Toughest Guy in Rock -JJ Burnel

Рет қаралды 9,217

3 ай бұрын

As part of the Tough guys of Rock series.
JJ Burnel leads the way with his karate chops and awesome bass playing he had a big part to play in the Stranglers sound and image.

Пікірлер: 91

@paulnesbitt1698 Ай бұрын

I met j.j on 2 occasions when the stranglers played H.M.V in Birmingham some years back , and he came across as a good guy. He signed some of my stranglers stuff with no bother atall. I've met all stranglers past and present and every single one of them could not of been more respectful. They would certainly not of been people to cross though. I first seen the stranglers back in around 79 and the last time was 2022. They are without doubt the best live band I've ever seen . Long may they continue, because sadly one day their will be no more stranglers.....maybe then people will appreciate how brilliant they really were.

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

That's awesome Paul thanks for sharing your memories so good yeah so under the radar the genius will shine thru from the men in black

@jackhargreaves1911 19 күн бұрын

Jet Black was the tough guy in the band, which is typical of many ice-cream van owner/drivers…

@davidfoster9339 18 күн бұрын

Brilliant

@marcuskingstanley9522 11 күн бұрын

@@davidfoster9339 have you heard of " ice cream wars" in glasgow?

6 сағат бұрын

Remember him saying that he’d hit his shins with a wine bottle.

@Rockstardust69 5 сағат бұрын

True as part of karate conditioning

@crisnboots Ай бұрын

...Since childhood, Bass guitar was my best friend and refuge. When i first heard 'I'll Cry Instead' by The Beatles, I was 5 yrs. old. that Bass run-down told me Bass was the Shit. J.J.'s bass on 'The Raven' change my life. I bought all the albums. They became my Gods, Saw them at The Whiskey A-GoGo w/ rented equip. Bigger then Life.

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Wow thanks for sharing your history with the Stranglers that Raven bass line and track is other worldly

@michaelvincent8306 2 ай бұрын

The incident with hugh Cornwell changed their relationship for ever and Cornwell left a few years later and they don't speak a shame because they were very close

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Agreed Michael real shame

@imogenimeson664 Ай бұрын

I'm not a forgiving person either don't think I am quite as bad as Cornwall refusing to reconcile with JJ. I did read though that Hugh did consider more than once about re-joining The Stranglers on stage then backed out at last min. A shame for the die hard fans and why I don' t really care what Hugh does or says anymore.

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

@@imogenimeson664 they sure had awesome chemistry together and agreed a real shame for the fans they couldn't resolve the rift.

@Stranglerxx77 28 күн бұрын

No more heroes…. 👀🌙👽🪐😟✌️💀☝️🌞🌙☠️💀🍄♓️☯️

@Cosmic-Spanner 15 күн бұрын

@@imogenimeson664 JJ broke up the band by regularly using abusive behaviour towards Cornwall (and others, as in the video) to get his way. That's not Hugh's fault. As nice and cool as he is sober, he's a FC drunk. He caused the end of the Stranglers.

@leepowell1162 Ай бұрын

Dave Greenfield not greenwood !

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Aghhh apologies

@tankthelord1178 25 күн бұрын

Seen them in 1977 at the Market Hall in Carlisle, they came on and only played two songs before fighting with each other and stomping off the stage, us, the crowd weren't happy.

@stationers Ай бұрын

The Stranglers made a lot of enemies. They get nowhere near the recognition they are owed. The fact that they are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a Badge of Honour. I imagine they would tell them to shove it.

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Totally agree I can't stand the RnR hall of fame it's a joke.

@michaelvincent8306 28 күн бұрын

Having a really loyal fan base your right they would tell them to shove it but probably not that politely?

@sidsuspicious 26 күн бұрын

What is this Rock 'n' roll Hall of Shame anyway? Why do some people talk about it in hushed, hallowed tones? It's a promotional racket, a self-serving business with only one aim... Make money. It suddenly appeared one day & people talked as if it had always been, always existed like some indelible mark of quality... It's music business PR gone up its own ass. You want awards & medals? Sport will sort you out, leave art out of this useless nonsense. That's my take on it, loved what the Pistols told them to do.

@hughzapretti-boyden9187 22 күн бұрын

What enemies?

@Eleventhearlofmars 21 күн бұрын

It’s only for people who would be willing to pay ten grand per table for guests and book a hundred tables minimum. Like Madonna.

@crisnboots Ай бұрын

I melt with that growling overdrive bass. and his phrasing is almost operatic, scary. OOOOH.

@Stranglerxx77 28 күн бұрын

He was very polite softly spoken but…… Represents the extreme duality of the Pisces Without darkness there is no light 💀☠️☝️👀😟🪐✌️👻☝️👽👽🌙💀🍄♓️♓️☯️

@bruceblackburn9423 18 күн бұрын

Wow, didn't know his starsign , best description of us fishes ...🐟🐟🐟

@Stranglerxx77 16 күн бұрын

@@bruceblackburn9423 Us Pisces gotta swim together ! One of the most beautiful yet tragic star signs…. Kurt cobain Brian Jones George Harrison’s etc

@bruceblackburn9423 16 күн бұрын

@@Stranglerxx77 Good company there, Harrison my fav Beatle

@tenerifereddog3943 2 ай бұрын

Great video. I'm a Stranglers fan since 1977 and I've had the privilege of meeting JJ on a couple of occasions. Very down to earth guy. At one concert he took my son from the crowd and got him a chair and he watched fron the side of the stage. One small error JJ is 72 born 21st of February 1952. Great video. I've subscibed.

@Rockstardust69 2 ай бұрын

Hey that's awesome that you met JJ and how he looked after your son. Thx for subscribing and correction on dob more to come on the strangers.

@Stranglerxx77 28 күн бұрын

He was very polite and softly spoken but…….

@curlyteeth3097 2 күн бұрын

Unbelievably underrated band Adjacent to the doors in America......❤

@Rockstardust69 2 күн бұрын

Agree very underrated and doors influence for sure cheers

@garybridge-ku7bf 29 күн бұрын

Great post, J J was wild back in the old days, he seems to be in a good place now and can be very very proud of what he's achieved.

@markcourtney2205 Ай бұрын

He is the best bass player and I love his bass sound.Had a chat to him a few years ago and he seems like a really nice top guy.

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Very cool you met him great bass player for sure and does appear like a nice guy with a handy set of skills

@markdoughty8780 22 күн бұрын

JJ Burnel - The Karate Kid of Rock! Interesting upload - his sound reminds me of the sound Phil Lynott used to get out of his Fender Precision bass guitar. Incidentally, he apparently got his famous, early, bass sound because, unbeknownst to him and the record producers, his bass amplifier was busted and damaged, distorting the sound through the mixing desk! Thanks for uploading.

@Rockstardust69 22 күн бұрын

Thanks Mark the Karate King of Rock that is gold !

@markdoughty8780 22 күн бұрын

@@Rockstardust69 He did a kind of Karate kick when playing bass the times that I saw The Stranglers live. Apparently, he was a pretty accomplished classical guitarist too, which is how he got into music in the first place - bass guitar was definitely his bag though, and that bass sound on their first three albums is both fantastic and unique. How a real bass guitar should sound.

@B0rnles13 21 күн бұрын

He also beat up a group called Child or something like that, I read it in Strangled so it must be true.

@Rockstardust69 21 күн бұрын

@@B0rnles13 likely to be true that mag is a good source will check it out cheers

@MrBathcity 22 сағат бұрын

@@markdoughty8780 Yes. So many bass guitarists just played the equivalent note of whichever chord the rhythm guitarist was playing. JJ elevated the bass into an exciting instrument in its own right, almost as if it was a lead guitar. I took up playing bass guitar because of JJ - suddenly, the bass was sexy!

@user-qq7wh9ir7p Ай бұрын

He also went on the run in Queens land after beating up some punks in the crowd in Brisbane who turned out to be the local cops! Ended up in Japan. That's what thier song WIZARD OF OZ is about

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

That's a great story cheers

@chelseachelseaboy Ай бұрын

Sorry, that's not what Nuclear Device is about...the main incident your refering to centred on a well known local character who attended the gig who took the punk rock attitude way too far considering it was 1979 not 1976-77 and ended up with a knock to the head with a guitar...hence the attention from cops who were present in the hall that JJ presumed were mates of the guy who had his head caved in as they were not wearing uniforms and decided to make it to the stage....the band managed to get out of the state before the cops caught up with them. The song actually refers to the guy who was running Queensland at that time, the forced removal of Aboriginies from land and the mining of Uranium which was eventually banned from 1982 - 2012 in Queensland. The Japanese tour had always been planned as part of the itinery after the Australian tour so that's exactly where they were due to go.

@johnanthonyp 26 күн бұрын

That right! I remember reading the news reports at the time. He didn't only beat them up, he knocked them both out cold.

@evilelf5967 10 күн бұрын

when i was learning the drums....one album i used to play along to (just for basic timing etc) was rattus...fast forward a few decades and a bass player i worked with (folk background) said "oh no,not that shitty sound") i said nah mate,thats how a bass should sound angry and f**k you.i play bass now and my sound is just like jj's,i just love the attack and attitude of his sound...at 58 i can still say f**k you,thanks jj and the stranglers.

@Rockstardust69 10 күн бұрын

That's awesome great attitude

@davehoward22 21 күн бұрын

you were a brave man to gob on him at a gig😀

@Rockstardust69 21 күн бұрын

Hell yeah

@crisnboots Ай бұрын

' In the Shadows' put me in a London alley, Black cats, errie Full Moon...

@leebritnell2405 Ай бұрын

The bass on that track virtually made my ears bleed!

@duppy4327 21 күн бұрын

JJB is 72 not 74 ( feb 52) … great piece on the Shihan

@Rockstardust69 21 күн бұрын

Cheers yeah realize I got that wrong and Dave greenfield thx for watching

@patbassman8251 16 күн бұрын

Dave Greenfield

@stevehegan3609 5 күн бұрын

Paul Weller could handle himself, ask Sid Viscous !!

@andchat6241 3 күн бұрын

I'd agree with the journo's criticism of 'No More Heroes' - an lp rush released by UA with unreleased leftovers from the first lp & largely sold due to a couple of top rate 7"s .

@Rockstardust69 3 күн бұрын

May have been a bit harshly treated!

@Steven-cr3rj Ай бұрын

Greenfield not greenwood

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Well spotted damn

@retrojet Ай бұрын

Many a time JJ jumped into the pit to dish out punishment to some idiot... ...in the early days that is...

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

He was happy to sort things out when required must have trained hard inamongst the rocknroll life style cheers

@user-qq7wh9ir7p Ай бұрын

Did it to a lad who threw beer over him in Liverpool during NO MORS HOROES a few years ago

@retrojet Ай бұрын

@@user-qq7wh9ir7p kzfaq.info/get/bejne/adyerd1617iWZpc.html🤣

@jameswhite6906 2 ай бұрын

Love this story mate

@Rockstardust69 2 ай бұрын

Thanks James there was plenty of outrageous behavior to draw on!

@tenerifereddog3943 2 ай бұрын

Their are loads more stories out there😂

@Rockstardust69 Ай бұрын

Check out my new video The Gospel according to the Men in Black kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mduiqJaYuNHZgqs.htmlsi=kDkZ0AQmPf4hXkdU

@blahblahoink 12 күн бұрын

Also the shortest

@Rockstardust69 12 күн бұрын

If you call 6ft short

@jeffratz 15 күн бұрын

Lots of fotos in 76 77 kicking ppl off stage

@PD-jj4fo Ай бұрын

Dave Greenfield not Greenwood

@nickhirst999 3 күн бұрын

Dave Greenwood? Stopped watching at this point.

@Rockstardust69 2 күн бұрын

Apologies I am reminded of this oversight Dave Greenfield total respect and not intentional

@deeder2000 29 күн бұрын

This guy's bass is truly original. There is no one who sounds like him. His aggression certainly comes out in his playing and some lead vocals he does. Musician-wise; easily the toughest musician in the world - I think!

@Rockstardust69 29 күн бұрын

Agreed so original and brilliant tough est musician for sure

@johnanthonyp 26 күн бұрын

Love JJ and worship the Stranglers. Regarding your claim: I reckon it's a toss up between him and Billy Cobham, the drummer who was a Navy Seal prior to his fame. Big powerful looking fella is Cobham.