Left
to right : IAN "STRANG" BARNES (Guitar , vocals); TOMMY O`KANE ( Drums)
Big
JOHN McVITTIE (Bass , vocals) ; PHIL HENDRIKS (Lead vocal , Guitar )
Photo courtesy
of MELODY MAKER - 19 March 1981
1981
started off reasonably well ,despite ongoing arguments between the
band`s
management and record company EMI.
The
band entered Pennine sound studios on the 2nd. January to record a
couple
of songs written a few days earlier. Since the band`s management,
Marksmen
music, had complained that the last few songs had been lacking
"optimism"
, the band decided that this session would be a fun day out.
Having
completed the one serious tune of the day , "Love is last year`s thing",
they
then proceeded to record a tribute to manager Hedley Leyton , a jokey
rock-waltz
, entitled "Over the balcony" - a song which went on to be a
favourite
amongst the fans , although intended as a joke!.
Assisted
on this session by Neil Summersgill on keyboards and with
a
couple of other musician friends present , the session deteriorated into
a
musical free-for-all , when various people swapped instruments and jammed
their
way through a hillbilly parody featuring Summersgill on lead vocal.
This
song became known as "Hogjowls" and a recording does exist !
A
couple of days later , when manager Leyton heard the tapes his only
comment
was : "....I see you c*** had a good laugh in the studio , then ,
at
someone else`s f*** expense.!!!!." One STIFF ,in a bid to break the
ensuing
silence
asked .." Don`t you like it , then ?".
EMI
released details to the press that the band`s new single would be
"Innocent
Bystander , recorded at Rockfield studios in October 1980, at the
session
which produced the "Volume Control" 7". Shortly afterwards they
withdrew
it from their release schedule after deciding that the song was "not
commercially
viable" . This was the final insult.
Three
weeks later the band were informed that their EMI agreement had
been
terminated by mutual consent and , following hurried negotiations ,
The
Stiffs found themselves in Battery studios on 24th January ,recording
what
was to be their first and last A-side for STIFF records, "Goodbye
my love".
Two
weeks later, on 11th February , they were back in Pennine sound studios
,
recording
a demo of a new song ,"Sold on you", which , it was hoped ,
would
be the follow-up single.
"Goodbye
my love" was released in mid February on the day that the band
commenced
a 12-date tour of major U.K venues supporting the
U.K.SUBS
( who were riding high after a run of Top 40 singles ).
The
single received mixed reviews , the best of which came from Melody
Maker`s
Carol Clerk , who called it "....Pop with steel toe caps...."
Carol
Clerk interviewed the band for a Melody Maker feature.
Despite
massive airplay the record failed to chart and STIFF records
declined
to record a follow-up single.
Meanwhile
, desperate to find the elusive hit record , the group
visited
Pennine studios once again on 16th March to demo "Tomorrow`s
still
alive", although the session was abandoned before the track was
really
finished.
Without
a record contract and with the onset of the New Romantic
movement
, it seemed that time was running out for the Stiffs and guitar
bands
in general. It was decided that a new single would be recorded anyway.
If
no record company was interested then they planned to release it themselves.
Both
band and management agreed that "Crazy mixed up emotion" would be
an
ideal choice . The band were booked in to Pennine sound on 19th April and
would
produce the recording themselves , with the assistance of manager Hedley
Leyton
and his assistant Tommy Sanderson.
Although
a competent version was produced, it was never released.
Unfortunately
other events would contribute to the failure of the project.
The
offices of the Stiffs management , Marksmen music , were destroyed
in a fire ,
shortly
before the company went into liquidation.
The
Stiffs now had no record deal , no management and , just for an added bonus
,
no
master tapes either !
The
dream was beginning to turn sour and by July both Tommy O`Kane and John
McVittie
had parted company with the band.
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