JOHN Peel once said The Stiffs mighty anthem Inside Out was the greatest record in the history of the universe.

Blackburn’s veteran punk band enjoyed their five minutes of fame when the late DJ made their pile driving power pop 45 his single of the week on his much-loved BBC radio programme.

And The Stiffs will plug their amps in again at The Grand, Clitheroe, tomorrow night providing the supporting cast for The Skids.

“We booked a studio in Oldham and it cost us £75 to record Inside Out and £500 to put the single out, and it proved to be our finest hour,” said lead singer Phil Hendriks.

“However, when we got the 1,000 singles back from the pressing plant, the labels on the vinyl were back to front.

“But then John Peel started playing Inside Out incessantly and Mike Read the B side, Kids on The Street, so we got two bites at the cherry.

“In those days radio airplay was everything, it was the only way to be heard, other than gigs.

“John Peel always championed us, so we’ll always be grateful to him.”

Tomorrow night’s show marks a rare live appearance for The Stiffs, who staged their first ever show at East Lancs Cricket Club in 1977.

“Our gigs over the last few years have been rather sporadic, but we played the Ribble Valley Punk Festival and that was great,” said Hendriks.

“We love the Grand, it is one of the best venues in the region for atmosphere.

“I’m always unsure of how many people will turn up, then blown away by how many do.

“We’ll be playing all the old songs we were best known for back in the day, so it will be a fantastic night.”

These days, Hendriks is busy touring with Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers but admits he can’t wait to meet one of his punk heroes Richard Jobson, The Skids leader.

He said: “I loved The Skids when I was a teenager and I still do.

“The Skids were a very clever band and I thought they were one of the links between punk and the New Romantic era.

“They started out with punk but then began using synths and Working for the Yankee Dollar (single) proved to be a big cross-over record.

“They’ve certainly had a new lease of life and when they play live they are unbelievable.”

At the start of the year, The Skids released their first studio album for 35 years, Burning Cities, which won both critical and fan acclaim for its raw and rebellious sound.

“The Skids music is very physical,” said lead singer Jobson. “If I wasn’t on the stage I would be in the audience.

“Burning Cities is more important than nostalgia.

“The new songs feel relevant and they reflect the world around us which has gone mad.

“Punk was essentially about relating to what was going on at the time and its importance can be seen in the world of music, media and art.

“It was an inspiration to a new generation.”

The Skids plus The Stiffs, Grand Theatre, Clitheroe, Friday, December 14. Details from 01200 421599 or www.thegrandvenue.co.uk