The former Stranglers frontman returns with his latest solo record, a two disc affair taking aim at 20th Century heroes and villains, geniuses and superstars. ‘Monster’ is out now.

Subjects include everyone from music legends Lou Reed (on ‘Mr. Leather’) and Mose Allison (‘Mosin’), to ’70s stuntman Evel Knievel (‘Pure Evel’), 1940s Hollywood star Hedy Lamarr (‘The Most Beautiful Girl In Hollywood’), Sgt Bilko star Phil Silvers (‘Bilko’), Italian dictator Benito Mussolini (‘Duce Coochie Man’) and Zimbabwe ex-president Robert Mugabe (‘Robert’).

Available on 2CD or 2LP gatefold vinyl – ORDER HERE

“These are people who have defied categorisation,” Hugh explains. “I’ve spent my whole life trying to defy categorisation. If someone wants to put me into some sort of a box, I’ll do my best to defy it. You could call it being obstreperous, but it’s also got something to do with being drawn to people who are dichotomous.”

The album’s companion disc – ‘Restoration’ – sees Hugh returning to previous Stranglers classics, recording acoustic versions of the likes of ‘Always the Sun’, ‘Outside Tokyo’, ‘Don’t Bring Harry’, ‘Let Me Down Easy’, and of course the original song dedicated to the 20th Century’s monsters, ‘No More Heroes’.

Hugh will also be touring the UK throughout November (see below for tour dates). Tickets are available now – ORDER HERE

See below for full tracklisting and tour dates.

‘Monster’

1. Pure Evel
2. La Grande Dame
3. The Most Beautiful Girl in Hollywood
4. Mosin’
5. Mr. Leather
6. Bilko
7. Robert
8. Monster
9. Attack of the Major Sevens
10. Duce Coochie Man

‘Restoration’

1. Outside Tokyo
2. Let Me Down Easy
3. Souls
4. Don’t Bring Harry
5. Goodbye Toulouse
6. Ships That Pass In The Night
7. Never Say Goodbye
8. No More Heroes
9. Big in America
10. Always The Sun

UK Tour:

Thurs 1 Nov – Southend Chinnerys
Fri 2 Nov – Stoke Sugarmill
Sat 3 Nov – Manchester Club Academy
Sun 4 Nov – Oxford Academy 2
Tues 6 Nov – Islington Academy
Weds 7 Nov – Bristol Fleece
Thurs 8 Nov – Chester Live Rooms
Fri 9 Nov – Kendal Brewery Arts
Sat 10 Nov – Clitheroe Grand
Sun 11 Nov – Stockton Georgian Theatre
Tues 13 Nov – Newcastle Cluny
Weds 14 Nov – Glasgow Oran Mor
Thurs 15 Nov – Dundee Beat Generator
Fri 16 Nov – Dumfries The Venue
Sat 17 Nov – York Fibbers
Sun 18 Nov – Brighton Concorde 2