BIOGRAPHY
The Stranglers: A short history - Part 2
1974
By 1974, Jet was convinced he was "good enough" and made the historic decision to form a professional band or, more accurately, a band which was eventually to become professional.
Without the experience of having done so before, he set about recruiting musicians for a series of rehearsals and try-outs in a search for the necessary personnel, while still playing nightly gigs to widen his experience. During this time, the running of his business interests had been largely transferred to his business manager.
He recalls that after auditioning approximately 25 guitarists and well over 40 bass players, he was finding it difficult to locate any inspirational talent. One day, he answered a 'Melody Maker' advert seeking a drummer. He thought this was to be just another gig. This led to a meeting between Jet, Hugh Cornwell and his drummer-less band 'Johnny Sox', in the Camden area of north London.
Whereas many historians have recounted how Jet "joined" 'Johnny Sox', Jet points out that there was never any "joining", and certainly no gigs.
Hugh Cornwell was a biochemistry graduate from Bristol University who had gone to Lund University in Sweden to pursue research. Here, he formed 'Johnny Sox' with two American draft dodgers and a Swede. Disillusioned with the politics of research (and with a desire to make the band succeed) he persuaded the other members that London was the place to be; they had arrived in London - minus the drummer - in early 1974.
Jet spent that first meeting routining a number of songs with the band, which he found "interesting", in the astonishingly furniture-less north London squat. For their part, it turned out that the band were looking for a full time replacement drummer.
Although Jet had not been seeking a career in someone else's band, there had been something about that 30 minutes which intrigued him and much later he reached the conclusion that it had been Hugh's contribution which had captured his interest. He suggested to the penniless outfit that a move to his vast Guildford business premises would be a good idea, since in his opinion, the band as they then were, needed some serious preparatory work.
'Johnny Sox' were unimpressed by the offer until Jet mentioned he had suitable accommodation for them above his Off Licence!
There were daily rehearsals at the new address for awhile but after a time Jet reached the opinion that no-one with the exception of Hugh was actually committed, or prepared to do any serious work. Eventually Jet declared, "get serious or get out". They got out.
This, then, was the actual moment of the birth of The Stranglers, as Jet now offered Hugh the post of front man to his prospective new band, and that was the end of 'Johnny Sox'.
Jean Jacques (JJ) Burnel was introduced to Jet and Hugh through a chance hitch hiking incident.
Although an accomplished young classical guitarist, he had never seriously considered a career in music, his main passion being karate.
His ambition at the time had been to travel to Japan, in order to further his development in this martial art.
JJ has since fulfilled this ambition and currently teaches at his own Dojo in the UK. His other passion, maintained throughout his career, was, and is, for motorcycles.
Soon after that initial meeting, and upon discovering that he had a predilection for the bass, and was also a keen songwriter, it was suggested he join Hugh and Jet in the fledgling outfit.
Until that point JJ had never actually played a bass but, fortunately, Hugh owned one and this made JJ's acceptance of the offer more interesting.
The soon-to-be Stranglers were now three.