Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 287 - Skids

The Absolute Game - Skids

Virgin

Produced by Mick Glossop

Released September 1980

UK Chart #9

A1 - Circus Games
A2 - Out Of Town
A3 - Goodbye Civilian
A4 - The Children Saw The Shame
A5 - A Woman In Winter
B1 - Hurry On Boys
B2 - Happy To Be With You
B3 - The Devils Decade
B4 - One Decree
B5 - Arena

Skids
    Richard Jobson – vocals, guitar
    Stuart Adamson – guitar, vocals, keyboards, percussion
    Russell Webb – bass guitar, vocals, keyboards, percussion
    Mike Baillie – drums, vocals, percussion

Singles on The Absolute Game

Circus Games / One Decree
28th July 1980
UK #32

 

Goodbye Civilian / Monkey McGuire Meets Specky Potter Behind the Lochore Institute
3rd October 1980
UK #52

 

Woman in Winter / Working for the Yankee Dollar (Live)
21st November 1980
UK #49

Came with an 8 page comic booklet called "Skids Pirate Gold"

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The Absolute Game was the third studio album from the Skids. It became their most commercially successful album peaking at #9 in the UK Albums Chart.

On release it came with a Limited Edition free album entitled Strength Through Joy which featured material recorded during The Absolute Game Sessions but withheld from the album. Richard Jobson, the Skids' lead singer, later stated that this title had been taken from Dirk Bogarde's autobiography and was not based on the Nazi slogan "Kraft durch Freude". However, it continued in the controversial theme of the first release of Days in Europa, which had also been withdrawn after accusations of Nazi glorification. Skids by the way were not a Nazi band!

This would be the final album that guitarist Stuart Adamson would appear on. He departed before sessions for the Joy album took place and did so because of a fracturing relationship with Jobson. He would later reappear in a new band called Big Country in which he was the frontman.

There was no particular reason for posting this one today, I had heard Gary Crowley play Circus Games on his radio show this week and thought it sounded brilliant so dug out the album to get reaquainted with it.
 

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 190 Skids

 Scared to Dance - Skids

Virgin

Produced by David Batchelor

Released February 1979

UK Charts #19

Singles From Scared To Dance

Wide Open EP

The Saints Are Coming / Of One Skin / Night and Day / Contusion

Released October 1978

UK Chart #48

Into the Valley / T.V. Stars

Released February 1979

UK Chart #10

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I've not really done many posts on the Skids and I feel I should rectify that today. I had actually had something else in mind to post today but I got gripped afresh by the intro to Into the Valley and that had me rushing to dig out the Debut Album from the Dunfermline lads as it had been awhile since I'd given it a spin.

I wasn't a fan of everything they did but there are a number of singles that I count as quite precious especially their Debut EP featuring Charles (which was re-recorded for Sacred To Dance).

I remember loving the Sessions that they did for John Peel in May 1978 , August 1978 and February 1979.

Although the band had their roots in the Punk/New Wave scene it was clear when listening to Scared To Dance that they had moved beyond that and were carving out a sound that was all their very own.

Hope you enjoy listening to it today as much as I have.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

45RPM: #17 Sweet Suburbia - Skids (1978)

Skids played their first gig on 19 August 1977 at the Bellville Hotel in Pilmuir Street, Dunfermline, Scotland.Within six months they had released on February 24 1978 the Charles EP (featuring Charles, Reasons, and Test Tube Babies) on the No Bad record label, created by Sandy Muir, a Dunfermline music shop owner turned manager. The record brought them to the attention of national BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel. This led to a local gig supporting The Clash.Virgin Records then signed up Skids in April 1978.

Sweet Suburbia / Open Sound

The Skids

Virgin

1st September 1978

UK Chart #70

A-Side

Sweet Suburbia

B-Side

Open Sound

Skids Peel Sessions 1978

Recorded 16th May.

Broadcast 19th May.

1. Of One Skin
2. Open Sound
3. Contusion
4. Night And Day
5. TV Stars

Recorded 29th August.

Broadcast 1st September but this is from the repeat of the session on 25th September. Includes Peel introductions.

1. Hope And Glory
2. The Saints Are Coming
3. Dossier Of Fallibility
4. Six Times