In 2024 The Stranglers, one of the most iconic and influential bands in British music history, are celebrating their 50th anniversary with dates including Portsmouth Guildhall on March 23.
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00:00 Good afternoon, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Answered for Sussex Newspapers. Incredible
00:05 pleasure to speak to JJ Burnell of The Stranglers in this most auspicious year, the 50th anniversary
00:11 for The Stranglers. How do you get your mind around 50 years? That's astonishing, isn't
00:16 it?
00:17 I don't. I mean, a long time ago, I called it a bunch of boring old bastards, boring
00:23 old farts. But yeah, I mean, we're entering uncharted territory, because it was never
00:31 in the remit that we would last more than five years, you know.
00:34 So how much does it surprise you that this conversation is happening, that you're touring
00:39 for the 50th?
00:40 Well, completely. I was never prepared for it, but I'll take it completely with both
00:47 arms.
00:48 And how do you explain the fact that The Stranglers are, despite the odds in a way, still here?
00:56 Well, I'd like to say or think it was just down to pure genius and talent.
01:03 You can say that.
01:04 You can say that.
01:05 Yeah, I can say that. But I think over time, we played a lot of live shows and made quite
01:12 a few records, and a combination of both of us communed with other people, you know, connected
01:21 with other people.
01:22 And when you look back on it all, do you look back and understand it in a different way?
01:33 Does it seem a different world all those years ago?
01:36 Well, it is a different world to what it was when we started out.
01:43 On so many different levels, musically, technologically, the world seemed slightly safer then.
01:56 And then, you know, you get the personal insights, don't you?
02:00 You have a life with connections and disconnections that come and go, some more tragic than others.
02:11 And yet, despite all that, I still enjoy putting a guitar on and playing to people.
02:20 Does it feel the same, do you think, or is it a different pleasure now?
02:26 It's a different pleasure now, because people come to see The Stranglers, as opposed to
02:33 wanting to throw bottles at us and get us arrested.
02:37 Slightly more refined now, is it?
02:39 I think people come because of us, and we're not just something which is on.
02:45 But isn't that the point?
02:48 The thing is, we've always had this philosophy of sharing everything.
02:52 So when we've had failures, we shared them, and when we had successes, we shared them.
02:57 Although there might have only been one or two writers in the band.
03:01 But I've seen that break up so many relationships, you know, just because of money.
03:05 You shouldn't be falling out over money if you're in a band.
03:09 So we shared everything.
03:10 You started on the right footing.
03:12 And isn't the thing, I mean, so many bands inspire hugely loyal fans, but The Stranglers
03:17 absolutely do, don't they?
03:19 And it's because your songs mean so much to people, don't they?
03:22 Well, they've obviously connected with people, yeah.
03:24 But also, you know, we haven't been relatively bullshit-free zoned.
03:32 And I hope, I hope that we reflect the world that we are currently living in.
03:38 Yeah, and when you're saying the success of the most recent album, the most successful
03:43 album for 40 years, that kind of says it all, doesn't it?
03:46 Well, it says quite a lot, as far as I'm concerned, yeah, sure.
03:50 So and, you know, respect has to be merited.
03:57 And obviously, we've created sufficient respect with sufficient numbers of people to feel
04:06 the need to carry on, you know.
04:08 Fantastic.
04:09 Well, congratulations on the anniversary.
04:10 It's huge, it's significant.
04:11 I look forward to chatting for your 60th.
04:16 That's pushing it, but who knows?
04:18 All the best.
04:20 Thank you for your time.
04:21 Thank you.
04:22 Bye.
04:22 Bye.