by Adrian Liggins
Revised: 20th January 2004

The Stranglers have always excelled at live performances; it could be argued that the live arrangements of some tracks far excede the impact of the original, studio, version. The official albums listed below chronicle the changing face of these performances over the years.

"Live-(X Cert)" (1979, United Artists, UAG 30224) was recorded between June 1977 and September 1978, covering the "Rattus Norvegicus"/"No More Heroes" era and the introduction of songs from "Black and White". Most of this material was recorded at the Roundhouse, with later recordings taken from the infamous Battersea Park gig. The sound quality is not much better than some bootlegs, giving rise to some surprise when this album was released (reportedly not with the band's approval).

The track listing is: (A-Side) (Get A) Grip (On Yourself); Dagenham Dave; Burning Up Time; Dead Ringer; Hanging Around; I Feel Like a Wog; (B-Side) Straighten Out; Curfew; Do You Wanna/Death and Night and Blood (Yukio); 5 Minutes; Go Buddy Go.

This album was re-issued as a CD in 2001, with the following bonus tracks: Peasant in the Big Shitty; In the Shadows; Sometimes; Mean to Me; London Lady; Goodbye Toolouse; Hanging Around (different version).

We had to wait another nine years for the next live offering -- "All Live and All of the Night" (1987, Epic, 460259 1). By now the band were into their ninth studio album ("Dreamtime") and had added a horn-section to the live presentation. Regarded by many fans to be the best official live release featuring the original line-up (the sound quality on this recording is excellent), the concerts from which tracks were taken span the period from April 1985 to August 1987. One interesting aspect is that the live recording of "All Day and All of the Night" was dropped in favour of a "live" version specially recorded in the studio -- the story goes that the true live recording was not considered to be up to the desired quality for this album.

The track listing is: (A-Side) No More Heroes; Was It You?; Down in the Sewer; Always the Sun; Golden Brown; North Winds; (B-Side) European Female; Strange Little Girl; Nice 'n' Sleazy; Toiler on the Sea; Spain; London Lady; All Day and All of the Night.

This album was also re-released as a CD in 2001, with the following additional tracks: Souls; Uptown; Shakin' Like a Leaf; Who Wants the World; Peaches; Straighten Out; Nuclear Device; All Day and All of the Night; Punch and Judy

By one of those strange twists of fate that have accompanied the Stranglers throughout their career, Hugh's last concert with the band was recorded for posterity. This recording was eventually released as "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning" (1993, Essential, ESSLP 194). The album's title is a reference to the gig happening on a Saturday night and Hugh announcing his departure the following day.

The track listing for this album is: (A-Side) Toiler on the Sea; 96 Tears; Always the Sun; No More Heroes; Golden Brown; Tank; (B-Side) Strange Little Girl; Something Better Change; Hanging Around; All Day and All of the Night; Duchess; Was It You?/Down in the Sewer.

In the aftermath of Hugh's departure, two long-overdue albums were released in 1992:

"The Early Years '74 '75 '76 Rare Live and Unreleased" (1992, Newspeak, SPEAK CD 101), is a mish-mash of early live and demo recordings. As can be imagined, given the age of these recordings and that the best recording equipment was probably not available, the sound-quality is fairly poor; however, this material stands as a rare (and welcome) insight into the band's evolution. In addition to the CD release, a limited-edition double LP (SPEAK DLP 101), in coloured vinyl, was also produced.

The tracks on this album are: (Demo's '74) Wasted; Strange Little Girl; My Young Dreams; (Demo's '76) Grip; Bitching; Go Buddy Go; (Live '75) Princess of the Streets; (Live '76) Get a Grip; Sometimes; Bitching; Peasant in the Big Shitty; Hanging Around; Peaches; Ugly; Down in the Sewer; Go Buddy Go.

"Live at the Hope and Anchor" (1992, EMI, CDP 7987892) contains the entire set from a concert in this North London Pub-venue (on 22 November, 1977). This particular concert took place on the opening night of the "Front Row" festival, consisting of shows by bands regular to the venue during the year. Many of the songs in the band's set were played by request; for this show, they rehearsed their entire catalogue. From this album, it is easy to see why this is regarded as one of the band's more memorable shows.

The track listing is: Tits; Choosey Susie; Goodbye Toulouse; Bitching; Mean to Me; School Mam; Peasant in the Big Shitty; In the Shadows; Walk on By; Princess of the Streets; Go Buddy Go; No More Heroes; Straighten Out; Peaches; Hanging Around; Dagenham Dave; Sometimes; Bring on the Nubiles; London Lady.

Originally commissioned by SIS UK (1995, SIS, SIS CD003), "Access All Areas" is a compilation of live tracks recorded during the band's 1995 UK tour. This album has since been re-released on the VoicePrint label.

The track listing is: Genetix; Grip; Golden Boy; Straighten Out; 5 Minutes; Paradise Row; Money; Nice & Sleazy; Princess of the Streets; European Female; Still Life; Goodbye Toulouse; Sinister; Let Me Introduce You to the Family; All Day and All of the Night; Duchess; Nuclear Device; English Towns; No More Heroes.

Back in the spring of 1980, Hugh found himself a "guest" at Pentonville Prison (for drugs possession). With two gigs scheduled at the London Rainbow for the 3rd and 4th of April, the management decided to turn things around by approaching a number of well known artists (including John Ellis, Toyah Wilcox, Peter Hammil and Hazel O'Connor, amonst others) to fill in for the absent Hugh. "The Stranglers and Friends: Live in Concert" (1995, Receiver Records, RRCD 195) chronicles this event for posterity.

The track listing is: Introduction; Get a Grip; Hanging Around; Tank; Threatened; Toiler; The Raven; Dead Loss Angeles; Nice 'N' Sleazy; Bring on the Nubiles; Peaches; Bear Cage; Duchess; No More Heroes; Five Minutes; Something Better Change; Sewer.

In 2002, this album was re-released on the Castle Music label (Catalogue no. CMRCD459), with new art-work and sleeve-notes.

Strangely enough, 1997 saw the release of another version of this recording. "The Stranglers & Friends Live in Concert" (1997, Hallmark, 302902) contains the same tracks (not in the same order), except "Grip", "Hanging Around", "Bear Cage" and "Peaches". The exclusion of these tracks certainly makes this package less desireable than the previous offering (and its subsequent re-release).

A similar caution (relating to missing tracks) can be added to another recording. "Death and Night and Blood" (1994, Receiver Records, RRCD 187) is a Hugh-era recording. To be honest, with its poor audio quality and misnamed track (insert "Threatened" for "She Was Quite Close to Me"), I always thought of this as a bootleg. Its probably closer to say that it falls in a "grey-area" as far as officiality is concerned.

The track listing is: Something Better Change; No Mercy; Skin Deep; Let Me Down Easy; Death & Night & Blood; Peaches; Golden Brown; London Lady; I Feel Like a Wog; Uptown; Midnight Summer Dream; Burning Up Time; Strange Little Girl; Souls; "She Was Quite Close to Me"; Nice 'n' Sleazy; Straighten Out; Punch & Judy; European Female; Dead Ringer.

The same recording (complete with "She Was Quite Close to Me") has turned up as "Live in London" (1997, Rialto Records, Archive Series, RMCD 220). Again, 4 tracks are missing, namely "Skin Deep", "Death and Night and Blood", "I Feel Like a Wog" and "Souls". The remaining tracks are in a different order to the previous version.

In addition, if this was indeed recorded in London, why then the reference to being held up at the Italian border during "Peaches"?

In 2002, this recording re-surfaced as "The Stranglers Live: Death and Night and Blood" (Castle Music CMRCD455). Ascribed to a gig at The Volkhaus, Zurich on 14th April 1985, this release includes the full track-listing (and gets "Threatened" correct). The only oddity with this version is that "European Female" appears twice: once as a follow-on from "Midnight Summer Dream" and once as a stand-alone track.

On Friday 13th June 1997, the Stranglers staged a truely unique event. To mark the 21st anniversary of their original recording contract with United Artists, they played to a sold out Royal Albert Hall (London, UK) with an 18 piece string orchestra (the Electra Strings). "Friday the Thirteenth" (1997, Eagle Records, EAGCD006) presents part of the set (these songs, plus the remainder of the set can be found on the accompanying video release). As you would expect from a modern recording, the sound on this album is wonderfully clear.

The track listing is: Waltzinblack (strings only); Valley of the Birds; Skin Deep; Always the Sun; Face; Daddy's Riding the Range; Strange Little Girl; Still Life; Let Me Down Easy; Golden Brown; Lies and Deception; European Female; All Day and All of the Night; Duchess; Down in the Sewer; 5 Minutes; No More Heroes.

This recording re-appeared in 2002, as the first CD in the 2-CD set "Lies and Deception" (Snapper Music, catalogue no. SMDCD373). In 2003 it could be found as the first CD (albeit minus "Face") on the compilation "Live 'n' Sleazy".

In 1998, EMI released "Live at the Hammersmith Odeon '81" (catalogue number 724349777323); this release was part of the "BBC Archive Series". Alas, it seems that EMI got the year wrong: the recording appears to be from the gig at the Hammersmith Odeon on 8th Feb 1982. This recording had been previously listed as the BBC "In Concert Transcription disc 276" -- a recording made for the "In Concert" programme, but never broadcast. (Thanks to Doug Kerr and Ashley Street for their research).

The track listing is: Down in the Sewer; Just Like Nothing on Earth; Second Coming; Non Stop; The Man they Love to Hate; Who Wants the World; Golden Brown; How to find True Love and Happiness in the Present Day; Duchess; Let Me Introduce you to the Family; Tramp; The Raven and Genetix.

The double CD package "5 Live 01" (SPV Recordings 085-71052 DCD) was released in 2001. The seemingly rather odd title was apparently coined by JJ, since there were five in the band, it's a live album and was to be released in '01. This album represents the first appearance of Baz Warne as the band's new guitarist, following the departure of John Ellis, and is made up from a collection of recordings taken throughout 2000. Sound quality is excellent, with crisp, clear listening throughout.

The track listing is:

DISC 1: 5 Minutes; Always the Sun; Money; Get a Grip (on Yourself); Nice and Sleazy; Lies and Deception; Northwinds; Paradise Row; Straighten Out; Something Better Change; Golden Boy; Goodbye Toolouse; Duchess.

DISC 2: Sinister; 96 Tears; All Day and All of the Night; English Towns; Nuclear Device; Princess of the Streets; European Female; Genetix; Golden Brown; Never to Look Back; Hanging Around; No More Heroes.

In 2003, two versions of a gig recorded at the Glasgow Apollo appeared. Dating from 1981, this gigs was originally recorded for, and aired on, radio Clyde.

"Live at the Apollo" (left) is an officially remastered version, which was made available from the Stranglers' merchandise site.

The track-listing is:

Waltz in Black; Non Stop; Threatened; Just Like Nothing on Earth; Second Coming; The Man They Love to Hate; The Meninblack; Golden Brown; Tank; Bring on the Nubiles; Duchess; Let Me Introduce You to the Family; Hanging Around.

The second version, "Apollo Revisited" (right) contains audio which appears to be from the original master tapes, but includes "Who Wants the World", "Nuclear Device", "Genetix" and "The Raven".

2005 saw the release of "Coast to Coast" (Absolute Marketing and Distribution, via Universal, CG003). This album was recorded during the 2004 UK tour for the highly successful studio album "Norfolk Coast". As with all of the more recent live albums, sound quality is excellent throughout.