Suspect device...
- Nostra Dam
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
Stiff Little Fingers is an Irish band formed in 1979 in Belfast, originally composed of Jake Burns, Henry Cluney, Ali McMordie, and Brian Faloon.
In 1978, the band released their first Single, "Suspect Device," as a demo, which they presented on cassette. The cassette was wrapped in packaging depicting an incendiary bomb, so realistic that a record company threw it into a bucket of water for fear it would explode.
The renowned John Peel, who also received the demo, noticed them and helped them sign with Rough Trade Records. The label officially released the record, and although it didn't chart in the official charts, it still sold over 30,000 copies.
They released a second Single, "Alternative Ulster," also in 1978, which also charted in the independent charts.
Their first album, "Inflammable Material," was released a year later in 1979 and brought them their first major international success, albeit limited to a few countries. The album primarily featured the two Singles released previously.
1979 also saw the release of the Single "Gotta Getaway," which confirmed that the band was indeed one of the biggest revelations of the moment. They solidified this status with their first charting hit, "Straw Dogs."
Their new album, "Nobody's Heroes," was released a year later in 1980, and it remains their highest-charting album, thanks in particular to the two hit Singles "Nobody's Heroes" and "At the Edge."
The early 1980s saw them rack up a string of successes with the release of the album "Go for It," which notably produced the hit Singles "Just Fade Away" and "Silver Lining."
Releasing an album every year, they followed up a year later in 1982 with "Now Then..." This new album primarily featured the hit Single "Bits of Kids" but would be their last to chart at that level.
Other albums and Singles would follow, but none would achieve the same level of success as their predecessors.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
Suspect device 1978
Alternative Ulster 1978
Barbed wire love 1978
Gotta getaway 1979
Straw dogs 1979
80s Decade :
At the edge 1980
Nobody’s hero 1980
Tin soldiers 1980
Back to front 1980
Mr Fire Coal Man 1980
Just fade away 1981
Silver lining 1981
Hits and misses 1981
Bits of kids 1982
The price of admission 1983
No sleep 'til Belfast 1988
The last time 1989
90s Decade :
Beirut moon 1991
Stand up and shout 1991
The game of life 1991
Can't believe in you 1994
Harp 1994
Get a life 1994
You never hear the one that hits you 1997
(I could be) Happy yesterday 1997
Dead of night 1997
Hope street 1999
Last train for the wasteland 1999
Honeyed words 1999
2000s Decade :
Guitar and drum 2003
Can't get away with that 2003
Dead man walking 2003
2010s Decade :
Full steam backwards 2014
I just care about me 2014
Throwing it all away 2014
Tracks :
1978...first title and already a considerable critical success, which can only be reassuring about the future of this group, at least in the short term...
1978... however, what's certain is that with them, speed will be the norm in almost every title. We've been warned, in any case...
1978...the two previous tracks were released as Singles, but not this one. So here it is, brought back into the spotlight as it deserves...
1979...a year that started off pretty much the same as the previous year. Nothing new under the sun, as they say...
1979... however, this one will slightly shift things to the point of giving the group its first song classified in the so-called Official Charts...
1980...the beginning of the 80s saw them at their peak, achieving the biggest success of their entire discography here. All in supercharged mode !
1980... a typical speeding offense of the early 1980s, and still acceptable at the time. It wouldn't be for much longer...
1980...they'll have to make the most of it because with such a distinctive style and sound, the rest of the adventure is likely to get a little more complicated...
1980...for now at least, everything is going their way. So why worry more when everything is going perfectly...
1980...while we didn't think they were capable of slowing down the tempo even a little, here they're going to demonstrate that they can do it if they want to...
1981...it only lasted as long as one hit, but they did it nonetheless. After that, it's not certain they'll do it again very often...
1981...what was predictable is happening, namely the beginnings of a decline in the charts...
1981...synthesizers and drum machines are taking over the world, and as a result, their fundamentals seem increasingly irrelevant...
1982...not only is the decline in the charts accelerating, but they are even starting to see some officially released tracks not charting...
1982... this one will fare a little better, but only just. The group will therefore need to ask himself the right questions, and quickly...
1983...so they figured that a significant slowing down of the tempo might perhaps save what could still be saved...
1988...unfortunately, that wasn't enough to save much. We'll start losing track of them for several years...
1989...then their return at the very end of the 80s would result in a series of disappointing underperformances...
1991...they'll still try to move into the next decade, hoping the trend will reverse for them. Nice try, but a failed gamble this time...
1991...yet they made real efforts to be much more in tune with the times, with a sound and style that were clearly revised...
1991...despite all their efforts and goodwill, nothing seemed to work at first glance. Their label as a rebel group stuck to them irrevocably...
1994...when everything seemed lost for them, they still managed to resurface just in time for the release of this new album...
1994...a new album that would chart, something that hadn't happened to them in a long time. Proof that in music, nothing is ever truly over...
1994...it now remains to be seen whether this unexpected return to the forefront of the scene will be lasting or, on the contrary, extremely short-lived...
1997...at first glance, it seems the second option will unfortunately prevail. This new work will in turn fly under the radar and effectively relegate them to the corridors of oblivion...
1997...at least from the mainstream perspective, because it's clear they still have a core fan base who follow them to some extent. That's something, at least...
1997...fans whose numbers have dwindled considerably, given the album's lack of overall success. A shame, because they certainly put in the effort...
1999...and they were right to persevere because this new album will allow them to get back in the spotlight, at least a little. Phew...
1999...we're not talking about a return to grace, of course, but still. It's clear that the adventure isn't quite over for them...
1999...it remains to be seen what the next decade holds for them, if they decide to make the leap, of course. To be continued, as they say...
2003...and they're going to attempt the crossing. Unfortunately, this time, it won't really be what they expected in terms of success, or at least failure...
2003...because this new album will fly under the radar and effectively dampen their enthusiasm and excitement. Such is the harsh reality of the business...
2003...only one album was released during the 2000s, which clearly shows that the band had lost faith in their career. A shame, because they certainly weren't bad...
2014... just when we thought we'd never see them again, here they are back no matter what. And, pleasantly enough, this new release isn't going to go completely unnoticed...
2014...which just goes to show you should never give up and always believe that anything is possible. Proof of this is their unexpected success, which puts them back in the running somewhat...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :
Comments