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Interview taken from Hanging Around fanzine #2. The zine was inspired by a suggestion from JJ Burnel, and the guy behind it was a huge Stranglers fan.
So there I was, sitting outside the Roundhouse on a Sunday afternoon resting my weary feet and shoulders after hiking half-way across London. Blimey, the things I do for rock n roll. Then I heard footsteps behind me. A guy and a chick. Just another roadie and his bird. No, wait a minute, it's him, Jean-Jacques wozname of the Stranglers and that's Sue Catwoman (see the cover of Anarchy in the UK fanzine).
So, after exchanging pleasantries and telling him I was form Edinburgh, he invited me across to an eating house on the other side of Chalk Farm Road, Thus it came to pass that I did my first interview. Now read on...
PART ONE
The afternoon of April 17, 1977. Burnel, Catwoman and myself are ensconced in a kebab house. He bought me a cup of tea, this proving the accessibility of the new wave. (Eh?) Things started with me asking him to tell me about the band.
Once upon a time there was a Swedish group (no, not Abba) comprising one Swede, two American deserters and an English deserter called Hugh Cornwall. One by one the foreign gentlemen drifted out of the country leaving Hugh and friend Jet Black hanging around in Guildford.
Then Hugh met his old college mate Jean-Jacques Burnel, who began rehearsing with Hugh and Jet. Finally, after playing "the sort of stuff you play to survive" and trying out various guitarists, they advertised for a keyboard player in MM and found Dave Greenfield. Thus, the Guildford Stranglers were born.
"That was about 18 months ago," explained Jean-Jacques, "and up to about 9 months ago we had hardly finished a gig."
--I've read that you've been bottled off stage more than once.
JJ--Yeah, some people find it difficult to accept change, they seem threatened by the new music.
--How do you deal with bottle throwers?
JJ--We try to turn the attention on to the person that's thrown the bottle or whatever. We invite whoever threw the bottle to come up on stage and collect it. That way they can't hade in the anonymity of the crowd.
--What about all this political nonsense that's been written about the band? Where do you stand?
JJ--Listen, in the bible it says the meek will inherit the Earth, right? Well I can't accept that. If you want to get somewhere you must be strong, and at the moment the people running the country are weak...
--So you're an anarchist?
JJ--Anarchy is a very easy word to use...let's just say I'm a left-wing fascist and leave it at that...
You might, dear readers, have got the picture that this guy Burnel is just the yobbo that the Sunday papers and music press have said he is. I must admit that for the first few minutes I thought he was. The turning point came when he eyed me suspiciously and said, "Are you a student then?"
"Jeezus, he's sussed me," I though, "it's gonna be the cup of tea over my head then the knee in the groin."
"Well, yeah, I'm working for a year before I go to university," I replied, waiting for the sugar bowl to be smashed in my face.
JJ--That's good, I did a degree, you know.
--You're kidding.
JJ--No, I did a BA in economics.
Another illusion shattered, thankfully. Earlier in the conversation, Jean had mentioned the Finchley Boys. I asked him to tell me more about them.
JJ--They are a bunch of guys from Finchley who have been with us for about a year now and they have developed into a hardcore elite. They won't take any crap, they are real people...Some of them work for a living, but they don't go around making a big deal about the dole queues because to them it's the worst thing that could happen to them...they are hard working kids and although we don't claim to be working class spokesmen, they respect us and dig us because we try to be straight with them.
The conversation then meandered on through politics, economics, and Parkinson's theory on Civil Service. Heavy, eh? A great conversation, but not incredibly enthralling reading, so...
PART TWO
The following night, a flat in West Hampstead--in attendance: Jean-Jacques, Catwoman, Genesis P-Orridge, various friends and me. A Big Youth album is playing...
--What do you think of people who say you've sold out? Like that guy from the fanzine last night?
JJ--Yeah, he got quite upset, didn't he? I think they're taking a very elitist view, you know, it's OUR music, so let's keep it that way. It's got to expand, this music should become the POPULAR music of tomorrow (even today). You know, rock n roll is FOLK music, not what they play on acoustics in clubs, that's traditional, not folk music. ROCK N ROLL IS THE PEOPLE'S MUSIC.
--That guy asked what happens when you make it big. So what does happen?
JJ--I don't know, it's an adventure for me, I just don't know. But I tell you, if it ever becomes like, "we'll play another tour for a new Rolls Royce" I hope I have the good sense to quit. I don't consider it to be work at the moment...to me work is a "four letter word." I don't see why any person should spend all their time doing something they don't really like doing. I guess that's the difference between a slave and an artisan. I don't regard myself as a "musician", because "musician" implies work, a job, right? I mean, I know I can play rock n roll well, but I'm not a musician. I'd just like to have "rock n roller" on my passport.
Well, that was my bit, but for the most part I just sat and listened. Maybe if there's spave in future issues I'll include a few. But now...
PART THREE
Somewhere inside Core II, Heriot-Watt Campus at Riccarton after one of the THE gigs of 1977, and shortly after the conception of a fanzine called "Hanging Around". The sweat is getting steamy...
Anyway, here's the final bit...
After exchanging greetings I asked how the tour of the continent went.
JJ--It didn't, we were double booked with ballet and yoga classes in France, so we told them what to do with their gigs.
--Still, the money will be pouring in from the album, won't it?
JJ--No, not really, we have to wait quite a while before the money comes through.
--Do you make anything touring?
JJ--You're joking, it costs 60 quid a week for the van, 300 quid a week for the PA and 260 for the wages.
We then discussed the possibility of the band playing the States.
JJ--We're going to America, but I'm not "setting my sights" on America, it's not a great ambition of any of us to woo America. It seems that British bands regard America as the be all and all. It all depends on your motives.
With that, the pangs of hunger took hold and the band decided to go back to the hotel to eat. So, exeunt Burnel, Jet, Dave and "Chicken Legs"--sorry, Hugh--to their hotel and your intrepid interviewer to Edinburgh, through mud and various animal's waste matter.
PS to the Stranglers.
What the hell is wrong with playing a large (well, not too large) venue in Edinburgh? There are a hell of a lot of people who have not had the good fortune to see you live, and who can't get through the Glasgow. So make it soon, cos my album is worn out already.
NEXT ISSUE: Hanging Around in Glasgow with the Stranglers
--Ronnie
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