The Stiff Records Box Set (1992)
History’s Assessment: Stiff Was Worth A Fuck
Speaking of Nick Lowe… Here’s Stiff’s first box set assessment of their late 70s (and beyond) pop and punk catalog. For capturing a moment in time, this is a box that will serve the cause, though… some of these artists are ones I’ve never associated with Stiff, but then… I don’t have a memory. For the streaming player, I just posted some of my faves. You’ve surely got your own. The Stiff Records Box Set is available at Amazon (HERE), though I never really investigated the similarities and differences between this one and The Big Stiff Box that came out in 2007 (HERE). Some swear by it, though, and the mastering on the latter should be superior. Find many of these artists in the archives.
1
So It Goes – Nick Lowe
Heart Of The City – Nick Lowe
Between The Lines – The Pink Fairies
Cincinnati Fatback – Roogalator
Styrofoam – Sean Tyla
New Rose – The Damned
Blank Generation – Richard Hell
Stab Your Back – The Damned
Less Than Zero – Elvis Costello
England’s Glory – Max Wall
Maybe – Jill Read
One Chord Wonders – The Adverts
Alison – Elvis Costello
Jo Jo Gunne – Dave Edmunds
Whole Wide World – Wreckless Eric
Kill – Alberto y los Trios Paranoias
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll – Ian Dury
Razzle In My Pocket – Ian Dury
Suffice To Say – The Yachts
Let’s Loot The Supermarket Again (Like We Did Last Summer) – Mick Farren
Watching The Detectives – Elvis Costello
My Old Man – Ian Dury
Police Car – Larry Wallis
Yankee Wheels – Jane Aire
Back to Schooldays – Graham Parker
2
I Love My Label – Nick Lowe
Marie Provost – Nick Lowe
What A Waste! – Ian Dury
I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself – Elvis Costello
Whoops-A-Daisy – Humphrey Ocean
I Think We’re Alone Now – Lene Lovich
Jocko Homo – Devo
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Ian Dury
Semaphore Signals – Wreckless Eric
I’ll Get By In Pittsburgh – Jona Lewie
B-A-B-Y – Rachel Sweet
Lucky Number – Lene Lovich
Solitary Confinement – Members
Frozen Years – The Rumour
Take the Cash (K.A.S.H.) – Wreckless Eric
They Don’t Know – Kirsty MacColl
You’ll Never Get Me Up in One of Those – Mickey Jupp
Who Does Lisa Like? – Rachel Sweet
Drive Friendly – Motor Boys Motor
Win or Lose – Lew Lewis & Reformer
Hop – Theatre of Hate
One Step Beyond – Madness
Emotional Traffic – The Rumour
Inbetweenies – Ian Dury
Lucky Seven – Lew Lewis & Reformer
3
My Girl – Madness
Israelites – Desmond Dekker
Buena – Joe “King” Carrasco
Stupefaction – Graham Parker
You’ll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties – Jona Lewie
Trouble With Love – Any Trouble
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted – Dave Stewart
Mercury Poisoning – Graham Parker
Let Go – Dirty Looks
Baggy Trousers – Madness
It’s My Party – Dave Stewart
Green, Green Grass of Home – John Otway
Three Bells In A Row – Tenpole Tudor
Stop The Cavalry – Jona Lewie
Going Left Right – Department S
Is Vic There? – Department S
If You Need Me – The Equators
Wunderbar – Tenpole Tudor
Allamana – Desmond Dekker
Pretend – Alvin Stardust
Loud Music In Cars – Billy Bremner
Throwing My Baby Out With the Bathwater – Tenpole Tudor
Just One Cornetto – Pookiesnackenburger
Who Likes Jazz? – Via Vagabond
You Broke My Heart In 17 Places – Tracey Ullman
4
Sign Of The Times – Belle Stars
Sweet Memory – Belle Stars
Language Problems – Electric Guitars
Breakaway – Tracey Ullman
Like Dust – Passion Puppets
Dangerous Dreams – Jakko
Destination Lululand (Humdiddlededumhoowahayha) – King Kurt
Sick Bed Of Cúchulaínn – The Pogues
Pick Me Up – Inspirational Choir of the Pentecostal First-Born Church of the Living God
Here Is My Number – Makin’ Time
Dark Streets of London – The Pogues
Wild Child – The Untouchables
New England – Kirsty MacColl
Pretty One – Jamie Rae
Free Yourself – The Untouchables
Sally MacLennane – The Pogues
Brilliant Mind – Furniture
Don’t Wait Up – Dr. Feelgood
Killer Joe (Right Cross) – Tommy Chase
Shake Like Judy Says – Furniture
Hunting Shooting Fishing – Dr. Feelgood
28 Comments
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love this box. thanks so much!
This surely must of been the best indie label of all time????
Hi Willard, just to say that you’re right, Jo Jo Gunne weren’t a Stiff act – it’s the title of a Dave Edmunds track… These new spectacles are bloody great. Cheers, mate.
That’s what I get for last minute writing in HTML mode. Thanks for the catch.
I share your pain regarding HTML…
My own fault. I usually post V/As with the artist names first, then the songs. Virtually always. This time I was too lazy to alter all these titles and names. So I was thinking the wrong thing and looking at it the wrong way.
Thanks – great, great stuff.
You’re on an insanely great roll lately.
Thanks for all of it.
WOW! What a treat – even topping the Byrds 4CD-set, if that were possible .. Thanks for these extraordinary presents for my birthday, tomorrow – that makes my and hopefully everybody’s V-Day. Hail the Captain! Best, TC
Many thanks Willard! The best label of the ’70′s, they always seemed to be having a lot of fun.
Artwork: http://totten.net/music/The%20Stiff%20Records%20Box%20Set/cover%20art/
This is a monster – thanks fella!
Great fun!
The Captain, as somebody stated, is on a roll – - well he’s been on a roll ever since I learned of and about his library on ‘the boat’.
This one is a real treat – I can say that I saw the “Be Stiff Tour” in – would it have been ’78 or ’79 in Philadelphia and, somewhere stored in a basement, have the T-Shirt letting the world know that “If It Ain’t Stiff It Ai’t Worth A F…”
Many thanks to the Captain for sharing some of the music from the label that claimed to be ‘The Undertaker To The Industry”
Many Thanks
Willard,
You’ve done it again! Great set and you have indeed been on an incredible roll!
Love
Newman
Gotta say: A lot here I remember, & some I have, however ~ there’s also a lotta interesting stuff I never heard. Can’t wait to do so! Thanx……………….
Thanks, W. Thought I had this and discovered I only had disc 4!
Coincidence? I just last week dug out my old T-shirt from the Stiff Records 1980 tour (Lene Lovich, Rachel Sweet, Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric and Dirty Looks. Didn’t see the tour — I bought the shirt at a record shop here in Texas! (Sadly, if I’d bought the “worth a f*ck” one I only would’ve had it confiscated by parents or school principal — had to settle for the one reading “We Came, We Saw, We Left!”
– mnw
Just for fun… who’s seen the most Stiff acts live? I’ve had the pleasure of attending:
Elvis Costello
The Damned*
DEVO*
Dave Edmunds
Nick Lowe*
Joe “King” Carrasco*
(Billy Bremner was also likely on board w/Lowe but I couldn’t say for sure)
— mnw
*(Spoken with one or more band members in person)
Have seen Elvis – although it was an acoustic set sans The Attraction. We did have tickets to see him at Penn State in the middle of the winter around 82-83 but he had to bail at the last minute due to bad weather.
Would have loved to see Nick Lowe and/or Dave Edmunds. Big fan of their stuff and felt they never got the commercial recognition they deserved.
Thanks for this.
I don’t know whether or not you care, but here are what seem to be the differences between The Stiff Records Box Set and The Big Stiff Box. (At least if I believe the listings on amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. Also assuming I didn’t screw up too much in doing this.)
On The Stiff Records Box Set, but not The Big Stiff Box:
(I Belong To The) Blank Generation – Richard Hell
Alison – Elvis Costello
Allamana – Desmond Dekker
Back To Schooldays – Graham Parker
Baggy Trousers – Madness
Cincinatti Fatback – Roogalator
Dangerous Dreams – Jakko
Destination Zululand (Humdiddlededumhoowahayha) – King Kurt
Emotional Traffic – The Rumour
Green Green Grass Of Home – John Otway
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Ian Dury & The Blockheads
Hunting, Shooting, Fishing – Dr.Feelgood
I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself – Elvis Costello
I Love My Label – Nick Lowe
I’ll Get By In Pittsburgh – Jona Lewie
If You Need Me – The Equators
Inbetweenies – Ian Dury & The Blockheads
Is Vic There? (French Version) – Department S
Israelites – Desmond Dekker
It’s My Party – Dave Stewart
Jo Jo Gunne – Dave Edmunds
Jocko Homo – Devo
Just One Cornetto – Pookiesnackenburger
Kill – Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias
Let Go – Dirty Looks
Lucky Seven – Lew Lewis Reformer
Maybe – Jill Read
Mercury Poisoning (Live) – Graham Parker
My Girl – Madness
My Old Man – Ian Dury
Pretty One – Jamie Rae
Razzle In My Pocket – Ian Dury
Sally MacLennane – The Pogues
Semaphore Signals – Wreckless Eric
Shake Like Judy Says – Furniture
So It Goes – Nick Lowe
Stupefaction – Graham Parker
Sweet Memory – The Belle Stars
The Hop – Theatre Of Hate
The Sick Bed Of Cuchulain – The Pogues
They Don’t Know – Kirsty Maccoll
Three Bells In A Row – Tenpole Tudor
Throwing My Baby Out With The Bathwater – Tenpole Tudor
Trouble With Love – Any Trouble
Watching The Detectives – Elvis Costello
What A Waste! – Ian Dury
Who Does Lisa Like? – Rachel Sweet
Wild Child – The Untouchables
Win Or Lose – Lew Lewis Reformer
You Broke My Heart In 17 Places – Tracey Ullman
You’ll Never Get Me Up In One Of Those – Mickey Jupp
On The Big Stiff Box, but not The Stiff Records Box Set
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Devo
A Pair of Brown Eyes – The Pogues
All Aboard – Roogalator
Baby Come Back – The Equators
Barking Up the Right Tree – The Producers
Be Stiff – Devo
Boogie On The Street – Lew Lewis & His Band
Broken Houses – The Tranzmitors
Butcher Baby – Plasmatics
Dancin’ All Night – The Enemy
Danube – Brigit Novik And M
Dirty Old Town – The Pogues
Do You Believe In The Westworld? – Theatre Of Hate
Gimme Your Heart – The Subs
Girls Are Always Right – Any Trouble
I Go to Pieces – Rachel Sweet
I Love You – Yello
I Spy (For the FBI) – The Untouchables
I’ve Got A Heart – The Realists
It’s My Party – Barbara Gaskin
Lie to Me – Dirty Looks
Marie Provost – Nick Lowe
Move Over Darling – Tracey Ullman
Neat Neat Neat – The Damned
One Way Love – The Damned
Only Love Can Break Your Heart – Mint Juleps
Out of Luck – The Pointed Sticks
Please Don’t Bend – Desmond Dekker
Problem Child – The Damned
Reconnez Cherie – Wreckless Eric
Religious Persuasion – Andy White
Romeo and the Lonely Girl – Ernie Graham
Say When – Lene Lovich
Silver Shirt – Plummet Airlines
Stab Your Back – The Damned
Sweet Gene Vincent – Ian Dury and The Blockheads
Swords of a Thousand Men – Tenpole Tudor
Terry – Kirsty MacColl
That Sound – Any Trouble
The Baby, She’s On The Street – Jona Lewie
The Clapping Song – The Belle Stars
The Hayrick Song – Eddie Tenpole Tudor
The Irish Rover – The Pogues
The Lost Platoon – The Dancing Did
The Wild Colonial Boy – Ruefrex
The Wilt And The Wisdom Of Ronald Reagan (Extract) – Ronald Reagon
They Don’t Know – Tracey Ullman
Thunderbird – Nigel Dixon
We Got the Beat – The Go-Go’s
What Is Woman? – Eskimo Disco
Whenever I’m Gone – The Prisoners
White Line Fever – Motörhead
Who Listens to the Radio? – The Sports
Yesterday’s Love – Any Trouble
You Caught Me Out – Kirsty MacColl
On both
A New England – Kirsty Maccoll
B-A-B-Y – Rachel Sweet
Between The Lines – The Pink Fairies
Breakaway – Tracey Ullman
Brilliant Mind – Furniture
Buena – Joe ‘King’ Carrasco & The Crowns
Dark Streets Of London – The Pogues
Don’t Wait Up – Dr.Feelgood
Drive Friendly – Motor Boys Motor
England’s Glory – Max Wall
Free Yourself – The Untouchables
Frozen Years – The Rumour
Going Left Right – Department S
Heart Of The City – Nick Lowe
Here Is My Number – Makin’ Time
I Think We’re Alone Now – Lene Lovich
Killer Joe (Right Cross) – The Tommy Chase Quartet
Language Problems – Electric Guitars
Less Than Zero – Elvis Costello
Let’s Loot The Supermarket Again Like We Did Last Summer – Mick Farren
Like Dust – Passion Puppets
Loud Music In Cars – Billy Bremner
Lucky Number – Lene Lovich
Marie Provost – Nick Lowe
New Rose – The Damned
One Chord Wonders – The Adverts
One Step Beyond – Madness
Pick Me Up – The Inspirational Choir Of The Pentecostal First-Born Church Of The Living God
Police Car – Larry Wallis
Pretend – Alvin Stardust
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll – Ian Dury
Sign Of The Times – The Belle Stars
Solitary Confinement – The Members
Stab Your Back – The Damned
Stop The Cavalry – Jona Lewie
Styrofoam – Tyla Gang
Suffice To Say – Yachts
Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.) – Wreckless Eric
What Becomes Of The Broken-Hearted – Dave Stewart
Who Likes Jazz? – Via Vagabond
Whole Wide World – Wreckless Eric
Whoops-A-Daisy – Humphrey Ocean & The Hardy Annuals
Wunderbar – Tenpole Tudor
Yankee Wheels – Jane Aire & The Belvederes
You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties – Jona Lewie
So, about half the songs on each are unique.
some of the best music to come out of the late 70′s — usually found most of the stuff in the cut out bins of my portland oregon record shop- cannot remember its name — i think i was the only person in portland to know and like Dirty Looks !!
tremendous post sir !!
WUNDERBAR! Gonna have to come back for this W…I was searching for a copy of the Tenpole Tudor -Swords of a Thousand Men just recently, but without any luck…at least this gives me some of those tracks!
Al
Thank you for this, Captain.
Thanks so much Willard for a fantastic post.
That box set comes up rather often in the rotation on my work pc. The Tracey Ullman tracks are surprisingly good – if you like motown music that is.