...FRIDAY JANUARY 28TH 1977
| "We were too bad and too young to be accepted by the pub rock scene, and when punk came along we were too old and too good to be accepted by them. 'Grip' was a rites of passage song for me, about having to be tough to achieve the rock'n'roll life I wanted." - Hugh Cornwell - 2001 |
| The Stranglers release their debut 45 'Grip' today. Gaining it the second major label punk release after 'Anarchy'. 'Grip' featured the saxophone delights of Welsh miner Eric Clarke who dropped his sax solo onto the track and caught the train back to Wales to work down the pit! |
| play London's Central Polytechnic tonight. |
| Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranois play North Staffs Polytechnic tonight. |
| The Sex Pistols receive the final EMI pay off today. Meanwhile Dave Goodman mixes, at Eden Studios in Chiswick, the six tracks that were recorded earlier in the month at Gooseberry. |
THE STRANGLERS
Get A 'Grip' On Yourself /London
(United Artists)
The Phil McNeill Fan Club make their recording debut with a stunning double-sided single of distinctive,
intelligent, contemporary rock'n'roll that sounds like Roxy Music would have if that old capped-tooth
smoothie Ferry had been influenced by The Doors (as opposed to Humphrey Bogart at the start of his
male menopause). The B-side, 'London Lady', is perhaps more like the noise you would have expected
from a squad of elder punksters - Hugh Cornwell's slashed-out riffing more up front on this
two-minute-25 song than on the A, where the main feature is Dave Greenfield's swirling keyboards
backing up the hook line chorus (which is maybe strong enough to get them some "chart action").
Tony Parsons (New Musical Express 5th February 1977)
Get A 'Grip' On Yourself /London
(United Artists)
The Phil McNeill Fan Club make their recording debut with a stunning double-sided single of distinctive,
intelligent, contemporary rock'n'roll that sounds like Roxy Music would have if that old capped-tooth
smoothie Ferry had been influenced by The Doors (as opposed to Humphrey Bogart at the start of his
male menopause). The B-side, 'London Lady', is perhaps more like the noise you would have expected
from a squad of elder punksters - Hugh Cornwell's slashed-out riffing more up front on this
two-minute-25 song than on the A, where the main feature is Dave Greenfield's swirling keyboards
backing up the hook line chorus (which is maybe strong enough to get them some "chart action").
Tony Parsons (New Musical Express 5th February 1977)
| SUPERCHARGE Southampton University |
| play Eric's club in Liverpool. |
| Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranois |
| TRACTOR Tractor who have probably got the worst punk band name ever play Oldhams, Boundary Inn tonight. |
| Marquee, London |