I see there was yet more cock-sucking of Factory Records on BBC4 last night. Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of New Order, but if there's a lesson in how not to run a record company, then that's it. Besides, they only produced three successful bands - two if Ian Curtis hadn't been such a selfish bastard. They made a good film about it though.
Anyway, one record company that's had the full BBC4 treatment (only the once, mark you. Not the annual one Factory gets) is Stiff Records. I can never understand why that record company is never mentioned in the same breath as those other greats: Tamla Motown, Island, Stax and Atlantic. It had the same 'music/artist first' ethos and family vibe of all those others.
In the spirit of Lazy You Tube embedding - which I haven't done much of in this blog - here's some of my favourite Stiff songs.
By the way, there's a great photo of Rush's Geddy Lee in an 'If it ain't Stiff it ain't worth a fuck' t-shirt, but I can't find it on the interweb.
I love Ian Dury. I've always fancied writing my own version of Reasons To Be Cheerful but never got past 'Master of Puppets/Beaker from The Muppets'
The greatest punk song ever.
Not strictly Stiff, but without Dr Feelgood, Stiff wouldn't have existed. Wilko Johnson is God.
If you hear this and don't want to dance, preferably whilst wearing a fez, then there are no egg custards for you at my house.
I always loved this record, but as a kid could never understand why he was in the kitchen at parties. The kitchen was where all the parents hung out, there was no jelly or musical statues in there.
A finer song about song about forbidden and hidden love is yet to be written. Much missed Chez Ambassador.
So many memories attached to this song. The greatest move The Wheatsheaf ever made was to put Pogues albums on their jukebox, this was always timed to come on at closing time on a Saturday, with their take on Dirty Old Town preceding it. I've spilt many drinks and smoked many gaspers to this one.
4 comments:
This is aces. I must be autistic, but I always watch that Beeb Stiff documentary when it's on (which seems to be every week), as the music is so great. And when I was out on Thursday, the club played Richard Hell's I Belong To The Blank Generation, which was just perfect.
Yeah, I've seen it a couple of times; it's a great story with great people and great music.
What a pity Elvis Costello only released one single on Stiff, then I could have put some of his stuff in that post, but Watching the Detectives isn't one of my faves.
I remember a huge row with my Mum because she wouldn't let me go to the 'Live Stiffs' tour when I was 15. Lene Lovich, Rachel Sweet, Mickey Jupp and Jona Lewie were but part of the line-up. I still haven't forgiven her.
What a rare grouping of fresh original talent it was.
Rachel Sweet? I forgot to put her in that post.
"Pur-LEEASE don't call me baby"
Post a Comment