| Inflammable Material | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 2, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | November 1–13, 1978 at Spaceward Studios, Cambridge (Apart from "Alternative Ulster" recorded Island Studios, London May 1978) | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 41:08 | |||
| Label | Rough Trade | |||
| Producer | Geoff Travis,Mayo Thompson,Doug Bennett, Ed Hollis (B4) | |||
| Stiff Little Fingers chronology | ||||
| ||||
Inflammable Material is the debut album by theNorthern Irish punk bandStiff Little Fingers. Released in 1979, at the height ofThe Troubles, most of the album's tracks detail the grim reality of life in Northern Ireland in times of polarisation and conflict, with songs containing themes such as teenage boredom,deprivation,sectarian violence andpolicebrutality.
Stiff Little Fingers were formed in 1977, just as thepunk movement was rising in the UK. FrontmanJake Burns' previous band, named Highway Star (which also included SLF membersHenry Cluney andBrian Faloon), had been a rock covers band. However, as the band discovered punk they reoriented, renaming themselves to Stiff Little Fingers and altering their line-up. In a 2019 interview, Burns said he 'loved the visceral power of [punk]' and the '[Middle] fingers up to the rock establishment aspect.' He was particularly inspired bythe Clash 'writing about their lives in a way that really hit home', highlighting their songCareer Opportunities as a prime example.[1] Another event which caused SLF to reorient towards punk rock was the 'Battle of Bedford Street', a riot outside ofUlster Hall in October 1977 which erupted due to the cancellation of a Clash performance. In terms of the band realising they were 'not alone' in theUlster punk scene, the aborted Clash show was 'huge'.[1]
The album was recorded in 1978, mostly at Spaceward Studios inCambridge, except for 'Alternative Ulster', which was recorded atIsland Studios inLondon. The process was described by Burns as being done 'very quickly' and 'as if we were playing a live gig', due to the band's lack of knowledge in studio recording.[1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
| Q | [4] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
| Sounds | [7] |
On its initial release, Paul Morley of theNME declared that "even more so thanNever Mind The Bollocks – which turned out to be comedy – much more so thanThe Clash – which turned out to be quaint – as astonishing in its impact asThe Ramones,Inflammable Material is the classic punk rock record."[8] Morley went on to note the album was a "crushing contemporary commentary, brutally inspired by blatant bitter rebellion and frustration" concluding that "There are parts ofInflammable Material that are not just exciting or stimulating but quite humbling. It is a remarkable document."[8] Garry Bushell ofSounds also praised the album, declaring it "a magnificent slice of vintage punk played fast and frantic, and loaded with powerful lyrics and forceful hooks barked out with anger and conviction by the man with the permanent sore throat, vocalist/lead guitarist Jake Burns."[7] Bushell concluded that "Stiffs to be one of the most impressive old style punk bands to have broken surface in recent times, and my worries are mostly for the future: will their music progress or stagnate?"[7]
All tracks composed by Jake Burns and Gordon Ogilvie; except where indicated
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Suspect Device" | 2:36 | |
| 2. | "State of Emergency" | Jake Burns | 2:29 |
| 3. | "Here We Are Nowhere" | Henry Cluney | 1:00 |
| 4. | "Wasted Life" | Jake Burns | 3:10 |
| 5. | "No More of That" | Henry Cluney | 2:04 |
| 6. | "Barbed Wire Love" | 3:33 | |
| 7. | "White Noise" | 1:57 | |
| 8. | "Breakout" | Jake Burns | 3:04 |
| Total length: | 19:53 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Law and Order" | 3:14 | |
| 2. | "Rough Trade" | 2:41 | |
| 3. | "Johnny Was" | Bob Marley | 8:12 |
| 4. | "Alternative Ulster" | 2:45 | |
| 5. | "Closed Groove" | 4:25 | |
| Total length: | 21:17 | ||
The 2001EMI CD reissue added the following tracks:
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Suspect Device (single version)" | 2:44 |
| 2. | "78 RPM" | 2:38 |
| 3. | "Jake Burns Interview Pt. 1" | 17:41 |
| Total length: | 23:03 | |
The reissue includes the first part of an interview of Jake Burns byAlan Parker (the second part is included in the reissue ofNobody's Heroes).
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
14 |
This was the first album on an independent record label to enter the UK Top Twenty.[9]
with:
