Showing 1 - 3 of 3
Artist: Texas Terri
Hollywood's exas Terri and the Stiff Ones play sleazy, street-strutting rock & roll that will violate your ears and mind. Frontwoman and ex-stripper Terri Laird recalls Iggy Pop, Lux Interior of the Cramps, and Wendy O. Williams rolled into one with her half scream, half growl vocals and infamous stage antics -- the flame haired singer... [+] Read More
Artist: AC/DC
AC/DC's mammoth power-chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the '70s. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early '70s. AC/DC's rock was minimalist -- no matter how huge and bludgeoning the guitar chords were, there was a clear sense of space and restraint.... [+] Read More
Artist: Lew Lewis
Harmonica player/vocalist Lew Lewis made one album for Stiff Records in 1979, Save the Wail, as well as a couple of 1979-80 singles for Stiff and an earlier one for United Artists. Before going solo he'd been in Eddie & the Hot Rods, though he was kicked out of that notable pub rock-new wave crossover band after their 1976 debut single, "Writing... [+] Read More
Artist: Lucia Pamela
For aficionados of Incredibly Strange Music, Lucia Pamela is a gift from God: a senior citizen who made a totally unknown, crudely recorded album in the late '60s that sounded like a garage nursing-home band. Pamela was a former Miss St. Louis and veteran entertainer with several decades of experience under her belt by the time she recorded Into... [+] Read More
Artist: John Brown
From throngs of musicians named John Brown, this one is best-known as a loyal sidekick to the remarkable performer Wreckless Eric. Among the British musicians who answer to John Brown or Johnny Brown, this is the one who bravely shoved new wave rock down the throats of European audiences who weren't quite ready for the new genre. In particular,... [+] Read More
Artist: Slipknot
Slipknot's mix of grinding, post-Korn alternative metal, Marilyn Manson-esque neo-shock rock, and rap-metal helped make them one of the most popular bands in the so-called nu-metal explosion of the late '90s. But even more helpful was their theatrical, attention-grabbing image: the band always performed in identical industrial jump suits and... [+] Read More
Artist: No One's Victim
Hailing from Fresno, California, No One's Victim couldn't have found a more of an out of place spot for their brand of UK street punk when they got together in 1997. Citing influences such as The Clash, The Business, Stiff Little Fingers and the Swingin' Utters responsible for their inspiration, No One's Victim released a handful of EPs and... [+] Read More
Artist: The Rumour
The Rumour are best known as Graham Parker's backing band during his heyday, but the band also took a stab at their own recording career. And even though they were overshadowed by their association with Parker and never received much attention for their efforts, they did manage to make three albums of really enjoyable music in the mold of a new... [+] Read More
Artist: Beth Thornley
Singer/songwriter Beth Thornley combines classic sounds of '70s pop/rock with the earnestness of Aimee Mann and Beth Orton for her own playful kind of sweetness. The Alabama-born Thornley, who earned a classical music degree, landed in Los Angeles in the late '90s with her sights set on making her rock & roll dreams come true. In between various... [+] Read More
Artist: Jesse Lee Turner
Jesse Lee Turner comes from Bowling, Texas, a town so small you can't even find it with computer mapping software. The mysterious black-haired singer fit the image of the times, he had the allure and looks that the media wanted in a teen star. Turner changed labels often during his career. He first recorded for Fraternity Records, but "Teenage... [+] Read More
Artist: Jona Lewie
While he wasn't one of the biggest names on Stiff Records, Jona Lewie was one of those irrepressible characters who gave the pioneering British indie label its utterly unique flavor. Born John Lewis, Lewie got his start in the early-'70s pub rock scene, playing keyboards for the Sussex group Brett Marvin & the Thunderbolts. Bizarrely, the group... [+] Read More
Artist: Dirty Looks
Dirty Looks (not to be confused with the late-'80s metal band of the same name) were formed in the late '70s in Staten Island, NY. Composed of Patrick Barnes (guitar/vocals), Peter Parker (drums/vocals), and Marco Sin (bass/vocals), the trio began playing their hard-rocking power pop at Max's Kansas City and CBGB where they were discovered by... [+] Read More
Artist: Lene Lovich
One of the more offbeat and memorable figures in new wave, Lene Lovich certainly drew much of her widely varied approach from her unconventional early experiences. Born of a Yugoslavian father and British mother, she spent much of her childhood in Detroit, MI. At age 13, she moved to Hull, England, with her mother. She ran away to London shortly... [+] Read More
Artist: The Adverts
With their raw, enthusiastic immaturity, the Adverts were a bright, though short-lived, light of the punk era, distinguished by the fact that their bassist, Gaye Advert, was one of the first female stars of punk rock. After they (barely) mastered one chord, the Adverts began playing at London's Roxy Club in 1976, where they quickly came to the... [+] Read More
Artist: Madness
Along with the Specials, Madness were one of the leading bands of the ska revival of the late '70s and early '80s. As their career progressed, Madness branched away from their trademark "nutty sound" and incorporated large elements of Motown, soul, and British pop. Although the band managed one crossover American hit in 1983, the band remained a... [+] Read More
Artist: Albania
While this Scottish group could accurately be called new wave, the kind of new wave they played would have probably happened even if punk had never existed. They favored danceable, lightly funky tunes with arch, eccentric lyrics. The presence of a saxophone in the lineup made it all the more easy to draw comparisons with some of Roxy Music's... [+] Read More
Artist: Tenpole Tudor
Tenpole Tudor was one the strangest and silliest groups on Stiff Records, a label that was known for its oddballs. Led by Eddie Tudor (born Edward Tudorpole), a former actor that could barely carry a tune, the group played a mixture of punk, roots rock, pop, and British dancehall music, developing a thoroughly entertaining and ridiculous style.... [+] Read More
Artist: Graham Parker
Stereotyped early in his career as the quintessential angry young man, Graham Parker was one of the most successful singer/songwriters to emerge from England's pub rock scene of the early '70s. Drawing heavily from Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones, Parker developed a sinewy fusion of driving rock & roll and confessional folk-rock, highlighted... [+] Read More
Artist: Ausgang
One of the lesser-known British goth bands of the early to mid-'80s, Ausgang put out one album, one mini-album, and a handful of 7" and 12" singles between 1982 and 1987. Theirs was a Batcave-like sound: spiky guitars, stiff punk-funky drumming, clipped yelping vocals, dark, alienated ranting songwriting, and little melody. Even relative to goth... [+] Read More
Artist: The Esquires
One of the many talented Texas garage groups of the '60s, the Esquires didn't record much, but managed a couple of smoking performances in "Judgement Day" and "Come On, Come On," both of which rank among the raunchiest moments in Texas garage rock (against stiff competition). An entire LP side of their work was eventually released on a 1980s... [+] Read More
Artist: Ken Woodman
British trumpeter Ken Woodman is best-known as the musical director (i.e., arranger) of 1960s pop/rock hits by Sandie Shaw, Chris Andrews, Adam Faith, and Tom Jones. Those arrangements often highlighted a swinging, brassy sound with heavy overtones of jazz and light pop as well as rock. On Chris Andrews' hits, in particular, there were rhythms... [+] Read More
Artist: Eucharist
Swedish death metal combo Eucharist released two mid-'90s albums. The first, 1994's A Velvet Creation, featured Markus Johnsson (vocals, guitar), Thomas Einarsson (guitar), Tobias Gustafsson (bass), and Daniel Erlandsson (drums), while the second, 1997's Mirrorworlds, saw them reduced to the trio of Johnsson, Erlandsson, and bassist Martin... [+] Read More
Artist: Brian Johnson
It's never easy to replace a founding member of a band who dies tragically, but AC/DC's Brian Johnson fit in with the Australian hard rocking band perfectly and was accepted immediately by the group's legion of fans. Born on October 5, 1947, in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, Johnson sang with a church choir as a youngster, but like zillions of... [+] Read More
Artist: Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood was the ultimate working band. From their formation in 1971 to lead vocalist Lee Brilleaux's untimely death in 1994, the band never left the road, playing hundreds of gigs every year. Throughout their entire career, Dr. Feelgood never left simple, hard-driving rock & roll behind, and their devotion to the blues and R&B earned them a... [+] Read More
Artist: Gluey Brothers
Coming on-stage with hilarious, real-life characters that are both outlandish and lovable, the Gluey Brothers made history in July 2000 by being the first independent rock band anywhere to simultaneously release an album (Stiff for the Elders) in both the traditional stereo format and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound. Then in July 2001, DTS put both of... [+] Read More
