Stiff Record - First 10 singles - "The Black Box"
This box set was released by Stiff Records back in the late 1970s and contained their first ten singles. It includes the collectible Motorhead single "White Line Fever" which was only available as part of this set.
Very little restoration done on these
clicks, crackles and hiss - the real vinyl sound!
BUY 1 So It Goes/ Heart Of The City - Nick Lowe
"Stiff release No1. Issued 14 August 1976, this was originally made as a publishers demo and cost £45.00 for both sides. It made single of the week in Sounds and NME."
Apart from drums Nick played everything. He would go on to produce the Damned's first singles and Album and Elvis Costello.
"Its a sound that's happening now. Clever words over a simple rhythm. Basically I'll do anything. I can write in any style, but all my friends have turned into punks overnight and I'm a great bandwagon climber." Melody Maker Aug 1976
Stiff's first single.
Produced by Nick Lowe & Jake Riviera.
Mono enhanced STEREO play loud!
BUY 2 Between The Lines/Spoiling For A Fight - Pink Fairies
An ill fated attempt to keep the psychedelic pixies together. Guitarist Larry Wallis would later release the fabulous 'Police Car' on Stiff and produce the Adverts and Wreckless Eric. The link doesn't stop there though as Deviant/Pink Fairy Mick Farren would also record for the label.
Proclaimed on the cover to be released on Bacon Records.
Produced by Everyone & No-one
BUY 3 All aboard / Cincinatti Fatback - Roogalator
A Matrix: for a beaver cut
B Matrix: certified gold
Released: 1976
Produced by Tony Wilson, remixed by Robin Scott
Mono-enhanced STEREO, (That Gusha Gusha Sound).
Sleeve is a parody of "With The Beatles" cover.
EMI objected to the Emitex advert & trademark.
BUY 4 Styrafoam / Texas chainsaw Massacre Boogie - Tyla Gang
A Side:
B Side:
A Matrix: three piece
B Matrix: four piece
Released: 1976
Produced by Sean Tyla.
Artistic breakthrough! Double "B" side.
This record certified gold on leaving the studio.
Plain old STEREO.
BUY 5 Boogie On The Street/Caravan Man - Lew Lewis
"A one take masterpiece recorded on a Revox at no financial expense."
The B side 'Caravan Man' is so elemental and so basic but just so compelling you can't help but move your feet to this stonker of a toon. Although credited to Lewis, it featured the backing of Dr. Feelgood under a pseudonym. Lew certainly had an interesting career. First with the Hot Rods, then solo then appeared on the Stranglers. In 1987, with his musical career at a low, he held up a post office with a fake pistol using a bicycle as a getaway vehicle and was later sentenced to seven years" imprisonment for armed robbery.
Produced by Geoff Shaw.
NEO-STEREO.
BUY 6 New Rose/Help - The Damned
If Stiff had only released this one single then their legend would have been assured. 'New Rose' was released on 22 October 1976 beating the Pistols 'Anarchy' by several weeks and effectively the first UK Punk single released.
An absolute 24 carat punk classic enhanced by its sonic destruction and indeed bettering of the Beatles's 'Help'
Produced by Nick Lowe.
STEREO (turn it up).
Stiff's first hit single.
BUY 7 You Gotta Lose/ Blank Generation/In Another World - Richard Hell
For the man who found it easier to write a song than pick up the phone. All the UK punks knew about the American scene and it don't get more seminal than 'Blank Generation' and its influences on the Sex Pistol's 'Pretty Vacant' and the look of punk too!
Produced by Craig Leon and Richard Hell.
Meant to have been only 5,000 copies pressed.
Rumour has it many more were pressed.
BUY 8 Silver shirt / This is the world - Plummet Airlines
A Matrix: luftwaffe airlines
B Matrix: plummet geschaft
Released: 1976
Produced by Sean Tyla for The Dansette Wrecking Co.
PROPER STEREO.
BUY 9 White Line Fever/Leavin' Here - Motorhead
Its amazing to think of the tribulations that best early Motorhead. This single was never released by Stiff. Having previously recorded an album for United Artists with Larry Wallis on guitar that remained shelved too. Luckily Chiswick stepped in and the boys got going before finding success with Bronze. Two years later the boys would issue a live version of Leaving Here on their 'Golden Days' EP recorded at brain melting volume.
Can you guess what 'White Line Fever' is about?
Produced by Motorhead / Lemmy & Motorhead.
Deleted before the official release.
Only found in the Stiff Black Box 7" set.
BUY 10 Neat neat neat / Stab your back / Singalongascabies - The Damned
A Matrix: a porky prime cut
B Matrix: this is your captain speaking
Released: 1977
Produced by Nick Lowe.
STEREO ONLY PLAY REGULARLY.