Stiff Records

Stiff Records was a British independent label founded in London by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. It operated from 1976 to 1986 before being revived in 2007. Launched as the punk rock movement took off, the label signed acts like Nick Lowe, the Damned, Lene Lovich, Wreckless Eric, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and Devo, along with crossover artists such as Motörhead, Larry Wallis, and Mick Farren. In the 1980s, after many early signings had left, Stiff found commercial success with Madness, The Pogues, Tracey Ullman, The Belle Stars, and Kirsty MacColl, among others.

In December 2017, Universal Music Group bought Stiff Records and ZTT Records. The American rights to Stiff’s catalog are held by Razor & Tie, part of Concord Music Group. The British rights were with BMG Rights Management under Union Square Music until 2022, when Universal relaunched both the Stiff and ZTT labels.

Robinson and Riviera were well-known figures in London’s music scene. Robinson had briefly worked for Jimi Hendrix in the late 1960s and managed the pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz in the early 1970s, where Nick Lowe played bass and sang. Riviera had managed another pub rock band, Dr. Feelgood, from Essex. The label started with a £400 loan from Dr. Feelgood’s Lee Brilleaux. Originally called Demon, the name “Stiff” was chosen as a better fit for its artists.

Stiff found quick success. Its first release, on 14 August 1976, was a 7-inch single by Nick Lowe: “So It Goes” with the B-side “Heart of the City,” catalog number BUY 1. It sold 10,000 copies. The next release, “Between The Lines” by Pink Fairies, sold about half that. Robinson and Riviera used money from their management company, Advancedale, to fund what is widely considered the UK’s first punk single, “New Rose” by The Damned, released on 22 October 1976.

Early in 1977, Stiff gained momentum, signing Wreckless Eric, Ian Dury, and Elvis Costello, who had once been a part-time roadie for Brinsley Schwarz. Sales grew, and a distribution deal with Island Records via EMI was set up. After arranging for Costello and Lowe to sign directly with CBS Records’ Columbia label, a similar deal was made with Arista, which released Ian Dury’s first album and the *Live Stiffs Live* album. That deal was short-lived, and Stiff then made a deal with CBS for U.S.