THE STRANGLERS rocker JEAN-JACQUES BURNEL blames a fight he had with THE CLASH bassist PAUL SIMONON for almost wrecking his band's career in the mid-1970s.
Bass player Burnel and Stranglers keyboardist DAVE GREENFIELD both became involved in a brawl that turned the British music press against them.
Burnell says, "In 1976, when we supported the RAMONES, I had a punch-up with Paul Simonon from The Clash, and that was seen by everyone.
"Dave had JOHN LYDON (SEX PISTOLS frontman JOHNNY ROTTEN) up against a transit van, while (The Clash frontman) JOE STRUMMER and (The Stranglers guitarist) HUGH CORNWELL stood at the side, saying, 'I think your bass player is having a thing with my bass player.'
"Ever since that, the press were against us. Those journalists are dead or retired and the people reviewing our records now don't know about all that b**locks."
