STIFF RECORDS
Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London, England, by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1985, the label was reactivated in 2007. Established at the outset of the punk rock boom, Stiff Records signed various punk and new wave acts such as Nick Lowe, The Damned, Lene Lovich, Wreckless Eric, Plummet Airlines, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and Devo. The label’s marketing and advertising was often provocative and witty billing itself as “The World’s Most Flexible Record Label”. (More from Wikipedia)
Ian Dury was signed early on with Stiff Records (I have always gotten good music on Stiff) and was the unexpected star on a tour of the label’s bands that was documented on an album that I bought called Live Stiffs.
(June 2011)
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Andy Colquhoun returned the favor to Mick Farren by playing bass and performing some vocals for an EP called Screwed Up that was released on Stiff Records under the name Mick Farren and the Deviants. In 1978, Andy was one of the bandmembers backing Farren on a really nice solo album with a great title, Vampires Stole My Lunch Money. Chrissie Hynde, the lead singer of Pretenders also performed on the album 18 months before their first album, Pretenders came out.
(August 2011)
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Album labels are one way to help narrow down a search. If you are an R.E.M. fan, then most of the albums on their label, I.R.S. Records will probably be to your liking as well. A good punk rock label is Stiff Records; I have scarcely ever gone wrong with them. A&M Records, the king of American independent record labels, has a wide variety of offbeat acts and some major artists as well (the “A” in the name is Herb Alpert).
(November 2012)
