Hugh Cornwell and The Primitives to play at The Apex later this month
As leader of The Stranglers, Hugh Cornwell (pictured above) was the main songwriter of all the band’s most memorable songs and their first qo albums, and he is set to appear at The Apex, later this month.
Their 1977 debut “Rattus Norvegicus” featured songs “Peaches” and “(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)”.
Follow up albums “No More Heroes”, “Black and White”, “The Raven” and “The Gospel According To The MenInBlack” gave rise to 23 Top 40 singles, including “Something Better Change”, “No More Heroes”, “Nice n Sleazy” and “Duchess”.
Cornwell’s status as a unique songwriter and musician was further consolidated with “Golden Brown” which reached number 2 in the UK singles charts.
In 1989, after releasing his final album “10” with the Stranglers, Hugh felt the group was stalling.
“It became a job – we should have put suits on, it was so corporate,” he explains, and so he embarked on a solo career.
His most recent release, 2022’s “Moments of Madness” is an album of acute, pithy and witty observations and social commentary with offbeat 60s vibe, ringing with seductive melodies and distinctive lyrics.
The Primitives emerged from the UK independent music scene of the mid-1980s with a sound that distilled the shimmering guitar chime of The Byrds, the buzzsaw style of The Ramones and 60’s girl group melodies into two-and-a-half-minute pop gems.
After topping the indie singles chart several times, their widely acclaimed first album, “Lovely”, made them one of the UK’s revered alternative rock acts, while the international success of the single “Crash” saw them cross over to a mass audience.
In 2008, Mojo Magazine named The Primitives’ second single “Really Stupid” one of the top 40 greatest UK indie singles of all time.
The band called it a day in 1992, but members Tracy Tracy (vocals), Paul Court (guitar/vocals) and Tig Williams (drums) reunited in 2009.
Since reforming, The Primitives have released two EPs and an album of new songs and toured the UK multiple times.
Hugh Cornwell and The Primitives are at The Apex on Wednesday, January 17, at 8pm. See www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information or to book tickets.