Demos, sessions and others

1974

‘Safari’ Demos, T.W. Studios; Fulham: Charlie Boy, I Know It, Chinatown, Make You Mine, My Young Dreams (2 versions), Wasted, Strange Little Girl (2 versions)

Comments: Recorded by Alan Winstanley. I also have two tracks which are supposedly White Wedding and Country Chaser. These are allegedly from the same sessions, but I don't think so!

Good

March 1976

Mountain Studio, Wales: Peaches, Bitching, Tomorrow Was (the Hereafter), Down In The Sewer

Comments: Recorded by Ian Gomm. This is a digital copy from the master. Different take of Tomorrow Was from the SIS version. Essential!

Excellent

July 1976

Pebble Beach Studio; Worthing: Grip, Bitching, Go Buddy Go

Comments: The demo set that got them signed. Bootlegged on 7" as 3 Early Demos

Good

1979

Raven Demos: Longships, The Raven, Dead Loss Angeles, Duchess, Nuclear Device, Baroque Bordello, Shah Shah A Go Go, Ice, Genetix, Don't Bring Harry, Social Secs

Comments: Rough mixes of the LP - only Nuclear Device is a wholly different take. Drop out on Harry and horrible grinding sound on Longships. Social Secs is simply Yellowcake UF6 reversed

Good

1980

Meninblack Demos:

Good

1981

Demo Session: Tomorrow Was, Let Me Introduce You To The Family, Nuclear Device, Golden Brown (instrumental)

Comments: Supposedly a demo set, but sounds like the original versions to me - only Golden Brown is of interest

Good

1982

Jam session at Jet's: Cruel Garden, Midnight Summer Dream, Paradise

Good

1983

Fire & Water 'Demos', Soundtrack

Comments: Soundtrack of Ecoutez Vos Murs. Includes instrumental versions of Fire and Water tracks

Fair

1984

Aural Sculpture Demos:

Good

1985

Tour rehearsal: Shakin' Like A Leaf, Punch and Judy, Down in the Sewer

Comments: Stunning quality and performance

Excellent

1986

Dreamtime Demos:

Comments: Essential listening to hear the alternate versions of Always the Sun and the JJ vocal on You'll Always Reap What You So

Good

1990

10 Demos: New Day Today, Poisonality, Things Are Getting Beter, Motorbike, Sitting on Top Of the World, Something, Someone Like You, Let’s Celebrate, Where I Live, Sweet Smell Of Success, in This Place, Too Many Teardrops, Out Of My Mind, instead Of This, Let’s Celebrate, Sweet Smell Of Success, Where I Live, Someone Like You, Never To Look Back

Comments: Essential for unreleased tracks and alternate versions

Good

1990

CCW Demos, live, radio: More Or Less, Friend Wheel, Let It Fall, Holes, Heaven & Hell, E O Eleven, You Got Your Troubles, Dance Me To The Edge Of The World, Do Nothing, Lost Mind, Hard To Be Good, Moon River, Wasted Tears, Interview, Dance Me To The Edge OF The Whorl, You Can't Love Me, Wasted Tears (12"), Wasted Tears, Invisible, Psycho, Friend Wheel, E O Eleven, Nov' 1994, More Or Less

Fair

April 1991

In The Night demos, Chipping Norton Studios:

Comments: 2 CD set including unreleased tracks and different versions. Essential listening for the Mk2 fan!

Good

1995

Radio Sessions

June 1994

About Time Demos, Southwark Street Studios: Lucky Finger, Sinister, When Reason Sleeps, Swim, She Gave it All, Kiss the World Goodnight, Shattered, Bed of Nails, And the Boat Sails By, Little Blue Lies, Cool Danny

Comments: Includes 1994 Tour rehearsals

Good

June 1994

About Time Tour Rehearsals and Master tape demos: Still Life, Face, Face, Sinister 1, Sinister 2, Still Life

Good

1994

Radio 5 Session: Jet, Paul and the Stringlers

Good

1996

Written in Red Demos:

Comments: Supposed to be rough mixes of the LP, but I'm fucked if I can tell the difference. Worthless

Good

11 August 2002

The Meninblack: The Stranglers Story: Hour long Radio 2 documentary on the band, presented by Glen Matlock.

Excellent

28 February 2004

Acoustic Set, Jonathan Ross, Radio 2: Always The Sun, Strange Little Girl, Mine All Mine, Dutch Moon

Note: on Paris 2004 CD

Excellent