awesome interview. It's just great hearing the anecdotes, and JJ putting flesh on the bones. It's just such a shame JJ's relationship with Hugh is now that antagonistic, considering the shared success, and so much history, memories etc...... I wish it wasn't. Watching this in the wake of Dave's passing, but hearing JJ talk about where the Stranglers would be at "if" one of the members died was hard as i'd watched another interview with JJ a few days ago where he was very visibly grief-stricken after Dave had had actually died. I look at the stranglers, who we grew up with, and I look at todays clowns who don't gig, and get into brawls, and experience life on the road as a working band, or deal with mega record companies, the nitty-gritty reality stuff.....and these clowns make a linear "beat"with a shelf-life of 2 minutes, get to no.1 with 10,000 sales or however little it takes now.........and the comparison between then and now is striking, and I'm forced to conclude that there are "no more heroes anymore". I wish we had moe bands like The Stranglers. RIP Dave
There always were bands / singers that never did it live on stage. That was why the Clash wouldn't do Top of the Pops. Music in the seventies was mostly over blown self indulgent pap. For me Punk washed all that away, there was a movement rather than just music you could be part of.
He's probably the biggest influence on me why I love playing bass. I listened to the Stranglers in my teenage years day and night. His bass sound is by far my favourite. For me his bass was the song.
Excellent interview. Always been fascinated by Jean-Jacques and Hugh. Both had a dark, macho exterior, yet from their interviews they come across as well-spoken and intelligent. Would love to share a beer with them (separately) down a country local.
It was quite obvious from day one that The Stranglers were disciples of Beefheart. You could really hear the Beefheart influence in Cornwell's guitar playing style. Gotta love JJ Burnell. Such a humble fella.
good advice. my son dislikes the stranglers and karen dalton. i don't believe in brainwashing our children. so when he's out at karate, i can play karen dalton; when he's home he still doesn't like the stranglers. i hope he has the energy of jj when he's older; school doesen't help!
Great interview, just seen for 1st time, recorded on 40th anniversary, now @ 50th. Saw them in Leeds 1981/2 and would love to see them again now, having been a fan right through
He's always struck me as quite shy, no ego and very intelligent and cultured but he's hard as nails and took no nonsense now and back in the day when he looked scarier, legend. I'm sure he only used his powers for good though!
I had always been a fan anf in the 90s got invited to a Stranglers gig at Leeds where I met JJ and the rest of the band. Later we met them back at their hotel and had a fun time, I will never forget that night. I was living in York at the time and went back to the station to get the train, saw the York train and climbed aboard and fell asleep. A while later the conductor woke me looking for my ticket which I gave him and he asked where I was going too, York! Ah, well, you should know, this train is going to Manchester Airport! But it had York on the front, no, that was the back. So, I spent a long time on that train getting home to York but a night I can't forget.
JJ is so cool,yet so down to earth. Mum had a massive crush on his she told me. I grew up listening to their music and fell for the incredible sound and the awesome image. A real nice guy who has time for fans and also a love of bikes
Recently discovered this band, and I curse my fate that I hadn’t heard about them decades ago!! Making up for lost time now, emersing myself in all their albums and history! I give them HUGE respect for everything that The Stranglers have been doing all these years! Msr. Brunel, merci 1000 fois pour vos efforts massifs pendant toutes ces années!
Great bloke, just like having a chat with your mate. Still remember 5 minutes from back in the day. Punk summed up how young people were feeling at that time.
I saw the stranglers play the nashville a few times. dave was a lovely person, one night he turned up in a safari suit and pith helmet smoking a pipe. The bar was busy so i offered him a drink, he asked for a pint of bitter in a jug , pure rock n roll.
Thank you very much for posting this. I've been looking for the integral version of this interview for so long..... OMG this man is simply irresistible!!!!!!!
“ assuming you’re heterosexual, you’ve looked at women right ? You admit it ? “ ....thank the gods for simple truths like this - surviving all the fucking bullshit that’s shoved into our citizens’ pummelled media minds nowadays. The Stranglers deserve the ‘ Internet revived ‘ part of their career because shows like the Paris 2014 demonstrate their worth & enthusiasm when playing and especially when contemporaries and old guard acts of much less diversity or imagination continue receiving more daily routine radio exposure and are treated as national treasures . When was the last really good or very popular New song written by Elton or Rodney or Sting or U2 or Blondie or Roxy or Pink Floyd or Spandau Ballett etc etc ? All of the above are only in it to generate profits let alone live on glories from 45 years ago. Longlivethismaninblue ❤️
JJ was totally on it in this terrific interview. To be honest I hate most modern interviewers as it's all ego and about them but this guy knew about The 101'ers and asked some good questions. One of my fave JJ interviews. What an entertaining guy. Hope when the cameras were switched off he didn't mash that interviewer to a bloody pulp!
JJ has always shone. There are some amazing brilliant bass players around but his playing and his bass sound has been the measure that I compare others by. Noone comes close in my opinion
The hardest thing for JJ must be that it is almost impossible for anything the band now do, to standup against their first four albums. They had a whole movement behind them back in the late seventies and such a distinctive sound. I have to admit that if I think of The Stranglers I imediately go to '5 minutes' or 'Goodbye Toulouse' coz that is where they exist for me.
That could be said of a lot of bands that were about in the 60s - 90s and are still going. Duran Duran & Depeche Mode are still going but they'll never reached the heights that they did in the early '80s.
No comparison to both Duran and Depeche Both those bands have their main driving force teams still in tact Le Bon, Rhodes John Taylor, Gahan ,Gore...& the so called Fake Stranglers? The entire original line up of Cornwell,Black (RIP) Greenfield (RIP) gone & Burnel ( Hardly a frontman?) still calling them the 😅 25:49
For a lot of us who came out of the late sixties into the seventies when punk rock started around 1976 the Stranglers caught us because of the organ. It kind of connected the two eras with bands like the Doors and so many others. At the time punk was raw, abrasive and absolutely needed but the Stranglers, the Damned, Blondie and the Ramones made it more palatable for us who were over 20. Fast forward to today we are due for another revolution.
Jj burnel essentially well educated man from humble beginning to cracking musician/songwriter. Modest and proper down to earth geezer 1 in 4 of one of the most diverse bands covering several eras but in a way you dont notice a gap until hugh decided to leave for his own reasons still one of the very best from the uk and underrated in a lot of peoples opinions who cares about the doubters go buddy go.❤
What a great interview, I was 12 when I was gifted NO MORE HEROES album and it blew me away and that was in 1977, So obviously I followed these guys long into their career, I’m 59 now and still get a rush when I hear a STRANGLERS tune played!
Now I don't know if I watched this for the sake of nostalgia or because of current sterile conditions. I have a feeling both amount to the same thing. I always think I'm not a fan of anything... Then I see something Stranglers related and..... Click.
Great interview. The Stranglers were never really my thing, tbh, but JJ is a superb bassist. Him and Derek Forbes from Simple Minds were the best from that era by a country mile.
Yes Norfolk Coast ( the title song ) sits very easily amongst their more Punchy Catchy Tunes like Duchess and Go Buddy Go and Rise of The Robots and lots more . I didn’t hear it until I had my very own tablet computer and found these music apps. I should feel thoroughly ashamed for straying over the years and not hearing the rest of the album yet ..but I’m pleased to see the shows of the last 20 years and how they’re still pretty tasty for a bunch of old fellas . 👍new forest pixies
I didn’t know - Norfolk Coast was the album that brought me back . The Stranglers were my favourite band for years , I was heartbroken , I did try . I was much happy for them and their release of some proper music again . So true = Norfolk Coast & Suite XVI are two excellent additions to the canon . Anything Can Happen !
Awesome. J.J fills in a lot of details. I've been listening since 78. Only thing I would say is the impact and contribution to their sound of Dave Greenfield cannot be understated. I identify with these keyboard sounds. Love them all.
Wether it’s the early stranglers or the current lineup and material they were and are a killer band with a great back catalogue but still staying relevant I love them.
Ist time I’ve heard him being interviewed, I always though he’d have a French accent. He used to be a handful back in the day. I guess age has mellowed him over the years.
Here because bbc news says some pop singer chick has 10 hits in the top ten new record better than Beatles ..so I listened to one and was not surprised as I expected.. so I quickly adjourned
The problem with the guy who replaced Hugh Cornwell is that he posed for photos as if he was part of a Stock, Aitken & Waterman act, he had an ok voice and actually sounded a bit like Hugh but to me he was really out of place, clicking his fingers when he wasn't singing and cheesy stuff like that, Baz is a better fit
So does the less cool and unimfamous. South West of the New Forest - but we all love them for sure 🏴😇❤️ new forest pixies ps The Chameleons I loved as well
"If one of us dies or leaves that's it", but Dave sadly died and Jet left and he is now soldiering on alone. His right but it's not the Stranglers imo.
No ego at all one of the best British bass guitarist of all time,thanks for posting
Seems like a great guy.
Good but defintiely not amongst the best
I liked Bruce foxton as well
The best
Isn't he French ?
Love the original line up, Hugh, Jet Black, Dave Greenfield, and JJ BURNELL, fucking class👍🇮🇲
Great interview. “We’ve sold 40 million albums and we’re still selling out everywhere… I don’t want respect for what we were but for what we are now.”
Only play the songs you wrote then JJ see how that goes
awesome interview. It's just great hearing the anecdotes, and JJ putting flesh on the bones. It's just such a shame JJ's relationship with Hugh is now that antagonistic, considering the shared success, and so much history, memories etc...... I wish it wasn't. Watching this in the wake of Dave's passing, but hearing JJ talk about where the Stranglers would be at "if" one of the members died was hard as i'd watched another interview with JJ a few days ago where he was very visibly grief-stricken after Dave had had actually died. I look at the stranglers, who we grew up with, and I look at todays clowns who don't gig, and get into brawls, and experience life on the road as a working band, or deal with mega record companies, the nitty-gritty reality stuff.....and these clowns make a linear "beat"with a shelf-life of 2 minutes, get to no.1 with 10,000 sales or however little it takes now.........and the comparison between then and now is striking, and I'm forced to conclude that there are "no more heroes anymore". I wish we had moe bands like The Stranglers. RIP Dave
There always were bands / singers that never did it live on stage. That was why the Clash wouldn't do Top of the Pops. Music in the seventies was mostly over blown self indulgent pap. For me Punk washed all that away, there was a movement rather than just music you could be part of.
The "Stranglers" will live forever as one of the best bands of their era!
He's probably the biggest influence on me why I love playing bass. I listened to the Stranglers in my teenage years day and night. His bass sound is by far my favourite. For me his bass was the song.
What a great bloke JJ is
A great explanation of the 4 way split. Everyone invests in the song, encouraging each member to enthusiastically promote the music together.
Great interview with a wonderful bass player and a good talker. I remember seeing Soft Machine playing the proms, though, in 1970 :)
Cheers mate!... remember JJ when he came with the Stranglers to Iceland 2006... R.I.P. Dave Greenfield, he was still there at that time...
My first favourite band. JJB made me play bass. 40 years later I’m still watching clips and listening to their songs.
Excellent interview. Always been fascinated by Jean-Jacques and Hugh. Both had a dark, macho exterior, yet from their interviews they come across as well-spoken and intelligent. Would love to share a beer with them (separately) down a country local.
Dont flatter yourself
It was quite obvious from day one that The Stranglers were disciples of Beefheart. You could really hear the Beefheart influence in Cornwell's guitar playing style. Gotta love JJ Burnell. Such a humble fella.
My son was 14 when he start loving the stranglers. I told him not to sell the vinyl collection after i pass away.
good advice. my son dislikes the stranglers and karen dalton. i don't believe in brainwashing our children. so when he's out at karate, i can play karen dalton; when he's home he still doesn't like the stranglers. i hope he has the energy of jj when he's older; school doesen't help!
Great interview, just seen for 1st time, recorded on 40th anniversary, now @ 50th.
Saw them in Leeds 1981/2 and would love to see them again now, having been a fan right through
He's always struck me as quite shy, no ego and very intelligent and cultured but he's hard as nails and took no nonsense now and back in the day when he looked scarier, legend. I'm sure he only used his powers for good though!
I had always been a fan anf in the 90s got invited to a Stranglers gig at Leeds where I met JJ and the rest of the band. Later we met them back at their hotel and had a fun time, I will never forget that night. I was living in York at the time and went back to the station to get the train, saw the York train and climbed aboard and fell asleep. A while later the conductor woke me looking for my ticket which I gave him and he asked where I was going too, York! Ah, well, you should know, this train is going to Manchester Airport! But it had York on the front, no, that was the back. So, I spent a long time on that train getting home to York but a night I can't forget.
JJ is so cool,yet so down to earth.
Mum had a massive crush on his she told me.
I grew up listening to their music and fell for the incredible sound and the awesome image.
A real nice guy who has time for fans and also a love of bikes
Recently discovered this band, and I curse my fate that I hadn’t heard about them decades ago!!
Making up for lost time now, emersing myself in all their albums and history!
I give them HUGE respect for everything that The Stranglers have been doing all these years!
Msr. Brunel, merci 1000 fois pour vos efforts massifs pendant toutes ces années!
Theyre currently doing the "last tour" in France check out their website
I love The Stranglers 🖤😎
Great bloke, just like having a chat with your mate. Still remember 5 minutes from back in the day. Punk summed up how young people were feeling at that time.
I saw the stranglers play the nashville a few times. dave was a lovely person, one night he turned up in a safari suit and pith helmet smoking a pipe. The bar was busy so i offered him a drink, he asked for a pint of bitter in a jug , pure rock n roll.
Just an excellent, highly enjoyable, and informative interview.
Saw them at B-ginnings in Schaumburg IL in April of '78.
Thank you very much for posting this. I've been looking for the integral version of this interview for so long..... OMG this man is simply irresistible!!!!!!!
“ assuming you’re heterosexual, you’ve looked at women right ? You admit it ? “ ....thank the gods for simple truths like this - surviving all the fucking bullshit that’s shoved into our citizens’ pummelled media minds nowadays. The Stranglers deserve the ‘ Internet revived ‘ part of their career because shows like the Paris 2014 demonstrate their worth & enthusiasm when playing and especially when contemporaries and old guard acts of much less diversity or imagination continue receiving more daily routine radio exposure and are treated as national treasures . When was the last really good or very popular New song written by Elton or Rodney or Sting or U2 or Blondie or Roxy or Pink Floyd or Spandau Ballett etc etc ? All of the above are only in it to generate profits let alone live on glories from 45 years ago. Longlivethismaninblue ❤️
JJ was totally on it in this terrific interview.
To be honest I hate most modern interviewers as it's all ego and about them but this guy knew about The 101'ers and asked some good questions.
One of my fave JJ interviews.
What an entertaining guy.
Hope when the cameras were switched off he didn't mash that interviewer to a bloody pulp!
Brilliant interview with one of Britain's best-ever bassists - thanks for uploading.
Shame Vintage TV no longer exists,thankfully JJ does & last Stranglers album 'Dark Matters' is the best album i have bought for years
Such a great bloke, so grounded 👍
Brilliant interview
JJ has always shone. There are some amazing brilliant bass players around but his playing and his bass sound has been the measure that I compare others by. Noone comes close in my opinion
Don't forget the late Mick Karn of Japan who was an incredible Bass Player
Check out the kid in New Model Army when they started out
The hardest thing for JJ must be that it is almost impossible for anything the band now do, to standup against their first four albums. They had a whole movement behind them back in the late seventies and such a distinctive sound. I have to admit that if I think of The Stranglers I imediately go to '5 minutes' or 'Goodbye Toulouse' coz that is where they exist for me.
That could be said of a lot of bands that were about in the 60s - 90s and are still going.
Duran Duran & Depeche Mode are still going but they'll never reached the heights that they did in the early '80s.
No comparison to both Duran and Depeche Both those bands have their main driving force teams still in tact Le Bon, Rhodes John Taylor, Gahan ,Gore...& the so called Fake Stranglers? The entire original line up of Cornwell,Black (RIP) Greenfield (RIP) gone & Burnel ( Hardly a frontman?) still calling them the 😅 25:49
The Stranglers are one of the greatest unique bands of all time.
JJ is a beast brilliant bass player and champion Karate expert.
IT would be great to see Hugh and JJ back on stage. They achieved so much.
One of my favourite bassplayers
Just saw him and The Stranglers yesterday. Loved the show.
3 fave bands, Beatles, Stranglers and the Clash.
I really love JJ's take on songwriting credits and sharing them from the start. An excellent interview!
Watching tonight, the night Jet died RIP X
I idolised the Stranglers in the 70s,and I live 5 miles away from JJ now, sadly Dave also lived there too but passed last year
Liverpool loves The Stranglers
His Great Western Railway was pretty good too. And some of his bridges.
That was I.K. Brunel.
But, good one!😄👍
I still love listening to the stranglers. That bass!
For a lot of us who came out of the late sixties into the seventies when punk rock started around 1976 the Stranglers caught us because of the organ. It kind of connected the two eras with bands like the Doors and so many others. At the time punk was raw, abrasive and absolutely needed but the Stranglers, the Damned, Blondie and the Ramones made it more palatable for us who were over 20. Fast forward to today we are due for another revolution.
Birmingham loves the stranglers!
I learned every word of La Folie.
J.J. is an absolute Bass Legend ! and an example for many bassists .
JJ was way ahead of his time the stranglers were the best punk rock band I ever heard when I was a kid in 1978
They still are now!!!
So use to fancy JJ when he was young....
He's still pretty hot here 😉
Great interview, I enjoyed that.
Brilliant interview of my favourite bass player.
Jj burnel essentially well educated man from humble beginning to cracking musician/songwriter. Modest and proper down to earth geezer 1 in 4 of one of the most diverse bands covering several eras but in a way you dont notice a gap until hugh decided to leave for his own reasons still one of the very best from the uk and underrated in a lot of peoples opinions who cares about the doubters go buddy go.❤
Never mind 'Peaches' being perceived as sexist JJ, what about 'Bring On The Nubiles'!!😮😮
What a great interview, I was 12 when I was gifted NO MORE HEROES album and it blew me away and that was in 1977, So obviously I followed these guys long into their career, I’m 59 now and still get a rush when I hear a STRANGLERS tune played!
A well conducted interview with open and honest responses from J J. Great stuff.
I was around that scene then and didn’t much like punk. But I loved The Stranglers and The Jam. The Clash were a din live.
Now I don't know if I watched this for the sake of nostalgia or because of current sterile conditions. I have a feeling both amount to the same thing. I always think I'm not a fan of anything... Then I see something Stranglers related and..... Click.
Great interview. The Stranglers were never really my thing, tbh, but JJ is a superb bassist. Him and Derek Forbes from Simple Minds were the best from that era by a country mile.
well.. Mick Karn? Percy Jones?
You should listen to "Colin Moulding " of XTC, a fine all round bass player, and yes Mick karn, i'll add Bruce Foxton aswell.
Last album they produce worth listening to was aural sculpture but that was nearly 40years ago! Says all you need to know.
An incredibly well mentally-integrated and balanced guy - contrary to his historic media image projection
I always thought he was a bad boy of Rock’n’ Roll with a strong French accent….how wrong I was. Looks like a really chilled out geezer.
Norfolk Coast and Suite XVI stand with all the great Stranglers albums.
Yes Norfolk Coast ( the title song ) sits very easily amongst their more Punchy Catchy Tunes like Duchess and Go Buddy Go and Rise of The Robots and lots more . I didn’t hear it until I had my very own tablet computer and found these music apps. I should feel thoroughly ashamed for straying over the years and not hearing the rest of the album yet ..but I’m pleased to see the shows of the last 20 years and how they’re still pretty tasty for a bunch of old fellas . 👍new forest pixies
I didn’t know - Norfolk Coast was the album that brought me back . The Stranglers were my favourite band for years , I was heartbroken , I did try . I was much happy for them and their release of some proper music again . So true = Norfolk Coast & Suite XVI are two excellent additions to the canon . Anything Can Happen !
Happy birthday !!
Fascinating stuff !!!
He took out a couple of bouncers at Glasgow Apollo back in the 70s. Remember it well.
Omg, how good does Mr Burnel look 👍
Bravo!!
Fantastic Artist!!
Respect.
Awesome. J.J fills in a lot of details. I've been listening since 78. Only thing I would say is the impact and contribution to their sound of Dave Greenfield cannot be understated. I identify with these keyboard sounds. Love them all.
Seen them at Eric's Liverpool and they opened up with Shah Shah a go go great night
That's really going back. I saw them play the Royal Court, in 1982. Same venue U2 played a few months earlier
❤️❤️❤️❤️
GREAT INTERVIEW
Wether it’s the early stranglers or the current lineup and material they were and are a killer band with a great back catalogue but still staying relevant I love them.
what a great guy and the band of couse
A great show.
He seems a lovely guy
I’ve never listened to them, only heard of them. I remember Golden Brown when I was a kid
I feel sorry for you for not listening the brilliant strangers Awesome group especially the early days
No sorry.... Lucky guy can get to listen to amazing stranglers.. They have literally 100s of incredible tracks..
shame on you lol 😆
Brilliant band
"The blues was always black" - Brilliant! I laughed aloud.
Lovely man, so normal, he makes modern men seem trivial.
Ist time I’ve heard him being interviewed, I always though he’d have a French accent. He used to be a handful back in the day. I guess age has mellowed him over the years.
Here because bbc news says some pop singer chick has 10 hits in the top ten new record better than Beatles ..so I listened to one and was not surprised as I expected.. so I quickly adjourned
JJ Brunel speaks WORD
not the same without Hugh, that's it in nutshell.
I was born in Guildford Surrey, and The Strangers (The Guildford Stranglers) are absolute legends
10 years ago!!
R.I.P. Jet Black :(
Top bass player, top bloke.
Hero ❤
10:10 Love that album too
Hmmm
Wonder why he didn't mention Golden brown never going #1.. because he told the press what the song was about
RIP Jet, and if you should see Dave say Hello.
The problem with the guy who replaced Hugh Cornwell is that he posed for photos as if he was part of a Stock, Aitken & Waterman act, he had an ok voice and actually sounded a bit like Hugh but to me he was really out of place, clicking his fingers when he wasn't singing and cheesy stuff like that, Baz is a better fit
JJ un français, whaouh. J 'adore.
Where can I find the picture at 12:20. Thanks.
?*
Manchester Loves The Stranglers
So does the less cool and unimfamous. South West of the New Forest - but we all love them for sure 🏴😇❤️ new forest pixies ps The Chameleons I loved as well
Peter Green came from Bethnal green east london
"If one of us dies or leaves that's it", but Dave sadly died and Jet left and he is now soldiering on alone. His right but it's not the Stranglers imo.
"...the Surrey delta."
LOL! Classic!