Sounds, August 14, 1976

Bibliography   72 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 UK & Ireland weeklies UK & Ireland magazines UK & Ireland newspapers US newspapers US rock magazines US music magazines US magazines US alternative weeklies European magazines European newspapers Canada  •  Mexico  •  Asia Australia  •  New Zealand South America  •  Africa Blogs  •  Fanzines  •  Books Online publications Sounds   1974 March 30 1976 August 14 1976 November 20 1977 March 26 1977 April 9 1977 April 30 1977 May 28 1977 June 11 1977 June 25 1977 July 23 1977 July 30 1977 August 6 1977 August 13 1977 August 20 1977 September 3 1977 September 17 1977 October 15 1977 October 22 1977 November 5 1977 December 3 1977 December 10 1977 December 17 1977 December 24 1978 January 28 1978 February 18 1978 February 25 1978 March 4 1978 March 11 1978 March 18 1978 April 1 1978 April 8  1978 April 15 1978 April 22 1978 April 29 1978 June 17 1978 September 2 1978 September 9 1978 September 16 1978 September 23 1978 September 30 1978 October 21 1978 November 18 1978 November 25 1978 December 30 1979‎ January 6 1979‎ February 3 1979‎ February 10 1979‎ February 24   1979‎ April 14  1979‎ May 12 1979‎ June 2 1979‎ July 21 1979‎ December 29 1980 January 5 1980 January 19 1980 February 2 1980 February 23 1980 March 15 1980 March 22 1980 April 5 1980 April 12   1980 May 24 1980 June 7 1980 August 30 1980 September 6 1980 October 4 1980 October 11 1980 October 18 1980 December 27 1981 January 3 1981 January 17 1981 January 24 1981 February 7 1981 February 28 1981 April 4 1981 November 21 1982 January 16 1982 June 12 1982 June 26 1982 July 10 1982 July 31 1982 September 18 1982 September 25 1982 November 27 1983 January 8 1983 June 25 1983 July 2 1983 July 16 1983 July 30 1983 September 17 1983 October 29 1983 November 5  1983 December 10 1984 January 7 1984 March 31 1984 April 28 1984 June 9 1984 June 30 1984 July 14 1984 October 20 1984 December 15 1985 March 23 1985 April 20 1985 May 11 1986 February 22 1986 March 1 1986 September 13 1986 November 29 1986 December 20 1987 January 31 1987 February 7 1987 June 27 1987 December 5 1989 February 11 1989 February 18 1989 March 4 1989 May 6 1989 May 13 1989 June 24 1989 July 15 1989 October 21 1989 December 23 — Stiff: a label for hard-up heroes Chas de Whalley "It's well crazy," said ex-Brinsley Schwarzer Nick Lowe. "But it'll be one in the eye for the Bizness if it works out." countered Jake Riviera, one time tour manager with Dr. Feelgood, famed bon viveur and journalist basher. What were these two Closing Time Companions talking about? Why, Jake's very own record label, of course, and its first single — Nick Lowe's "So It Goes," reviewed on page 22 — which is scheduled for release at the end of this month. "We're calling it 'Stiff Records: the most flexible label in the world' and the policy will be very simple indeed," Jake told me when I inadvertently stumbled upon a Stiff business meeting in United Artists West End office last week. "Basically speaking we want to put out singles that are two and a half minutes long and have got two and a half chords in them. It'll all be very esoteric." And Jake Riviera and UA Press Officer Andy Childs collapsed in laughter at the very thought. Mind you, from name and logo to music and manners, Jake wants Stiff to be out of the ordinary and a bundle of fun. That's why various members of Dr Feelgood themselves are among those prepared to foot the bill when Stiff starts to indulge in its own musical fantasies and whims. Plans are afoot to unearth bits of everything from unreleased Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers material and brand new Nick Lowe songs to tapes Paul McCartney made of Brinsley Schwarz when they were on the Wings tour in '73 and some tracks by the original pub rock band Americans Eggs Over Easy. A friendly little bunch of acts, well loved by Londoners wherever they may be. But, to be honest, are obsolete bar bands really commercial enough to launch Stiff as a successful record label? "There's a much larger market there than you might think, especially as we're hoping to be distributed through the specialist shops like Bizarre Records or Rock On. But Nick's songs are very good indeed, and if 'Truth Drug' gets the reviews and the airplay it deserves Stiff will start straight off with a hit." Chart successes or no, there'll be more on Stiff than mere music to patch your Levis by, if Jake gets his way. While the Feelgoods lapped up the sun on the Laurel Canyon estate then rented from ex-Byrds Skip Battin, Mr Riviera (formerly known as Jakeman) was out on the town doing business. "We met Clover (a San Francisco band well loved by fanzines ZigZag and Omaha Rainbow) and I'm now in charge of their European activities. They haven't had a record deal for some time, so we're working on that for Stiff. Then there's a strong possibility Richard Hell (one-time bass-player for New York punksters Television) will come over to do some sessions with Nick and Tim Roper, the old Ducks Deluxe drummer." Last but not least Jake is trying for a lead on Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers, whose album was glowingly reviewed by Giovanni Dadomo in these very pages a fortnight ago. Riviera met Matthew Kaufman, who runs the Berserkley and Home Of The Hits labels (upon which Richman albums have appeared), when the Feelgoods entourage were in LA. The two of them, and singer Lee Brilleaux went to the Troubadour to talk business. Jake discovered that Kaufman had deleted the Modern Lovers to clear the air for a solo album Jonathan Richman has scheduled for this Autumn. "I told him I was certain there's a market for the Modern Lovers in Britain and I think we were close to an agreement," grinned Jake, "But we all got very drunk indeed and had a fight with Stevie Wonder's manager. I know me and Matthew shook hands but I think both of us were in too much of a daze to remember what sort of a deal we made. But, as soon as he's back in his office in San Francisco, I'm going to give him a ring and see what's happening." Until then watch out for the startlingly tacky black and white stickers. And remember, from such small beginnings... It seems likely that a lot of the things on the world's most flexible record label might not be such Stiffs after all, eh what Carruthers? Tags: Stiff Records  •  Brinsley Schwarz  •  Nick Lowe  •  Dr. Feelgood  •  Jake Riviera  •  Andy Childs  •  Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers  •  Paul McCartney  •  Wings  •  Eggs Over Easy  •  The Byrds  •  Clover  •  ZigZag  •  Richard Hell  •  Television  •  Jonathan Richman  •  The Modern Lovers  •  Giovanni Dadomo  •  Beserkley  •  Lee Brilleaux  •  Stevie Wonder << >> Sounds, August 14, 1976 Chas de Whalley profiles Stiff Records. Images Clipping. Cover and page scan.

External links

• Wikipedia: Sounds
• Flickr: littletriggers