STIFFS REVIEWS

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Review from 'KERRANG !' magazine 19 May 2001
KKKK ( Blinding )
Punk rock gem gets released over 20 years after it was recorded.
When obsessive fans of one particular style of music have exhausted the cream of
the crop and still crave more, there`s only one place left to look and that`s the utterly
obscure.  Over the last few years , a massive underground bootleg market selling
obscenely rare Punk rock singles has sprung up in the shape of the "Killed by Death"
and "Bloodstains" series and the demand for bands that no-one really gave a shit
about at the time is actually quite worrying !
This retrospective release by English Punk rock 'almost-got-theres ',The Stiffs ,
however, is quite a find, brandishing all the fiery spirit and melody
of the era ,with it`s Stiff Little Fingers / Damned inspired raw Pop punk.
Like most things , an explosion of a new style of music is always
better the first time around and the Stiffs are definitely one of the era`s
better kept secrets that`s only just been let out. Smart !

This is the album Zonophone (EMI) should've put out all of 20 years ago!!!! But due to
EMI's utter lack of respect for raw talent and management hassles (check out 'Over The
Balcony' coz revenge is sweet and funny), the Stiffs were criminally overlooked.
The whole sorry tale is spelt out in the fateful 'Nothing To Lose'. Moving on 2 decades
and at last EMI finally let the public hear one of their finer hidden gems stashed away in
some dusty vault.
The Stiffs were a band much held in high regard from their fanatical army of local
fans and new ones picked up along the way via impressive 45's and lively gigs.
So why no push or bigger claim to fame compared with less articulate punk outfits?
Just listen to 'Standard English', immortalised on here, for the reason why.
Y'see northern lads were deemed inferior by London bigwigs who'd rather sell
a less talented bunch of oiks from Chelsea or Camden. But this album demonstrates geographically as well as stereophonically that there was a rapid pulse beating outside
the metropolis!
'Innocent Bystanders' is a more streamlined CD than the earlier, impressive
Captain Oi release. Coz we get just 16 great blasts of raw punk power, that makes for a
great debut now or then.
The 2 extra inferior demo version tracks might've been improved on with the
inclusion of 'Chelsea Girls' or 'Yer Under Attack'. But let's not get fickle here ha!
Ever wanted to know what that much touted description 'power chords'
sounded like in real time? Well put this fucker on and you'll hear for yourself!
This CD is one of the few examples of it in real action. The Stiffs could harness
that power and strap beefy tunes to it's volatile back with ease. This album puts
the 'power chord' ghost to rest.
Maybe the word melodic lulls you into a false sense of security coz The Stiffs
are a band who had that too. But we ain't talking no pansys hiding behind
a brickwall production. Oh no, their tunes were packed full of dynamite inside the studio
booth as well as on stage. Take the rampaging 'Volume Control' for evidence. In fact ,
we are inundated with classic Stiffs like 'Innocent Bystander' (bycicle vandals), 'Magic Roundabout', 'Brookside Riot Squad' plus a couple of newies.
This album is the Stiffs at their best....cocked, loaded and playing atmospheric punk
rock. And is proven by a lot of newer punks discovering this band for the first time,
better late than never!  WORLD CONTENDER
Comes in a colorful glossy booklet detailing the full bloodied story. My only regret
is no lyrics included, but you get an added bonus of a heart to heart interview with
the much respected Stiffs leader Phil Hendriks, spilling the goods to local Blackburn
fan and Pistols author Alan Parker.

The Stiffs. A name unfamiliar to most, so let me elucidate. Hailing from Blackburn in Lancashire, they started gigging in 1977 although it would be 1980 before they secured a recording contract. A trifle late, as their style (at least initially) was decidedly punky.

Like on the opening track Crazy Mixed-Up Emotion from 1981, with a great hookline and chorus. Like any up and coming band, they managed to secure a BBC "John Peel" session, which included the great Hook In Your Heart and Standing Ovation, both again complete with infectious hooks that'll have you humming along like a long-time fan. These sessions are also notable for including BBC producer (and one-time Mott The Hoople drummer) Dale Griffin on drums after their sticksman couldn't make the session.

A name change to Idol Rich failed to have the desired effect, despite the strength of the material (such as Stand Up with its decidedly live feel). Ditto the Vicious Rumours, so 1985 saw The Stiffs resurrected once more, here represented with "In Your World" with another trademark singalong chorus and a great guitar hook. It was not to be, and in 1988 they finally called it a day.

OK, so The Stiffs never made the big time, but this collection of tracks spanning their career shows that had they had proper record company support first time aroung things may have turned out differently. In the context of this website MTH drummer features on four tracks, but that shouldn't matter. What matters is the music, and if you give this disc a spin you won't be disappointed.

Copyright : Adrian Perkins

STIFFS
'Stiffology 1981- 1988'
(sjpcd062) CD January 2001

Another new compilation by The Stiffs. I was really looking forward to this, the next leg of the bands career, as I'm a big fan of their wall of sound punk power, circa 79/80. But I'm afraid  'Stiffology 1981-88' is an album of two halfs. The first half was all mainly new stuff to me, with some smart un- released demo's making their worldwide debut. This is a band whose demo's are worthy of release in their own right. They've still got their power on tap although be it in a more refined manner with a far slicker production. And production is one of The Stiffs outright qualitys..guaranteed clear as fuck and punktual! The Stiffs have however gone to the Skids in 1981. By that, I mean they've adopted a more celtic orientated guitar sound, and it's done very well indeed. Take songs like 'Standing Ovation' which is definitely the standout track of the set (and we get two versions to varify that fact). And
the quirky sounding 'Over The Balcony' ,which was was recorded for a Radio one session, and probably their most experimental of the period. We've still got the solid Phil Hendriks no messing vocals, that guide the songs through choppy waters accompanied by tunes to bragg about. So for about 8 tracks I'm happy as larry. But by 1983 all this was gonna change. First off a name change to Idol Rich and track 9, 'Peso Trail' with it's throwaway tinkling keyboard sound and soda pop arrangements. Yeah this was a stark warning of things to come! You can sniff the urgency has started to wain, and the power loses pace to a more commercial sound. Which is one important loss for a band of this calibre. The Stiffs had gone limp! And they weren't the only ones to fall victim to this disease, look at Lords Of The New Church etc. No matter what, as soon as the keyboards start to become a major part of their sound, they get lost in the empty sea of early 80's pop chart fads. I mean c'mon this ain't Dave Greenfield were talking about here, this is more like Howard Jones!!! Having said that 'Best Place In Town'  and 'Stand up' were exceptions to the rule. Sadly from here on in the album went completely downhill fast for me. The band went into their alter ego Idol Rich, Bono Twins and the glam rock period. Their sound became puny and lost it's aggression that gave em the edge on others. And If you read the fascinating sleevenotes (done by Dale Griffin) that accompany this CD, you can see the times they were a changing. And yeah although they tried to change with 'em, The Stiffs should've kept to what they do best, and that's bang out full on motors running punk rock songs, with that sting in it's tale. Maybe that path wasn't gonna put bread on the kitchen table, but at least it's honest. They even started recording stuff with wanker tribute artists, which is the kiss of death for any band. They do resurface with a slightly more anthemic sound on the rocky ballad of 1985's 'In Your World' which only hinted at past glories. The original Stiffs were the band for me and countless others, and I think Phil Hendriks leader and mainstay throughout all the bands line-ups changes knows that more than anyone! AVERAGE

Copyright - Peter Don`t Care
http://sufferinsuffragettes3.homestead.com/worldpowerorruin5.html

As for the music, it's a plain and simple rock album. Not my style, really, as I prefer a little more emotional depth and complexity. Some of the songs are pretty inventive and powerful, though. I think of "Peso Trail", "Best Place in Town" and one or two others. I really enjoy those, but only if I skip the rest, which is too mediocre for me.

http://allserv.rug.ac.be/~wwoittie

Wim's Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter pages
 

THE STIFFS "Punk Collection" CD (Captain Oi!)
They were signed to EMI but they never released any album, so this is collection of their (Mostly self-released) singles plus appearances on various compilations. I've never heard of The Stiffs before, and now I can't get this out of my player. This is how Slade would sound in eighties or even better, like the Crack slightly more '77ish.Girls would say "oh sweet!" And I would say "Oh fuck! This is fucking super!!!" because I’m rude punk rocker!

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http://www.allmusic.com

THE STIFFS 'The Punk Collection' (ahoycd102) CD 1999.
I was well impressed by this UK band from the dark distant days of the late 70's. I always
remembered seeing their name supporting the bigger guns at London's Lyceum back in heady 1980's, but never actually got to hear em until this come through the post. From the first track 'Inside Out', which I vaguely recognised from some long lost John Peel show many moons ago, I knew these were gonna be more than just a name. It's one of those songs that sticks to you like a beggar in a pub, but you just can't put a name to it. So once those crashing powerchords and well timed halted punktuations kicked in, it bought it all back.
 I was shocked to read in the sleevenotes that these had been around in one shape or form since '76! before they fizzled out somewhere in europe circa 88!
They were never big news amongst the then clickey London punk music media, coz coming from the wrong end of the country (Blackburn to be precise) had big disadvantages...mores the pity. The Stiffs represent a type of punk that's probably associated with melodic newwave by todays brutal standards. But don't get the wrong idea, coz the Stiffs have a fucking powerful motor running under their well composed addictive bonnet. And as some disc jockey who once refferred to em as being "the Slade of the 1980's" was never taken seriously, on this 20-track slab it's pretty well founded. Phil Hendriks lead vocals/guitar ain't no guttural Noddy Holder, but he does have a hard, no-messing powerful vocal to trade off with the crunching but articulate dual guitars.They also have a strange Glitter band sound as well in a few of the songs, which don't sound half as bad as it reads. Especially on the atmospheric 'It's Not Rock n Roll' with it's echoing "Hey" chants and the big beefy Phil Spector soundalike of 'Yer Under Attack'. They do slow things down on their more commercial attempts in songs like 'Affairs Of The Heart' which don't really do much for em, unlike their more energetic numbers...'Volume Control' and the classy 'Innocent Bystander'. The Stiffs live up to their name and know how to create a dog rough glance at the opposite sex in whats gotta be a love song, dare I say it! Yeah in todays punk circles it's sacrilege and pretty hard to find a song like this but 'Goodbye My Love' is similar to the StarJets in the way they can really pull it off without it being naff...pardon the pun. You can also tell by any band who sing about guitars (Lurkers/Guitar Gangsters) etc. that they have a love affair with em and like the Lurkers maybe that's why the Stiffs never really connected with an audience on a bigger scale, coz they were just yer averge joe off the streets who played sweat ridden, loud, rock 'n' roll that was too powerful or firey to be categorised under anything else but punk. Probably their best song if not the catchiest came via the infectious '(Bring On the) Chelsea Girls' that could've stormed the charts easy with the right backing. The Stiffs made a comeback at this years Morcecambe all-dayer so I dunno how that went but with songs like 'Inside Out' and 'Chelsea Girls' I bet they were worth seeing so check this out if yer can coz it's well WORTH A LISTEN Check out their website at
http://www.mhendriks.fsnet.co.uk/INDEX.html it's available on Captain Oi! Records at www.captainoi.com

Copyright - Peter Don`t Care
http://sufferinsuffragettes3.homestead.com/worldpowerorruin5.html

Die obige Ära stimmt zwar, die Musik der Stiffs aber verhält sich meinem Pistols-geschulten Punkverständnis gegenläufig. Zwar eingebunden in das Punkkorsett, jedoch weniger roh, weniger dreckig, dafür jedes Stück mit eingängigen, schönen Melodien durchzogen, ergibt sich am Schluß eine runde Sache: Der Poppunk, Pupponk oder wahlweise Ponkpup ist geboren, bzw.

wiedergeboren. Die recht einfach gestrickten Songs mit den herausstechenden, fast hymnenhaften Hooklines sind eine gezähmte Version des rebellischen Rotzpunks, was aber im heutigen (Hör-)Kontext nicht unangenehm ist. Mit ihrem Song "It's Not Rock'n Roll" muß ich den Jungs leider eine Lüge bescheinigen, denn derartige Stilmittel sind auf keinen Fall zu überhören (NWOBHM, Kiss und Thin Lizzy liegen in der Assoziationsskala auf jeden Fall nicht hinter ihren Kollegen aus der Rotzecke). Die Collection macht sogar einen außergewöhnlich einleuchtenden Sinn: Die Stiffs haben es nämlich in ihrer ganzen chaotischen Karriere nicht geschafft, auch nur einen Longplayer einzuspielen! Daher ist diese Platte, welche außer den gesamten Singles plus einigen Compilationbeiträgen und Material von Radiosessions auch noch unveröffentlichtes Material zusammenbringt, nicht nur für Fans interessant.

Copyright by SONIC SEDUCER und Anika
http://www.realmusic.de

Great versions of Hendrix numbers like the proggy 'Can you see me?', 'Love
Over Confusion' and the unreleased 'Sippin' Wine' are also covered in an
exemplary fashion that will most definitely bring a smile to the face of the
afro bearing legend wherever he happens to be.

What is odd about the album are the inclusions of tracks by Bullrush
(featuring Paul Oliver on drums - Graham's son) - who you may remember from
the BBC special about 'The National Centre of Popular Music' because they
band mimed one of their songs on it's roof-top. It's a great opportunity for
fans of Saxon, Graham Oliver and Son of a Bitch to see what the mans
offspring is up to. The tracks included are 'Standing in the Rain',
'Goodbye to Yesterday' and 'Sonic' which are of an Indie-Rock style as
opposed to Heavy Metal style associated with Graham Oliver and Saxon.

'End of an Era' is a great title track alone - imagine crossing Oasis'
'Don't look back in Anger' with Mott the Hoople's 'All the Young Dudes' and
you'll start to understand the musical picture.
 

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