No More Heroes (album)

No More Heroes is the second studio album by English new wave band The Stranglers. It was released on 23 September 1977, through record label United Artists, five months after their debut album, Rattus Norvegicus.

Background

No More Heroes was produced by Martin Rushent. The album consists of new material with three songs left over from the Rattus Norvegicus sessions ("Something Better Change", "Bitching" and "Peasant in the Big Shitty").

The album cover features a photo of a wreath placed on a coffin with the tails of several rats (The Stranglers' trademark). The brass plaque on the album cover was engraved by Steven Stapleton of Nurse with Wound.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by The Stranglers (Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Dave Greenfield, Jet Black).

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Feel Like a Wog"	3:16
2.	"Bitching"	4:25
3.	"Dead Ringer"	2:46
4.	"Dagenham Dave"	3:18
5.	"Bring on the Nubiles"	2:15
6.	"Something Better Change"	3:35

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"No More Heroes"	3:27
2.	"Peasant in the Big Shitty"	3:25
3.	"Burning Up Time"	2:25
4.	"English Towns"	2:13
5.	"School Mam"	6:52

2001 reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
12.	"Straighten Out"	2:46)
13.	"Five Minutes"	3:18)
14.	"Rok It to the Moon"	2:47

Release

Released on 23 September 1977, No More Heroes became one of the band's highest charting releases, peaking at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and staying in the chart for eighteen weeks.^[3]

Two singles were released from the album: "No More Heroes", and a double A-side of "Something Better Change" and the non-album track "Straighten Out". A further non-album single was released later that year, "5 Minutes" b/w "Rok It to the Moon".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[4]
Trouser Press	favourable^[5]

No More Heroes has been praised by retrospective critics. AllMusic called No More Heroes "faster, nastier and better [than Rattus Norvegicus]. "At this point The Stranglers were on top of their game, and the ferocity and anger that suffuses this record would never be repeated."^[4] Trouser Press wrote that No More Heroes "continues in the same vein [as Rattus Norvegicus], but drops whatever hint of restraint may have been in force the first time around. Rude words and adult themes abound, with no punches pulled, from the blatant sexism of "Bring on the Nubiles" to the sarcastic attack on racism ("I Feel Like a Wog") to the suicide of a friend ("Dagenham Dave"). Despite the increased virulence, the music is even better than on the debut, introducing pop stylings that would later become a more common aspect of the Stranglers' character", finishing the review with "No More Heroes is easily [The Stranglers'] best album."^[5]

Reissue

No More Heroes was remastered and reissued in 2001, including the additional tracks from the singles.

Personnel

The Stranglers

Hugh Cornwell – guitars, lead† and backing vocals
Jean-Jacques Burnel – bass guitar, lead and backing vocals
Dave Greenfield – keyboards (Hammond L100 Organ, Hohner Cembalet electric piano, Minimoog synthesizer), lead and backing vocals
Jet Black – drums, percussion

Technical

Martin Rushent – production
Alan Winstanley – engineering
Nigel Brooke-Harte – mixing, engineering assistance
Doug Bennett – mixing
JONZ (John Dent) – mastering
Eamonn O'Keefe – sleeve photography solarisation
Trevor Rogers – sleeve photography
The Red Room – artwork design
Paul Henry – sleeve design and art direction

References

↑ Album page on Allmusic.com
↑ Freakier Zone. 29 September 2012. BBC 6.
↑ "Stranglers | Artist | Official Charts". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
1 2 Dougan, John. "No More Heroes – The Stranglers : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. AllRovi. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
1 2 Robbins, Ira. "trouserpress.com :: Stranglers". trouserpress.com. Retrieved 27 April 2013.

External links

No More Heroes at Discogs (list of releases)

The Stranglers

Jet Black J. J. Burnel Dave Greenfield Baz Warne Hugh Cornwell Hans Wärmling Paul Roberts John Ellis

Studio albums	Rattus Norvegicus No More Heroes Black and White The Raven The Gospel According to the Meninblack La folie Feline Aural Sculpture Dreamtime 10 Stranglers in the Night About Time Written in Red Coup de Grace Norfolk Coast Suite XVI Giants

Live albums	Live at the Hope and Anchor Live (X Cert) All Live and All of the Night Saturday Night, Sunday Morning Access All Areas The Stranglers and Friends – Live in Concert Friday the Thirteenth Live at the Hammersmith Odeon '81 5 Live 01 Live at the Apollo Apollo Revisited Coast to Coast: Live on Tour Live at the Apollo 2010 (DVD & CD)

Compilations	IV The Collection 1977–1982 Off the Beaten Track Rarities (1998) Singles (The UA Years) Greatest Hits 1977–1990 All Twelve Inches The Early Years '74 '75 '76 Rare Live and Unreleased Strangled from Birth and Beyond The Sessions The Hit Men The Best of the Epic Years The Collection Collection Hits Collection The Stranglers The Masters Lies and Deception Peaches: The Very Best of The Stranglers Rarities (2002) Out of the Black Sweet Smell of Success – Best of the Epic Years Live 'n' Sleazy Miss You Gold The Very Best of The Stranglers Decades Apart

Singles	"(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" "Choosey Susie" "Peaches" "Something Better Change" "No More Heroes" "5 Minutes" "Nice 'n' Sleazy" "Walk On By" "Duchess" "Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)" "Don't Bring Harry" "Bear Cage" "Who Wants The World?" "Thrown Away" "Just Like Nothing On Earth" "Let Me Introduce You to the Family" "Golden Brown" "La Folie" "Strange Little Girl" "European Female" "Midnight Summer Dream" "Paradise" "Skin Deep" "No Mercy" "Let Me Down Easy" "Nice In Nice" "Always The Sun" "Big In America" "Shakin' Like A Leaf" "All Day and All of the Night" "96 Tears" "Sweet Smell Of Sucess" "Heaven Or Hell" "Sugar Bullets" "Lies And Deception" "In Heaven She Walks" "Big Thing Coming" "Long Black Veil" "Spectre of Love" "Retro Rockets" "Mercury Rising"

Other songs	"Hanging Around" "Tramp"

Special projects	Clubbed to Death

DVD releases	The Collection 1977–1982 Live At Alexandra Palace Friday the Thirteenth Euro Live On Stage on Screen Rattus at the Roundhouse Live at the Apollo 2010 (DVD & CD)

Related	Discography Faith Band Soulsec Martin Rushent Celia and the Mutations

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