VIA PRESS RELEASE | Over the course of five decades, pioneering English rock band The Stranglers—one of the longest surviving bands to emerge from the 1970s UK punk rock scene—have crossed genres and fanbases, amassing 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums.
On July 7, 2023, Mercury Studios is proud to release The Stranglers, a four CD-boxed set compiling four of their classic 1990s albums: About Time (1995), Written In Red (1997), Coup de Grace (1998), and the live album Friday The Thirteenth: Live At The Royal Albert Hall (1997). These albums, which were all previously released by Eagle Records in the ’90s, are now being packaged together for the very first time.
Originally brewed in the mid-70s UK pub rock scene, The Stranglers held a certain distinction from their local scene peers. They were ahead of the curve of the UK punk explosion, and though they could channel the aggressive spit-and-snarl of the time, they also harbored a unique musical hunger that kept them unchained to a singular genre. Exploring the wells of art rock, ’60s psychedelia, new wave, goth, and pop music, their sound was a blend of underground influence and melodic pop sensibility.
This is evident on these crucial 1990s releases, which featured the line-up of Paul Roberts (vocals), Jean-Jacques Burnel (bass, vocals), John Ellis (guitar, vocals), Dave Greenfield (keyboards, vocals), and Jet Black (drums). About Time, their 12th studio album, peaked at #31 on the UK album charts and boasted hits “Golden Boy” and “Lies and Deception.” This was followed by Written In Red, which includes single “In Heaven She Walks” and a cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City”, “
Friday The Thirteenth features the band performing a sold out show at the famed Royal Albert Hall in London. The set list features hit tracks like “Golden Brown,” “Skin Deep,” and “No More Heroes” given an emphatic new reinterpretation as the band are backed by the Electra Strings—an eighteen-piece string orchestra. In addition to their hits, The Stranglers deliver a sizzling version of The Kinks’ “All Day And All Of The Night.”
Whether a veteran fan or a new listener discovering the band’s music for the first time, this boxed set provides an eclectic, full-bodied presentation of The Stranglers’ music during this time period.
