The Stiffs

UK Pop-punk band The Stiffs formed in 1977, as a bunch of 15 year old schoolkids. Their first single 'Standard English' was released in early 1979 on their own Dork Records label. The much more impressive follow up 'Inside Out/Kids on the Street' was also released on Dork Records in December 1979 and both sides became instant favourites of BBC Radio One`s John Peel, who was quoted as saying on air that it was 'the finest record in the entire history of the universe'! EMI quickly snapped the band up and re-issued 'Inside Out' on their Zonophone subsidiary in early 1980. The single 'Volume Control' was released by Zonophone in November 1980 but it`s lack of chart success prompted EMI to release the band from their contract and cancel plans for an album. 

 

The Stiffs signed to Stiff Records in January 1981 for a one-off single 'Goodbye My Love' (a cover of the 1975 UK hit by The Glitter Band), whilst the band went out on a UK tour with the U.K.Subs. Despite massive radio airplay 'Goodbye My Love' failed to hit the Top 50 and the band were once again without a record deal. Several line-up changes ensued, but The Stiffs didn`t release another single until 1985 with 'The Young Guitars' 12" single, once again on their own Dork Records. 

 

After incessant touring the band folded in 1988, leaving behind a fairly large legacy of unissued material. In 1999, Captain Oi! Records put together 'The Stiffs-The Punk Collection', an album featuring the bands singles plus the best of The Stiffs` previously unreleased material. A live reunion of the original line-up in July 1999 spawned the 'Volume Control - Live' album, released by Receiver Records in 2000. Several festival appearances followed. 2001 saw two further compilation albums appear. 'Innocent Bystanders' on EMI covered the band`s early period, whilst the 'Stiffology' album (Angel Air Records) filled in the gaps in the band`s fragmented career between 1981 to 1988. Phil Hendriks toured Japan with a revamped Stiffs line-up in 2002 to promote the re-issue of two of the band`s singles by 1977 Records and recorded a brand new Japan-only single, 'Four Winds'. The original line-up reconvened in November 2005 and the reunion show was filmed and recorded for the 'Let`s Activate' DVD, released on Dork Records in August 2006. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]