Early years
Prior to becoming Stiff Little Fingers, Jake Burns, vocals and guitar, Henry Cluney, guitar, Gordon Blair, bass, and Brian Faloon, drums, were playing in a rock music cover band, Highway Star, in Belfast. Upon the departure of Gordon Blair (who went on to play with another Belfast group, Rudi), Ali McMordie took over on bass. Cluney had by this time discovered punk, and introduced the rest of the band to it. They decided that Highway Star wasn't a punk enough name, and after a brief flirtation with the name "The Fast", decided to call themselves Stiff Little Fingers, after the Vibrators song of the same name.
It was while they were doing a gig at the Glenmachan Hotel that they met up with Gordon Ogilvie, who was a Marxist journalist with the Daily Express newspaper, invited along for the evening by Colin McClelland, another journalist, with whom Jake had been corresponding.
Ogilvie suggested they play material based upon their experience of the Troubles. McClelland arranged to get the band some recording time at a local radio station, and in the studio normally used to record jingles, they recorded "Suspect Device". The single was packaged in the form of a cassette, with a cover depicting a cassette bomb, apparently causing great hilarity in the group, when one record company phoned them and asked for another copy, as they'd thrown the first one in a bucket of water for fear that it was a real bomb.
A copy of the single was sent to John Peel. He played it repeatedly leading to a distribution deal through Rough Trade. The single was released on the band's own Rigid Digits label and sold over 30,000 copies. Peel would later do the same with the first single by another famous Northern Irish band, The Undertones. There were a number of well-publicised arguments between the two bands; the Undertones accused Stiff Little Fingers of sensationalising the Northern Ireland conflict, while they retorted that The Undertones ignored it.
The lyrics of many Stiff Little Fingers' songs concerning the troubles are extremely critical of the paramilitary organisations and governments involved, showing them to be exploititative of ordinary people (particularly the young) and all as bad as each other. Their second single, "Alternative Ulster", was originally intended to be given away free with the fanzine of the same name.
Inflammable Material
In the second half of 1978, they toured with the Tom Robinson Band, and in 1979, they released their first album, Inflammable Material. The band agreed a contract with Island Records, but it fell through, leaving the band to release the album on their own label. Despite the album's independent release, it reached number 14 in the UK Albums Chart and reached Silver status, selling over 50,000 copies. Inflammable Material was the first album distributed Rough Trade records, and the first independent album to chart in the UK. This inspired their move to London, which led to the departure of Brian Faloon and Colin McClelland (who along with Gordon Ogilvie had been joint manager of the band up until that point).
Jim Reilly became their drummer in time for the "Gotta Gettaway" single, and played in the Rock Against Racism tour.
Nobody's Heroes and Go for It
In mid-1979, Stiff Little Fingers signed their Rigid Digits label to Chrysalis Records, and in 1980 released their second album, Nobody's Heroes. 1981's Go for It followed. Soon after the Go for It tour, Jim Reilly left the band. His place was taken by Brian 'Dolphin' Taylor, who Jake remembered from Taylor's days with the Tom Robinson Band.
Breakup
Now Then...
In 1982 came a 4 song EP called £1.10 or Less and then their fourth studio album, Now Then... (although their fifth album, as they had released a live LP, Hanx, between Nobody's Heroes and Go for It). By this time they had diversified musically, and Now Then had an almost pop feel about it in places. This led some of their more hardcore fans to feel alienated, and in the face of low sales and concert attendances, they broke up in 1983, when Burns said: "Our last LP Now Then was to my mind the best album we have made. But it is also unfortunately the best I think we will ever make. So I have decided to call it a day." The band later revealed the original split had been somewhat acrimonious, with bandmembers apparently having fistfights rather than talking through their differences.
Reformation
They reformed in 1987; according to Burns, because they were "skint and wanted to make a bit of cash to get back to Ireland for Christmas". They released some live albums and did short tours towards the end of the 1980s, and by 1990 were thinking of reforming permanently.
Flags and Emblems
Ali McMordie decided he could not commit the time to tour full-time or record, and so left, being replaced by Bruce Foxton (previously bass guitarist in The Jam) in time to record 1991's Flags and Emblems. In Britain, the single from this album, "Beirut Moon", was withdrawn from sale on the first day of release, allegedly because it criticised the government for not acting to free hostage John McCarthy, who had been held in the Lebanon.
In 1993 Burns made what he described as one of the hardest decisions of his life and asked Henry Cluney to leave the band, and the trio of Jake Burns, Bruce Foxton and Dolphin Taylor continued for the next four years, joined on live shows by either Dave Sharp or Ian McCallum.
Get a Life
In 1994 they released Get a Life in the UK, releasing it in the U.S. in 1996. By the end of 1996 Taylor left due to family commitments. Burns called in Steve Grantley who had played drums for Jake Burns and the Big Wheel in the late 1980s.
Tinderbox - Guitar and Drum
The trio of Burns, Foxton and Grantley recorded 1997's Tinderbox album, with help from Ian McCallum who joined as a full time member for 1999's and best of all...Hope Street . This same line-up recorded 2003's Guitar and Drum.
Lineup change
On 18 January 2006, the following announcement appeared on the SLF Website. Bruce Foxton has announced that he is to leave Stiff Little Fingers with immediate effect. After 15 years of writing, recording and touring with SLF Bruce says it is time to move on and concentrate on other projects. "The situation is amicable" says Foxton. "I have enjoyed my time with Jake, Ian and Steve and will miss them. Naturally I wish them all continued success and hope to catch up with the boys during their spring tour."
Obviously, we as well wish Bruce every success in everything he goes on to do in the future. He has been a fantastic asset to the band and we'll miss him as well.
Jake, Steve, Ian.
On 23 January 2006, it was announced that original bass guitarist Ali McMordie was to rejoin the band for the duration of their upcoming March tour. The tour was a success, with many fans writing into SLF's message board saying how much they enjoyed it, and how fired up the band seemed to be. After much discussion regarding the status of McMordie within the band after the tour, on 21 April 2006, Burns posted the following on the message board.
"For the time being Mr. McMordie is happy to continue as long as his busy schedule allows. It may be that occasionally we have to bring on a "substitute", if he is up to his eyes and we need to do something, but hopefully we can avoid that.
Cheers,
Jake."
New album
On 9 March 2007, Jake Burns announced that Stiff Little Fingers would be recording a new album which would hopefully be completed by the end of 2007. They have previewed a track from the new album, "Liars Club", at live concerts. The track is named after a bar Jake drove past on his way home whilst listening to a press report about Tony Blair, George W. Bush and the Iraq War. As of February 2009, the new album is still unreleased. This is mainly due to the fact that Burns had more or less completed writing, when he decided on a change of direction, and scrapped most of the songs.
Suspect Device
Stiff Little Fingers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a suspect device that's left two thousand dead
Their solutions are our problems
They put up the wall
On each side, time and prime us
Make sure we get fuck all
They play their games of power
They cut and mark the pack
But what do they put back?
Don't believe them
Don't believe them
Don't be bitten twice
You gotta suss, suss, suss, suss, suss, suss
Suss, suspect device
They take away our freedom
In the name of liberty
Why can't they all just clear off
Why can't they let us be
They make us feel indebted
For saving us from hell
And then they put us through it
It's time the bastards fell
Don't believe them
Don't believe them
Don't be bitten twice
You gotta suss, suss, suss, suss, suss, suss
Suss, suspect device
Don't believe them
Don't believe them
I tell ya, question everything you're told
Just take a look around you
At the bitterness and spite
Why can't we take over and try to put it right?
Please don't believe us
Don't believe us
Don't be bitten twice
You gotta suss, suss, suss, suss, suss, suss
Suss, suspect device
We're a suspect device if we do what we're told
But a suspect device can score an own goal
I'm a suspect device the Army can't defuse
You're a suspect device they know they can't refuse
We're gonna blow up in their face!
Suspect Device by Stiff Little Fingers is a powerful anti-war song that talks about the dangers of blindly following authority without questioning their actions. The song opens with the disturbing image of "inflammable material planted in my head," referring to the propaganda and indoctrination that governments use to control their citizens. The "suspect device" mentioned in the lyrics has been responsible for "two thousand dead," likely in reference to the endless wars and conflicts that have caused countless casualties.
The song goes on to critique those in power who claim to have solutions to problems but only end up creating new ones. They put up walls and divide people, cutting and marking the pack, and ultimately dealing the common people to the bottom. The lyrics challenge listeners to not be fooled by such leaders and not to be bitten twice. The repeated refrain of "Suss, suspect device" urges people to question and investigate the motives of those in power.
The song also touches upon the loss of freedom in the name of safety and liberty. The chorus asks why those in power can't let people be and instead make them feel indebted for saving them from hell. The song ends with the declaration that they will blow up in their face, a warning to those in power that their actions have consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Inflammable material, planted in my head
I have been taught ideas that could incite violence and rebellion
It's a suspect device that's left two thousand dead
The authorities have used violent measures that have caused many casualties
Their solutions are our problems
The authorities' attempts to solve problems lead to more problems for the people
They put up the wall
The authorities create barriers that prevent progress
On each side, time and prime us
The authorities use time and pressure to manipulate and control us
Make sure we get fuck all
The authorities ensure that we get nothing of value or significance
They play their games of power
The authorities use their position to manipulate and control others
They cut and mark the pack
The authorities divide and categorize individuals for their own ends
They deal us to the bottom
The authorities exploit and abuse those at the bottom of society
But what do they put back?
The authorities do not give anything of value or benefit back to society
Don't believe them
There is reason to distrust the authorities
Don't be bitten twice
Don't make the same mistake again
You gotta suss, suss, suss, suss, suss, suss
You have to thoroughly investigate and scrutinize everything
Suss, suspect device
Distrust anything that could lead to violent action or oppression
They take away our freedom
The authorities restrict our freedoms in the name of safety or control
In the name of liberty
The authorities justify their actions in the name of freedom, but it is a false justification
Why can't they all just clear off
Why can't the authorities just leave us alone?
Why can't they let us be
Why can't the authorities let us determine our own fate?
They make us feel indebted
The authorities make us feel that we owe them for protecting us from danger
For saving us from hell
The authorities claim to have rescued us, but they actually have caused more problems and hardship
And then they put us through it
The authorities cause us to endure suffering, even when we do not deserve it
It's time the bastards fell
It's time for the authorities to be overthrown
I tell ya, question everything you're told
You should not accept anything at face value; investigate and question everything
Just take a look around you
Observe the world and see the problems that exist
At the bitterness and spite
See the conflict and hostility that the authorities cause
Why can't we take over and try to put it right?
Why can't we work together to solve the problems and create a better world?
Please don't believe us
Don't take our word for it; question us as well
We're a suspect device if we do what we're told
If we blindly obey the authorities, we become part of their oppressive system
But a suspect device can score an own goal
If we rebel violently and recklessly, we can cause harm to ourselves and others
I'm a suspect device the Army can't defuse
I am a symbol of resistance that cannot be easily quelled by the authorities
You're a suspect device they know they can't refuse
You are someone who cannot be easily influenced or controlled by the authorities
We're gonna blow up in their face!
Our resistance will ultimately cause the authorities to be overthrown
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAKE BURNS, GORDON ARCHER OGILVIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind