Let's hope this documentary isn't done by the team that did the story on girl groups ...

Jonathan Ross helps tell the
story of Stiff RecordsThe story of the maverick label Stiff Records is told in two documentary films, narrated by Adrian Edmondson. By the mid-Seventies, music had become a corporate affair, so thank goodness for Stiff, a tiny, ramshackle independent that took music from out of the boardroom and gave it back to the fans.


Founded by two penniless visionaries, Stiff invented the new wave with Nick Lowe, put punk on vinyl with The Damned and gave the world Elvis Costello and Ian Dury. There are contributions from Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Captain Sensible, Stiff fan Jonathan Ross and label founders Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera.

..and I missed it, as I logged on this morning and saw your post:(
The only bit in the papers I don`t read is the TV guides. My Stiff record collection(7") starts at BUY 6 ,I think, which is the Damned. I seem to remember the earlier ones were in very short supply, but all appear on the first compilation. I shall look out for a repeat, I love all indie labels, especially before the word "indie" became a term for a form of music.
You have to love a small label that puts out The Adverts andMax Wall within a couple of months.
EMI, of course would have done that as a matter of course, the very fact that Stiff did it was pure eccentricity.
They released so many unlikely artists, including JK`s own Jona Lewie, Mickey Jupp, Lena Lovich. Most of these artists technically looked like it was over recording wise.
And who can forget Wreckless Eric? John Peel`s show, when this label launched was simply filled with the labels music, which caused the thin line between what was called punk rock and new wave.
They also should hold a tremendous accolade to themselves by introducing the young people of the time, to basically pub rock, of which would have been ignored by a whole generation.
And they had Elvis Costello as well!!! Pure genius in A+R.

I think you'll find 15/9 is a clue, Martin, that it's not broadcast until the 15th September...
I shall indeed be watching; I had tea with Jona Lewie only last week.

I thought the programme just had a strange Stiff like title!
Other links back to yourself from that label, was that for a very brief period, Alvin Stardust was signed to them, although I do not think it was released.
Jona Lewie (John Lewis I think?), did some good stuff. "Allways In The Kitchen At Parties" was superb, but nobody was expecting "Can We Stop The Cavalry". It is an artists dream to write a three minute song and achieve a pension.
And once again, as we are finding these days,again, a performers age, does not stop a genuine hit becoming one.
I`m glad to hear he is well.

They also had one of music biz' best copywriters ("If it ain't Stiff, it ain't worth a fuck" - in case younger readers are wondering with the **** us cronies are talking about). That really was the sentiment at the time.

It's funny looking back just how wide they threw the net. Anyone else remember "Styrofoam" by the Tyla Gang? What a brilliant track. But musically miles away from their labelmates.

Here is a link to the ultimate stiff discography.
I thought I had a good collection, but this guy has (almost) everything.

http://www.buythehour.se/stiff/

JK, I read in Will Birch's book, that you almost went into (the record) business with the landlord of the Hope&Anchor, who financed the early recordings of Dave Robinson, but Robinson was against it.

Is there an untold story here?

"Lew Lewis and His Band".
This is actually Huey Lewis and The News,("The Power of Love" etc), the bulk of which were the backing band on Elvis Costello`s first releases on the label
The Attractions played some of the gigs, but didn`t appear on vinyl until "Watching The Detectives".