Biography
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Born
21 February 1952 (age 72)
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Born In
Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom
Jean-Jacques Burnel (born 21 February 1952 in London) also known as J.J. Burnel, is an Anglo-French musician and songwriter, best known as the bass guitarist with the British rock band, The Stranglers.
Burnel was born in London, to French parents on 21 February 1952. He moved with his parents to Godalming in Surrey when he was about twelve. Burnel originally trained as a classical guitarist, but adopted the bass guitar as his instrument within the Stranglers. He has also sung lead vocals on approximately 25% of their songs.
Burnel has been with The Stranglers since their inception in 1974, but has also made two solo albums Euroman Cometh in 1979, and Un Jour Parfait in 1988, as well as a collaborative album with fellow Strangler Dave Greenfield, Fire & Water in 1983.
Burnel is noted for his distinctive bass guitar sound, which is particularly prominent on earlier Stranglers recordings produced by Martin Rushent, such as the hit singles "No More Heroes" and "Peaches". The sound is aggressive and trebly, was created using a Fender Precision Bass with RotoSound roundwound strings played with a plectrum very close to the bridge, through a Hiwatt 200w amplifier with 2 Hiwatt 4*12 speaker cabinets. Such a cabinet was intended for electric guitar, and the speaker cones on Burnel's unit were damaged. He now uses an Ashdown rig as can be seen in the picture. J J Burnel has been a RotoSound endorsee since the early 1980s, and has featured in their advertising.
Despite only having lived there for a short period, Burnel received his call-up papers for National service in France. He avoided this service due to the argument that his absence would indirectly damage the Stranglers as a band, and therefore the careers of the other members.
He has also composed and performed some music for the anime, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, including both the opening and ending themes, "We Were Lovers", and "You Won't See Me Coming" respectively.
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