Formed in London in 1983, Stump were a cult post-punk act with a strong live following. Featuring Kevin Hopper on bass guitar, drummer Rob McKahey and Chris Salmon on guitar, the band really found their feet once Mick Lynch joined on vocals. His distinctive stage presence won them a loyal following amongst the expat Irish community in the English capital.
The band went on to release a series of singles and EP’s before their debut full release, A Fierce Pancake appeared in 1988. Along the way they recorded Peel Sessions and had their moment in the spotlight with an appearance on The Tube. Seemingly perpetually on the verge of crossover success but never quite making it, they seem in many ways to be the archetypal British 80s indie band.
This release sees the first physical release of a back catalogue out of print since 1990, with many of the tracks made available for the first time. It is a shame that the music hasn’t dated well, with cringe-worthy lyrics that err towards the “wacky” student sense of humour that makes many bands of Stump’s ilk unpalatable these days. The package is, however, lovingly put together and fans will revel in a trip down memory lane.
