Stiff Little Fingers is an Irish punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Formed in 1977 the group consists of Jake Burns, Ali McMordie, Steve Grantley and Ian McCallum.
Stiff Little Fingers are well known for writing and playing music that chronicles their experience of The Troubles (the violent struggles that occurred due to disputes over the constitutional status of Northern Ireland) during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The group’s single “Suspect Device” fell into the hands of UK Radio One DJ John Peel, who played the track continually and won the group a solid fan base as well as significant fame.
The band secured a deal with the Rough Trade record label and released the album “Inflammable Material” through them. The 1979 album went to number 14 on the UK album charts and sold over 100, 000 copies.
The group released a further nine studio albums between 1980 and 2014. The group was as well known for its banned performances (Stiff Little Fingers has been barred from venues as well as television shows such as Top of the Pops) as well as their played gigs, which have taken place all over the UK and Europe. Stiff Little Fingers are known for their hard-hitting tracks that tackle issues such as violence and racism head on.
The band has seen multiple line up changes over the years, but the band’s central fan base has remained strong throughout the decades. Fans of Stiff Little Fingers are struck by the group’s integrity for writing and performing music about the realities of the The Troubles in Northern Ireland despite the political forces they were up against. This fan base has seen Stiff Little Fingers continue to pack out venues today.
While mainstream success may have been modest for Stiff Little Fingers, the historical importance of their music is significant and cannot be disputed.
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