jean-jacques burnel - Freddie Laker

[@foff4strings]

This is JJ Burnel (bass & vocal) from The Stranglers doing his first solo project. The track is taken from an LP called Euroman Cometh which was released in about '78/79. The lead guitarist is John Ellis who was in a punk band called The Vibrators at the time. He toured with Burnel when the album was released and then joined The Stranglers as a second guitarist, initially for live work only. When Hugh left he stuck around for a few more years and then left too.

[@frederickowen4006]

From The Stranglers' website: Pete Howells RIP “One more has gone to join the legions far away”. Pete Howells my drummer from the Euroband and drummer for Manchester band the Drones, which is how I met him, passed away on Sunday 22nd of December aged 64 after a long illness. He was a really good drummer but, more than that, just a lovely bloke. Some of you might have recognised him in the video of Freddie Laker. After the Euroman Cometh album, I had him drumming on some follow up tracks which were never released. Manchester has lost a beautiful soul. JJ Burnel 23/12/19

[@3rdman4th]

Mr Burnel looks so cool at this time in his career.

[@1hallstone]

jj one of the best bass players ever

[@MlleAventure]

If not the best :)

[@tabbykat9]

Absolutely! Love jj ❤

[@jefflinton]

Best bass lines but player? Not really

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

​@@jefflintonPlayer extends to lines. Like why some people (including me) ssy Hendrix is the best guitarist. Like a 6.5/10 on a technicallity level but a 10/10 in improv and writing.

[@shuribell]

I'd forgotten just how freakin' brilliant this was. I loved that green Fender.....

[@undergroundwarrior70]

"FANTASTIC VIDEO BY J.J. BURNEL"!!!! I bought the Euroman Cometh album when it was first released in 1979. (I was 23 years old at that time). This is the first time I ever saw this video. MTV never showed these kind of underground videos. If they did, very rare. Yes, I am still a Stranglers fan. "Thanks SteveRes for the upload"!! Now it is time to listen to Ultravox! Their debut album on KZbin. (J.J. Burnel one of the best bassists around).

[@alancrosby8123]

Drums by Peter "Lambert" Howells, who was the drummer in the Drones. Peter sadly died at the end of 2019.....he will be sadly missed.

[@ZZZ-0999]

And later Greenfield...

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

​@@ZZZ-0999And Jet Black...

[@Henri-PierreValdeolivas]

I consider this period the golden era for the Stranglers and Hugh and JJ as well. "The Raven" and "the Gospel According to the Meninblack" were outstanding (that record sounds contemporary today and like a dour, eerier version of the Residents), "Nosferatu" and "Euroman" were wild. They never looked more menacing , in a restrained but aggressive kind of way. This was right around the time they were experimenting with H. What a time .

[@Eklektik40]

Wow!... I love this album. One of my favorite bassist of all time. Thanks!!!

[@foff4strings]

I so want to say that it went straight in at number 1 and stayed there for ten weeks. I'd also like to say that it has been used in the soundtrack of nearly every Hugh Grant film. However I don't think that anyone is gonna buy that. It got a lot of airplay on my Dad's stereo if that counts, ha-ha. I must get the album again...

[@leezeppelin48]

Make sure you find a copy with the half hour live bonus. Mine hasn't got that and am gutted, if it's possible to be gutted whilst still loving what I HAVE got.

[@leezeppelin48]

Brilliant, I love it, great little backing band he had with him there. I think am gonna listen to the whole lp now.

[@waynecrosby9789]

whatver happened to Penny Tobin? she was such a fabtastic keyboard player and with a good voice too, oh and very easy on the eye as well! ;-)

[@chrisbartlett9589]

JJ's green Precision bass! No other bass sounds like it...

[@BrianAchterberg928]

Chris Bartlett JJ has his own “Signature” bass out now.

[@MegaPhalaenopsis]

You are 10 000% right Chris Bartlett , and I am quite sure Jean Jacques Burnel used a little distortion or overdrive to have this particular bass sound that makes the people say that he is the best player.No , he has an excellent bass sound , that was perfect to play some "punk rock",and was a good bassist , but not the best.

[@MegaPhalaenopsis]

@@BrianAchterberg928 true

[@richardjamieson6681]

@@MegaPhalaenopsis the distortion on the bass sound originally came about in 1975/76 from using a Marshall 4x12 speaker cabinet with several blown cones in it. Having said that, there's no such thing as 'best', rather more 'unique' or 'favourite'. :-)

[@Eklektik40]

@@MegaPhalaenopsis Let's just say He influenced a lot of bass players. Like John Entwistle before him. And I enjoy his heavy bass sound a lot !!

[@pelotaritorino]

WOOOW!!! THAAANNKS!!! This song and video literally blew me away the first time I saw it, back in 1981 or so. It is really great to watch it again after all these years. Influential.

[@locorojo25]

I loved this back in the day. still do. so different. magic

[@jackglancy5286]

Just a wonderful track from a great album and life changing times - love it!

[@davedenisetigg]

That green fender sounds ace! he had that in't Stranglers if I remember right? I remember the euroman gig at manchester Apollo - there was about 50 of us in the audience & JJ got us all on the stage while they played 'Triumph of the big city' with his bike ticking over & a mike stuck up its exhaust! Wish i had a fooking time machine!

[@anthonymaylett5823]

Was there myself in 1979 he brought is motorbike on stage triumph Bonneville that green bass got robbed with all the equipment on a tour they took the lot never to be seen again job was gutted think it was in USA

[@anthonymaylett5823]

Meantime to say Jean Jacques burnel was gutted iv followed stranglers since 1977 electric circus collyhurst

[@BrianAchterberg928]

davedenisetigg He has his own “Signature” bass out now for the “general public” to purchase.

[@martininblack63]

Still one of my favourite videos...... I noticed a while ago there was a debate about the colour of JJ's bass. The official name from Fender is Antigua Green.

[@anthonymaylett5823]

Yeah that bass got nicked with all there equipment in 1980 in USA it was but burnels best guitar he never got over it

[@paulshephard1907]

@@anthonymaylett5823 Nope. He still has it. Have a listen to the Rat Chat podcast type things on KZbin where he talks about it. Not to mention Jon Shuker mentions it when he went to visit him when designing his then new signature bass.

[@paulshephard1907]

Sorry, but it's not Antigua at all, as they were only made originally in the late 60s briefly and again in 77. It is a 63 Precision that is Olympic White (nitro white goes yellowy over time) that had a DIY spray job around the edges prior to him getting it. Lastly, I have an Antigua Precision and it's nothing like it.

[@martininblack63]

@@paulshephard1907 I see what you’re saying now. I had an old Olympic white strat and it turned that creamy colour over time. Thanks for that!! I was convinced it was Antigua lolol

[@ThePsychoFish]

i saw this tour at Hemel Hempstead (it was the live gig released on the album) age 14 was brilliant.

[@src456]

the girls name is Penny Tobin, part of JJ's live band at the time

[@crozwayne]

Also played with Eurythmics in the early days, I’m sure she’s passed away, but hope I’m wrong

[@rudydynxx]

totally unique,exellent .what a bass sound.

[@antstead2329]

I've loved this song since as a lad back in the day,. Funny fella JJ, complex is doing him justice I reckon! Either way, quality.

[@dariusstrolia9701]

"Lad back" , funny. I'm going into "White Horse" by Laid Back after this.

[@permaveg]

John Ellis on guitar from The Vibrators.

[@src456]

This is great, ahead of its time

[@alexbrown-ks1hq]

i am a big stranglers fan but are you off your fukin nut

[@src456]

@@alexbrown-ks1hq no. Go away

[@foff4strings]

Reasons to Be Cheerfull: The night I met him he was working with Wilko Johnson and they both signed my copy of 'Laughter'. Turns out that Wilko used to share a house with JJ back in the day. Small world, innit? The Shuker connection is recent. I read the name in a KZbin comment under a Stranglers vid. Looked it up online as it was all news to me. I had the fretted version of the Hohner. Great sound and playability, but it was so lightwieght that it felt like a toy. Wish I still had it though!

[@paulreed5077]

It's years since I've heard this!! Thanks for the memory!

[@KPGRUND]

I've still got this o 7 inch vinyl

[@FromaTwistedMind]

Thanks for sharing this. Epic song, ORIGINAL sounding, very much of its time. Cheers

[@DrKJPalmer]

Always loved this track. One of the most Stranglerian songs on Euroman (along with Pretty face). Could easily have been a Stranglers song. but great here with the Euroband. Remember this on Steve Jones' TV show where the unintelligibility of the lyrics (due to distortion) led to this ticker tape version. Great stuff!

[@drstevie]

Great record...still got.

[@handshifterAl]

This green bass was the one JJ bought from Hugh Cornwell fo £35. It had a unique sound until he karate chopped it at the Paradiso Club, and it splintered into pieces. It was repaired and still gets used, but has lost its sonic qualities that made that sound so special in the first albums.

[@foff4strings]

The only reference to the colour I've read was either JJ or Hugh calling it 'green sunburst'. I know Fender did a lot of custom colours back in the 60's so perhaps it's a one-off special order. With me it was the guitar first and then bass after hearing Rattus. Great era for bass: Burnel; Foxton; Bruce Thomas; Barry Adamson. I love how they all decided to play lead, but lower, haha. Currently putting a Black & Maple P-Bass together out of custom parts. Guess who inspired that....

[@woody5831]

I saw his solo tour at Hemel Hempstead(same gig as the live album) age 14 he had his Triumph on stage but they had to use recorded version as it wouldn't start & few of Hot Gossip on stage

[@soepil]

Wow - that was rare stuff. Love that record.

[@LarzGustafsson]

Didn't the lady get a pain in her back after standing like that?

[@anthonymaylett5823]

Was there in 79 Manchester apolllo when he brought his truimph on stage

[@p1ngu45]

Also got the album in '79,must be the only artist to sing about airlines though! Great bass anyway..R.I.P. Concorde..

[@gogoyubari366]

Steve Miller sang Jet Airliner.

[@no-defun-allowed]

Eno sang Burning Airlines Give You So Much More

[@thierryrault3951]

Il faisait dans le barré, Jean-Jacques. J'ai cet album en vinyle, celui avec Dave Greenfield et "Un jour parfait".

[@katsuhikohashimoto2386]

Korg VC-10 !!great japanese vocoder☆

Long live Korg and Japan!

[@LarzGustafsson]

Amazing!

[@vette81harley93]

@SteveResin , Thank you for prompt action!

[@gerdenshed]

Brilliant, I've got the record but I've never seen the video before 5*

[@enriquezanon3346]

is very good!!

[@foff4strings]

No worries. I'm old enough (sadly) to remember this stuff as it happened. If my wife sends me to the shop I need to write a list, but ask me who played bass on some obscure new wave track from way back and I'll more than likely know. Yeah it seems that The Stranglers now sound like The Stranglers again; And why not they're bloody good at it!

[@jefflinton]

Went straight in at number 1 this week in Antigua

[@kirkwallboy]

Love that bass sound. Love it. Why is it so original? Can't just be his JJB fingerprint DNA imprint talking deep? Or can it? You decide. Or hide!

[@mizuQQQ]

I miss you,Thanks

[@alanhug]

ive got this single

[@Firefred1]

It's great to watch this again (yes, I have "Euroman") :) Thank you!

[@longhornhodad]

Korg MS-10 and Vocoder, and she knows how to use it!

[@richardjamieson6681]

It's a Korg VC-10 Vocoder.

[@jezzasmezza]

You gotta love Jean!

[@seawolf7218]

Brilliant

[@Harmony088]

Ouii. Merci. 😍

[@TheFairway8]

I never knew John Ellis played on this I knew he was a member of the Purple Helmets with JJ

[@howlsfish]

great single

[@dawnwhyman]

Freddy laker show them what to do, love it

[@vette81harley93]

I like JJB, and this song, but never knwo its lyric. could you please add it into this informatioin? (English translated) . I just up loaded "Triumph".

[@eckeynecker]

The lyrics are wrote on the banners hes pointing to .

[@beebeetime]

the one and only greatest guitar player everrrrrrr

[@alsypig]

I think she needs a taller keyboard stand!!

[@PhilippaAnneReed]

Is that James Spader on drums? ;-) ....love this by the way (and the shots of old Carnaby St are great)

[@jjdecani]

No, but it's Tim Minchin on keyboard.

[@215Gallagher]

JJ was 27 when he made this, a much better thing than the messes Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and some others made at the same age. I have to say there are few better 'driving' albums and I have travelled several thousands of kilometers to the strains of Jellyfish, Freddy Laker etc with Un Jour Parfait hot on their heels. Next time you go for a country drive put your cassette/CD/mp3 of Euroman Cometh on and you'll be where you're going before you know it.

[@treasurehunteruk9718]

It could be a miracle he never went the same way as Morrison and Joplin, because he doused himself with heroin, and could easily have died. So there is no room to gloat.

[@user-eb8mi3xi5f]

He made it and was lucky, because I don't see many with heroin living well, all take its toll. How many were died because of it, JJ would have died too. I am glad that he kicked of it, once he said he woke up two days later after taking an amount of heroin. I just hate to see people taking their terrible choice and being self destructive. It's just pointless.

[@nowhesapoof]

Thee best.

[@Splodgeyuk]

I bought this when it came out. I preferred the b side though Ozymandias :-)

[@stephanvenner2939]

John Ellis on Guitar?

[@soepil]

Yes

[@matneyself]

Sorry to dispel the myths but it was Dave on vocal duties on this track. Penny was just for the video.

[@xtevetyler5332]

oh fecking yes. euroman cometh the album i voted far ahead of the wave , and i was right i wore so many vinyl platters of this out , by over playing the record back when it came out, but i dont think any of the stranglers line up ever did anything i didnt rate.

[@nowhesapoof]

The best bass player of all time. And I like jazz.

[@RafaelRodrigues-no4lp]

Best Bass sound

[@foff4strings]

Is that the official Fender name for that colour? I have never seen another one like it. I know he bought it from Hugh for £35! It's a shame he doesn't use the Fenders anymore, but when you consider how many people took up the bass cos of him and yet he's never been offered a signature model (and some of the people who have?!?!).

[@welshexile1963]

Cool just cool 😎

[@SuomiScot]

Oh! My! Fuckin! God! The green “sunburst” bass that was stolen. I think on the US tour! I’d give my house to have that,!

[@SteveRes]

@vette81harley93 Lyrics have been added.

[@Ravenuk]

True but did you know when on tour jj had a group called blood doner as a first act and guess what ellis was lead singer and guitar for them

[@filthywings353]

Yeah still hard to find a good song about Freddie Laker

[@scott12xu]

Who is the keyboardist/backing vocalist? And why did they make her sit on the ground the first time she’s on camera but then have her stand the remainder of the clip?

[@MisterDensity]

I feel like Marilyn Manson based his whole career off this sound

[@JHatLpool]

It is a good job that he did not put 'Ozymandis' on the a-side of the single, that piece of black tape would have been very, very long.

[@g-plan9future204]

I had the album

[@ricksuegreen1753]

John Ellis on lead?

[@Eklektik40]

Sans Brian James... who was the real guitarist on the album!!

[@chrismount9719]

That would John Ellis in his Vibrators days

[@ThePantherburn]

Both played on the album I'm sure.

[@chrismount9719]

Brian James only played guitar on one track I believe and that was pretty face. On the live tour John Ellis played lead guitar..

[@MiguelPaulettePerez-bj8ml]

What collection are these videos from?? I noticed it in the White Room video for Hugh too

[@SteveRes]

The Old Testament vhs

[@MiguelPaulettePerez-bj8ml]

@@SteveRes Awesome, thank you! I'm gonna go try to dig this up somewhere...

[@MiguelPaulettePerez-bj8ml]

@SynthMusicFan 501 Cool, thanks! I was only able to find PAL region copies of the VHS, which, living in the United States, may not be compatible with my VCR. Thank goodness for the internet.

[@baccaandfriends6098]

Not sure his mic was working correctly.

[@foff4strings]

What you've got there is one of the Mexican built Fenders: the basses (P and J) all have that style of routing cos they're built to a price and that's the cheapest way of doing the wiring. If you get an actual USA built Fender the quality is much better, but you do have to pay more for it. That said the bodies on the Mex stuff are built from alder rather than agathis or some sort of laminated crap. I'd still rather have gloss varnish on the necks though.

[@jonesy2111]

Best bassist of all time!

[@tomstills5146]

I didn't know Ade Edmondson was in a band.

[@lowtit]

VOCODER!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@teshka1]

And if I am not mistaken they were supported by REM. Rapid Eye Movement. Alas not the one we grew to love and hate in equal measure.

[@daz.6112]

Ah, what happened to that lyric banner?

[@hcjc57]

Just out of curiosity, who is the drummer in the vid?

[@ferrarottiano]

1978 DANIE'?

[@richardgray4063]

Euroman cometh and goeth with the European female she's hear. How did this happen ?

[@zoommr1266]

no v-neck John...???

[@nicktonyman]

where was this filmed ?

[@MidnightMessiahBand]

It was filmed outside the Dog & Trumpet pub at the end of Carnaby Street. My girlfriend (now my wife) and I came across this video shoot when we were on our lunchbreak from work. I've just watched the video but couln't see ourselves (looking much younger!) unfortunately.

[@kevdoe3360]

who is band with jj?r they still goin?

[@SteveRes]

One time Chelsea drummer Carey Fortune is on drums, he sadly died in 2014

[@SteveRes]

you're most welcome

[@treasurehunteruk9718]

What was the message behind this? Was JJ hailing Laker or trying to make some point? It seems a strange subject for a pop song, and even stranger for a punk star.

[@SteveRes]

This is his explanation from an interview with Gary Kent for Burning Up Times in 2009 - Freddie Laker epitomised the lengths the Americans would go to fuck over the European. As far as the Concorde part of the song goes, remember Concorde was an Anglo-French project: the Americans were working on their own supersonic plane and so were the Russians with their Concordski, to give it its media name. The Americans suddenly moved the goalposts and said Concorde is too noisy and can’t land in America. It was quite absurd really, because the flight from London to New York was subsonic overland and supersonic over the Atlantic, but they came out with all these excuses so it couldn’t land. They did give it landing rights in New York and Washington, but too late, so there was no point in Concorde full stop. Thirty-odd countries cancelled their orders for Concorde, effectively ending the Anglo-French project with no further development happening after this. The other airlines dependant upon landing rights in America got New York and Washington, but it was too late for Concorde. MacDonald-Douglas and the American government combined to fuck over Concorde. Freddie Laker who was the equivalent of today’s Easyjet with cheap flights to New York was also turned over, by big business. So Freddie Laker (Concorde & Eurobus) was a rant against big business and Americans, in particular, at the time.

[@treasurehunteruk9718]

@@SteveRes What was the significance of dancing around Carnaby Street?

[@SteveRes]

@@treasurehunteruk9718 Fun I suppose? Plus a cheap video in London that looked cool?

[@sebastianruggeri7392]

The guitarist looks like he's high on speed!

[@lieutenant030]

@NUCLASH Blimey, you're the 1st person I've come across in 30 odd years who saw that too! I was 12 at the time and vaguely remember the show. Steve Jones had a record player next to his chair and would play the track then review it. In this case I remember him slating it and then JJ jumped down from a wall in the studio and their was mention that JJ was a black belt at which point, if it wasn't a set up, a smell of fear should've entered the studio from Mr Jones' vicinity!

[@theobjectivethinker64]

It was supposed to be the effect of a jet engine white noise.

[@alanhug]

who is the girl?

[@Bouncingballwilly]

someone give her a seat! I swear, at certain times she looks like Drew Barrymore...