer, and Greenfield played on military bases in Germany. Their first influences were psychedelic rock bands such as The Doors.

Music and breakthrough

The group first built up an audience in pub rock and from 1976 was linked with the emerging punk, partly through its support slots. Its aggressive attitude and grim lyrics fitted in with that, but the music remained idiosyncratic. The sound was carried by Burnel's heavy, melodic bass and by Greenfield's keyboards. Rattus Norvegicus and No More Heroes appeared in 1977, Black and White in 1978 and The Raven in 1979. La Folie in 1981 and Feline in 1982 followed, among others. Their biggest hit was Golden Brown in 1982, alongside Peaches, No More Heroes, Strange Little Girl and Skin Deep.

Influence

After Cornwell left in 1990 the line-up changed often. Black stopped in 2018 and Greenfield died in 2020, after which Burnel became the only original member still performing. The Stranglers are among the longest-surviving bands of the British punk scene. They showed that a punk band was also capable of refinement: from rude troublemakers to makers of fine pop songs, in the words of one critic.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to No More Heroes by The Stranglers. Notice Burnel's heavy, melodic bass and how Greenfield's keyboard playing gives punk a colour of its own.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: Artists