The Stranglers- Outside Tokyo & Hey! (Rise of the Robots) REACTION & REVIEW

[@marcharley6465]

I adore this album, which captured the band pushing past traditional punk boundaries and really expressing interesting lyrical themes with inventive and varied music.

[@manhattenman6075]

Outside Tokyo is a nice short track to calm things down and Then Hey! Brings all the energy back. Sweden and Toiler On The Sea are two of my favourites and they’re absolutely killer tracks.

[@gartgreenside3657]

And one day he'll do the alternative version of Sweden from the outtakes album. That might just surprise him! In fact, we need that album ASAP!

[@davidheiser2225]

For me, Outside Tokyo is the hidden gem of this great album.

[@MusicandCatLover-vc6jb]

I think this is the right tracklist (as on my CD-version): 1. Tank 2. Nice 'n' Sleazy 3. Outside Tokyo 4. Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front) 5. Hey! (Rise of the Robots) 6. Toiler on the Sea 7. Curfew 8. Threatened 9. Do You Wanna 10. Death and Night and Blood (Yukio) 11. In the Shadows 12. Enough Time + Bonus Tracks on the CD-version: 13. Mean To Me 14. Walk On By 15. Shut Up 16. Sveridge 17. Old Codger 18. Tits Maybe this will help you a little!

[@mikewest1542]

Don’t think the last bonus track will be played !

[@gartgreenside3657]

@@mikewest1542 ALL BONUS TRACKS MUST BE PLAYED

[@Elvin_Pelvin]

@@mikewest1542 mainly because it's utter bollocks ( I haven't heard it since the first time I put the record on but if I remember rightly Hugh Cornwell says at its close (probably edited in) 'now you know why no one came to see us two years ago'

[@robertkeay9087]

@@Elvin_Pelvin "Tits" is lifted from their "Hope and Anchor" live album. They did play to a literally empty room at the same venue 2 years earlier, so no it wasn't edited in. (But you're right - it's awful!)

[@Elvin_Pelvin]

@@robertkeay9087 thanks - Hugh saying this didn't make sense to me at the time as I thought that the Stranglers had built up a big following having gigged solidly anywhere and everywhere in the UK prior to their commercial success.

[@a.k.1740]

Justin, on the original vinyl, "Sweden (All Quiet On The Eastern Front)" was between "Outside Tokyo" and "Hey! (Rise Of The Robots)". The tracklist was changed on subsequent CD editions. Hugh Cornwell on "Outside Tokyo": "It's the first time l’ve heard this in a long time. I can see an influence from this on “Golden Brown’." "The 'round' at the end represents the end of time, overlapping the lyric. Again, it started off as a John bass line." "It’s perverted waltz time. " "l’ve always been fascinated by time because it’s the fourth dimension and the passage of time determines whether something has value or not. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, we're all given more or less the same amount of time and it’s up to us what we’re going to do with it." "I worship time more than anything, and as you get older, the more you realise how valuable it is. It almost seems a strange dimension, because it’s subject to distortion. Depending on what mood you’re in, where you're standing, people have different concepts of time. My watch isn’t any different from yours, but my concept of how the last hour has gone by may be completely different from yours." "Another odd thing about the way we measure time is that it’s not accurate. Every fourth year we add an extra day, 29 February, but even this isn’t exact. Every few years, on the stroke of midnight, they nudge on a couple of seconds of Greenwich Mean Time and it still isn’t accurate. Humanity has tried to tie down time but can't seem to do it." "The song ends with the ridiculous conclusion that if the world ever sold out of watches, then there would be no such thing as time because we wouldn’t have anything to measure it with that was indisputable. Although all our concepts of time are different, the watch is the definitive measure worldwide." Hugh Cornwell about Hey! (Rise Of The Robots): "These are my words put to a piece of music that we wrote during a jam session. The bass is melodically all over the place. I had just read I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, which is a series of essays set at different times in the future, with 100 years between each piece. They chronicle the rise in robot technology and how it eventually takes over civilisation." With micro-technology, robots are already controlling production lines in car factories. There’s a current TV advert spoofing the robot production line, with a robot that has a personality drawing doodles on a Picasso car. It’s a groundbreaking advert in that sense, with its concept that robots could develop personalities." "There’s a reference to the Tin Man in The Wizard Of Oz, which is one of my favourite films. The Tin Man’s joints have seized up and the others have to oil them to get him moving again. He also wants a heart. " "Laura Logic from X-Ray Spex played saxophone on it. John thought it would be a good idea to have her do a crazy sax solo." "Our parts are very confused. There’s so much going on. Mixing it was a nightmare, because it was a complete mess." "I had no pre-conceived ideas about how it would come out. It really was in my eyes a filler track, like ‘English Towns°. It was a free for all. " "The most tuneful thing about it is the melody that goes with the lyric. There is a song melody, but if you took the voice off, you’d never guess what it was."

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

Should say that it a fact most folk won’t read more than a few sentences in a comment .. just saying , I stopped after 3 !! 🤷‍♂️ 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@a.k.1740]

@@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering Yep, it's a long read but these are Hugh Cornwell's words on these pieces, for those who are interested. If you want to skip it, I see no problem with it.

[@manhattenman6075]

I always thought Golden Brown had an influence on this. Love it

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

@@a.k.1740 I did ..🍻 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Elvin_Pelvin]

@@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering yes that is true - but we are reading Hugh Cornwell's words which from the few examples I have seen are worth reading.

[@blackmoofou6385]

Stranglers always loved a bit of 3/4 timing, always loved outside Tokyo.

[@xiropigado]

They were so talented, with their music arrangements and their lyrics, and to think, when they first came out they were called just another punk band.

[@TomDunk1]

Black and White has been noted by some journalists as the first ‘post punk’ album, way ahead of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasure and Gang of Four’s Entertainment. This album paved the way for so many English bands. One band even named itself after a line in ‘Toiler on the Sea’.

[@mcfairclough]

A Flock of Seagulls...... A Flock of seagulls.

[@62salv]

Lora Logic (the original X-Ray Spex saxophonist) plays on Rise of The Robots.....absolute class!

[@tago69mago]

As others have said the original track listing was Tokyo flollowed by Sweden, then Robots and finally Toiler, which I can't f###ing wait for. It's gonna blow Justin's mind!

[@tago69mago671]

Thanks so much Justin for keeping the faith with the Stranglers. Glad you are enjoying them and appreciating how good and interesting their music is. One of a kind and don't get the recognition they deserve!

[@JustJP]

Happily Tago! They're amazing and always a good time

[@tago69mago671]

@@JustJP Been a fan of theirs since 1977. Long time and not gonna stop anytime soon. Such a thrill to watch people react to their music and become new fans. Love the channel dude!

[@JustJP]

@@tago69mago671 ty ty ty!

[@davehoward22]

Saw their last gig with hugh cornwalll..(i think,reading festival,late 80s) allways loved their earlier stuff

[@DavidWalter-yl2ic]

Loving this.Can't wait for Toiler

[@normandavidtidiman9918]

Mean to Me was originally part of the 3 track EP given away with the vinyl LP featuring 'Walk on By'.

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

🤯🤬🤮 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@jameswarner5809]

White vinyl, no less.

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

@@jameswarner5809 it was indeed .. prized possession till some SOB stole it along with my copy of “ Holidays “.. 👀 Sassafrassin mumble grumble tosser 😆 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@martininblack63]

Love Outside Tokyo…. Waltz influences there!! Also on Hey, Notice how “Get out of their way” gets jumbled and changed as the track goes on giving the impression that the robots are making mistakes lol

[@80ssynthfan48]

Nice bit of waltz time on Outside Tokyo.

[@TenementFunster.74]

Was waiting for the bass from toiler to kick in there.

[@joecveteticccvetetic4068]

Hard core fans usually like the stranglers

[@johnberry5143]

The only albums I had when I discovered m usic when I was about 14. Rest is history. Seen them soooo many times still nailing it. Tank and toiler a must. Then get to Raven😀

[@xiropigado]

I don't know how old this reaction guy is but he would have loved to be born in my era to have been able to listen to all this amazing music first hand as it was released. My age group were so blessed.

[@colin2utube]

"Sweden", or "Toiler On The Sea" ... please, we've been waiting very patiently !!! Are you deliberately avoiding the best tracks on the album to toy with our emotions !!!

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

He's going in order, like every other album.

[@Elvin_Pelvin]

As others have said - on the original vinyl LP release Sweden was the track between these two but I'm not sure in this instance that it bothers the flow of the album particularly.

[@earthboundboy]

Another vote here for Toiler on the Sea. Also have quite a soft spot for Old Codger.

[@kenl2091]

I never knew that Versatran robots actually existed! I assumed that they were just a cool invention for this album. These aren't the best tracks on the album but are way better than filler. Toiler on the Sea is indeed worth waiting for.

[@m.b-ee8815]

I love Hugh's voice, so relaxing and clear but can also be really aggressive sounding.

[@MrSirusDvirus]

Tbh to me B&W was a great album but as you can see most fans had their fave tracks or least fave...Toiler being the outright winner ...myself I wasnt keen on In the Shadows which just seemed to be a space filler and was if I remember the B side of the NMH single release? Do you wanna was o.k and enough time just didnt float my boat....but as I said a great album ...and I think the Raven bettered it 👍

[@Escapee5931]

Try "Oh Bondage, Up Yours" by X-Ray Spex, to hear Laura Logic in her natural environment!

[@Elvin_Pelvin]

I'm pretty sure JP has already played that

[@DavidImiri]

Outside Tokyo is an understated masterpiece, one of my favorites on the album. Hey! (Rise of the Robots) is great for laughs, great for what it is, but a low point on this wonderful album for me. The order seems as I remember it - I must have had the original pressing of the American vinyl. I just miss the days when we didn't have to wait weeks for the next track of an album though. I suppose the increased diversity is good for the channel, and we do want you to thrive, but that's just me.

[@user-fi3rf6vu4o]

I like everything the mix is so superb, anything would have sounded good, even Mad Hatter.

[@JJ-no2hp]

Love your analysis - this album was so important to me in 78 - fantastic to hear it with new ears - keep on rocking, JP

[@m.b-ee8815]

Automated production lines, the beginning of the end for large workforces.

[@pentagrammaton6793]

Is this late 70s vanilla jazz fusion, or nasty tuneless death metal? Nope, and I feel all the better for it. 😊🙃

[@c.i.z.recordings8325]

Feels like backseat education, US style.

[@twelvemonkeys8786]

Such a cool track. Try Cro-Mags, world peace.🤘🏻

[@m.b-ee8815]

No ticker I could drop a tear.

[@lemming9984]

I'm not a great Stranglers fan, and I've never heard a complete album, but I've always loved the organ sound. I did have a couple of singles in the late 70s. I didn't like these two tracks particularly, but I'm thinking I should try another album?

[@a.k.1740]

Try The Raven, and then if that doesn't put you off, the more experimental The Gospel According to the Meninblack, which has its charms.

[@lemming9984]

@@a.k.1740 Thanks 👍

[@gartgreenside3657]

@@lemming9984 La Folie as well

[@davedennison7386]

Nice shirt...

[@m.b-ee8815]

Did you notice Outside Tokyo ended with the same word and tone as Nice and Sleazy?

[@mikewest1542]

Threatened is a brilliant track on this album with the line “ I want a price of my mummy , she was quite close to me “ nuts !

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

'Piece'

[@Aliasinblack]

Hi J, have you ditched the rest of this album? Its been about a month and no Stranglers 😢

[@JoanneTelling1]

Sweden should come after Outside Tokyo.

[@butnooneshome]

Stumbled on this vid. You appear to be reacting to Black and White track by track. Not even listened yet and you have a sub ... This album is the dogs !!! They did a play through themselves as part of their tour set a few years back. RIP Jet & Dave.

[@JustJP]

Thanks butnoone! Yes, ive covered their first 2 albums and I really enjoy them a lot😆

[@butnooneshome]

@@JustJP nice !! I’ll head back to Rattus and watch you discovering one of the best and most underrated bands ever.

[@JustJP]

I was, and still am, very impressed with them and their sound :D Ty again for being here!

[@joecveteticccvetetic4068]

Their best album followed by the raven

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

I phookin LOVE Black and White in general .. sadly Tokyo and Robots are without doubt the weakest tracks on the whole album ..🤷‍♂️.. don’t set the hounds on me , that’s just MY opinion 😳 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@richardjones4466]

You're not alone mate!

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

@@richardjones4466 gotcha - cheers 🍻 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@paulcollins5586]

Like some tracks they did others do nothing for me.

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

I don't recognise this running order at all. It should have been a different track after 'Outside Tokyo' and it threw me completely. As long as all the requisite songs are aired, then the occasional 'misplaced' track matters not, but please be sure not to miss anything!

[@a.k.1740]

Yep, the original tracklist happens to be: 1. “Tank” 2. “Nice ‘n’ Sleazy” 3. “Outside Tokyo” 4. “Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front)” 5. “Hey! (Rise of the Robots)” 6. “Toiler on the Sea” They screwed up with the tracklist on the CD releases before the 2018 Reissues which reinstalled the original one. Even “In the Shadows” which happens to be the penultimate track on side B was interspersed between “Threatened” and “Do You Wanna?” on my CD edition which dates from 2001 (same shit with "In the Shadows" on the box set The Old Testament - The U.A. Studio Recordings from 1992).🙄

[@Owlstretchingtime78]

@a.k.1740 I've got the 2001 version and whaddya know. It's probably been played twice, as i own a German vinyl version with the original running order! 👍

[@a.k.1740]

@@Owlstretchingtime78 Back in 1981 I bought the French pressing of Black And White with the red bevelled shrink-wrap strip bearing the band's name and catalogue number (and, of course, the black and white insert with the lyrics!). Distant memories...!😉

[@Aliasinblack]

Of course, just to muddy the waters, there was always the argument that B&W started with the Black side, back in the old vinyl days

[@a.k.1740]

@@Aliasinblack While the album has always started with the White Side ! 😉