Released February 2, 1979 Release date 2 February 1979 | Length 41:08 | |
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Recorded November 1, 1978 - November 13, 1978 at Spaceward Studios, Cambridge. (Apart from "Alternative Ulster" recorded Island Studios, London May 1978.) Similar Stiff Little Fingers albums, Punk rock albums | ||
Inflammable Material is the 1979 debut album by the Northern Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers. Most of the album's tracks are about the "Troubles" and the grim reality of life in Northern Ireland with the songs containing themes of teenage boredom, sectarian violence, police oppression, etc., urging people to "grab it and change it, it's yours" in what became their signature song "Alternative Ulster". The song "Rough Trade" is about the band's view of the music business as being dishonest, but they have since claimed it is not about the record label which happens to have the same name.
Contents
Track listing
All tracks composed by Jake Burns and Gordon Ogilvie; except where indicated
- "Suspect Device" – 2:36
- "State of Emergency" (Burns) – 2:29
- "Here We Are Nowhere" (Henry Cluney) – 1:00
- "Wasted Life" (Burns) – 3:10
- "No More of That" (Cluney) – 2:04
- "Barbed Wire Love" – 3:33
- "White Noise" – 1:57
- "Breakout" (Burns) – 3:04
- "Law and Order" – 3:14
- "Rough Trade" – 2:41
- "Johnny Was" (Bob Marley) – 8:12
- "Alternative Ulster" – 2:45
- "Closed Groove" – 4:25
The 2001 EMI CD reissue added the following tracks:
The reissue also includes the first part of an interview of Jake Burns by Alan Parker (the second part is included in the reissue of Nobody's Heroes).
Chart Position
This was the first album on an independent record label to enter the UK Top Twenty. [1] Cranna, Ian (1979) "Rough Charm", Smash Hits, EMAP National Publications Ltd, 4–17 October 1979, p. 6–7
Personnel
Songs
1Suspect Device2:37
2State of Emergency2:29
3Here We Are Nowhere1:00