Jake Burns

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For other persons named John Burns, see John Burns (disambiguation).

Jake Burns (born John Burns, 21 February 1958 in Belfast) is a singer and guitarist, and is best known as a member of Stiff Little Fingers.

Jake Burns in a 2006 promo pic.

[edit] Career

Burns wrote songs for the band such as "Alternative Ulster", "Suspect Device", "Straw Dogs" and "At The Edge". This was sometimes in collaboration with other band members or their manager, Gordon Ogilvie, although he is and always was the main songwriter in the group.

Stiff Little Fingers' debut album, Inflammable Material entered the UK Albums Chart as the highest new entry and, co-incidentally, the first ever completely independent album on 21st February 1979, which also happened to be Burns' 21st birthday.

The album was met with much critical acclaim and put Stiff Little Fingers on the punk rock map, with fast politically motivated lyrics regarding the political situation in Northern Ireland at the time. Stiff Little Fingers still perform today, although Burns until recently was the only founding member still present in the line-up. Former member of the New Wave band The Jam, Bruce Foxton, played bass guitar until recently, his immediate successor being the original bass player Ali McMordie. Presently, Ian McCallum is on guitar and Steve Grantley, formerly of Jake Burns and the Big Wheel, the group Burns formed in the five years that SLF were not performing, plays drums.

On 27 March 2006 his solo album Drinkin' Again was released.

Burns is a supporter of Newcastle United F.C. He is married to Shirley Sexton, the webmistress of SLF's official website. They live in Chicago, Illinois.