Previously, I reviewed two compilation albums devoted to small, independent labels: Ork Records and Bomp! Records. But both these labels were domestic (American) labels, so it’s interesting to see what was happening (music-wise) in the mother country.
As far as modern music was concerned, the U.K., much like the U.S. was divided. After the breakup of The Beatles, there was a split between those who wanted to take pop and rock to the next level (progressive rock) and those who thought that writing pop songs between 2 and 4 minutes long was an art to be emulated (power pop). In the meantime, pub rock bands were threatening to become the next big thing; groups like Brinsley Schwarz, Roogalator, and Ducks Deluxe were all the rage. It took a few years to deflate the ambitions of these bands, leaving Dr. Feelgood as the only group to become popular.
Dr. Feelgood would soon become instrumental in the launch of Stiff Records. Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera were well-known London music business characters. Robinson had worked for Jimi Hendrix in the 1960s and has also managed Brinsley Schwarz. Riviera managed Dr. Feelgood, which was starting to become popular. The label was started with a loan of £400 from Lee Brilleaux of Dr. Feelgood.
The first single issued on Stiff was “So It Goes” b/w “Heart of the City” by Nick Lowe, the bassist/vocalist from Brinsley Schwartz, which had just broken up. Lowe now became the in-house producer for the label, and produced many of Stiff’s early singles, including “New Rose” by The Damned, in what is commonly regarded as the first punk rock single in the U.K.
In 1977, Stiff Records signed Wreckless Eric, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and The Adverts. After a series of disagreements with Robinson, Riviera left the label in early 1978, taking Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Yachts with him as a settlement package. He joined CBS Records, where he set up the short-lived Radar Records as a subsidiary label.
Deprived of some of their best talent, Stiff struggled on. In the meantime, Ian Dury’s debut LP, “New Boots and Panties!!” raced up the charts, keeping the label solvent the next few months. The next few years were Stiff Records’ salad days. Lene Lovich had several hits, including a cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Lucky Number”. Ian Dury released “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick”, Stiff’s first #1 hit. Devo did not sign with Stiff (they signed with Warner Brothers), but released their first single on the label, and they released “The Akron Compilation”, which consisted of Akron-based artists. After an initial single, Jane Aire and the Belvederes ultimately signed with Virgin Records, but she wasn’t going to make it, anyway, and Madness signed with them in 1979.
The labels success proved, however, to be short-lived. Stiff Records was dependent on hits from a handful of established artists such as Madness and Tracey Ullman. Towards the end of 1983, Robinson cut a deal with Island Records in which Island would buy 50 percent of Stiff Records, and Robinson would end up running both labels. Island was essentially broke, and Robinson had to lend them money to fund the purchase of Stiff. The deal went badly, as Robinson essentially neglected Stiff. Dave Robinson regained control of Stiff Records in 1985, but the damage was done. Hits by the Pogues and Furniture helped Stiff to survive for another twenty months, but the underlying causes of the failure of the Island deal finally became too burdensome for Stiff. Ironically, Stiff signed Dr. Feelgood in 1986. Dr. Feelgood had been dropped by United Artists in the early 1980s; they had been bouncing between independent labels and by 1986, were unsigned. They released two albums on Stiff: Brilleaux (1986) and Classic (1987). Stiff was acquired by ZTT in 1987, and they deactivated the label in 1988.
Four years later, Stiff released “The Stiff Records Box Set”. It’s by no means an exhaustive chronicle of the Stiff era, but it samples from the entire Stiff era (1976-87). There are multiple tracks from Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, Rachel Sweet, Wreckless Eric, Madness, Tenpole Tudor and other artists. There are also single tracks from notable artists like Dave Edmunds (who had a contract with Swan Song, but contributed to compilation albums), Richard Hell, Larry Wallis, Jane Aire and the Belvederes, Devo, and others.
I acquired this box set from a digital download. Having spent $7.68 for this set (thank you, Russian mp3 site), which is currently out of print and would cost $187.89 for new and $59.75 used, per Amazon, my expectations were immediately fulfilled. Those who acquired the box set in physical form, however, might have been a bit disappointed in the liner notes, as apparently there was very little real information about the label. I have not seen the liner notes, though. I would be somewhat disappointed as well; $187 pays for a lot of mp3s.
But for the casual fan, or someone who didn’t live through the era and wants to see what the fuss was about, “The Stiff Records Box Set” will likely be more than adequate. Completionists should seek out various compilation albums = those which did not get a CD release may be ripped from vinyl. [For the ones that have not been ripped to a digital format, there’s always thrift shops.] Also, there’s The Stiff Singles, which have been released in several volumes on Amazon. “The Stiff Records Box Set” may not be the final word on this label’s prodigious output, but it’s a good start.
