Stiffs, Inc. was an ostensibly morbidicesque American, Victorian-themed
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
punk band, formed in 1992.
Brought together in New York City under the name 'Stiffs, Incorporated', the group were active between 1992 and 1998. Their early material is influenced by 1970s English punk. Through theatrical shows and morbid lyrics they quickly developed an original style which can be described as 'Post-Orwellian Victorian'. The band produced two albums along with a number of singles released on 7" and 12" records. ''Nix Nought Nothing'' was released in 1995 and ''Electric Chair Theatre'' was released in 1997.
"Stiffs, inc. delivers what may be the most artful and intelligent record to emerge from the NYC punk renaissance of groups like D-Generation, Trick Babies and NY Loose..." Tim Stegall CMJ New Music Monthly, August 1995.
They played their final show on May 24, 1998. Paul Boering has gone on to form Beaut with Marti Domination (ex-
Blacklips
The Blacklips Performance Cult was an avant-garde drag performance group based in New York City's Lower East Side, at the Pyramid Club. The collective was active from summer 1992 to spring 1995.
Blacklips was founded in the summer of 1992 by ...
Performance Cult,
Matthew Barney
Matthew Barney (born March 25, 1967) is an American contemporary artist and film director who works in the fields of sculpture, film, photography and drawing. His works explore connections among geography, biology, geology and mythology as well ...
's
The Cremaster Cycle
''The Cremaster Cycle'' is a series of five feature-length films, together with related sculptures, photographs, drawings, and artist's books, created by American visual artist and filmmaker Matthew Barney.
''The Cremaster Cycle'' was made over a ...
). Whitey Sterling has gone on to form the electronic based outfit known as Umbrella Brigade. Umbrella Brigade released their debut album, ''Ex Nihilo'', in 2008. In 2010, Sterling made an appearance on ''
Oddities'' which airs on the Discovery Channel.
Members
*Whitey Sterling (
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...
)
*Paul Boering/Joshua Arfield (
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
)
*R.X. Mauser (
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
)
*Bryn Mars/Jeremy Arfield (
drums)
*Byron Lang (
keyboards)
*Poison Eve (
emcee)
*Donnie T. Tremors (
drums) 1992-1993
Discography
Albums
*''Nix Nought Nothing'' (1995 Onion /
American Recordings)
*''Electric Chair Theatre Presents'' (1997 Gladglum & Others Ltd.)
Singles and EPs
*"Destroy All Art" / "Chelsea" (1994 Aluminium Records) - 7"
*"Blown Away Baby" / "Work, work, work" (1994 Holy Plastic) - 7"
*"Chelsea" / "Mary Pickford" (album versions) - 7"
*"Engineering 2" / "One Chord Wonders" (1995 Titanic Tours) - 7" split single with Jonathan Fire*Eater
*"Panic in the Springtime" (1997 Dismal Abysmal Recordings) - 7" split single with The Brickbats
*"Richard" / "Noughty Boys (pre-version)" / "The Magician Ballet" (1997 Gladglum & Others Ltd. with Ammann Enterprises) - 12"
Compilation tracks
*"The Magician (Remix No. 6)" / "Newton's 2d Law (Defied)" (1997 Dismal Abysmal Recordings, "Watch Your Step Volume 2 - The Curse of the Hearse" )
Tours and shows
April 2, 1996: New York City, NY – Irving Plaza - Love and Rockets, Dandy Warhols, Stiffs, Inc.
May 22nd, 1998: NYC, NY - Coney Island High
May 24th, 1998: NYC, NY - Mother (Final Show :,, )
References
External links
(The) Stiffs (Incorporated) Fan Forums.The "official" Stiffs, Inc. page.Stiffs, Inc. on MySpace.Paul Boering's cabaret musical duet Beaut, also includes bio on Stiffs, Inc.Sound of Beaut on MySpace.Whitey Sterling's latest outing --Umbrella Brigade.Umbrella Brigade on MySpace.Stiffs, Inc. Video "Chelsea"Stiffs, Inc. "The Magician", Live on YouTube.Stiffs, Inc. "Space Nothing", Live on YouTube.Additional Stiffs, Inc. Videos on YouTube.
Punk rock groups from New York (state)
Musical groups from New York City
{{US-punk-band-stub