> Reviews > Reviews 2006 > Hugh Cornwell

Review by Warro.

Punk legend back in black.

Back from India. Back at The Charlotte. Back to getting my albums signed. Back to normal, whatever that means. Also back at The Charlotte were David R Black after a lengthy break of two days. Tonight, rather than supporting My Alamo, they were supporting Hugh Cornwell. Well I say 'they' - due to filming a commercial, the lovely bass player Sarit Black couldn't make the gig, so it was up to David R to play an all too brief acoustic set. These included a cover of 'Golden Brown' ("The Guvn'r gave his approval!") and their own 'Dark Halo' from the 'Trinity EP'. David R Black are constantly touring and are a nice little band - if they're at your local fleapit, you could have worse evenings.

It had been some 13 years since I'd last seen Hugh Cornwell at The Charlotte. He's not aged at all in that time (unlike me) - in fact he looks very well for a guy in his mid 50's. The tour manager told me beforehand that we were in for a lot of Stranglers songs. He was not wrong. Opening was 'Duchess' and quickly followed by 'Leave Me Alone' from his own 'Hi-Fi' album before reverting back to The Stranglers for 'Nice'n'Sleazy' from my favourite album of theirs, 'Black and White'.

After a couple more songs, a pattern seemed to be emerging - as Hugh said, there was indeed a "method to the madness". Every solo song was followed by a Stranglers song in a kind of spooky scientific method kind of way. Suited me fine. There were some fine choices too, some greatest hits, but some more obscure songs as well such as 'Goodbye Toulouse' and 'Nuclear Device'. The sound was one of the best I'd ever heard in The Charlotte. The bass is often quite muddy and, as so many Stranglers songs are bass led, the clarity aided the gig no end. It was also helped by the playing of Caroline Campbell. She probably wasn't even at primary school when Hugh left The Stranglers, but she was one of the best bass players I'd seen in a long long time. For me, best song of the night was a sublime 'Always the Sun', but special mention must go to the great inclusion of a verse about Zinedine Zidane in 'No More Heroes', thankfully without any blatant headbutts. Although we were only treated to a single song encore, it was memorable. It was the full eight minute version of 'Down in the Sewer' from The Stranglers debut 'Rattus Norvegicus' album. Really good gig. Oh and yes, he did wear black - under his rather fetching yellow coat.

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