Feline

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Jean-Jacques Burnel of The Stranglers opens up about song inspirations, his life and more. By GARRY BUSHEL Sun, Oct 22, 2023 Jean-Jacques Burnel of The Stranglers (Image: Getty) When he was ten, Jean-Jacques Burnel was beaten up on his way home by an older boy from a local secondary school. “He punched me again and again in […] Battle Of The Mid-80s Horn Sections: The Stranglers – Aural Sculpture Dave was 70, so he was put in quarantine,” Warne recalls. “He said, ‘I don’t know how I’ll cope.’ I told him to chill out, but I was desperately worried. The band had been his life for 45 years. He’d always needed something to focus on, so I was worried what sitting at home would do to him.” In the event, Greenfield died during a long stay in hospital for heart surgery. “He was already very poorly,” Burnel sighs. “Covid was the last nail in his coffin.” As well as the distinctive tones of Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnell takes lead vocals on single ‘European Female’, the smooth vibe of the song suiting the exotic approach, Burnell’s ability with the bass properly highlighted on the burbling and upbeat ‘Ships That Pass In The Night’ that came before it.

Pete Jones and I had decided to do the French leg of the tour and, after a week’s rest, off we went. Pete arrived at our house on Thursday night and we set off on Friday morning via London and Dover. Pete got so carried away flirting with a tasty French hottie on the ferry that he sprinkled sugar on his chips instead of salt, he ate them too! We’ve also added in extra memories from Mark’s touring mate Phil Coxon from Derby-who has already supplied us with tour diaries from ’79 -’82. Phil’s sections are all attributed to him, all other text is from Mark. Over to our tour guides…

With a much heavier use of synthesisers and electronic drums, ‘Feline’ delved into much more of a modern European sensibility than before, keys player David Greenfield a more dominant force in the mix. When the gig was over we filed out into the night with no idea of the repercussions to come although it was obvious there would be some. As it turned out the actions of a few nutcases would rebound on the band big time.

Originally released in January 1983, FELINE is The STRANGLERS’ seventh studio LP and was their first for then-new label, Epic Records (Sony). The 40th anniversary edition, released courtesy of BMG, will be released on 3rd March 2023.Jonesy had to go home to work and Krista went to sign on. She phoned us up later at Spence’s place to tell us she’d heard the gig was off! I phoned up the band’s hotel and spoke to JJ who confirmed it, he sounded tired and angry both with the idiots who caused the trouble and with the band themselves for trusting the nutters at the front to behave without the bouncers. So now they are banned from Hammersmith Odeon… Overall the MOV is the winner for me but this is alot cheaper and sounds quite ok so if you get a well pressed one it should keep you happy! He and I worked very closely together when I was head of production for the band. His opening catch phrase was always ‘Hello Boy’ (which I adopted and use to this day). He was both a great boss and friend, great fun to be around and, god, we got up to some seriously silly pranks on tour. Off tour he was quite a private person and lived alone in Ingatestone. It was a real sadness when Bill was diagnosed with a inoperable brain tumour just after he attended my wedding and he died a couple of years later aged 50. I truly miss him very much as he was my mentor to become a manager as his approach, knowledge, manner and humour were all top drawer. I was to follow the band on one more UK tour and several in Europe after moving over here but things would never again quite reach the dizzy heights of that fantastic few weeks in 1983. That was the tour that, for some of us, was THE tour! To mark the 40th anniversary, FELINE will be available as a limited gatefold double album on remastered 180g Heavyweight transparent pink and red vinyl on BMG.

Originally released in January 1983, FELINE is The STRANGLERS’ seventh studio LP and was their first for then-new label, Epic. By then, Dave Greenfield’s glorious baroque playing was all over the charts. Before his death from Covid in May last year, the keyboard wizard had spent 45 years in the Stranglers, appearing on 23 top 40 singles and 17 top 40 albums as they established themselves as one of Britain’s most enduring bands. Next month, some of his final recordings will appear on the band’s 18th album, Dark Matters, which Burnel calls “our first genuinely grownup album”. The album contains untypical, beautifully raw ruminations on depression, ageing and mortality. Most of it was put together after Greenfield’s death, a process that singer-guitarist Baz Warne, a genial and open Wearsider, found cathartic. “We opened up a huge well of emotion,” says the 57-year-old. Suitably refreshed and a bit hungover we had a leisurely breakfast and a couple of litres of coffee before setting off to Lyon. No bloody hitching this time, we went on the TGV, then the fastest train in the world, it certainly crapped on British rail !a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19thed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p.535. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. In advance of the album, a perfect portent of Feline’s new direction, European Female was released as a single early in the New Year. The release was promoted by the now obligatory music video filmed at great expense. JJ: ‘The new record company was really behind the release and spent a lot of our money on the videos for European Female and Midnight Summer Dreamwhich were both expensive.’ Despite its radical new sound and breathy vocals, the single made the Top 10 in the UK, paving the way for Feline. Hugh and his Kinkade The atmosphere was mental and the pub was absolutely heaving, all we could see were the heads of John and Hugh. The sound was absolutely terrible and I bet the bootleg sounds God awful, it wasn’t a gig you’d want as a live album, but on the night it was just great! After the gig we got the train into London and dossed with John and Spence at their place on the Westway. Legal matters ensued with the result that a further single be released to terminate the contract. So we handed them a song that they had previously refused when we were originally seeking a record deal several years previously, Strange Little Girl. We then signed to Sony ,CBS. We decided to attempt an album which would marry various European influences and references. Spanish guitars, synths, electronic drums. Completely different from anything we had done before and since.’