Editing Stiff Records (section)

==History==
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Robinson and Riviera were well-known London music business characters. Robinson had briefly worked for [[Jimi Hendrix]] in the late 1960s and also managed minor pub rock band [[Brinsley Schwarz]] in the early 1970s, in which [[Nick Lowe]] was the bassist, vocalist and main songwriter; while Riviera had been an early manager for another pub rock band, [[Dr. Feelgood (band)|Dr. Feelgood]], from Essex. The label was started with a loan of £400 from [[Lee Brilleaux]] of Dr. Feelgood.<ref name="independent1">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-spirit-of-stiff-records-lives-on-773546.html |title=The spirit of Stiff Records lives on |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=2017-07-19}}</ref>

Originally, Stiff had been called Demon, but the phrase "It’s a stiff!" was more appropriate for the artists on the record label.<ref name="Louder">{{cite web | url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-of-stiff-the-most-anarchic-record-label-of-all-time | title=The story of Stiff, the most anarchic record label of all time| website=loudersound.com| date=28 March 2018 | access-date=4 June 2021}}</ref> Stiff found quick success. Its first release, on 14 August 1976, was a single (in the normal 7" vinyl 45 rpm format) by [[Nick Lowe]], "[[So It Goes (Nick Lowe song)|So It Goes]]", B-side "Heart of the City", with the striking catalogue number BUY 1.<ref name="debt">{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/stiff-records-if-it-aint-stiff-it-aint-worth-a-debt-415988.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/stiff-records-if-it-aint-stiff-it-aint-worth-a-debt-415988.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | title=Stiff Records: If it ain't Stiff, it ain't worth a debt – Features – Music | newspaper=The Independent | date=15 September 2006 | access-date=7 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=DiscogsBUY1>{{cite web | title=Discogs Nick Lowe: So It Goes/Heart of the City | website=[[Discogs]]| url=http://www.discogs.com/Nick-Lowe-So-It-Goes-Heart-Of-The-City/release/1208199|access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref> That record sold 10,000 copies, but Stiff's next release, "Between The Lines" by [[Pink Fairies]], sold only around half of that.<ref>Dave Robinson International Times, Issue 4, Number 15</ref> Robinson and Riviera used money from their Advancedale management company to finance the release of what is generally accepted as the [[United Kingdom]]'s first punk single, "[[New Rose]]" by [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]], on 22 October 1976.

Early in 1977, Stiff Records picked up speed, signing [[Wreckless Eric]], [[Ian Dury]], and [[Elvis Costello]], who had once been a part-time roadie for [[Brinsley Schwarz]]. Bigger sales followed, and a distribution deal with [[Island Records]] through [[EMI]] was set up. After arranging for Costello and Lowe to be signed directly to [[Sony Music|CBS Records]]' [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] label, a similar deal was made with [[Arista Records|Arista]] who released [[Ian Dury]]'s first album and the ''[[Live Stiffs Live]]'' album. The deal was short-lived and Stiff then made a deal with [[Sony Music|CBS Records]] for Stiff releases in the United States, at both the [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] and [[Epic Records|Epic]] subsidiaries on the Stiff/Columbia and Stiff/Epic labels.

Robinson and Riviera were a fiery management combination, and after a series of disagreements, Riviera left Stiff in early 1978 to form the short-lived [[Radar Records]], taking [[Elvis Costello]], [[Nick Lowe]] and [[Yachts (band)|Yachts]] with him as a settlement package. Riviera's departure coincided with the end of the "5 Live Stiffs Tour", which showcased emerging star [[Ian Dury]]. Dury's album [[New Boots and Panties!!|''New Boots & Panties!!'']] had raced up the charts and its sales kept the label in business over the following months. In 1979, Robinson signed [[Madness (band)|Madness]], who released albums from 1979 to 1984.<ref>"The Madness Timeline: 1979". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2020.</ref>

The next few years were the halcyon period, with many Top 20 single chart placings, including the label's first No. 1 single, "[[Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick]]" by Ian Dury, and a number of other big-selling albums. Stiff expanded rapidly and moved its premises twice. It also continued to release dozens of obscure and uncommercial releases. For example, Stiff Records released the parody album ''The Wit & Wisdom of Ronald Reagan''. That LP, on Magic Records, was completely silent on both sides, with Reagan's own slogan, "If it's a success it must be Magic!".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/No-Artist-The-Wit-And-Wisdom-Of-Ronald-Reagan/release/1421098 |title=No Artist – The Wit And Wisdom Of Ronald Reagan (1980, Vinyl) |publisher=Discogs |access-date=2020-05-02}}</ref>

At the end of 1983, Island Records bought 50% of Stiff, and Robinson ran both labels. Island was very short of money at the time and Robinson had to lend it £1,000,000 to fund the share purchase and pay the payroll.<!--presumably in financial terms--:artistically Island's glory years were either the mid sixties ska record or the late sixties 'pink island' records--> In 1984 Island Records released hit single "Relax" by [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]].<ref>"Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood". MusikBloggNo. Retrieved 11 February 2020.</ref> Stiff signed [[The Pogues]], but then Madness left under a cloud.<!--another important spot for a cite--> The Island deal failed and Dave Robinson regained control of the newly independent label in 1985. Hits by The Pogues and [[Furniture (band)|Furniture]] helped Stiff to survive another twenty months, but the underlying causes for the failure of the Island deal finally became too burdensome for Stiff and it was sold to [[ZTT Records|ZTT]] in 1987.<ref name=DiscogsStiffRecordsProfile>{{cite web | title=Stiff Records profile|publisher=Discogs | url=http://www.discogs.com/label/Stiff+Records|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref>

In 2007, ZTT and its parent company SPZ Group reactivated the label.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.trakmarx.com/2007_03/22-stiff.html |title=Stiff Records – The Legend Returns | publisher=trakMARX | access-date=7 December 2012}}</ref> Stiff quickly broke one of the UK's hottest new indie acts, [[The Enemy (UK rock band)|The Enemy]]. It then released a string of well-received albums of new work from legacy Stiff artists, including as [[Wreckless Eric]], [[Henry Priestman]], [[Any Trouble]], and [[Chris Difford]]. Brand new acts signed to the label included The Tranzmitors and Eskimo Disco. Swedish designer Tobbe Stuhre<ref>{{cite web | author=<!--Not stated--> | url=http://www.buythehour.se/artwork | title=Graphic Design |date=n.d. | website=Buy The Hour| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> was appointed official Stiff Records designer.

In 2008, Union Square Music released ''The Big Stiff Box Set''.