Stiff in Wick

[northener]

On the programme about Stiff Records last night, they were talking to people who were on the epic 'Stiff' tour bus. The likes of Elvis Costello, Ian Drury, Wreckless Eric and Nick Lowe.

They'd toured all round Britain gigging every night.
Unfortunately I had to go out and Mrs N said that whilst I was oot, one of them was saying he was chuffed that they were actually getting a full day off (I think it was Nick Lowe).

Apparently this day off was whilst they were in Wick.

Does anyone recall seeing various musical icons wandering around the fair Burgh of Wick?

.

[jm.mack]

I remember being at this concert in the Assembly Rooms. Reckless Eric, Jonah Louie, Rachel Sweet & Lene Lovich if my memory serves me correctly. I remember they came up on the train in a "Be Stiff" coach I think. Not exactly the "tour jet" eh!

Maybe some of the other orgers can remember if that is correct and any other info on the tour.

[scotsboy]

Be Stiff by Devo - what a track that was!

[scorrie]

I remember Stiff being in Wick. I think I was in 5th year, so that would have been late 1978. I was not really into music at the time, so didn't recognise the faces. However, I remember being given a badge with the legend "If it ain't Stiff, it ain't worth a (naughty word)" by someone at the time. Maybe it's eBay material now but it is long lost.

I found a couple of quotes from some of the acts:-

Lene Lovich:-

"In fact we went to one place up in Wick, and I think they hadn't had a band there for at least three years - this place is right up at the end of the world, I mean it's virtually on the edge there"
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And geography lessons for Kitchen Party man (not to mention logic lessons)

Jona Lewie:-

"One of the gigs that we did was in Wick, which is like the northernmost town of Scotland, ten miles from nowhere."

[rob murray]

I remember being at this concert in the Assembly Rooms. Reckless Eric, Jonah Louie, Rachel Sweet & Lene Lovich if my memory serves me correctly. I remember they came up on the train in a "Be Stiff" coach I think. Not exactly the "tour jet" eh!

Maybe some of the other orgers can remember if that is correct and any other info on the tour.

Dead right, but Micky Jupp was also in the line up. They did come up by train and Wreckless Eric wore an old style BT drivers hat on stage. The band that backed Rachel Sweet was The Records who recorded several albums in their onw right. A few years before ( 1972 ) a band called Babe Ruth played Wick Assembly rooms and the gig was covered by the Melody Maker. Unfortunatley ( and true ) the review covered the violence at the gig as in those days a lot of people just walked round and round the hall picking fights. I think they used the phrase "last bastion of teddy boy violence " I remember cringing with embarrasment at this !!!!