1997
A quiet year on the road around the release of the third solo album, *Guilty* (27 May 1997 on Madfish): a London club date in June, a Dingwalls show in August, two promotional dates in Greece in October, and a private party in November. From the end of September, Hugh slimmed the live band down to a four-piece—two guitars, bass and drums—for his first performances without keyboards, producing a more psychedelic live sound. Hugh's version of the Stephen Stills song For What It's Worth was released on 24 November as part of the three-CD charity collection *Peace On Earth*, alongside artists including Mary Black, Carter USM and Billy Bragg. Released on Dressed For Peace and distributed by Pinnacle, the collection was delayed from its planned Remembrance Day release by legal issues and was originally titled *Poppies*. David Buckley's authorised and uncensored Stranglers biography *No Mercy* appeared in hardback and paperback that autumn. A website release of Hugh's unreleased 36-minute soundtrack to the 1985 French short film *L'étoile de sang* was also being considered but had not been confirmed. The ambient soundtrack featured Alex Gifford and Dagmar Krause and comprised Whales; Whaling On The Beach; English Walk; Out Come The Tears (instrumental); Siren At The Abyss; Encounters; and Out Come The Tears (vocal by Krause).
🎙️ = a recording of this show exists
- Feb 1997Interview in *HIS Magazine*, Volume 2 Issue 1—Hugh discussed the forthcoming *Guilty* live line-up and said Mike Polson had been recruited to reproduce the album's layered guitar arrangements. He intended to concentrate on new material rather than earlier solo or Stranglers songs and jokingly floated *Uneasy Listening* as a possible next-album title. Hugh confirmed Laurie Latham was expected to produce the next album and described their six-month *Guilty* collaboration. He also discussed acting ambitions and a previously completed tequila advertisement directed by Tim Pope
- 05 Jun 1997 🎙️100 ClubLondon, EnglandHugh's first London concert in approximately 18 months. Mike Polson played guitar, combining Hugh's layered parts from *Guilty* under a deliberately faithful brief. The set contained no Stranglers songs. During the preceding rehearsals the band worked on the new “Live It And Breathe It” and “Leave Me Alone”; “Who, When And Where” was tried but set aside. Corroborated by a cover photo (Paul Lindop) in the HIS Newsletter No 11 (Aug/Sep 1997); the same issue notes that VH1 TV had recorded the gig for later broadcast, but "someone somewhere welched on the deal" and the broadcast never happened. The HIS Magazine (Feb 1997, Vol 2 Issue 1) had announced this VH1 recording plan in advance
- Jun 1997Interview with Stephen Baker and Paul Davies—Hugh discussed the 100 Club show, the making and promotion of *Guilty*, his band and collaboration with producer Laurie Latham. He named three songs then intended for a future album: “Thirsty,” “Lost In The Goddess Of The First House” and “One Day At A Time.” He also explained that “Jesus Will Weep” and “Hungry Enough” had been recorded but omitted from *Guilty*, and described his HIS Records/Snapper arrangement as giving him full artistic control
- Spring–Jun 1997 (dates unknown)HMV and Virgin record shopsUnited KingdomPromotional in-store performances around *Guilty*. Hugh said the retailers had continued supporting him after similar appearances promoting “Everybody” two years earlier; exact branches and dates were not given. A HIS Magazine "Stop Press" (Feb 1997, Vol 2 Issue 1) flagged a tentative in-store on "either 27th May or 4th June" at "a major London record store," not independently confirmed
- 26 May 1997Tuckers GraveNorton St Philip/Faulkland, Somerset, EnglandWarm-up gig ahead of the 100 Club show, per the HIS Magazine (Feb 1997, Vol 2 Issue 1); the same cider-house venue (there spelled "Tuckers Grove") had also hosted a warm-up gig for the May 1993 Big Country tour
- 29 May 1997 🎙️Virgin RadioUnited KingdomRadio session, 7-8.30pm, including a short interview; per the HIS Magazine (Feb 1997, Vol 2 Issue 1)
- 05 Jun 1997 🎙️Robert Elms Show (GLR)United KingdomTwo songs played live plus a short chat, 10.30am-12pm, same day as the 100 Club show; per the HIS Magazine (Feb 1997, Vol 2 Issue 1)
- 28 Aug 1997DingwallsCamden Lock, London, EnglandHugh Cornwell and band; set included unreleased songs: Leave Me Alone; Live It & Breathe It; Putting You In The Shade; The Big Sleep. Contemporary photograph credited to Magnus Johansson. Date and venue corroborated by a Daily Mirror listing on the British Newspaper Archive: "Dingwalls, Camden Lock... Hugh Cornwell, Swear (Aug 28, 7.30pm)"
- 24 Sep 1997 🎙️(UK Living TV studio)United KingdomLive TV performance of "Torture Garden" on the satellite channel UK Living, 3pm, per the HIS Newsletter No 11 (Aug/Sep 1997)
- 01 Oct 1997 🎙️King Tut'sGlasgow, Scotland
- 04 Oct 1997 🎙️BBC Radio 4 ("Loose Ends")United KingdomLive performance of one or two songs plus an interview, broadcast 10-11am, per the HIS Newsletter No 11 (Aug/Sep 1997)
- 31 Oct 1997Rodon ClubAthens, GreeceRadio/press promotion plus a live date; first tour without a keyboardist; support from Big Sleep. The Greek shows featured the full *Guilty* set plus Grip (in the style of the original recording), No Mercy, Strange Little Girl, and a semi-acoustic solo Always The Sun. Date/venue from a period gig poster ("ΡΟΔΟΝ LIVE ATHENS OCTOBER 31"), corroborated across three independent poster listings, and independently by the HIS Newsletter No 11 (Aug/Sep 1997) gig list (which renders the venue "Roden Club," evidently a misreading of "Rodon")
- 01 Nov 1997Mylos ClubThessaloniki, GreeceRadio/press promotion plus a live date. The Greek shows featured the full *Guilty* set plus Grip (in the style of the original recording), No Mercy, Strange Little Girl, and a semi-acoustic solo Always The Sun. Date and venue resolved (from a previously undated, unnamed entry) per the HIS Newsletter No 11 (Aug/Sep 1997) gig list
- 02 Nov 1997 🎙️City FMLiverpool, EnglandRadio session
- 07 Nov 1997K2Liverpool, EnglandPer the HIS Newsletter No 11 (Aug/Sep 1997) gig list; set to include four then-unreleased songs (Leave Me Alone; Live It And Breathe It; Putting You In The Shade; The Big Sleep, dedicated to the late Robert Mitchum) and a new cover of the Byrds' "Thoughts And Words"
- 14 Nov 1997Private party (venue unspecified)Covent Garden, London, EnglandHugh Cornwell and band; performed every track from *Guilty* except Sravandrabellagola, which could not be played without a keyboard player
- 1997 (date unknown) 🎙️Dutch radio stationsNetherlandsRadio sessions; Setlist/session tracks: Torture Garden; Hot Head; Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit; Golden Brown (acoustic); First Bus To Babylon (acoustic); One Burning Desire (acoustic); Nerves Of Steel ("Lou Reed!"); Grip; Not Hungry Enough; Five Miles High; Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit; Long Dead Train; Cold Turkey; Hot Head; One Burning Desire
- 1997 (date unknown) 🎙️Victoria InnDerby, EnglandSetlist: Long Dead Train; Nerves Of Steel; Snapper; Torture Garden; Hanging Around; Goodbye Toulouse; Tramp; Gingerbread Girl; Big Sleep; Dead Loss Angeles; Mothra; Midnight Summer Dream; Ships That Pass In The Night; Wasted Tears. Recording note: "Ships That Pass In The Night" is cut