http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61361&variant=artist-playlists&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rssStiff Little Fingers' music has resonated for some 25-plus years because their songs meld personal experience with political ire. The members of Stiff Little Fingers – Jake Burns, Henry Cluney, Gordon Blaire (replaced by Ali McMordie) and Brian Faloon -- hail from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They were a New Wave cover band called Highway Star until one fateful night when they saw the Clash play live. Taking their name from a Vibrators' song, the band reinvented itself as Stiff Little Fingers, and started doing punk covers. Journalist Gordon Ogilvie saw them perform live one night, and liked what he heard enough to approach Burns. Ogilvie encouraged the band to write original material, and Burns took the advice to heart, penning "Suspect Device" and "Wasted Life" in the days that followed. Ogilvie helped the band start their own label, Rigid Digits, and together, they pressed up 350 copies of the single -- one of which went to legendary British DJ, John Peel. Peel played the single every night on his BBC Radio 1 show, and the demand for it grew so profoundly that Rough Trade stepped in to distribute it. By October, 1978, Stiff Little Fingers released their first "proper" single on Rough Trade, "Alternative Ulster." The song, which Burns has often introduced as a "song about nothing to do," would go on to become a punk rock classic, and an anthem of sorts for the Irish Catholics of Belfast. By the end of the year, SLF released, <I>Inflammable Material</I> and it debuted in the charts at number 14. With a handful of songs about the personal side of Northern Irish politics, the band made its mark. When, in 1979, the band decided to move to London, Brian Faloon decided to stay in Belfast. The heartache this caused the band surfaced in the song, "Wait and See." In the meantime, SLF recruited Jim Reilly to fill in on drums, and without missing a beat, released the blistering single, "Gotta Get Away." Chrysalis Records signed the band and in 1980, Stiff Little Fingers released <I>Nobody's Heroes</I>, which showed the band broadening its scope both musically and lyrically. Perhaps it was the fact that SLF couldn't get out from under the "Irish Clash" tag that dogged them throughout their career, but in 1981, the band shifted into a more pop-oriented sound, and released <I>Go For It</I>. The addition of horns and the continuing flirtation with the punk/reggae hybrid confused many fans. To get back on track, the band released a scorching live album, <I>Hanx!</I>, which successfully captured the Stiff Little Fingers at their most incendiary. Another personnel shake-up ensued, as Jim Reilly left the band to explore greener pastures in America, where he eventually joined the Red Rockers. Back at home, the band were fighting their own battles. With the release of <I>Now Then</I> in 1982, Stiff Little Fingers had all but lost their core audience and despite mostly positive press on the album, the band couldn't muster the fan support. In 1983, Stiff Little Fingers called it quits. Various incarnations of the band, including one that features the Jam's Bruce Foxton, continue to tour and record well into the new millennium. - Linda RyanOld School Punken720Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:09:22 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61361&variant=artist-playlists&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Stiff Little Fingers' music has resonated for some 25-plus years because their songs meld personal experience with political ire. The members of Stiff Little Fingers – Jake Burns, Henry Cluney, Gordon Blaire (replaced by Ali McMordie) and Brian Faloon -- hail from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They were a New Wave cover band called Highway Star until one fateful night when they saw the Clash play live. Taking their name from a Vibrators' song, the band reinvented itself as Stiff Little Fingers, and started doing punk covers. Journalist Gordon Ogilvie saw them perform live one night, and liked what he heard enough to approach Burns. Ogilvie encouraged the band to write original material, and Burns took the advice to heart, penning "Suspect Device" and "Wasted Life" in the days that followed. Ogilvie helped the band start their own label, Rigid Digits, and together, they pressed up 350 copies of the single -- one of which went to legendary British DJ, John Peel. Peel played the single every night on his BBC Radio 1 show, and the demand for it grew so profoundly that Rough Trade stepped in to distribute it. By October, 1978, Stiff Little Fingers released their first "proper" single on Rough Trade, "Alternative Ulster." The song, which Burns has often introduced as a "song about nothing to do," would go on to become a punk rock classic, and an anthem of sorts for the Irish Catholics of Belfast. By the end of the year, SLF released, <I>Inflammable Material</I> and it debuted in the charts at number 14. With a handful of songs about the personal side of Northern Irish politics, the band made its mark. When, in 1979, the band decided to move to London, Brian Faloon decided to stay in Belfast. The heartache this caused the band surfaced in the song, "Wait and See." In the meantime, SLF recruited Jim Reilly to fill in on drums, and without missing a beat, released the blistering single, "Gotta Get Away." Chrysalis Records signed the band and in 1980, Stiff Little Fingers released <I>Nobody's Heroes</I>, which showed the band broadening its scope both musically and lyrically. Perhaps it was the fact that SLF couldn't get out from under the "Irish Clash" tag that dogged them throughout their career, but in 1981, the band shifted into a more pop-oriented sound, and released <I>Go For It</I>. The addition of horns and the continuing flirtation with the punk/reggae hybrid confused many fans. To get back on track, the band released a scorching live album, <I>Hanx!</I>, which successfully captured the Stiff Little Fingers at their most incendiary. Another personnel shake-up ensued, as Jim Reilly left the band to explore greener pastures in America, where he eventually joined the Red Rockers. Back at home, the band were fighting their own battles. With the release of <I>Now Then</I> in 1982, Stiff Little Fingers had all but lost their core audience and despite mostly positive press on the album, the band couldn't muster the fan support. In 1983, Stiff Little Fingers called it quits. Various incarnations of the band, including one that features the Jam's Bruce Foxton, continue to tour and record well into the new millennium. - Linda Ryan http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.29557129&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Rock/Pop Fri, 7 Aug 2009 09:42:06 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 29557129 ply.29557129 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.29557129&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.28536140&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:04:53 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 28536140 ply.28536140 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.28536140&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.26671670&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Mon, 7 Sep 2009 09:54:23 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little 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on Rhapsody Online 20932947 ply.20932947 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20932947&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20829381&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Sat, 2 Aug 2008 06:27:13 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 20829381 ply.20829381 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20829381&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17718426&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:06:49 -0800 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 17718426 ply.17718426 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17718426&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.15347706&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Wed, 2 Jul 2008 08:33:27 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 15347706 ply.15347706 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.15347706&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.14008455&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:42:30 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 14008455 ply.14008455 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.14008455&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.13537792&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Fri, 9 Jan 2009 11:58:17 -0800 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody Online 13537792 ply.13537792 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.13537792&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.13173917&variant=play&rws=%2Fstiff-little-fingers%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Fri, 4 Sep 2009 17:16:31 -0700 Playlists Featuring Stiff Little Fingers on Rhapsody 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