Sunday, March 10, 2019

Dave Robinson, The Story of Stiff Records at The Half Moon

Putney. Sunday 10-March-2019.

Back in 2017 we really enjoyed the talk and Q'n'A session with Bruce Iglauer, founder of Alligator Records so when we saw "Dave Robinson, The Story of Stiff Records - If It Ain’t Stiff, It Ain’t Worth A F...k" advertised we just had to go along.

For the first half Dave gave us an insight into his biography pre-Stiff records as a photographer and how he got into the music business. Then followed a series of tales of the artists he signed, how he found them and video clips of them performing. For a small independent label the calibre of artists is truly impressive including Elvis Costello, The Damned, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Lena Lovich, Madness, the list goes on...

What came across very strongly was the ethos of the company, of looking after the artists, unlike the big labels. It was a family affair; they made a real effort to promote all of the bands and look after their welfare.


After the break it was more stories including how he promoted the bands using The Stiff Tours and then taking questions from the audience. He let us know that he is working on a book which will doubtless be worth adding to the Christmas list when it comes out.

This was the first of a proposed series of Eight O'Clock Rock Chats to be hosted by The Half Moon. Ones to watch out for.

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