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Best Stiff Little Fingers song











Flex Your Head

Well-known member
At The Edge.

I love this bit particularly:

Here's your room and here's your records
Here's your home and here you'll stay
Here's somewhere I don't believe in
Wish someone would take it all away

I bought Inflammable Material on its release day from the wonderfully unfashionable A Pack of Cards in the Meridian Centre in Peacehaven and it was just such a special record. His voice, those lyrics, the guitars, the production, everything just seemed so much more gritty and in your face than other bands at the time. It became my joint favourite LP with Wire's 'Pink Flag'.

SLF supported by Another Pretty Face at the Top Rank in March 1980 was my 3rd ever gig - it was fantastic. I remember seeing a bloke in a shirt and suit trousers jumping around near one of the bars. His briefcase, brolly and jacket were on the floor in front of him and he'd clearly come straight from work. He seemed really old to me, but was probably in his mid-30's. I couldn't imagine myself being at a gig at that age, but find myself at 49 still heading out to see bands.

The third time I saw SLF was back at the Top Rank about two years later, and I was so disappointed that they'd slowed everything down a fair bit which completely removed the sense of urgency. It just made everything feel lacklustre and I started losing interest in them.
Then, years later, they played a 25th anniversary tour or something and a mate bought us tickets on the door as we were out drinking in town. I thought they were shit and left well before the end. It just felt like some self-congratulatory cabaret show.

About 18 months ago, I picked up an 'impulse-buy' CD in HMV: the first two LPs on a single CD for a fiver. Listening to Inflammable Material again on my Ipod after all these years had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up; what an absolute scorcher! And this time a lot of the political content of the lyrics made a lot more sense, especially songs like Wasted Life.

Errr, yeah... sorry. A load of disjointed and unnecessary waffle. This is what happens when you get all nostalgic at work in a busy office with constant interruptions!
 


Dan Aitch

New member
May 31, 2013
2,287
NI bands? Ash, The Bête Noires, As So I Watch You From Afar, Panama Kings.

Best SLF song? Gotta be Gotta Gettaway.
 






BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,694
Newhaven
At the Edge and Alternative Ulster are my favourites, it wouldn't be fair to say one is better than the other.

SLF came to the Top Rank Suite in Brighton when I was about 15, I had to leave school early that afternoon for a dentist appointment :whistle: that's what I told the school anyway.
Went down to the Top Rank and managed to get into the sound check and also met the band, Jake Burns gave me a signed photo and a badge.
Couldn't see the band that evening though as the doormen wouldn't let us in, over 18s only.
 


larus

Well-known member
Listening to Inflammable Material last night, (which depressingly is 37 years old) in a bit of a punk nostalgiafest.

It did give me the BURNING question though, what was the best SLF song. Can't really include Johnny Was as it was a Marley cover.

After much soul searching I went for Wasted Life, which just got the nod over Alternative Ulster and Suspect Device.

Can't believe that music used to be so important though, listening to today's toons and it's just entertainment for the masses.

Well, I'm about to board a flight back from Manila. I think you've just selected my first album to listen to on my iPod classic.

Best track; such a tough call. Probably suspect device or tin soldier.

Boy, do I feel old though. 37 years ....
 






At the Edge and Alternative Ulster are my favourites, it wouldn't be fair to say one is better than the other.

SLF came to the Top Rank Suite in Brighton when I was about 15, I had to leave school early that afternoon for a dentist appointment :whistle: that's what I told the school anyway.
Went down to the Top Rank and managed to get into the sound check and also met the band, Jake Burns gave me a signed photo and a badge.
Couldn't see the band that evening though as the doormen wouldn't let us in, over 18s only.

Great night! Booked a bb for the night only 5 min from amex house took no chances!:moo:
 






Elvis

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2010
1,413
Viva Las Hove
I used to play air guitar in front of the mirror belting out Wasted Life and all the other classics.!!!
 


Gregory2Smith1

J'les aurai!
Sep 21, 2011
5,476
Auch
At the Edge and Alternative Ulster are my favourites, it wouldn't be fair to say one is better than the other.

SLF came to the Top Rank Suite in Brighton when I was about 15, I had to leave school early that afternoon for a dentist appointment :whistle: that's what I told the school anyway.
Went down to the Top Rank and managed to get into the sound check and also met the band, Jake Burns gave me a signed photo and a badge.
Couldn't see the band that evening though as the doormen wouldn't let us in, over 18s only.

was there that night,great gig,think they played there again only a few months later too,happy,happy days

yeah that over 18 thing was always a worry,I was 16 at the time and never had any problems,in fact when the Stranglers played there in 1980,my yougest brother got in and he was only 12! (big lump mind you) and a mate the same age as me 16,but short,got turned away,he was a massive Stranglers fan and you could see him actually welling up as he walked away
 






Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,741
The Fatherland
At The Edge for me. Digress,best intro, Skids,Into the Valley, thoughts?

I remember buying At The Edge the week it was released from the Queens Rd Virgin store. Great band, quite a lot of songs to choose from but Tin Soldier has to be their high water mark.
 


the wanderbus

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2004
2,982
pogle's wood
One of my favourite bands during my youth and though every song mentioned so far is unadulterated quality, I'm surprised that the thread has got to page four without a mention of "Nobody's Hero" ! Also, albeit an instrumental what about "Go For It" ?
 


the wanderbus

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2004
2,982
pogle's wood


Would be excellent on a matchday........better than that ring of fire shit that every other club does
 






The Auditor

New member
Sep 30, 2004
2,764
Villiers Terrace
These:
Gotta get away
Tin soldier
Roots Radicals Rockers and Reggae
Nobodys Hero
Barbed wire Love
 
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KingKev

Well-known member
Jun 16, 2011
867
Hove (actually)
Thanks so much El Pres. At an Ibis in Bristol (��) and just decided to grab a burger and go to my room and spend the evening with my iPod.
Wasted Life for me, but whole of Inflammable Material is fantastic plus back to front and silver lining from later. Having said that my fav album is Hanx!. Johnny Was..!!!!!
 


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