Stiff Little Fingers- Inflammable Material
4CD/1DVD set containing unreleased demos, live performances, video, interviews, BBC performances, rare memorabilia, photos and new liner notes
Double vinyl and Double CD versions also available
Released 21 November - Pre-Order Now
Stiff Little Fingers iconic debut ‘Inflammable Material’ was one of the most important records of its era. Originally released in 1979 at the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the album depicted volatile life in Belfast at the time and was met with critical acclaim.
These reissues, which have been overseen by Gordon Ogilvie, the bands original manager, can be pre-ordered now and comes in three formats:
The 4CD/1DVD set contains a remastered version of the original album, a disc of unreleased demos, an unreleased live performance from Troon in 1979 and a CD of the pertinent John Peel sessions from the BBC. The DVD contains unreleased material: The legendary Rough Trade promo video from 1979, an unreleased version of the band performing ‘Alternative Ulster’ from October 1978, plus an interview, originally included in the film Shellshock Rock (Hollywood Films) and a performance from The Old Grey Whistle Test from Friars in May 1979. Accompanying the music is rare memorabilia and photos and new liner notes from legendary journalist Stuart Baillie.
The double-LP and double-CD sets include the original album and the unreleased Troon 1979 performance with the latter containing rare images.
Formed in Belfast in 1977 at the height of The Troubles. Jake Burns, Henry Cluney, Brian Faloon were originally in a rock covers band before the rise of punk began to have an influence on them! With a change of direction, Ali McMordie joined them and they became Stiff Little Fingers and started to write their own material. Jake Burns would later go on and credit The Clash as “... giving me the confidence, through its lyrical subject matter, to realise it was OK to write about my own life and experiences."
The bands first single ‘Suspect Device’ was recorded in a radio jingles studio in early 1978, they initially released it on their own record label Rigid Digits and after support from John Peel on BBC Radio 1, they re-released it a month later with the support of Rough Trade and sold over 30,000 copies.
‘Inflammable Material’ was released in February 1979 through Rough Trade and it reached number 14 becoming the first independently released album to chart in the UK. It was met with critical acclaim with NME calling it “... the classic punk rock record” and Sounds saying it is "... a magnificent slice of vintage punk played fast and frantic, and loaded with powerful lyrics” and giving it 5/5. Rolling Stone and Q Magazine would also give it 4/5.
In just two years, Stiff Little Fingers had become one of the most exciting bands in the UK and Ireland with an uncompromising reputation that riled some but ultimately found them legions of fans. ‘Inflammable Material’ is now regarded as a seminal punk classic as important and influential as records such as The Clash’s and The Ramones self-titled debuts, ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ or ‘Raw Power’ by Iggy And The Stooges.
