Jake Burns (of Stiff Little Fingers)


  • Jake Burns Lead singer
  • Biography

    Jake Burns is the lead singer and songwriter for Stiff Little Fingers.

    Stiff Little Fingers were formed in 1977 in Belfast, Ireland. Along with the likes of the Clash, Sex Pistols, The Jam, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Sham 69, Stranglers, et al – Stiff Little Fingers were at the forefront of the punk movement. They wrote initially about their own lives, growing up at the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, in songs like “Suspect Device” and “Wasted Life”. In November of ’77, they released those two songs on their own Rigid Digits label, and sent a copy to BBC Radio One DJ John Peel, who started playing it every night.

    These were the first of what became SLF’s signature style: lyrics that meld the personal and political, music that combines the energy of punk with infectious hooks, and delivery that rings of honesty and commitment. In 1979 they became the first band ever to hit the UK top 20 album charts on an independent label with their debut Inflammable Material. The album chronicles the band’s anger and frustration at “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland, and calls on youth to create their own reality.

    After many studio albums and countless tours, Stiff Little Fingers find themselves more in demand than ever. Using the band’s rich musical legacy as a building block, the time has come to bring the newest chapter of the band’s music to the world. In 2014 they released their latest studio album, No Going Back. Many of the new songs have been debuted at live gigs, with tremendous response from fans. With song like “Trail of Tears”, “My Dark Places” and “Liar’s Club” covering topics such as the recent economic collapse, Jake’s personal struggle with depression, and continuing racism in the west. Jake has said, “You’ve probably worked out by now, I don’t do “comedy” songs !!” But the songs continue to inspire fans old and new. Countless people have already contacted Jake to say that “My Dark Places” gave them the strength to tell others about their own bouts with depression. The new songs, penned over the last decade, show a definite musical growth in the band. Jake Burns is currently on the first leg of Rancid and Dropkick Murphys’ From Boston to Berkley Tour including a stop at ‘77 Montreal.