MUSIC EVENT 13

Back in black: , with Burnel Punks’ second from right golden years All the bad press has not stopped the Stranglers rocking, writes Sally Browne

IT’S the kind of story good And let our music speak for itself, documentaries are made of. The hopefully.’’ Stranglers are lined up on one side Their music has indeed done the of the courtyard and members of talking, with the Stranglers chalk- , the Sex Pistols and the ing up 16 albums, including their are on the other, while latest Suite XVI, and a string of hits Paul Simonon of the Clash and from Get a Grip on Yourself, Jean-Jacques Burnel of the Peaches and No More Heroes to Stranglers are going head to head. , and The fight was over a ‘‘really silly Skin Deep. thing’’, recalls Burnel, bass player The raunchy song Peaches was and sometime singer of the named by the current issue of Bass Stranglers. Guitar Magazine as having the ‘‘We just supported the Ramones ‘‘greatest bass line ever’’. and had a few drinks and everyone It’s the bass line in that song that was there. And I walked past Paul strides along the imagined beach as from the Clash and he was standing the band sing about checking out in the corner with Steve from the the so-called peaches lined up Sex Pistols and he had a nervous tic along the shore. But the Stranglers have not happened to me happened in in those days. Just as I walked past, The song, which at the time the stopped rocking and have per- Nice,’’ he says with a chuckle. ‘We just developed a he spat on the floor and I thought BBC refused to play, was originally formed with singer Baz Warne for Car dealers and journalists have ghetto mentality, I he was spitting at me, so I just inspired by reggae rhythms. more than 15 years. no need to be afraid any more, punched him. ‘‘I don’t know if it’s the greatest,’’ After their Australian visit, assures Burnel. He’s a changed suppose. Us against the ‘‘Young blokes, you know. They Burnel says, ‘‘but it’s the most they’ll be back to the UK to work man. can’t handle their drink.’’ memorable within three notes.’’ on new material. Burnel reckons he ‘‘In fact, they’re going to start rest of the world. And let Simonon would have had a A biochemistry student, an ice has about 35 song ideas recorded making teddy bears in my like- tough time on his hands, as Burnel cream business owner and a karate our music speak for itself’ on his mobile phone. ness,’’ he claims. is a black belt in karate and still expert seem an unlikely group to Touring these days is ‘‘the best The Stranglers perform at the teaches in London, where he is the form one of the best proto-punk . . . it has been for over 25 years. Tivoli, , on Wednesday. head of Shidokan UK. He also rides bands of the era. And the pictur- And as a result the audiences have motorbikes and has done since he esque commuter town of , got his first one, a 1942 Harley- outside London, seems an even less multiplied three-fold. It’s amazing.’’ Davidson, at the age of 17. likely place to do it. They’ve got plenty of stories to From that Ramones gig on, the But it was there that drummer tell, too. There was the time Burnel Stranglers, who formed in 1974, , who owned ice-cream crashed his Porsche in Nice. found themselves outsiders in a vans as well as a bottle shop, ‘‘I smashed five cars up in one scene of outsiders. They continued brought the group together. The night. Drank too much, smoked to get bad press and courted it. Scout hall where they used to too much, and mixed with the ‘‘We were getting so much bad rehearse is still there, says Burnel. wrong company. Well, no, the right publicity and we were selling more He drove past it the other day. company, it was great, but . . . records than all those other bands. Former frontman Hugh ‘‘It was in Nice, France. I’ve been ‘‘We just developed a ghetto Cornwell, who gave up his bio- arrested there. Smashed up cars mentality, I suppose. chemistry studies to join the band there. Got married there. You ‘‘Us against the rest of the world. in 1974, left the group in 1990. know, all the worst things that ever

Valley. Wednesday, 8pm. Friday, 8pm. Tickets: $27.75. Tickets: $48-$50. Bookings: Coolangatta Hotel, cnr Marine gig 1300 762 545 or Pde and Warner St, www.oztix.com.au. Coolangatta. Saturday, 8pm. Andrew Morris Keyboard- Tickets: $22.75. Bookings: guide based. The Globe Theatre, 220 1300 762 545. Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. The Church Rock. The Sands Topology Politics in music. Visy Thursday, 7.30pm. Tickets: Tavern, 39 Plaza Pde, Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse, $17.50-$18. Bookings: Maroochydore. Friday, 8pm. New Farm. Today, 6pm. Tickets: 1300 762 545. Tickets: $25.75. The Zoo, 711 $24-$29. Bookings: 3358 8600. Sparkadia Alternative rock. The Ann St, Fortitude Valley. Justin Bond is Close to You Zoo, 711 Ann St, Fortitude Saturday, 8pm. Tickets: $27.75. Tribute to The Carpenters. Valley. Thursday and Friday, Bookings: 1300 762 545. Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane 8pm. Tickets: $17.50-$18. The Arachnids Rock/dance. Powerhouse, New Farm. Bookings: 1300 762 545. The Globe Theatre, 220 Wednesday and Thursday, Hungry Kids of Hungary Pop. Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. 7.30pm. Tickets: $39. Bookings: The Troubadour, Level 2, 322 Saturday, 8pm. Tickets: 3358 8600. Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. $11.50-$12. Bookings: Peter Rowan Bluegrass/ Thursday, 8pm. Door sales: $12. 1300 762 545. QPAC CONCERT HALL Country. Old Museum Concert End of Fashion Rock. The Globe Rocket to Memphis Rockabilly, Hall, Bowen Bridge Rd, Herston. Theatre, 220 Brunswick St, rhythm ’n’ blues. The Wednesday, 8pm. Tickets: Fortitude Valley. Friday, 8pm. Troubadour, Level 2, 322 MONDAY APRIL 20 $28-$30. Bookings: 3390 2066 Tickets: $19.50-$20. Bookings: Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. or 0413 877 756. 1300 762 545. Saturday, 8pm. Tickets: Old Crow Medicine Show Frenzal Rhomb and Nancy $15-$17.50. Bookings: ON SALE THIS WEDNESDAY! Bluegrass, folk and country. The Vandal Punk. The Arena, 210 1300 762 545. Qtix 136 246 or qtix.com.au Zoo, 711 Ann St, Fortitude Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. [email protected] www.coppel.com.au thesundaymail.com.au THE SUNDAY MAIL, event March 8, 2009 Page 13