Punk survivors The Stranglers are so famous they have had a shoe named after them.

The band are celebrating their 25th anniversary with a tour which brings them to Bradford next week.

And to mark their quarter century, Dr Martens has produced a special, limited edition of the classic black boot traditionally worn by The Stranglers, with their rat logo embossed on the side.

Only three bands have previously been given the honour - the unlikely trio of Oasis, The Prodigy and All Saints.

But bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel said: "I've got a pair. But I don't think I'll be wearing them on tour because they're not worn in yet. I need to jump up and down in them.

"They're cool, though. They're the classic eight-hole DMs which I should have grown out of by now but haven't."

For Jean-Jacques, Wednesday's gig at St George's will be a nostalgic return to the city where he was a student.

"I have fantastic memories of the place," he said.

"I discovered curries. I lived in Wibsey with an eccentric guy who used to ride round on a Harley Davidson and had a totem pole.

"Bradford and Huddersfield and Leeds were just my stomping ground. I used to hang around a lot at the college union - that was where the girls were."

Being a Southerner with a French name meant he could have had a rough ride in Bradford - but at least he was used to it.

"When you're called Jean-Jacques at school, kids are cruel to anyone slightly different. My French name was enough to get me beaten up a few times," he said.

The Stranglers are the first of the punk rock bands to reach the 25-year milestone because they got together a couple of years before the movement properly started.

"We first formed in 1974. Our core of music that we rallied to was Sixties stuff. It wasn't what was current. We were into The Doors and we could only sustain two or three-minute songs," said Jean-Jacques.

"I certainly didn't intend making a career out of it although it's become a career. The very nature of the beast is that you have your two minutes of fame if you're lucky and then that's it.

"We're all well past our sell-by date but what it's all about is if you're still thriving on it basically and mentally you're still wanting to write stuff and perform stuff. I'd give up if I didn't enjoy it any more."

FOR tickets to see The Stranglers at St George's Hall, ring (01274) 752000.

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