WHO’S STIFF?

Rip It Up, Issue 22, 1 May 1979, Page 14

WHO’S STIFF?

lan Dury One of the better known personalities who has, unlike Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe, remained within the Stiff stable once the going got better. lan Dury started out with Kilburn and The High Roads; his time with The Blockheads marks a second time round success. New Boots and Panties, his one and only album, remained in the English charts longer than anything else but Abba; “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’’ did similarly stupendous things as a single. Albums: New Boots and Panties!! (Stiff, 1977) Mickey Jupp On the scene for many years now, Mickey Jupp is one of those curiousities who “for some reason known only to God and the fates, has been passed over while lesser men achieve fame and fortune.” (Max Bell of NME) His influence as singer and songwriter has been felt by such notables as Eddie and the Hot Rods and Dr Feelgood whose “Down At The Doctors” is a Jupp original. And the albums recorded by his previous band, Legend, are now collectors’ items. Jupp was signed to Stiff Records last year.

Following critical approval of a compilation album of old Legend material, he recorded Juppanese in August of 1978. Pressed in blue vinyl for the colour conscious, it features Nick Lowe as producer on one side and Gary Brooker for the other. Albums: The Mickey Jupp Legend (Stiff, 1978); Juppanese (Stiff, 1978)

Jona Lewie

Keyboards man Jona Lewie was a founding member of Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts. In 1972 they changed their name to Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs and, with the Lewie composition “Seaside Shuffle”, rose to the top of the charts. And that was that. Now Jona writes and produces all his material for Stiff Records. Providing a clue to the content: his latest single, “The Baby, She’s on the Street”, was described as “a cross between Fats Domino and Kraftwerk”! Albums: On the Other Hand There’s A Fist (Stiff, 1978). Lene Lovich Bom in Detroit, Lene Lovich studied sculpture at art school in England. There she joined The Diversions, a soul band featuring Les Chappell, currently her guitarist and co-writer. When The Diversions split up she signed with Stiff, recording Stateless with Chappell, Nick Plytas and two of the Sinceros, Ron Francois and Bobby Irwin. Late last year, with Jona Lewie, Mickey Jupp, Wreckless Eric and Rachel Sweet, Lene Lovich toured Britain on Stiff Records’ chartered train. This was followed by eight nights at the Bottom Line in New York with the Be Stiff crew, then a British tour as the headliner earlier this year. The release of her first single “Lucky Number” came at about this time; in the second week of release it had already reached the Top 20. Albums: Stateless (Stiff, 1978) The Rumour Best known for their support of Graham

Parker, The Rumour have always remained a band: in their own right. They came together in the mid-seventies, after assorted beginnings which included the ill-fated and much-maligned Brinsley Schwarz amongst other l outfits. In 1975 Parker and The Rumour fell upon one another in a"! London pub; they have played itogether since. This partnership has not] prevented The Rumour! from following their own! directions. In 1977 ! Phonogram released their ‘solo’ album Max; Stiff Records are behind the latest contribution and also their first single, Brinsley Schwarz’s “Frozen Years.” Albums: Max (Vertigo, 1977); Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts ( Stiff, 1979). Rachel Sweet Positively precocious, and only sixteen, Rachel Sweet hails from Akron, Ohio. In 1977 she recorded i two tracks for Stiff’s Akron Compilation, and soon after signed with Stiff Records. Fool Around, her l debut album, was produced by Liam Sternerg and features Brinsley Schwarz and members of lan Dury’s Blockheads. Single from the album, “B-A-B-Y”, reached the Top 30 in the UK and was followed this year with" “l iGo To Pieces.” Albums: r Fool Around (Stiff, 1978). Wreckless Eric Having just quit his job as a quality control inspector in a lemonade factory, Wreckless Eric, in late 1976, became one of the first to sign with the newly conceived 1 Stiff RecordsTMIMMBBW His musical background. far from extensive, Eric has nevertheless | featured I heavily in the Stiff | promotion, - starting with . a 45, “(I’d Go the) Whole Wide World” produced by Nick Lowe and. a B-side, “Semaphore ISignals”! under lan Dury. Since then Wreckless Eric, with his band, The Firm, has recorded two albums, in addition to appearing on numerous Stiff compilation records. Albums: Wreckless Eric (Stiff, 1978); The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric (Stiff, 1978).