Hugh Cornwell

[TaySte_2000]

My girlfriends dad is taking me to see Hugh Cornwell on wednesday next week.

I was just wondering if any one knew who his current bassist was and if I'm in for a real treat with his playing.

Thanks in advance guys

 

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

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it's a guy called Steve Lawrence.

in the studio pics he's using a Fender Tele bass with a J bridge p/up added.

dunno whether the bass playing will be of note- Cornwell's doing some Stranglers songs, but I suspect they'll be mellowed-out crooned versions.


previous bassists for Cornwell include Kim Khahn, Midus Guerreiro (both played for MelC) and Alex Gifford (Propellerheads).

 

[TaySte_2000]

Thanks alot. Have you any info on this guy I was just wondering if he is really good or just a root note plunker like ME

Thanks for the info

 

[Philbiker]

I think Hugh Cornwell is an extremely underrated guitarrist. I love most of his work with the Stranglers, I have a few of his solo albums and find them to be pretty good, but less compelling.

 

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

I bought Cornwell's "wired" album, and sold it-
it seemed bland- safe, crooned middle-aged love songs.
he doesn't seem to have the aggression that JJ Burnel still has- and that probably contributed to him leaving the Stranglers.

I was listening to the Stranglers' albums The Raven and Gospel-according-to-the-meninblack today, and I agree Cornwell's guitar playing is underrated-
quirky, admittedly technically a bit basic (the solo for Golden Brown had to be recorded at a slower speed, and he messed it up live when my brother saw them in 1987)-

although his playing was often overshadowed by JJ Burnel's bass playing.

 

[Philbiker]

although his playing was often overshadowed by JJ Burnel's bass playing.

Agreed.

While you've got that CD out, take a listen to the guitar part for "The Raven",all the way through. Listen to the intertwining guitar and keyboard melodies, especially in the introduction and chorus. Nothing "technically" impressive from either, but everything works nicely to form a "whole". Cornwell's guitar works in the whole of the song, playing one very structured part. I especially love the little guitar ditty halfway through the verse on the "You never realize the things they said....". Totally song-serving (which is what the Stranglers musicianship is all about for the most part anyway, except Greenfield's sometimes ridiculous overplaying).

I have "wolf" and "Black hair...." and while they are OK melodically, Cornwell works much better as an ensemble player than as a leader IMHO. I do still love "Facts and Figures" though.

 

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

in the Stranglers' video "the old testament" there's a live clip of them playing "just like nothing on earth" from the Gospel-according-to-the-meninblack"-
Cornwell plays really quirky, off-the-wall guitar as on the recorded version, while singing.

-contrast with a clip of him solo I downloaded- trying to do a sort of spanish folky version of Golden brown with another guitarist- a live radio session, i think-
he messes up the beginning and has to re-start it

I think he fails when he tries to be a conventional accomplished guitarist, or singer, for that matter.

 

[Philbiker]

One of these days I have to get my hands on some of those Stranglers DVDs. I have a PAL converting all-region player specifically for stuff like that. I have Saturday Night Sunday Morning on LaserDisc. Interesting concert.

BTW I love that guitar part on "Just Like Nothing On Earth". Once again, his melody and Greenfield's keyboard melody play off each other beautifully. I think Meninblack may be my favorite Stranglers album.

 

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

I recommend the "Hugh Cornwell- Song Stories" book- he discusses every song he did with The Stranglers, including some of the recording processes, plus what was going on with the band at the time.

 

[TaySte_2000]

Ok so I saw this gig last night. Man it was f***ing awesome the drums and bass were so tight I could feel them pounding in my chest. The bass player put his own little spin on all the stranglers songs so he wasn't quite playing them like JJ. He used a burns bass not sure which model I just know its not a current one it had a PJ config like the scorpian but the usual burns shape and he had a modded telebass with added jazz pickup.

Interesting thing is on the burns bass he had a fat finger you know the sustain thingy goes on your head stock I think its made by groove tubes.

One thing I couldn't believe is he broke a string i've never ever broken a string.

So if any one cares his rig went

Burns bass
Telebass

blue no name mute pedal
B&M orange box fuzz pedal
boss GE-7 the guitar eq

peavey 1x15 combo amp it had a white face graphic eq. twin channels and BW speaker.

If any one want to know hughs rig let me know.

It was great you should all check it out.

 

[Philbiker]

Thanks for the info!