Outside Tokyo - Stranglers Cover for lost in 22

[ODH]

Stranglers were literally the band that turned me onto 'my' music. Seeing them on tele in 1977 (No More Heroes on TOTP) I remember vividly; it was the moment I realised I could like music other than what my parents listened to.  My identity began to form; I saw myself as a punk from then on.

Jet Black was the drummer and co-founder of the Stranglers. He died in 2022.

Outside Tokyo is an album track from my favourite Stranglers albums, Black and White.

You have my approximation of JJ's iconic growling bass (on my Squier Jaguar bass), my approximation of Dave Greenfield's iconic keyboards (programmed in GarageBand), Jet's drums (also GarageBand) and Huw's (two) Telecaster parts (Tokai Telecaster) and harder-than-it-sounds vocal.

I'm using my new Focusrite Scarlet audio interface to bring in the guitars. I'm still getting to grips with it and one of the guitar tracks is a bit noisy. But I'm very happy to be able to record electric guitars again and I'm happy with it.

[Zoltan]

This is a blast! Sounds good on earbuds and all in all tastefully done.

[cuthbert]

Excellent and very faithful cover, Nick.

I remember picking up the Black and White album sometime during the winter of 78-79. I got the American release so no added single inside, but it did have marbled black & white vinyl. Definitely one of my favorites of theirs, and I still have it!



 

[Blooby]

New to me and a very cool discovery indeed. Really enjoyed this. You certainly create a mood here.

Blooby

[Greeny (No longer active)]

Brilliant stuff. They certainly were / are a great band - one of the very best. The keyboard sounds are so good on this, and the playing definitely captures the Strangler's very distinctive vibe. Everything in it's right place.

[Pete C]

That intro is so recognisable - took me back to being 17 and listening to the Stranglers in bed late at night with headphones on so as not to wake my parents !  One of my favourite bands ever..you've really captured their sound. Great to hear this song again as i tend to play the Rattus and Heroes albums mostly.

Pete

[StephenM]

I really like what you have done here Nick... It def fits you to a T imo...

digging it.

[Ted]

I just went to the Latest Song Posts jukebox and let it start playing without looking. My first thought was, "That bass tone is amazing."

Well. Obviously.

A very lovingly done cover. Stranglers were a big deal for me too. But I admit I haven't heard this song (the original) in probably 40 years – since I had Black and White on vinyl. I'll seek out the original after I've listened to your version again. But your cover evokes the same things I felt when I first heard this. Unsettling. Mysterious. Enigmatic.

Excellent.

[Ron Whistle]

Very well done!! I also still own the black and white album (along with several others). Super important band to me, thank you!!!

[Zoltan]

I came back for second helpings. Stranglers is a band i never got into. It's something that i might "find" at some stage. It has happened to oh so many bands over the years.

There were times when i didn't think about Television. I just watched it. Now i have two copies of the Television - Marquee Moon CD (two because i forgot them for a while and accidentally bought again).