Taken from The Stranglers’ 1979 album ‘The Raven’, this genuinely strange offering shows off the surprising creative diversity and ingenuity from one of Britain’s most misunderstood and maligned punk/new wave bands. From the accusations of misogyny and pub-rock oafishness to concept albums about aliens and songs about heroin, no one can accuse Hugh Cornwell and Jean Jacques Brunel’s Guildford Outlaws of being boring.
‘Meninblack’ was primarily Cornwell’s concept, and introduced the idea of extra-terrestrial hit-men who silence individuals that have witness UFO landings (yeah i know, crazy or what?!). Along side ‘Duchess’, the track is the highlight of the album. With the idea being so unusual and extraordinary, the band used it for the subsequent 1981 concept album of the same name.
This period of the Stranglers history is often overlooked (FACT: I was only introduced to it last year by a friend. Shocking I know, but true), so I urge you to go and seek the aforementioned albums and you’ll be richly rewarded with songs about crazy-ass aliens done in a pulsating, experimental punk/new wave stylee and let’s face it, who doesn’t want that?
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“>The Stranglers- Meninblack
