March 20, 2025 • 9 mins
The Stranglers have been together for over 50 years and they're celebrating with a tour with icludes Perth's Astor Theatre. Clairsy & Lisa caught up with their bass player JJ Burnel about the band's punk roots and their flip to the new romantic scene in the early 80s, plus JJ told about his love for Western Australia, especially Margaret River and why he was given a motorbike to ride down there.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You know, there are shows, and there are shows, and
next Tuesday night, March twenty five, at the ASTA, there's
going to be a show the Stranglers are playing. Tickets
are available through Ticketech and we are very fortunate to
have JJ Burnell join us this morning. Hello, legend based
guitarist and co lead vocalist of The Stranglers. Now, Jjo,
(00:23):
there's something that's always baffled me a bit about the Stranglers.
You've always been described as British iconic punk band, but
I mean, clearly something transcended that genre because to me,
you I don't think punk is the first thing that
would come to my mind. You just had a genre
(00:44):
to yourself, a unique sound to yourself.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Well, thank you for that. Yeah, I think that the
punk label is kind of limiting or else we extended it,
expanded the definition of it. Yeah, but we grew up
in that period with all the other bands playing the
limited circuit that we were allowed to play at that time.
(01:07):
But fortunately for us, you kind of tried to experiment
and see how far we could go with the limitations
of our very limited talents. That well, we weren't dictated
to by commercial reasons, so you know, some things we tried,
(01:29):
and some things succeeded and other things failed. But you know,
if you love music, you try to extend all the
sources of inspiration and try to be inspired by those.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
You know, Yeah, I do the contrary of what you're
saying there, and I think it was your individual and
your pull the resources and skill and then the carriage
to move on, you know, La Follo and oural sculpture.
There's beautiful albums with some beautiful sounds, and then you're
selling yourself short.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I think that you well, you know, you either every
music wants to be successful, so once they if you've struggled,
and then you find a formula. A lot of musicians
suddenly stopped developing because they keep up with that formula.
But I don't think that's too short. You know, Let's
see how far you can go, and sometimes you will
(02:17):
carry an audience with you and other times you won't.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well, the answer to how far you can go. This
tour is part of the band's fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Did
you always think we'd be celebrating.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Fifty years or amazing?
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Worry pitching yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, last year was the fiftieth and I think we're
extending the fiftieth to this year, here's for the next fifty.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, where does it begin? You think about, well, seventy
seven to nineteen ninety A lot of albums in those
early days. I have to go back to the first
album to say Peachs is one of my favorite baselines
for yours, for you coming to the party there, that
was just that. And I think of you, and I
think of the band and it just takes me back.
But can you play a gig without playing Peaches?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yes? Well, you know, you can't fool an audience. Yeah,
And if you're just going through the motions the band,
it's boring for the band and the audiences. So we
have occasionally dropped Peaches, for instance, and even Golden Brown.
Really we just didn't feel feel for these songs anymore,
(03:30):
and then you rediscover them a bit later.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Oh classic, So well, I mean it must I do
feel for you, though, with so many top forty singles,
it's hard to curate a set list because we'd be
here all week.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, and there are other cities expecting you.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Well, that's true. It's I think as USA in France,
lomberhand embarrassment of riches.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, yeah, exactly right for choice.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I mean a sound like Golden Brown greening Field's beautiful music.
We're very sad when we lost him, but it was
right at the start of COVID time, wasn't it. But
when you when you play Golden Brandon must you must
feel like a tribute to his music because he came
up with it, didn't have a beautiful keyboard, thank you. Yeah,
you speak of France. That's where you live right right
in Rose Country there.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, that's that's tough. I have in the South my
motorcycles days of the year. Yeah, like if I was
living in w A. You know. Yeah, you know what.
A few years ago we three of us ride motorcycles
and a few years ago we were really fortunate to
be loaned three motorcycles by Trials dealership. I won't in
(04:40):
Perth and they they lend us these. We asked them
if we could rent out or hi bikes and they said, no,
we don't do that, mate, but you can have them. Sorry.
My issue was to ride down to Market River. Being French,
I love wine, yes, and I think Margaret River produces
(05:01):
some of the very best wines in Australia.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
You won't get any argument.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
So we wrote down there. We wrote down to Margaret River.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
What well, as someone who lives in the south of France,
it would be remissible not to really to compare the two.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Tell me what was it like.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Touring in Japan in the seventies, So, yeah, I believe
you were like the only foreign band at the time
to tour there.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah. I don't know if we were the only ones,
but certainly it was. It was a revelation. It was
they were the most polite augiences right used to that.
We were used to rally British augiences and were also
in Australia. We had some very wealthy Georges and they
(05:49):
sat quietly and then at the end of each song
they stood up and applauded and then sat down again.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
There's no Japanese mosh pitch. It was no scrapping. Yes,
can you tell me I talked about patures. I'm obsessed
with that bassline, But can you tell me what happened
to that bass guitar, because I believe there's a story.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
The bass Well. Interestingly enough, Adam Clayton from you two
made an offer for it last year so that they
could put that bass guitar in the YouTube museum which
they're developing in Dublin. So I sold it to him
because it was unplayable. Yeah, I've smashed it up so
(06:31):
many times way back then that it was you couldn't
play it. But he still wanted it for their YouTube museum. Yeah,
brilliant you two and now the crowd owners of that
particular guitar.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, being the bass player, I would have loved that.
That would have meant a lot to him to be
able to purchase that.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
JJ. You're fifty one years in. But do you remember
the first time you heard yourself on the radio?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, sure, and I kept on hearing it
back back again. I've kept on playing it.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
You know in those states, you could record a cassette
off the radio, you know, you had those cassette players
and just press the recording. Yes, the radio.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
You had to hope that the DJ didn't talk all
over the beginning radio jobs. That's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Well just quickly, J before you go. Things have changed, right,
just a little bit from the days when you guys
would be fighting and scrapping whilst on tour. You know,
blood on your stage, blood on guitars, that kind of stuff.
What's what's it like now for you?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
I'm sure you were It's it's much safe. People actually
come to see us, not to chase us off the stage.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Love it well, you're going to love the Asta Theater.
It's a beautiful place to for a show. The Stranglers
are playing the Asta Tuesday, March twenty five. Tickets are
available through ticket tak. Lovely to catch up with this
morning JJ all the best, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Very much, and were looking forward to coming back to w.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
We hope you can get down to Migrants. Yeah, down
to a door absolutely.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well, you know we last time we were there because
we went down the river, yes, and right up to
the edge of the ocean. We also went up to
a little town on the what was it called Bird
Strange Birds and the city. Yeah, and then we went
(08:30):
to a circuit, went to a classic bike We rode
up to Seabird. There was a eucalyptus forest on the
way and there was also a racing circuit. Were doing
a classic bike races.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Perfect. Well, look, if you can't don't have time to
get down to Margaret River. Just going on a bike
into the Swan Valley. There you'll find some nice wine too,
so northeast to person I will, I can vouch for.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
That, but if we can't get down to Margaret and
we can at least drink some Barbareick River.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Produce, absolutely definitely not have that on the rider.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Thanks. Thanks, thank you. Have a great day than
You know, there are shows, and there are shows, and
next Tuesday night, March twenty five, at the ASTA, there's
going to be a show the Stranglers are playing. Tickets
are available through Ticketech and we are very fortunate to
have JJ Burnell join us this morning. Hello, legend based
guitarist and co lead vocalist of The Stranglers. Now, Jjo,
(00:23):
there's something that's always baffled me a bit about the Stranglers.
You've always been described as British iconic punk band, but
I mean, clearly something transcended that genre because to me,
you I don't think punk is the first thing that
would come to my mind. You just had a genre
(00:44):
to yourself, a unique sound to yourself.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Well, thank you for that. Yeah, I think that the
punk label is kind of limiting or else we extended it,
expanded the definition of it. Yeah, but we grew up
in that period with all the other bands playing the
limited circuit that we were allowed to play at that time.
(01:07):
But fortunately for us, you kind of tried to experiment
and see how far we could go with the limitations
of our very limited talents. That well, we weren't dictated
to by commercial reasons, so you know, some things we tried,
(01:29):
and some things succeeded and other things failed. But you know,
if you love music, you try to extend all the
sources of inspiration and try to be inspired by those.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
You know, Yeah, I do the contrary of what you're
saying there, and I think it was your individual and
your pull the resources and skill and then the carriage
to move on, you know, La Follo and oural sculpture.
There's beautiful albums with some beautiful sounds, and then you're
selling yourself short.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I think that you well, you know, you either every
music wants to be successful, so once they if you've struggled,
and then you find a formula. A lot of musicians
suddenly stopped developing because they keep up with that formula.
But I don't think that's too short. You know, Let's
see how far you can go, and sometimes you will
(02:17):
carry an audience with you and other times you won't.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well, the answer to how far you can go. This
tour is part of the band's fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Did
you always think we'd be celebrating.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Fifty years or amazing?
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Worry pitching yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, last year was the fiftieth and I think we're
extending the fiftieth to this year, here's for the next fifty.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, where does it begin? You think about, well, seventy
seven to nineteen ninety A lot of albums in those
early days. I have to go back to the first
album to say Peachs is one of my favorite baselines
for yours, for you coming to the party there, that
was just that. And I think of you, and I
think of the band and it just takes me back.
But can you play a gig without playing Peaches?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yes? Well, you know, you can't fool an audience. Yeah,
And if you're just going through the motions the band,
it's boring for the band and the audiences. So we
have occasionally dropped Peaches, for instance, and even Golden Brown.
Really we just didn't feel feel for these songs anymore,
(03:30):
and then you rediscover them a bit later.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Oh classic, So well, I mean it must I do
feel for you, though, with so many top forty singles,
it's hard to curate a set list because we'd be
here all week.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, and there are other cities expecting you.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Well, that's true. It's I think as USA in France,
lomberhand embarrassment of riches.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, yeah, exactly right for choice.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I mean a sound like Golden Brown greening Field's beautiful music.
We're very sad when we lost him, but it was
right at the start of COVID time, wasn't it. But
when you when you play Golden Brandon must you must
feel like a tribute to his music because he came
up with it, didn't have a beautiful keyboard, thank you. Yeah,
you speak of France. That's where you live right right
in Rose Country there.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, that's that's tough. I have in the South my
motorcycles days of the year. Yeah, like if I was
living in w A. You know. Yeah, you know what.
A few years ago we three of us ride motorcycles
and a few years ago we were really fortunate to
be loaned three motorcycles by Trials dealership. I won't in
(04:40):
Perth and they they lend us these. We asked them
if we could rent out or hi bikes and they said, no,
we don't do that, mate, but you can have them. Sorry.
My issue was to ride down to Market River. Being French,
I love wine, yes, and I think Margaret River produces
(05:01):
some of the very best wines in Australia.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
You won't get any argument.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
So we wrote down there. We wrote down to Margaret River.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
What well, as someone who lives in the south of France,
it would be remissible not to really to compare the two.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Tell me what was it like.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Touring in Japan in the seventies, So, yeah, I believe
you were like the only foreign band at the time
to tour there.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yeah. I don't know if we were the only ones,
but certainly it was. It was a revelation. It was
they were the most polite augiences right used to that.
We were used to rally British augiences and were also
in Australia. We had some very wealthy Georges and they
(05:49):
sat quietly and then at the end of each song
they stood up and applauded and then sat down again.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
There's no Japanese mosh pitch. It was no scrapping. Yes,
can you tell me I talked about patures. I'm obsessed
with that bassline, But can you tell me what happened
to that bass guitar, because I believe there's a story.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
The bass Well. Interestingly enough, Adam Clayton from you two
made an offer for it last year so that they
could put that bass guitar in the YouTube museum which
they're developing in Dublin. So I sold it to him
because it was unplayable. Yeah, I've smashed it up so
(06:31):
many times way back then that it was you couldn't
play it. But he still wanted it for their YouTube museum. Yeah,
brilliant you two and now the crowd owners of that
particular guitar.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, being the bass player, I would have loved that.
That would have meant a lot to him to be
able to purchase that.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
JJ. You're fifty one years in. But do you remember
the first time you heard yourself on the radio?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, sure, and I kept on hearing it
back back again. I've kept on playing it.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
You know in those states, you could record a cassette
off the radio, you know, you had those cassette players
and just press the recording. Yes, the radio.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
You had to hope that the DJ didn't talk all
over the beginning radio jobs. That's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Well just quickly, J before you go. Things have changed, right,
just a little bit from the days when you guys
would be fighting and scrapping whilst on tour. You know,
blood on your stage, blood on guitars, that kind of stuff.
What's what's it like now for you?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
I'm sure you were It's it's much safe. People actually
come to see us, not to chase us off the stage.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Love it well, you're going to love the Asta Theater.
It's a beautiful place to for a show. The Stranglers
are playing the Asta Tuesday, March twenty five. Tickets are
available through ticket tak. Lovely to catch up with this
morning JJ all the best, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Very much, and were looking forward to coming back to w.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
We hope you can get down to Migrants. Yeah, down
to a door absolutely.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well, you know we last time we were there because
we went down the river, yes, and right up to
the edge of the ocean. We also went up to
a little town on the what was it called Bird
Strange Birds and the city. Yeah, and then we went
(08:30):
to a circuit, went to a classic bike We rode
up to Seabird. There was a eucalyptus forest on the
way and there was also a racing circuit. Were doing
a classic bike races.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Perfect. Well, look, if you can't don't have time to
get down to Margaret River. Just going on a bike
into the Swan Valley. There you'll find some nice wine too,
so northeast to person I will, I can vouch for.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
That, but if we can't get down to Margaret and
we can at least drink some Barbareick River.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Produce, absolutely definitely not have that on the rider.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Thanks. Thanks, thank you. Have a great day than
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