The Skids

About me:

Skids Websites:
Official Skids www.theskids.com
Skids Fans www.the-skids.co.uk

The Skids were an art-punk/punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.

The band were founded in 1977 with Stuart Adamson (guitars / backing vocals / keyboards / percussion), Bill Simpson (bass guitar / backing vocals), Tam Kellichan (drums) and Richard Jobson (vocals / guitar / keyboards).

Their first single was an E.P. called "Charles", this was released in 1977 and had the following tracks.
Side A : Charles, Reasons
Side B: Test Tube Babies
This Skids first release was on the "No Bad" record label, a label started by their then manager and Dunfermline record shop owner, Sandy Muir.

The release of this record was soon followed by the band being signed up to Virgin Records and subsequently releasing Sweet Suburbia, The Saints Are Coming, the Wide Open (EP) and Into The Valley which reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Charts in 1979.

The Skids debut album was called Scared To Dance and was released in March 1979 with a promotion tour to support the album.

Side 1:
The Saints Are Coming, Scared To Dance, Contusion, Into The Valley, Integral Plot, Six Times

Side 2:
Sweet Suburbia, Charles, Melancholy Soldiers, Calling The Tune, Of One Skin, Hope And Glory

There next album entitled Days In Europa was released in October 1979 but was quickly withdrawn after some controversy over the cover art, it was presumed to be pro-Nazi by some people in the music industry. A re-release was published soon after with a more "appropriate" piece of artwork on the sleeve.

The Skids went on to release more singles in the form of Masquerade, Charade, Working For The Yankee Dollar over a very short period of time, showing a great hunger and eagerness to produce songs.

A few more singles would be released in the shape of Animation, Circus Games, Goobye Civilian, A Woman In Winter, Fileds and Iona with the albums The Absolute Game and Joy taking the band up into the early 1980's and the subsequent demise of The Skids.

This was not the end of The Skids though..................
2 new Skids albums were released in early 2007, "The Saints Are Coming - The Best Of The Skids" and "Masquerade Masquerade - Live" highly rated amongst other compilation and best of albums that were released under different labels or publishing companies over the years, 2 brand new CD releases to showcase the musical talent that is The Skids.

There were a few different varieties of The Skids which graced the stage again for Stuart Adamson's Tribute Concert at the Glasgow Barrowlands in 2002 and a gig for Richard Jobson's film premiere (After show party) of 16 Years Of Alcohol at The Caledonaia Brewery in Edinburgh in 2003. None were as much a surprise or a welcomed treat for Skids fans as the 3 gigs in 2007.

The Skids reformed with a new line up to play 2 gigs at The Glen Pavilion in Dunfermline in July 2007, these gigs were to celebrate 30 years since the Skids started their musical journey. The band line up was Richard Josbson, Bill Simpson, Mike Baillie with Bruce and Jamie Watson filling in the guitar parts and Brian Jobson and Jane Button on backing vocals. Two great gigs in the Skids own hometown,was followed by a very special appearance at T In The Park, announced as a closure, a tribute to Stuart Adamson and a final farewell gig to eventually draw a line under the Skids history pages.

And so the story continues ..............

The Fifer Festival 2010 a celebration of the life and works of Richard Jobson was planned for March 2010. A new celebration of Fife's Finest with the first year being awarded to Richard and consiting of Film Workshops, art and memorabilia exhibitions and culminating in a sell out concert in Dunfermline on the 6th March. Due to the quick sales for the Dunfermline gig another gig was set for The Skids to play The ABC in Glasgow on the 5th March.
Even after more than 30 years the energy of the band and the music is still as explosive as ever, leaving fans wanting more ........