A Punk / New Wave independent from Belfast, Rip Off was established in 1978 by producer George Doherty; it issued some fourteen singles before expiring, which it did in 1980. Numbering was in an RIP-0 series. At least two Rip Off records, a Various Artists LP called 'Belfast Rock' and a split EP shared by The Sweat and Pretty Boy Floyd & The Gems (RIP-101; 11/79) were handled by Logo / RCA on the mainland (3); some others were distributed by One Stop or Pinnacle. A single by the Tinopeners, 'Set Me Free' was recorded by Rip Off but was issued on Logo (GO-375), in October 1979, so it would appear that although the last of the company's singles came out in 1980 the writing must have been pretty well on the wall before then. Thanks to Sam Mauger for the first two scans and to Robert Bowes for the third.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.