The Stranglers

The Profile

The Stranglers are a British rock band formed in 1974 in Guildford. Fusing punk aggression with baroque keyboards and melodic craft, they emerged with late-’70s classics and evolved into sleek new wave, scoring enduring hits such as Golden Brown. The group remains active.

Formed in 1974 in Guildford, Surrey by Hugh Cornwell, Jean‑Jacques Burnel, Jet Black and Dave Greenfield. Key late‑’70s albums: Rattus Norvegicus (1977), No More Heroes (1977), Black and White (1978), The Raven (1979). Early‑’80s highlights include La Folie (1981) and The Gospel According to the Meninblack (1981); Feline followed in 1983. Golden Brown reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1982. Post‑1990 line‑up changes saw Paul Roberts (vocals) and John Ellis (guitar) join; Baz Warne later took guitar and front‑man duties alongside Burnel.

The reviews chart The Stranglers’ journey from late-’70s ferocity to sleek new wave experiments. Highlights include Rattus Norvegicus, No More Heroes, Black and White, The Raven, La Folie, Meninblack, and Feline. “Golden Brown” gets special love, and Norfolk Coast shows the band’s later vitality. Expect praise for rumbling bass, baroque keys, and sharp, moody songwriting.