STIFF LITTLE FINGERS // Celebrate 40 Years Of ‘Inflammable Material’

It’s been an odd time for fans of the 1970’s punk movement which liberated music for the masses, the Sex Pistols have performed multiple one-off tours and in December it’ll mark 17 years since punk legend Joe Strummer died.

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But there’s still hope for those punks who wish to remember a time when music was politicised and influencers like John Peel provided the nation a chance to experience the new.

Stiff Little Fingers were one of those bands championed by the legendary DJ with single Suspect Device being played consistently on Peel’s nightly show. The song, named after the code word for a potential explosive device, along with the rest of the album focuses on the struggles which provided the backdrop to the Northern Ireland bands development.

Inflammable Material is one that is instantly recognisable via its cover art, a staple of any punk fans collection. The album also shows another trend in the development of music, being one of the first independent albums to break the top 20 for Rough Trade.

Independents everywhere have these punks and Buzzcocks’ Spiral Scratch to thank for the dawning of an era where independents could grip the charts. While in regards to bands, Bad Religion and Rancid have noted the influence of Stiff Little Fingers on their music.

Now the band will return to Australia with the album in toe to 41 years after the albums release. Though no confirmation has been made of a full set purely of Inflammable Material, one would suspect the band to look on it fondly when making the set.

One thing that is highly doubtful is songs about sentimentally as vocalist and guitarist Jake Burns explains “We don’t play a lot of love songs”.

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND FEBRUARY 2020 TOUR DATES:

PERTH // Saturday, 15 February // Rosemount // 18+
ADELAIDE // Sunday, 16 February // The Gov // 18+
MELBOURNE // Thursday, 20 February // Croxton // 18+
SYDNEY // Friday, 21 February // Metro Theatre // 18+
BRISBANE // Saturday, 22 February // Tivoli // 18+
CHRISTCHURCH // Tuesday, 25 February // The Foundry // 18+
WELLINGTON // Wednesday, 26 February // San Fran // 18+
AUCKLAND // Thursday 27 February // Powerstation // 18+

Tickets available here.