About
Multinational label. [b]Label Code: LC 4764 / LC 04764[/b] Name variants : - Stiff Records - Stiff Stiff Records was created in 1976 by [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Dave+Robinson+(3)]Dave Robinson[/url] and Jake Riviera. Initially intending to specialize in "pub rock" by artists such as Ian Dury and Wreckless Eric, the label quickly got caught up in the punk, ska & new wave movements, and helped launch the careers of such artists as Elvis Costello, Madness, The Damned, Nick Lowe, The Pogues, Tenpole Tudor, and many others. Company related to : - stiff recordings Ever the keen marketeers, Stiff billed themselves as "The World's Most Flexible Record Label". Other slogans were "We came. We saw. We left." and "If it ain't Stiff it ain't worth a fuck." Riviera left Stiff in 1977 to form [l184057], taking Elvis Costello and several other artists with him. In 1978 the company entered into a US partnership with CBS, Inc. This created two short lived labels Stiff-Columbia and Stiff-Epic. In 1984 the label entered a distribution deal with Island Records. Stiff was fully purchased by Island, but the deal wasn't a success and Robinson regained control in 1986 of the newly independent label. In 1987, after a serious cashflow crisis, the label went into liquidation. ZTT, whose product Robinson had worked on when in cahoots with Island, bought the label catalogue for a reported £300,000. On ZTT's watch the label slowly petered out - several albums by the likes of the Belle Stars, Furniture and Dr Feelgood were left in limbo, unreleased. The Stiff brand was relaunched in late 2006 by the SPZ Group (Sarm/Perfect Songs/ZTT) and included new signings and reissues. In Dec. 2017, SPZ sold the Stiff brand, parts of the Stiff recording catalog, and Perfect Songs publishing to Universal Music. UK distribution: 1976- January 1977: self January - December 1977: Island Records December 1977 to October 1979: EMI via Island Records' deal with EMI Early October 1979: Virgin sales force with EMI manufacture and distribution Late October 1979 to 1984: Virgin sales force with CBS manufacture and distribution.
Sub-labels
Stiff Pub
Publishing entity associated with [l=Stiff Records]
Stiff America
Short-lived US branch of the UK's legendary Stiff Records active from ca. 1978-83 independently releasing material falling outside its American distribution deal with CBS Records.
Stiff Canada
Canadian label launched by [l=Attic Records Limited] in early 1981 under a licensing deal with [l=Stiff America].
Gates Of Heaven Records
1980's UK label.
Magic Records (8)
UK Magic Records was created by Stiff Records for just one release, the silent "Wit And Wisdom Of Ronald Reagan". It's slogan was "If it's a success, it must be Magic".
Stiff-Epic
Created in 1978 as a joint venture with [l=CBS, Inc.] Defunct by 1981. Label tagline: "The world's most flexible label"
Stiff Indie
Short-lived imprint of [l=Stiff Records].
Stiff-Columbia
Short-lived US joint venture between CBS Inc. and Stiff Records. It existed from 1978 to 1980.
The China Shop
Mobile studio of the [l=Stiff Records] label.
1 Off Records
Short-lived series from Stiff Records.
Stiff Double A Side Records
Contact Label
E-Mail: info@stiff-records.com
