The Vibrators “Pure Mania” 1977. Promo copy. After seeing Stiff Little Fingers this past weekend, we got to talking about the Vibrators (SLF took their name from the track “Stiff Little Fingers” that appears on Pure Mania, “[Jake] Burns, [Henry] Cluney, and [Brian] Faloon had previously been in a cover band called Highway Star, but when Cluney became a convert to punk rock, Burns and Faloon followed suit, and after recruiting [Ali] McMordie, they took the name Stiff Little Fingers from a song by the Vibrators” – Allmusic). We think we saw the Vibrators play in Milwaukee sometime in the 90′s, maybe at the Globe (now gone) or at Quarters (still very much there) but it was around 20 years ago so recollections are hazy. Joe thinks maybe he just believed we saw them since he listened to his cassette so much that he somehow manifested it into reality.

Pure Mania was the Vibrators’ first release after forming in ‘76 during the first wave of British punk. Like the Buzzcocks and the Stranglers, the Vibrators straddle the line between power pop, hard pub rock and punk. Their songs are short, catchy as hell, full of snot and snarl while singing about girls (“Sweet Sweet Heart,” “Baby Baby,” “London Girls”), broken hearts (“No Heart,” “You Broke My Heart”) and having a good time (“Whips and Furs,” “Bad Time,” which starts out about having a bad time but by then end things have changed – now it’s a good time!). “Wrecked on You” has a bit of it all. “Stiff Little Fingers” is lyrically the most punk track on the record, filled with manic pessimism.

Hangs a naked light over your face
Shines electric ness upon your bed
Well, if it wasn’t for your stiff little fingers
Nobody would know you were dead

You never really did much living
You mainly sat and watched your TV
I think it had you on remote control
Tickin’ over nicely

But you screwed up this time
Now you gotta start from the bottom again
It’s a serious game
When you gotta start from the bottom again
I’m gonna start now

I want to be dead

The optician said “20 20”
But you stumbled ‘round like you were blind
You never saw beyond your own four walls
It’s a shame you never saw the light

But you screwed up this time
Now you gotta start from the bottom again
It’s a serious game
When you gotta start from the bottom again
When you gotta start from the bottom again
When you gotta start from the bottom again
When you gotta start from the bottom again
I’m gonna start now