Strawberry Switchblade & Altered Images : Classic Or Dud?

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Scotland's finest post-punkers or pop chancers?

― Ryan M, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

both unquestionably classic! as i've stated elsewhere.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I prefer the latter over the former, if truth be told. I don't think the `Switchblade ever managed a single as infectious as "Happy Birthday."

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Since Yesterday. Fuck you.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with Alex, "Since Yesterday" is all right but "Happy Birthday" is tremendous.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Both good but AI win by having more than one song.

― RickyT (RickyT), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

"since yesterday" is sublime and each listen reveals further detail and dimension in what deceptively seems like an elementary pop song. "happy birthday" is cute but there isn't much to it.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"happy birthday" is cute but there isn't much to it.

You're high again, Jody. "Happy Birthday" is the finest re-write of "Hong Kong Garden" ever.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Find Strawberry Switchblades version of Jolene. It's a classic.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

yes it is.

why are these bands being lumped together on this thread? are they the same band? blimey.

'Since Yesterday' is such a great song. I must look for "Since Yesterday - the Greatest Hits of Strawberry Switchblade".

I have an entertaining record by a group called Spell - one of the SS girls and Boyd Rice singing Hazlewood/Sinatra style songs.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

"See Those Eyes" is classic, "I Could Be Happy" is utterly sublime, "Don't Talk to Me About Love" isn't as great but the last 60 seconds or so worth of outro is fab, and after that the pickings get slim. BUT. Strawberry Switchblade was on the cartoon-goth side of the Great Goth Split (cartoon goth or Very Serious Goth?) and as we all know only Very Serious Goth is worth its salt, cartoon goth being essentially Good Charlotte in different clothes and with a smaller audience. I want to write "L.A. deathrock reppazent" but unfortunately cartoon goth won out in L.A., too. Damn it. So anyhow the point is Clare Grogan 0\/\/|\|z0r, all your base are belong to Clare

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 21:40 (twenty-two years ago)

don't forget "Love and Kisses" either!!

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

SS "Trees and Flowers" was a favorite of mine. Both classic!

― nickn (nickn), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 00:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Clare Grogan rocks the femme pop/rocker casbash. I hate that she's been trying so hard not to smile recently, though. I mean, she needn't be ashamed of her infectious poppy nature. It's partly why We Love Her.

And I happen to adore "Don't Talk to Me About Love". 'Tis my favorite Altered Images song.

― Just Deanna (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 01:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Since Yesterday is fantastic yo

― gareth (gareth), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Lots of AL love here : Altered Images CDSD

"Utter fucking majesty" I said. I still say so.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 07:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean AI love.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 07:45 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

'Happy Birthday's is kind of annoying, or so I thought when I was pop music's target market. 'Since Yesterday' is hauntingly beautiful. So Strawberry Switchblade win.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 26 January 2004 23:36 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

I like both bands. Of Strawberry Switchblade, my favorite song is "Since Yesterday", and of Altered Images, my favorite song is "I Could Be Happy". They both have good rhythms in them.

― Jared Adam Sklba, Friday, 30 April 2004 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I'd rate them both about the same. I spent a little more time with SS, but...I dunno. They're both pretty good. I actually played "Happy Birthday" tonight just on a whim as the record was in plain sight in one of my vinyl piles.

― bimble (bimble), Saturday, 1 May 2004 07:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Jelly Tots but they make my teeth hurt if I eat a whole packet.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 1 May 2004 11:32 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

REVIVE!

Altered Images, just because I've heard more, but both are quite, quire, lovely. If every Strawberry Switchblade song sounded as good as Since Yesterday then they'd be the Best Band In The World. Official.

Is it worth buying Altered Images albums? Which ones??

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

buy a best-of. there are probably 50 of them. make sure whatever one you buy includes the extended version of i could be happy. on the other hand, you could probably buy all of their albums on vinyl for under ten dollars total.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:04 (twenty years ago)

Cheers Scott, I've got their compilation from a couple of years ago, and its great and yes, you're right about I Could Be Happy - their best song that I've heard. I'm wondering about their other stuff. The prospect of John Peel singing on one of their tracks intigues me.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:07 (twenty years ago)

They sound a bit different to me. Strawberry Switchblade, whom I happen to have in my itunes, is a bit murkier or moodier? I guess I'm more nostalgic for that sort of feeling right now - it's more autumnal.

― mickey raft (mickeygraft), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

I think Peel whistled.

But I might be wrong.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

at the moment i'm feeling strawberry switchblade just a bit more.

― astor riviera (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

I've never heard Strawberry Switchblade. Might have to get some stuff off Slsk if they're anything like Altered Images, who were big favourites of mine when I was 5 years old (I still love them, of course!)

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

i don't think they're anything like altered images. i wish i could give a decent reference point, but they're sorta pop-goth-shoegaze. maybe like a less-pretentious cocteau twins, with lots of synths.

― astor riviera (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

Pop-goth-shoegaze with synths? Like Ghost Dance or something?

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 12:56 (twenty years ago)

Classic, both of them.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

REVIVE!

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Thursday, 1 June 2006 17:12 (twenty years ago)

Both more classic than not; advantage to AI largely on account of Clare Grogan's nickname.

― Pessimist (Pessimist), Thursday, 1 June 2006 17:36 (twenty years ago)

Having heard some more Strawberry Switchblade my favourite is now...

err...

ARGH I DON'T KNOW... probably still Altered Images because they never did a dreadful cover of "Jolene". But that aside, its hard to choose.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Thursday, 1 June 2006 19:40 (twenty years ago)

Both had some great tunes and some not so great tunes. There are single songs by them that are classic but I wouldn't call the acts classic.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 1 June 2006 20:20 (twenty years ago)

Finally...a very affordable Strawberry Switchblade Platinum Collection was released a few months ago - 16 tracks, cost me about $9 (incl. shipping) new from one of those Amazon sellers. I love how the intro of "Trees and Flowers" is half the song. Still, Altered Images win. And look on YouTube for their video of "I Could Be Happy"...egads!! You couldn't make a video more painfully '80s-looking if you tried.

― Ernest P. (ernestp), Thursday, 1 June 2006 23:07 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

Who knows what love is!

― OutdoorFish, Thursday, 11 September 2014 00:39 (eleven years ago)

I prefer Strawberry Switchblade, turned off by the little girly voice gimmick and people I knew who were kind of phony about them back in the day. Like, whee 80's party music with little girly people.

― Opus Gai (I M Losted), Thursday, 11 September 2014 00:48 (eleven years ago)

glad i missed that

― OutdoorFish, Thursday, 11 September 2014 00:50 (eleven years ago)

not a fan of gregory's girl?

― Philip Nunez, Thursday, 11 September 2014 00:57 (eleven years ago)

I remember that movie fondly

both bands good but SS veer into greatness

― sleeve, Thursday, 11 September 2014 01:27 (eleven years ago)

i love 'don't talk to me about love' so much, a very good 'heart of glass' knock-off with a classic scottish indie-pop guitar solo, and that 'yesterday's shatter, tomorrow's don't matter' chorus is all-time

― john wahey (NickB), Friday, 12 September 2014 08:54 (eleven years ago)

Ugh charlie brooker etc, this still made me laugh in his piece on independence:

in London’s last remaining DVD shop, Gregory’s Girl will quietly be re-categorised as “world cinema”.

Even tho' I am an AI loyalist, love the fact that Rose McDowall also made records w/ Coil, Nurse With Wound etc etc

― sʌxihɔːl (Ward Fowler), Friday, 12 September 2014 09:07 (eleven years ago)

wasn't she involved with Throbert Young at some point as well?

― mahb, Friday, 12 September 2014 12:49 (eleven years ago)

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