Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story

by Richard Balls

Dave Robinson was once a roadie to Jimi Hendrix. He also managed Brinsley Schwarz and was behind their ill-fated publicity stunt when he flew journalists to New York to see their gig at the Fillmore East. By 1974, he was managing the Hope & Anchor pub in Islington.

Jake Riviera had been road manager for Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers and later Dr Feelgood.

In1976, this maverick pair were to launch Stiff Records, supposedly on the back of a £400 loan from Lee Brilleaux of the Feelgoods. In fact, they never cashed the check.

The genius of Stiff was to take old pub rockers that they knew and turn them into new wave stars. Ian Dury, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe were all going nowhere until they were signed the label and reinvented. For a while, the major labels didn’t know how to respond to Stiff, particularly their brilliant marketing – coloured vinyl, different coloured sleeves for the completest market and their slogans, such as “If It Ain’t Stiff, It Ain’t Worth a fuck".

Riviera left the label in 1977 to form Radar Records and took Costello and Lowe with him

The label signed quirky acts such as Wreckless Eric, Devo, Rachel Sweet, Lene Lovich and more. Many of them were sent on package tours reminiscent of the Larry Parnes’ tours in the 1960s.

They also launched Stiff America to no little success.

Robinson signed Madness and The Pogues to the label before it went bankrupt in 1986. However, it re-launched in 2006 under new management and is still going strong.

Richard Balls has interviewed over 50 artists and Stiff staff to tell a story that is long overdue. Shane MacGowan, Lene Lovich, Chas Smash, Wreckless Eric and more tell what it was like to work for the world’s most outrageous record label.

Tony Judge, who runs the Be Stiff website has provided lots of rare photos along with badges and memorabilia to make this a celebration of a great record label.

Balls' other book on the life of Ian Dury sold a hefty 30,000 copies, so he has a following.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

342 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Richard is a die-hard music fan and the author of three music-related books: A Furious Devotion: The Authorised Story of Shane MacGowan; Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story, and Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll: The Life Of Ian Dury.

He was a news journalist for 20 years, spending almost half of that time working for national papers in Ireland, and frequently covered crime and politics. For the past 14 years he has worked in communications.

A passionate supporter of Norwich City Football Club, he lives in the city, and is married with two daughters.

Reviews

[Nestor Rychtyckyj · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the ironic things about the birth of punk rock was that many of the early punk bands actually signed with major labels – which, of course, was the most “un-punk” thing that you can do. The Pistols were on EMI/A&M and Virgin, the Clash were on CBS – these were the days before SST, Dischord, Touch & Go and others help define the punk rock DIY scene. However, in the UK – the independent labels sprung up more quickly and the two early ones were Stiff and Chiswick. This book tells the story of Stiff Records – the label that started the indie trend and managed to stay independent and successful for close to sixteen years.

When I think about Stiff – I think about the birth of punk: the Damned with “Neat Neat Neat”, the Adverts with “One Chord Wonders” and the label that discovered Elvis Costello. But Stiff was a lot more than that and Richard Balls goes behind the scene into an era before digital music and the internet when music could only be heard on the radio or bought on vinyl. This 342-page book takes us through the whole story beginning with pub rock and Nick Lowe and eventually ending as the label that brought us the Pogues. In between is a fantastic sense of “God – I wish I was there” as Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Lena Lovich, Tracey Ullman, Madness and a host of others wander into (and usually leave) Stiff but always leaving behind some magical single or album. Stiff released a bunch of records (a great discography covers about 15 pages) and many of them turned out to be “stiffs”, but enough turned out be either iconic records or major hits. It’s ironic that the records we think now were the big hits actually weren’t. Stiff managed to become the standard of independent music until a changes in buying habits and some bad business decisions forced the sale and closure of Stiff. However, Stiff really never died – it’s artists remain popular till today and a new resurrected Stiff has started issuing records again.

I have a couple of very fond memories of Stiff – the first punk record in the UK that I ever got was issued by Stiff (the Damned) and through some incredible luck I happened to be visiting NYC in 1978 when the Be Stiff tour made it’s only US visit to the Bottom Line and I was smart enough to catch the show. Reading a goof book on music always causes a frenzy of searching through my record collection and then buying the stuff that I should have had in the first place. This was no exception and the 2007 Big Stiff Box Set is on its way to my house where I will once again relive the hits and stiffs from Stiff Records.

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge chunk of my music collection can be linked back to the artists that appeared on Stiff Records. Many of those are via Nick Lowe on his own.

This is a hugely enjoyable tale of the adventures of Stiff Records and it's just as chaotic as you might imagine.

[David Goldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining history of one of the great small record labels. It's hard to argue with a label that took washed up pub rockers like Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, and Elvis Costello and made them cutting edge new wave stars. The label also helped launch the Dammed, Madness, Rachel Sweet, Devo, the Go-Go's and dozens of others who may never would have seen the light of day without a label dedicated to the cause and owners who were just as crazy and more driven as the artists. The book is often episodical and it's hard to keep track of characters. Yet, it's still a fun read with much great history. (e.g. the "news" of Huey Lewis and... were basically Elvis Costello's band on the first album.)

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched look at the rise and fall of Stiff Records. Read about Jake Riviera and Dave Robinson. How they released the first punk single and first punk album (Damned). Why they lost Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. The success they had with Ian Dury and Madness. Just how many duff records they produced. It was sad when Stiff went down the pan, but they gave the record industry a bit of a shake up when they existed. Granted the label was reborn in 2006, but the late 70s and early 80s was when they shone.

Ray Smillie

[Eldon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Encyclopedic account of the record label. For me, I was only familiar with about half the artists and the people discussed so that made it a rugged field to plow for a good portion of the book. Still, the book offers more than a glimpse at some of my favorites from the late 70's and early 80's.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stiff Records was my favorite record label coming out of high school. They had my favorite performers, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, etc. and packaged them in the most unique way. Richard Balls does a great job of hitting the highlights of the this companies life, each chapter is crisp, concise and holds your attention. Hopefully he will do one on Chiswick next… hint...hint...