Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster Reaction
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- In this video we're checking out Stiff Little Fingers. We know very little about this band, so this will be an adventure. Enjoy!
cynthiamartin....
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/ hanierfamily - Розваги
Being from Belfast, this song really hit home and is still incredible to this day. Still relevant even now.
Inflammable Material by SLF is the best album of the Punk/New Wave era for me. Other great tracks, Johnny Was, Wasted Life, Barbed Wire Love, Suspect Device. I love the way Jake Burns shreds his voice on this. It's because the lyrics really matter.
Yeah i agree apart from GO FOR IT! has ROOT'S RADICALS ROCKER'S AND REGGAE and that makes it platinum for me Jake Burns and Joe Strummer from the same mold i have nothing except respect and love for these great HUMANS
Hay guys SLF ARE AMAZING LIVE BUCKET LIST RIGHT THERE 👍✌️
Johnny Was is a really good cover
Inflammable Material was the first album I bought with my own money back in 1981 and I still love it
Agreed. I think it’s the best punk album period. See this band live while they’re still tearing it up, people.
By far the best intro to any song
My favourite quote from Jake Burns is when an interviewer asked why they haven’t chosen a side in the troubles as a band and his response was “because if you do, ya get shot”. Punk royalty x
This band was mentioned in the popular movie Hi Fidelity (2000), when a girl says she loves Green Day, and then a guy lets her listen to 'Suspect Device'. I was in the cinema with my gf, and I almost jumped out of my chair from joy. Stiff Little Fingers and The Undertones (also from Northern Ireland) belong(ed) to my fav (melodic) punk bands. SLF sang punk pamphlets about the political situation (mostly) and The Undertones sang about the all day troubles of teens, struggling with their feelings for each other.
There's nothin' for us in Belfast
The Pound's old, and that's a pity
OK, so there's the Trident in Bangor
And then you walk back to the city
We ain't got nothin' but they don't really care
They don't even know you know
They just want money, we can take it or leave it
What we need
Is an Alternative Ulster
Grab it and change it, it's yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores and their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti-security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter your native land
Take a look where you're livin'
You got the army on the street
And the R-U-C dog of repression
Is barking at your feet
Is this the kind of place you want to live?
Is this where you want to be?
Is this the only life we're gonna have?
What we need
Is an Alternative Ulster
Grab it and change it, it's yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores and their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti-security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter your native land
They say they're a part of you
And that's not true, you know
They say they've got control of you
And that's a lie, you know
They say you will never
Be free, free, free
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Oh, you've done it now!
Fucking good on ya i can't take it or leave it S.L.F IS A MUST LIKE OXYGEN I NEED THEM IN MY EAR'S WEEKLY AT THE LEAST AND HAVE FOR FOURTY YEAR'S OTHERWISE I MIGHT SHRIVEL UP AND DIE
Alternative Ulster needs to be heard live , they are in my opinion only behind the Stranglers and the Damned , unbelievable live , always saw them at Barrowlands in Glasgow or the Mayfair in Newcastle , they have 3 hotbeds for concerts, Belfast Glasgow and Newcastle ,
I'm from the North of Ireland, the province of Ulster. This is about rejecting the violence here which was at it's worst in the 70's and 80's.
thanks for telling it like it is. they were keen t avoid the sectarian nonsense
You've opened a great can here guys. Fabulous guys and awesome band. So many fave songs. The band were arguing for a better/alternative ulster in Northern Ireland during the troubles
"Alternative Ulster" was to be the title of an Irish punk zine! The first issue was to include a flexi disc of this song (hence "get an Alternative Ulster... grab an Alternative Ulster"). The DIY magazine never materialized but rather than let the song goto waste Stiff Little Fingers released it was their second 45.
BTW- Stiff Little Fingers got their name off a song from the Vibrators' 1977 debut LP "Pure Mania"...
I never realised A/U was going to be a free flexi release that never happened.
Seen these live about 10 times over the last 40 odd years :D .... I wish it was more .... A fantastic live band
GO FOR IT. DA DA DA
Really political band born out of the IRA troubles! I loved this band and was in the British armed forces when all this happened! Quite hard supporting the band being in the forces and against the govt! I supported the band and hated what we doing in the armed forces!
Seen these live many times and they tear the roof off the place every time, at the edge, gotta get away, tin soldiers, just fade away, barbed wire love, silver lining, bits of kids, nobodys hero, wait and see, fly the flag, sad eyed people, here we are nowhere, wasted life, safe as houses, doesnt make it alright, johnny was, suspect device, all absolute bangers and many more i havent mentioned!
Ulster is a province of Northern Irelandof which Belfast is the CAPITAL, WHERE SLF are from. They wanted an end to the troubles. So sought an Alternative way.
Great song from an awesome band who are still performing to this day.
Check out each dollar a buellet, a more recent song, or their tribute to Joe Strummer, Strummerville.
Ulster(in Gaelic, Uladh )is NOT a province of Northern Ireland; it is one of the four ancient provinces of Ireland. In 1921, six of the nine counties of Ulster were retained by the British government, after an Irish rebellion. Loyalists still refer to 'Ulster' when they mean Northern Ireland. (sad!).
2 songs that got us all going mental at the under 18 discos in our youth. This one and toy dolls Nellie the elephant. They would play em every week we absolutely loved it and went mental poggoing around.
You might like 'Where's me jumper' by Sultans of Ping FC, from the R.O.I.
Thanks for reacting to this...loads of people have been mentioning the troubles, which probably leads you a little in the dark...
The troubles date back to 1690's ( maybe even earlier) when William the third ( protestant) was victorious over the Jacobite forces ( Catholic ) in Ireland , a treaty was signed ( the treaty of Limerick) which allowed Catholics to practice their religion but give up there landholdings. These lands were then given to protestant aristocracy for their support in Ireland....the most productive of which was found in the north ( Ulster) ...this obviously created religious tension...which simmered for hundreds of years...which culminated in the 1919 to 1921 Anglo-Irish war, primarily a guerilla war between the Catholic Irish and Protestant British. Eventually in 1922, Ireland a treaty was signed which partioned Ireland...southern Ireland gained independence and Ulster remained under British control....
The whole situation flared up again in the late 1960s until 1998, and is known as the troubles...
Catholic and Protestant groups waged a low level war with each other, the UK government put troops on the street to initially to keep factions apart, walls and partions were used to separate catholic and Protestant areas, but sectarian violence continued...bombings, shootings and punishment beatings were a common occurrence throughout this time. Regular attacks took place on mainland Britain, including a improvised mortar attack on downing Street.
A peace agreement was signed in 1998, which enabled a power sharing government made up of all sides ( known as the good Friday agreement) ...since then Ulster has remained fairly peaceful although tensions remain high between the protestants and Catholics.
Alternative Ulster was a call for something different to all the political and religious violence that was taking place at the time.
Origin punk. Born of the "Troubles" in Ireland they were classically punk, anti-establishment, hated the violence and pain they witnessed among their countrymen during those awful years of British colonialism. The reference to "Alternative Ulster" would be a yearning for peace. For Irish self governance and the removal of British military from their country. Another great SLF song is "Suspect Device."
they never called for irish self governance that is just bullshit, they were calling for an end to the madness that plagued our streets back then
its not about that at all jeeezz OMG show me where?
They were famously anti sectarian
They were not for the removal of the British or Irish self governance. Plus the British are still here, thank fuck
Thank you for checking them out and for the shout out 😎 You should try Suspect Device or Nobodies Heroes next. The song 'It doesn't make it all right' Is a good chill Reggae song.
"Doesn't make it alright" is also a cover of The Specials...
Suspect Device is another great track from this band.
Big high 5 for that comment dude.
Do you mean SUS SUS SUS SUS SUS SUS SUSPECT DEVICE?
@@tobysetters3980 Yep, although I think there were seven SUS’s rather than six 😉
Ulster is another name for Northern Ireland and this is a reaction against 'The Troubles'.
THE punk anthem - many great songs which stand the test of time but SLF still rocking, going to Glasgow Barrowland 16-17 March, can't wait
Saw them live back in the late '70's, fantastic band!!
Wow! My youth right there! Great choice great reaction.
still gives me a thrill when i hear this....
The "Rockpalast Live 1980" clip on this song on youtube is terrific, and really puts back a lot of the energy that the studio producers removed in the name of making the song sound clean. "Suspect Device" is another great track by this band.
Superb track,superb intro.
Kia ora hello Hanier Whanau (family) hay i hope you guys are doing good 👍. Jake Burns the singer is one of my musical hero's and one of his was Joe Strummer and after Joe's death he wrote a song called Strummerville well worth checking out one of my musical hero's singing about one of our musical hero's JOE STRUMMER 👏👏👏👍✌️ one of my MORAL COMPASSES FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE 40 ODD YEARS AGO
They're playing in Las Vegas, at the end of May 2024. Can't wait!
@ punk rock bowling
they have played St. Patricks day every year since 1990 in The Glasgow Barrowlands, I was there in 90 and many of the subsequent years, brilliant night out. As for what the songs about, it is a song in support of an Irish republic free of England, I would say others might try to correct that and say free of britain as a Scot who desires the same for my country I stand by my statement. Check out suspect device it is my favourite from this album.
you are wrong, the song is about an 'Alternative' Ulster meaning something different to the old tribal orange and green, SLF are a mixed band of Protestants and Catholics, They NEVER endorsed a United Ireland
um its not abut that at all it's about creating a less boring ulster nothing to do with the troubles. good luck with Scottish indy your gonna need more than whisky and tunnocks
The whole first album is quite a lot about growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles. Great album!
Check out "Wasted Life" 🖤
A band from Northern Ireland who grew up during the “Troubles” and a lot of their music reflects thus….Need to listen to the album ‘Hanx’.
You should listen with lyrics to not miss the political reasoning for the just anger. There would be no Green Day etc without SLF. EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL BAND STILL PLAYING LIVE TODAY
Eddie and the hotrods do anything you wanna do
My favourite punk single from one of my top 5 punk albums. Other commentors have namechecked the cover of Johnny Was which I wholeheartedly endorse.
My favourite band of all time
Another great band from Ireland around the same time was The Undertones, check their track Jimmy Jimmy, or My Perfect Cousin.
For all their " political songs ", Stiff Little Fingers were never Irish Republican or British Loyalist. They just wrote songs regarding the terrible mayhem in Ulster ( Northern Ireland ) during the 1970's. People try to stick political labels upon them, which is just stupid.
SLF does a cover of "Johnny Was" by Bob Marley. It might be the greatest cover of all time
IT'S got more power than uncle Bob Marley's version in my opinion 👏👏👏
You are only blooming right mate.
@@medkit-x my second favorite band of all time after THE CLASH
@@heathcornbeef I find you hard to argue with. I really liked the odd Crass album (stations of the Crass track What next Columbus is all kinds of awesome). I really liked The anti-nowhere league too. Joy Division, Velvet Underground later, that is to say I got into Velvet Underground later. Oh man I loved Adam and the Ants and I still swear their first album was a decent if not great punk record and Kings of the Wild Frontier still can do something, I got off them a bit (who didn't) so didn't listen to them for years. That two drummer thing really sounds great still. Tom Waits is one of my favourites too. I will stop as I keep remembering another band, J&MC blew my mind.....that's it
@@medkit-x Jesus and the Mary chain are great I've met THE ANTI NOWHERE LEAGUE the bass player left New Zealand wearing my STICKY FILTH 21st anniversary concert long sleeve shirt and STICKY FILTH STAINLESS CD AND ANIMAL AND THE REST OF THE BAND SIGNED A POSTER FOR MY THEN BABY BOY STRUMMER CLASH Adam and the ants my dad still has that album - Devo the Clash madness the specials b52s the members and on and on THANK YOU DAD for introducing me to the best music when i was a kid in the seventies 👍
I saw them first, at German TV..,, SLF live,, Rockpalast,, 1980,,....as young Punk Kids we loved this.... It was, NT normal to watch a,, Punk Gig,, in the German TV... Society was not ready for that
They certainly have their own Punk scene now.
Saw them live in 91,92, or 93 on The St Paddy's night gig in Brixton Academy. They always start with 'GO For It' an instrumental. I was right at the front my first time seeing them. I was wearing basketball boots with long undone laces and considering what the crowd does (anyone who has seen them will already be laughing) I kept nearly dying. The tune keeps going 'da name na name DUFF DUFF DUFF' and on every DUFF the entire crowd jumps three steps either way, the sound hits and I suddenly find myself in the middle of what can only be described as an entire crown jumping 3 steps right except for the fing idiot towards the front who tried to jump but was obviously tied down. So I start to think I am going to be injured when the next DUFF DUFF DUFF and everyone jumps 3 steps left which was a great relief for two jumps but back to injury ville, I might have coped better breath wise but I couldn't stop laughing. I am too punk for punctuation
I was at the farewell concert at the Glasgow Apollo in 1983. I had a ticket for the 91 show at Brixton Academy. I was living in East London at the time. I went home after a few beers in the afternoon to get ready. I had a doobie and crashed out. Never woke up till 9:30. Two tickets costing £30 each wasted. My mate banging on my door raging woke me up…..alas too late. I saw them again in the mid 90s as a support band for the Sex Pistols in Glasgow. They still play The Barrowlands every Paddy’s day in the East End of Glasgow.
Saw them 79 Bath Pavilion...one of my best gigs
Watch the Sun version. It's about The Troubles, Northern Ireland.
I first heard this song in 97 when I was in 10th grade. I got a compilation album called "Punk You" and this was track #9.(how the hell do I actually remember that? Lol) I'd heard a handful of their other songs but I unfortunately heard only live versions with bad sound so I didn't fully appreciate them. This song however cemented my love affair with SLF and I haven't looked back since.
P.s. The band is from Belfast Northern Ireland. In 77 when the song was written there was still alot of sectarian violence. The province of Ulster had many different group involved in the fighting. One of which was the Ulster volunteer force. Now idk of this song is referring to the province of Ulster or the UVF but as an outsider with limited knowledge I believe that the song is about growing up in the tense political climate of 70s Northern Ireland. I get the sense that it's talking about having the typical teenage problem of being bored and having nothing to do set in contrast to all of the violence and political turmoil going on in Ulster at the time. I will admit however that I am American, and as an American I will NEVER have a complete understanding of the ins and outs of "the troubles " in Northern Ireland. Therefore I'm sure that a native Irishman(or woman) could give a much more comprehensive take on this song. I just wanted to give a rundown in a nutshell. Hope this helped regardless. Have a good one and please, check out more STF. It doesn't have to be online but trust me, it's worth it.
It's 100% referring to the Province 👌🏻
You gotta react to Their song Barbed Wire Love!
they released one of my fave albums in 1979
Great band.
🤩
Not just music but an Anthem for a whole generation .. Not just a punk band but much more .. punk rock did more to bring people together in Northern Ireland than politicians ever could …
shame you didn’t do your homework first
We know about Northern Ireland, and the troubles, as they call it. The best music comes from people's hardships.
@@hanierfamilyplease do SLF barbed wire love I asked last year pretty please 😊
They got inspiration for their name from the 1967/8 U.S TV series "The Invaders".
we didnt
yay someone new doing SLF (my ringtone)
its about the troubles in northern ireland,
Kia ora hello my friends hay SLF are my second favorite band of all time I've seen them 3 time's here in Aotearoa new zealand my friends band STICKY FILTH opened for them last time. The first time was in 2007 i was driving a large truck delivering curtain fabric around Auckland. I used a roll of curtain black out fabric to make a banner six can's of black spray paint and four red cans to put flame's all over the back ground and sprayed Roots radicals rocker's and reggae my second favorite song ever after THE CLASHs complete control and that was the first song they played and signed my banner after the gig 3 year's later at my 40 birthday at the king's arms pub boot the Drummer for STICKY FILTH gave me the set list from that first gig signed to me he had roadied for them on that tour of new zealand. Band's that played at my 40th headlining was STICKY FILTH. Followed by ROOFDOG. THE BLUDGGERS.. BLACK LICK . MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
BAD TOWN. AND MISSING TEETH NOT A SINGLE BAND WOULD EVEN TAKE GAS MONEY ONE OF THE MOST BENT NIGHTS OF MY LIFE
They were mentioned in the movie Hi-Fedility with John Cusack and Jack Black. I remember hearing this song on a punk special on Triple J (radio station) way back in the 90's. Great stuff.. very political.. I'll leave it to the Irish to explain it.
Suggestion reminders:
Pel Mel - No Word from China nzoz1981 (music video - not countdown)
Hunters & Collectors - Talking To A Stranger (full stereo remaster) stereomusicvideo (no other upload of this video is acceptable. The stereomusicvideo version is the best version!)
Hunters & Collectors - Talking To A Stranger (full stereo remaster) stereomusicvideo
Hi-Fedility is one of my fave movies.
@@OnceWasRStrathfield No Word is one of the best Australian singles if 81 imo .. even better than Quasimodo's Dream. And talking to a stranger is still a killer.. better than H&C's mainstream stuff...
It'd be interesting to see a reaction though I am not sure if they'd be positive about those post-punk gems
I'll add my support to this recomendation
An excellent band from Ireland. This was the first track I ever heard by them. It used to get played a lot at Punk clubs.
If you want an idea of what the track is about look up Irish history with England, especially from the 60s up to the 90s or so.
Try into the valley by the skids.
You'd probably enjoy 'Do Anything You Wanna Do' by Eddie and the Hot Rods too.
Northern Ireland is complicated, half the population want to remain British, half want Northern Ireland to be part of Ireland. Over 3,000 people have been murdered between 1970-2000 as paramilitary groups (IRA Catholics v /UDA/UVF Protestants) killed each other. Belfast took the brunt of this.
Watch the film Good Vibrations for a little context, & more good tunes.
Imagine what it was like hearing this in1979.
If you want to listen to SLF at their best you must listen to their live album "Hanx", best live album ever all categories.
Ulster Scots, Scotch Irish, AK47s and molotov cocktails
Check out the live version even better. ua-cam.com/video/5BMO5imGX2s/v-deo.html
Can you do oblivious- Aztec camera
You need to have some sort of grasp of the situation in Northern Ireland (6 of the 9 Counties of Ulster, form N.I), at the time. Bombings, shootings, huge British Army presence on the streets. In the context of the time, this song, by a band from Belfast, was different. Delve into a bit of the history. You’ll be shocked.
To really understand slfs music, you need to watch a British 3 part series called … once upon a time in Northern Ireland,,,it explains “ the troubles”
Fun reaction! "Ulster" is a province in Northern Ireland. "Alternative" referring to "creating a better Ulster", free of British rule (ie: The Troubles). Pretty sure this was '78?
"Suspect Device" and "Gotta Getaway" are great ones too
Not quite. Ulster is a province, yes. But, it consists of nine counties, six in "Northern Ireland", three within the Republic.
"Not quite"
"Ulster is a province, yes"
???
Is it "Argue for No Reason at All On UA-cam Week" and I just missed the memo?
You are at least the 3rd person on UA-cam this week who responded to a comment I made with "not even close!", or "you couldn't be more wrong" or in this case "not quite" before proceeding to say something that isn't far off at all from my initial statement. LOL.
I don't believe your line 'free of British Rule' is the intention of this song at all. It's about creating an alternative country/province - why not 'independance'? SLF were/are, right up the middle and have never been pro British or Irish. That's what makes them acceptable to all.
@@gazd1383 so in other words, you're British? lol.
Kidding, mind you. I do agree with that actually. It's a very "up the middle" song. Probably could've chosen my words better.
my sons band did some support slots fore them about 18 years ago , would love to know your take of my sons band there not big enough for a reaction vid maybe you could have a quick listen and let me know on hear Fights and Fires are there name [ I want napalm death played at my funeral ] is there best song
For a bit of context, watch the film 'Belfast'..... then look up 'the troubles'. No it wasn't cool or fun.
BELFAST NATIONAL ANTHEM/ P.S NEVER CUT CLASSIC SONGS IN THEIR FLOW
The subject is far from a fun song however when SLF do it at a concert the audience goes nutzoid. SLF are more of a political band that shouts about the troubles in Northern Ireland but they have tone down now. Still an awesome band to see live
So relevant now with Brexit and Northern Ireland the Good Friday Agreement...if you get time play this one, great talking point 👍💞
ua-cam.com/video/CkYCj0BvyRc/v-deo.html
Yes, definitely get yourselves educated on _The Troubles_ ... the song is *not* about fun times
Ulster is Northern Ireland. You might want to look into 'the troubles '.
green day wouldnt exist if not for slf
They are clueless.