Always the sun - The Stranglers

'Always the sun' was released as the second single from the Stranglers' 1986 album 'Dreamtime'. In his book 'The Stranglers song by song', Hugh Cornwell mentioned that he thought it could have been as big as the band's earlier hit 'Golden brown'. He blamed their record company for its disappointing performance, peaking at number 30 in the UK singles chart: 'We'd given CBS something great to work with and I could see in this guy's face that he knew he hadn't delivered'.

The single performed poorly in the Netherlands as well, stalling at number 35 in the Dutch Top 40, but it did reach number 15 in France.

My collection: 7" single no. 489
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Always the sun' / 'Norman normal'

No mercy - The Stranglers

The relationship with my brother has always been a bit strange. He was very much into music, and didn't have any scruples about how to get hold of records. So when I started buying records as a child, sometimes I had singles disappear on me. There was also the odd swap, but he always came out on top, because I had a lousy judgement when I was eight years old.

This single is a historic one, because it was the first single I got from him, no strings attached. It happened one sunny summers day in 1985, when I'd done some radio work for him. I didn't really like the song, but I was too baffled to say anything about it. Lucky I kept it, because I really like the song now. The single reached number 37 in the UK singles chart and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 259
Found: Den Haag
Cost: nothing
Tracks: 'No mercy' / 'In one door'

Skin deep - The Stranglers

The Stranglers released the album 'Aural sculpture' in 1984. It was recorded in Brussels with Laurie Latham and the band producing. The biggest hit from the album was 'Skin deep', released as its first single.

'Skin deep' reached number 11 in Australia and Ireland, number 15 in the UK and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1809
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 9, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Skin deep' / 'Here & there'

Golden brown - The Stranglers

According to Hugh Cornwell from the Stranglers, ''Golden Brown' works on two levels. It's about heroin and also about a girl'. Essentially the lyrics describe how 'both provided me with pleasurable times'. In an other interview drummer Jet Black quipped it was a song about Marmite. Even if harddrugs aren't your thing, this song is still worth listening to.

Released in December 1981, the single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2586
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Golden brown' / 'Love 30'