Stiff Little Fingers

BIOGRAPHY

Stiff Little Fingers formed in Belfast in 1977, at the height of the Troubles, when singer-guitarist Jake Burns, guitarist Henry Cluney, bassist Ali McMordie and drummer Brian Faloon abandoned their rock-covers roots for punk. Reporter Gordon Ogilvie pushed Burns to mine his own experience of Belfast life for lyrics, and with music writer Colin McClelland the pair helped shape and manage the band, whose self-released single "Suspect Device" made them the first punk band in Belfast to put out a record. Their debut, Inflammable Material, became the first independent LP to crack the UK top 20 and was hailed by NME's Paul Morley as "the classic punk rock record." The band split in 1983, reformed in 1987, and evolved into a more diverse, less anguished sound on Go for It. Despite lineup changes, including bassist Bruce Foxton (ex-The Jam) joining in the 1990s, they continue touring and recording, with 2014's crowdfunded No Going Back reaching number one in the UK charts.

WHY THEY'RE COOL

Stiff Little Fingers gave punk one of its most politically direct voices, channeling the daily reality of the Troubles into songs like "Alternative Ulster" and "Suspect Device" without flinching from the conflict around them. Inflammable Material's chart breakthrough as an independent release helped open the door for a wave of new British bands, and critics like Paul Morley championed them as the era's definitive rock and roll group. Their willingness to reinvent their sound on Go for It, survive a breakup, and later fund an album entirely through fan pledges (which still hit number one) shows a band whose relevance never depended on nostalgia alone.

GEORGE'S PLAYS

First time on the station.

PLAYED ON WOKE1

• Suspect Device - Single Version1 PLAY