Stiff
Little Fingers
While many of the punks with whom they shared a stage opted for a
brand of anger that was - at best - cosmetic, Ulster's Stiff
Little Fingers (the name came from a track on The
Vibrators'
debut album) were the genuine voice of youthful
outrage.
And they had plenty to be angry about - bitter sectarianism,
police and army intimidation - grievances which often exploded in
their music.
With sandpaper-throated frontman Jake Burns leading the way,
SLF released an auspicious debut album, Inflammable Material,
that featured the band's two best songs, Alternative Ulster
and Suspect Device. Both were passionate, ferocious songs
dealing with the harsh, deadly realities of growing up in the
middle of two decades of Northern Ireland's violence.
These songs thrust SLF into the limelight and got them loads of
enthusiastic press, which led to a contract with the decidedly
anti-punk Chrysalis label in 1980.
SLF released a handful of decent records - including a terrific
live album, Hanx - but their unregenerate fast and
loud punk style started to sound stale. In 1982, the band released
their most non-punk record (Now Then...), which was
greeted by general apathy.
In a musical rut, dogged by comparisons with The
Clash, and
with punk rock running out of steam, Burns pulled the plug on SLF.
After a string of unsuccessful solo singles and a stint as a
BBC Radio producer, Burns re-formed SLF in 1987 (with ex-Jam
bassist Bruce Foxton) in 1987.
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