The Big Stiff Box Set

by The Big Stiff Box Set

Overview

There's a certain rude humor to the title of Salvo's The Big Stiff Box Set, a humor that's entirely appropriate for a box commemorating the messiest, drunkest rock & roll label ever. The Big Stiff Box Set isn't the first box of Stiff Records produced -- Demon/Rhino released one in 1992, one that was sloppy enough to carry a vinyl transfer of Richard Hell's "Blank Generation," complete with cracks, pops and turntable wobble -- and it falls just short of being the best, but it's pretty damn great all the same, capturing the ragged glory and ludicrous splendor of the label. Which ain't to say that it's perfect: three songs in, it's almost derailed by Roogalator's choogling "All Aboard" and it extends way to late, right to the revived Stiff of the new millennium. But Stiff was all about their flaws, so it's only right that The Big Stiff Box Set isn't polished: it's tattered and frayed, as it should be. Despite the quarrels and quibbles over the track listings -- to get back to Roogalator (as all good pub rock discussions inevitably do), where's "Cincinnati Fatback"?; licensing restrictions may be the reason why there's only one track a piece from Elvis Costello and Madness -- this hits most of the high spots, and there are loads of them: all the big singles from Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, the Damned, Lene Lovich, Jona Lewie, Kirsty MacColl, Any Trouble, Tenpole Tudor and the Pogues, plus great one-shots from Tyla Gang, Max Wall, the Yachts, Larry Wallis, Mick Farren, Humphrey Ocean, the Rumour, Dirty Looks, Desmond Dekker and many others. A lot of this was on the first Stiff box, but The Big Stiff Box Set distinguishes itself from its predecessor -- and, in doing so, makes it necessary for those who already have the first -- but adding singles not found on its predecessor, including great moments and/or notable novelties from Plummet Airlines, Ernie Graham singing Thin Lizzy, the Sports, the Subs, Pointed Sticks, Motor Boys Motor, the Equators, Nigel Dixon, the Dancing Did, Brigit Novik & M and Yello. True, some of this unheard stuff borders on the outright silly, but Stiff's glee in irreverence is what made it a great label, and it's nice to know that no amount of historical reverence -- such as a big box with a very nice accompanying book -- can camouflage this essence. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/09/2009
Label:	Salvo
UPC:	0698458840325

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Andy White   Primary Artist
The Go-Go's   Primary Artist
Colin Blunstone   Primary Artist
Passion Puppets   Primary Artist
Furniture   Primary Artist
Tommy Chase   Primary Artist
Brigit Novik   Primary Artist
Lene Lovich   Primary Artist
Desmond Dekker   Primary Artist
Jona Lewie   Primary Artist
Roogalator   Primary Artist
Rachel Sweet   Primary Artist
Nick Lowe   Primary Artist
Mickey Jupp   Primary Artist
The Members   Primary Artist
Plasmatics   Primary Artist
Alvin Stardust   Primary Artist
Tenpole Tudor   Primary Artist
Enemy   Primary Artist
The Equators   Primary Artist
Elvis Costello   Primary Artist
Billy Bremner   Primary Artist
Kirsty MacColl   Primary Artist
Inspirational Choir of the Pentecostal First-Born Church of the Living God   Primary Artist
Ian Dury & the Blockheads   Primary Artist
Ian Dury   Primary Artist
Larry Wallis   Primary Artist
Joe "King" Carrasco   Primary Artist
The Damned   Primary Artist
The Dubliners   Primary Artist
Barbara Gaskin   Primary Artist
Belle Stars   Primary Artist
Electric Guitars   Primary Artist
Madness   Primary Artist
The Rumour   Primary Artist
Motoerhead   Primary Artist
Ruefrex   Primary Artist
The Sports   Primary Artist
Theatre of Hate   Primary Artist
Dancing Did   Primary Artist
Any Trouble   Primary Artist
Makin' Time   Primary Artist
Yello   Primary Artist
Wreckless Eric   Primary Artist
Tranzmitors   Primary Artist
Tracey Ullman   Primary Artist
The Adverts   Primary Artist
Via Vagabond   Primary Artist
Tyla Gang   Primary Artist
Devo   Primary Artist
Department S   Primary Artist
Ronald Reagan   Primary Artist
The Pointed Sticks   Primary Artist
Max Wall   Primary Artist
The Untouchables   Primary Artist
The Mint Juleps   Primary Artist
The Pink Fairies   Primary Artist
The Pogues   Primary Artist
The Prisoners   Primary Artist
Motor Boys Motor   Primary Artist
Yachts   Primary Artist
Ernie Graham   Primary Artist
Nigel Dixon   Primary Artist
Lew Lewis   Primary Artist
Mick Farren & the Deviants   Primary Artist
Jane Aire & The Belvederes   Primary Artist
The Producers   Primary Artist
Eskimo Disco   Primary Artist
Plummet Airlines   Primary Artist
The Hardy Annuals   Primary Artist
The Realists   Primary Artist
Dave Stewart   Primary Artist
Humphrey Ocean   Primary Artist
The Crowns   Primary Artist
The Subs   Primary Artist
Dirty Looks   Primary Artist