i seem to be going through a stranglers revival, i really liked that band and now i can't stop listening to them. they were probably the most interesting punk band in the sense that they did change their direction many times, and challenge their audience to the point of loosing them and then gaining a new one. they were loud, brash, sexist, menacing, un-apologetically following their own star until hugh cornwall discovered heroin and wrote 'golden brown' a song that was top of the pops globally. 
with a record label expecting a follow up hit they released a 14 minite waltz sung in french. that was the stranglers, sticking it to the man all the way. they imploded due to internal friction and regrouped without hugh. sad but they still pushed forwards and made some great songs. 
to see them live was a joy, everyone wearing black and sneering, part goth part punk, a strange hybrid that worked for me.

possibly the most obtuse stranglers album is, 'the men in black'  but i personally really liked the two albums 'feline' and 'la folie.' the strange energy of these two albums, slow and strangely electronic, not pop songs or rock, something different.

the band had a keyboard player called dave greenfield, he was amazing and accomplished, slightly autistic. it would not be unusual to hear him playing harpsichord, mellatron, hammond or baby grand. they guy was a wizard on the keyboard. one of my fave songs is the kick ass cover of 'walk on by' which has the delivery of a man who is really feeling it. not love in it's classic post romance incarnation but love as an angry bitter energy. 

it really is a great song, dionne warwick's version pales into insignificance after this version. i am pretty sure i still have the single somewhere.

'just go for a stroll in the trees...' 

and then cue dave greenfield banging away and that power bass from old jj. it's so rare a cover outclasses the original. but listen good.

i guess the stranglers are quintessentially a london band but jj was a frenchman, and he plays base unlike anyone else, always pumping along relentlessly. brilliant.

dave and the drummer jet black are dead now but the band still carries onward, not quite the same but still interesting. ever changing yet keeping that distinctive sound.

as far as lyrics, go check out 'genetix' from the album the raven or 'no more heroes anymore.'

a band singing about genetic modification and gene splicing in one song and leon trotsky, sancho panza in another. 

not my fave band but a worthy band, 'the stranglers.'