By all accounts, the 1998 UK "Coup de Grace" tour has been a great success, with a noticeable overall swelling in the number of concert-goers (plus some sold-out venues). The new material appears to have gone down very well indeed. All albums but "Feline" were represented in the set-list. A review, and other information, will appear on these pages shortly.

Due to the strong support shown for this tour, a forty-date UK tour for 1999 is already being talked about by the band. A very special concert is also being planned for next year (see below).

We would like to acknowledge all the fans we met in Rhyl, Wolverhampton and Salisbury and the kind comments directed towards our work on this site. Such positive feedback is truly appreciated, particularly since this site is volunteer-run, in our spare time.

It would appear that yet another CD under the title "Collection" is now available from Disky Communications Europe B.V. (Holland), Catalogue number DC 881872.

The track list is:

Golden Brown; No More Heroes; Pin Up; Sometimes*; Mean To Me*; London Lady*; Cruel Garden; Tank; Goodbye Toulouse*; Straighten Out*; Waltzinblack; Who Wants The World; It Only Takes Two To Tango; Hanging Around*.

(* signifies that the track was taken from the Hope & Anchor Live CD)

For those of you looking for bass tabs to Stranglers songs, the work of John Roskruge may be the answer to your prayers. John currently has tabs for Golden Brown, No More Heroes, Peaches, Princess of the Streets and Nice 'n' Sleazy. He is currently working on "Something Better Change". Email John for details.

As mentioned in an earlier article below, Marian Shepherd and company have re-formed as SIS UK. However, there seems to have been some confusion as to the relationship between SIS UK and the new fan club.

Marian has asked us to clarify things, so please note that:

The new fan club is run, managed and administered SOLELY by the Voiceprint group of companies.

SIS UK has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the running of the fan club. Their only involvement is an agreement to supply the contents of a newsletter, which Voiceprint are responsible for printing and mailing.

Please address questions/comments/concerns regarding fan club subscription or service, or any other administrative function to Voiceprint directly.

All other enquires and/or contributions to the newsletter should be addressed to the Voiceprint address, but clearly marked for the attention of SIS UK. When writing to SIS UK, please be mindful that they are a voluntary organisation -- Marian and the folks have other jobs -- and that matters other than providing material for the newsletter are completely beyond their control.

Voiceprint Mailing Address: P.O. Box 50, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, DH4 5YP, UK.

"Coup de Grace" (Eagle Records EAG CD 042), the Stranglers' fourteenth studio album was released in the UK on 26th October. This outing has considerably more influence from JJ than in the recent past; indeed, JJ has chosen to sing some of the songs himself. As for who sings what, you'll just have to buy the album!

The track listing is:

God is Good; You Don't Think That What You Did is Wrong; Tonight; Jump over my Shadow; Miss U; Coup de Grace (S.O.S.); In the End; No Reason; Known Only Unto God; The Light.

The Stranglers tribute band No More Heroes are due to appear on the (UK) Talk Radio show "A Tribute To ..." presented by Lorraine Kelly. The show is to be broadcast at 12pm on Friday 20th November 1998 (please note the rescheduled date). There will be a track from the album, an acoustic track played live in the studio and an interview with Dave (guitar) and Ash (drums).

UK national broadcast frequencies are 1053 and 1089 AM. Talk Radio has a website at http://www.talk-radio.co.uk (note the change from the previously posted URL).

EMI have just released "Live at the Hammersmith Odeon '81" (catalogue number 724349777323); this release is part of the "BBC Archive Series". Alas, it seems that EMI have the year wrong: the recording appears to be from the gig at the Hammersmith Odeon on 8th Feb 1982. This recording has 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.

A new phone service, providing up-to-date information on the Stranglers is now available (in the UK only). The number is: 0891-299728.

The phoneline is being managed by SIS UK with all the old members of SIS involved, on a purely voluntary basis. It can be said that "the phoneline has been reactivated by fans, for fans".

This brings us on to our major SIS news announcement:

Marian Shepherd has just forwarded the following statement for posting on this page. The same statement can also be found on the new phone service (see above).

"As most of you know, The Stranglers Information Service ceased trading in early 1997 -- its 20th year -- having, for some years, been funded solely by fans' subscriptions to Strangled magazine and mail order merchandise -- a situation which meant that full-time service was no longer financially sustainable. The SIS team, however, have still maintained very close links with the band members and although no longer a trading company we have continued to be approached as the key source of information about the band, their history and activities, along with the Rat's Lair web site, which SIS sanctioned several years ago and which is still providing an excellent service to this day. As such, we will continue to exist on a voluntary basis as "SIS UK" which will, as always throughout its long history, stand independently as the direct link between the Stranglers and enthusiasts of their work. In mid '97, the Voiceprint group of companies stepped in as the finance arm of a new fan club, and in 1998 approached the original SIS team to take over the writing and editing of their newsletter -- the contents of this first SIS UK produced issue will be completed and forwarded to Voiceprint shortly after the UK tour and should be with you before Christmas 1998. Anyone wishing to subscribe to the new club should write to P.O. Box 50, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, DH4 5YP. AS the new company does not operate a personal enquiry service, please ensure that correspondence marked for their attention is kept to subscriptions only -- all contributions to the newsletter and enquiries should be addressed to Marian Shepherd or Owen Carne, to be forwarded on by Voiceprint to SIS UK (but please allow a little time for replies to enquiries, as we no longer operate a full time service, and please also remember to enclose those SAEs -- thanks). Thanks for your continued interest, and we look forward to hearing from you, and no doubt seeing many of you at future gigs.

SIS UK

October 1998"

Obviously, we're absolutely delighted with this development, and look forward to our continued formal collaboration with Marian and the SIS UK team.

For those of you in San Franscisco, Jet (fitting name!), a DJ with KUSF 90.3 FM tells us that the Stranglers are set to feature on her yearly halloween tribute show this Sunday. The show will be broadcast between 4pm and 6pm, Pacific time. The station also broadcasts on audionet, so can be received via the internet.

Christophe Menier from SIS France has informed us of the following change: The SUBSCRIPTION address for SIS France is now:

Christophe MENIER
1 Allée du mont noir
59580 ANICHE
FRANCE

The MAIN CONTACT ADDRESS (c/o Eric Dochez) remains the same.

Issue 17 of Strangulation, the SIS France publication, has just been published. Full information on all the SIS offices world-wide can be found on our Fan Club/SIS page.

Updated Fan Club information has been added to the Fan Club/SIS page.

We have the following dates for the the Autumn UK tour (with a starting gig in Dublin). Tickets have been going fast, so it's best to plan ahead. Please note that, as always, these dates may change due to circumstances beyond the control of the band, their management and agents. Do not travel without checking first with the venue.

As of 29th Oct, the live set list was: God is Good; Coup de Grace; Skin Deep; Money; Golden Boy; Sleazy; Thrown Away; Sinister; The Raven; In the End; Toiler; Tonight; Always the Sun; Valley of the Birds; 96 Tears; Straighten Out; Brainbox; All Day All Night; Duchess; Golden Brown; 5 Mins; Hanging Around; No More Heroes. (JJ sings God is Good, The Raven and In the End).

DATE Oct '98 16th 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 28th 29th 30th 31st Nov '98 1st 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 9th 10th 11th 13th 14th 15th 16th 18th 19th 20th 21st

CITY Dublin Basingstoke Folkestone Blackheath Brentwood Southampton Cambridge Hemel Hempstead Tunbridge Wells Croydon Oxford Warrington Nottingham Halifax Scarborough Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent) Bristol Guildford Northampton York Liverpool Blackpool Rhyl Wolverhampton Salisbury Norwich London

VENUE Olympia Anvil Leas Cliff Hall Concert Hall Brentwood Centre Guild Hall Corn Exchange Dacorum Pavillion Assembly Hall Fairfield Hall Apollo Parr Hall Rock City Victoria Futurist Theatre The Royal Colston Hall Civic Hall Derngate Barbican Centre Philharmonic Grand Theatre Pavillion Wulfrun Hall City Hall Univ. East Anglia Shepherds Bush Empire

CONTACT 01256 844 244 01303 253 193 0181 483 0100 01277 262616 01703 632 601 01223 457 555 01442 228 700 01892 530 613 0181 688 9291 01865 244 544 01925 634 953 0115 941 2544 01422 351 158 01723 355 789 01782 207 777 0117 922 3685 01483 444 555 01604 624 811 01904 656 688 0151 709 3789 01253 290 190 01745 330 000 01902 552 121 01722 3276760 01603 505 401 0171 420 1000

On Saturday 10th October, a Stranglers "RoadShow" will hit the Crosskeys Centre, Salisbury UK. This all-day event, in conjunction with MVC, will feature appearances by Paul and Jet between 11:00 and 2:00. The lads will be signing CDs and books, plus spending time with fans. A full range of merchandise will also be available.

The new merchandise from T.V.G. Raven (featuring a full range of t-shirts and interesting items like crystal whiskey glasses), plus ordering details are detailed on our merchandise page.

Further details on John's new albums have been added to the John Ellis page today.