STIFF LITTLE FINGERS - JOHN PEEL SESSIONS 1978 (LTD VINYL RSD 2026)

Belfast punk pioneers Stiff Little Fingers were initially formed in 1977 at the height of The Troubles, with the music of their early tenure serving as a time capsule reflective response of the tumultuous times. Described by a character in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity as one of the two bands (along with The Clash) responsible for Green Day, they require little introduction to any seasoned punk provisioner, long credited as the first punk act to ever come out of Northern Ireland. Arriving on vinyl for the first time as part of Record Store Day 2026 is the band's two sessions recorded for John Peel in April and September 1978, featuring sets of material that would eventually appear on their 1979 debut LP Inflammable Material, including raging bangers such as 'Wasted Life', 'Suspect Device', 'Alternative Ulster', 'Johnny Was', and 'State Of Emergency'. Raw, sparse and somewhat cavernous in production quality, Peel was a maestro at allowing outsider artists to awe and shock in doing what they do best.