CD Description
The main problem with the inspired amateur mantra of punk rock is that it usually translates into aggressively energetic studio works, but ultimately sloppy and forgettable live shows. HANX, however is a welcome and vibrant exception to this rule. Showcasing Stiff Little Fingers at several live shows in London in July 1980, HANX (the abbreviated Irish way of responding to applause) demonstrates that SLF were just asaccomplished a live band as a studio outfit.
If lead singer/guitarist Jake Burns seemed filled with righteous indignation on the studio versions of "Suspect Device" and "Tin Soldiers", live he comes across as a prophet of rage scourgingthe forces of oppression with the whip of his voice. However, this doesn't mean that he can't croon like a teen idol on"Barbed Wire Love" or do a credible reggae voice on the cover of Bob Marley's "Johnny Was". Killer live versions of thecall-to-arms "Alternative Ulster" and the bittersweet "Wasted Life" make this an instant classic. Although the album only contains material from the band's first two albums, HANX is essential enough to merit attention from fans both old and new.