Stiff Little Fingers celebrate their 40th anniversary with a special concert in Custom House Square in Belfast on 26th August, supported by The Stranglers. On 23rd June their new label earMUSIC releases their live album and film “Best Served Loud – Live At Barrowland” on CD, DVD, 2LP and Blu-ray. They also re-release their 2014 top 30 UK studio album “No Going Back” on vinyl, CD with bonus disc of demos and digital.
Press Release via Duff Press.
Stiff Little Fingers live shows are always special events. None is more special than the band’s annual St Patrick’s show held at the famous Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow. 2016 saw the band celebrate the 25th year in a row they played there , and the show was filmed and recorded initially for a limited edition direct to fan release only. Now earMUSIC will release Stiff Little Fingers’ “Best Served Loud – Live At Barrowland” on CD, DVD and vinyl as well as for the very first time on Blu-ray.
With the latest studio album “No Going Back” and songs such as “Trail of Tears”, “My Dark Places” and “Liar’s Club”, Stiff Little Fingers spanned topics including the economic crash, Jake’s personal struggle with depression, and racism in the west. The candid and sincere nature of these tracks, like much of SLF’s music, captures the heart of the listener. In particular, “My Dark Places” which opens with lyrics: “Well it cuts just like a knife/Takes away your love of life” was so inspiring that countless fans contacted Jake to tell him how the song gave them the strength to tell others about their own bouts with depression.
Formed in 1977 in Belfast Stiff Little Fingers were among some of the pioneers of punk rock. Joining ranks with the likes of The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Damned , Buzzcocks, and Undertones they brought in a new era of music. Their music was a culmination of their own experiences and the political strife they witnessed, growing up at the height of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland. From this many notable songs forth came, including “Suspect Device” and “Alternative Ulster”. These were the first of what became SLF's signature style: lyrics that meld the personal and political, music that combines the energy of punk with infectious hooks, and a delivery that rings of honesty and commitment. It’s this raw edge that defines the band and their continued vulnerability is what makes their music so relatable – allowing them to draw back fans time and time again.
“BEST SERVED LOUD – LIVE AT BARROWLAND” TRACK LIST
1. Go For It/Wasted Life
2. Just Fade Away
3. Roots, Radicals, Rockers And Reggae
4. Guitar & Drum
5. Nobody’s Hero
6. Back To Front
7. Barbed Wire Love
8. Listen
9. Doesn’t Make It Alright
10. Silver Lining
11. Guilty As Sin
12. At The Edge
13. Strummerville
14. My Dark Places
15. Fly The Flag
16. When We Were Young
17. Tin Soldiers
18. Suspect Device
19. Gotta Getaway
20. Alternative Ulster
“NO GOING BACK” VINYL TRACK LIST
Side A
1. Liar's Club
2. My Dark Places
3. Full Steam Backwards
4. I Just Care About Me
5. Don't Mind Me
6. Guilty As Sin
Side AA
1. One Man Island
2. Throwing It All Away
3. Good Luck With That
4. Trail Of Tears
5. Since Yesterday Was Here
6. When We Were Young
The “No Going Back” CD reissue comes in a 2CD Digipak edition with 12 exclusive demo songs, an acoustic version of “My Dark Places” and a live version of “When We Were Young“.
The band remains an incendiary live act. They are touring throughout 2017 and forthcoming UK and Eire dates are below:
Fri 18th August 2017 Escot Park, Nr Fairmile, Devon, Beautiful Days Festival – UK
Fri 25th August 2017 Dublin, The Academy – Ireland
Sat 26th August 2017 Belfast, Custom House Square – UK