Live Stiffs Live


Live Stiffs Live is a live album released in 1978 by Stiff Records. It compiles concert performances by several of the record label's artists recorded during the "Live Stiffs Tour", which ran from 3 October to 5 November 1977.

Songs

Among the recording artists featured on the album are Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric, and Larry Wallis. The album opens with tour MC Kosmo Vinyl calling audience members away from the bar and introducing the first act as "Nick Lowe's Led Zeppelin". The final cut of the album is a performance of Ian Dury's hit, "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" performed by all of the tour's artists and crew.

Release

The album has various names from Stiffs Live Stiffs, Stiffs Live and Live Stiffs. The correct name of the original Stiff Records release on 17 February 1978 was Live Stiffs Live. The album was later re-issued on Music for Pleasure as simply Live Stiffs.
The album entered the UK Albums Chart on 11 March 1980, eventually peaking at number 28.
Live Stiffs Live was later released by Demon Records on CD in 1994 and re-released in 1997.

Critical reception

Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies, Robert Christgau wrote:
In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said "the entire record captures the wild, careening spirit of Stiff — it's fun, trashy rock & roll."

Track listing

Side one

  1. "I Knew the Bride" - Nick Lowe's Last Chicken in the Shop - 3.25
  2. "Let's Eat" - Nick Lowe's Last Chicken in the Shop - 2.44
  3. "Semaphore Signals" - Wreckless Eric & the New Rockets - 3.25
  4. "Reconnez Cherie" - Wreckless Eric & the New Rockets - 3.45
  5. "Police Car" - Larry Wallis' Psychedelic Rowdies - 3.59

Side two

  1. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions - 2.27
  2. "Miracle Man" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions - 3.56
  3. "Billericay Dickie" - Ian Dury & the Blockheads - 4.24
  4. "Wake Up & Make Love with Me" - Ian Dury & the Blockheads - 3.32
  5. "Sex Drugs Rock & Roll & Chaos" - All artists - 5.41

Personnel

Nick Lowe's Last Chicken in the Shop
Wreckless Eric & the New Rockets
Larry Wallis' Psychedelic Rowdies
  • Larry Wallis - guitar, vocals
  • Nick Lowe - bass
  • Penny Tobin - keyboards
  • Terry Williams - drums
  • Pete Thomas - drums
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Ian Dury & the Blockheads