Today there are many varying styles of punk music, but whether talking about how growing up sucks, the state of affairs in the world, or the failures of political systems, they all share one thing in common: they’re bringing light to an issue or a cause that they feel is important enough to talk about. Our artist this week has been in the punk scene for 35 years and knows all about playing music for a cause. This week we bring you Stiff Little Fingers who helped set trends and standards in the punk world.
Formed in Belfast in 1977, Jake Burns was inspired to put together a punk band after seeing the Clash play. What one night of punk turned into was a career in the world of punk music and a name as a well-respected punk band. Several days after Burns’ encounter with the Clash, he turned out two of the band’s most notable and memorable songs, “Wasted Life,” and “Suspect Device” (which Ted Leo does an excellent cover of). With Burns’ raspy vocals backing the in-your-face tracks filled with the high-energy of the Clash’s early albums, it wasn’t long before Stiff Little Fingers were being compared to the Clash themselves.
In 1978 Stiff Little Fingers released their first LP and quite possibly their most highly acclaimed and unforgettable album, Inflammable Material which included the two songs mentioned above, as well as “Alternative Ulster” and a (spectacular) cover of Bob Marley’s “Johnny Was”. Gaining popularity, Stiff Little Fingers managed to gain a loyal following. It is easy to see why: as with any punk band, inspiration often comes from personal experience and Jake Burns had plenty to use. Fueled politically by turmoil in Ireland, Burns was able to reach inside, write, and sing about his perspective and understanding of the things around him. This later expanded to world events and Burns continues to write about political climates in his more recent material, keeping the punk ethos alive in his work.
Not everything was peachy for Stiff Little Fingers. As with many bands, they had their ups and downs throughout their musical career. Burns and bassist Ali McMordie had their disputes and in 1983 the band split, and four years later they got back together to write more music. Stiff Little Fingers have also gone through numerous line-ups with Burns being the constant throughout. McMordie was unable to commit his entire time to Stiff Little Fingers come the early nineties, so for about 15 years Bruce Foxton, former bassist of the Jam, had stepped in and been a member of the band until 2006 when he amicably departed. With Foxton’s departure, McMordie returned once again and remains with Stiff Little Fingers until this day.
Stiff Little Fingers are due to release a new album entitled Liars Club sometime in the near future (named after a bar Burns passed by while listening to news about particular politicians). While currently lacking a solid release date, fans and skeptics believe it will be released sometime this year to coincide with their 35th anniversary (though is it still a 35 year anniversary with a 4-year break-up?), but given the fact that it’s been in production for five years this blogger is hesitant to say anything with certainty. Despite the wait for the album, Stiff Little Fingers has earned its way into the punk history books and remains a vital part of any enthusiast’s punk collection. Fortunately you can still catch them for live shows, keeping their energy at peak and with Burns bouncing around stage as though he were 35 years younger. Get your fix below, and enjoy!
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