Inflammable Material - Stiff Little Fingers

Although I appreciate the old school punk, and what it means to the history of music, very little of it is really worth listening to. 'Inflammable Material' is one of the exceptions that proves the rule. I would recommend this CD to anyone (and everyone). Released in 1979, almost every song on it is a genuine classic. Many were single, or are live favourites (even to this day): Suspect Device, Alternative Ulster, Wasted Life, Barbed Wire Love. There's even a cover version of an old Bob Marley tune (Johnny Was). Speaking of covers, a further tribute to this work is the fact that the Swingin' Utters covered 'Here we are Nowhere' - a ...

I got talking to another writer on Tooyoo (ILB) recently and it seemed that we had the same taste in music. Thing is, you see, I am a child of the late 70’s and early 80’s in musical terms so forgive me if you find this a little dated. Of course it’s always difficult to re-capture the essence of an era but one can but try so here goes: Stiff Little Fingers came together in the 70’s. Jake Burns-vocals and guitar, Henry Cluney-guitar, Gordon Blair-bass and Brian Faloon-drums, were in a cover band called Highway Star, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Blair was soon replaced by Ali McMordie. (Gordon Blair joined the Belfast group Rudi.) Early in ...