IF the name of Stiff Records doesn't perk you up then you have missed something special.
Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, Madness, Jona Lewie, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe are some of the names to have graced the halls of Stiffness down the years - and while this collection may consist of many of the also-rans, the fingerprints of some of the above can certainly be found here.
What price now a single by Max Wall, penned by Dury and produced by Dave Edmunds? You'll find other magic here - such as vocals by the irrepressible Lena Lovich or a sprinkling of Alvin's stardust - and songs such as Fast Food Service by The Plasmatics would do nicely nowadays given a Chemical Brothers remix.
Stiff Records wasn't just a hothouse for punk - they were too restless for that. Here you will find new wave, jazz, out-and-out pop and every other category under the sun. What you will find on this 37-track set is a feeling of inventiveness and freshness. Compare today's charts and wonder where we went wrong.
Updated: 16:35 Wednesday, December 03, 2003
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