Stiff Little Fingers

On November 14 1977, Daily Express reporter Gordon Ogilvie saw Stiff Little Fingers play for the first time at the Glenmachan Stables, outside of Belfast, N.Ireland. A week later, Ogilvie was encouraging Jake Burns (vocalist, lead guitarist, and main song writer) to write about life in his home town of Belfast, well-known for its political problems. Soon after , Jake came up with the punk classics 'Suspect Device', and 'Wasted Life'.

SLF started to really gain exposure when infamous BBC Radio One DJ John Peel started to play the 'Suspect Device' single every day. Soon after they were picked up by Rough Trade on, a then huge independent label. In October 1978 SLF most well known song 'Alternative Ulster' was released. In February 1979, they released their first LP , 'Inflammable Material ' which quickly went to No. 14 in the album charts. By the time their second LP, 'Nobody's Heroes', came out, SLF had already signed to Chrysalis, despite being called sell-outs by many fans. In late 1982, soon after the releaseof 'Now Then...' their fourth studio LP, Jake Burns decided to end SLF. The following January, the double album 'All The Best' was released.

Then in 1987, SLF re-united for the Go For It Again reunion tour. In March 1991, Bruce Foxton (The Jam) joined the band on bass, and the following October they released 'Flags And Emblems'.

In the following years SLF released best of's, b-sides, and live albums and followed this up with the release of a brand new album 'Tinderbox' in September1997.