STIFF
RECORDS
Independent label: Stiff Records was created in
1976 by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Initially intending to specialize in
"pub rock" by artists such as Ian Dury and Wreckless Eric, the label quickly got
caught up in the punk, ska & new wave movements, and helped launch the
careers of such artists as Elvis Costello, Madness, The Damned, Nick Lowe, The
Pogues and many others. Ever the keen marketeers, Stiff billed themselves as
"The World's Most Flexible Record Label". Other slogans were "We came. We saw.
We left." and "If it ain't Stiff it ain't worth a fuck." Riviera left Stiff in
1977 to form Radar Records, taking Elvis Costello and several other artists with
him. In 1978 the company entered into a US partnership with CBS, Inc. This
created two short lived labels Stiff-Columbia and Stiff-Epic. In 1984 the label
entered a distribution deal with Island Records. Stiff was fully purchased by
Island, but the deal wasn't a success and Robinson regained control in 1986 of
the newly independent label. In 1987, after a serious cashflow crisis, the label
went into liquidation. ZTT, whose product Robinson had worked on when in cahoots
with Island, bought the label catalogue for a reported £300,000. On ZTT's watch
the label slowly petered out - several albums by the likes of the Belle Stars,
Furniture and Dr Feelgood were left in limbo, unreleased. Autumn 2006 saw the
Stiff brand resurrected with new signings and reissues. Stiff are currently
listed as a member of the SPZ group, who own Sarm Studios, Perfect Songs and
ZTT. Distributed By Stiff Records.
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Otway John & Wild
Willy Barrett |
Headbutts |
STIFF |
STIN |
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