Skids were an art-punk/punk rock and New Wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart Adamson (1958–2001, guitars / backing vocals / keyboards / percussion), William Simpson (bass guitar / backing vocals), Thomas Kellichan (drums) and Richard Jobson (vocals / guitar / keyboards). Their biggest success was the single "Into the Valley", released in 1979. (read more at Wikipedia)
Links with Peel[]
Peel was a big supporter of the band and saw them play live on at least one occasion, probably twice [1]. The track "TV Stars" recorded for the group's debut session namechecks Peel. According to singer Richard Jobson, it was made up on the spot during the session itself [2]. A live version of this was released as the b-side to the group's fourth single, 'Into The Valley'.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1979 Festive Fifty: Into The Valley #37
Sessions[]
Five sessions. All available on The Virgin Years boxset (CD6), Virgin (2015). #1, #2 & #3 released in 2009 as digital download and on streaming services.
'Hymns From A Haunted Ballroom' from #4 released in November 1979 as part of the special 2 x 7" issue of 'Working For the Yankee Dollar' single, where keyboards are credited to Midge Ure and production to John Sparrow.
1. Recorded: 1978-05-16. First broadcast: 19 May 1978. Repeated: 28 June 1978, 31 July 1980, 19 March 1981.
- Of One Skin / Open Sound / Contusion / Night And Day / TV Stars
2. Recorded: 1978-08-29. First broadcast: 01 September 1978. Repeated: 25 September 1978, 17 October 1978, 27 May 1981, 09 September 1986.
- Dossier Of Fallibility / Hope And Glory / Six Times / The Saints Are Coming
3. Recorded: 1979-02-19. First broadcast: 26 February 1979. Repeated: 09 April 1979, 19 March 1981.
- Summer / Hang On To The Shadows / Zit / Walk On The Wild Side
4. Recorded: 1979-04-30. First broadcast: 07 May 1979. Repeated: 04 June 1979, 20 December 1979.
- War Poets / Withdrawal Symptoms / Hymns From A Haunted Ballroom / Masquerade
5. Recorded: 1980-09-01. First broadcast: 15 September 1980. Repeated: 02 October 1980.
- Filming In Africa / An Incident In Algiers / Circus Games / Snakes And Ladders (instrumental)
(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)
Other Shows Played[]
(This list was compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive. Please add more information if known.)
- 1978
- 01 March 1978: Test Tube Babies (7" - Charles) No Bad
- 06 April 1978: Charles / Reasons / Test Tube Babies (7" - Charles) No Bad
- 17 April 1978: Test Tube Babies (7" - Charles) No Bad
- 18 May 1978: Test Tube Babies (7" EP - Charles) No Bad
- 30 August 1978: Sweet Suburbia (7") Virgin VS 227
- 31 August 1978: Sweet Suburbia (7") Virgin
- 05 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini): Sweet Suburbia (7") Virgin VS 227
- 07 September 1978: Sweet Suburbia (7") Virgin
- 13 September 1978: Open Sound (7" -Sweet Suburbia) Virgin
- 12 October 1978: Sweet Suburbia (7") Virgin
- 20 October 1978: 'The Saints Are Coming (red vinyl 12"-Wide Open)' (Virgin)
- 20 October 1978: 'Of One Skin (red vinyl 12"-Wide Open)' (Virgin)
- 20 October 1978: 'Night And Day (red vinyl 12"-Wide Open)' (Virgin)
- 20 October 1978: 'Contusion (red vinyl 12"-Wide Open)' (Virgin)
- 31 October 1978: Night & Day (7" EP - Wide Open) 7" Virgin
- 01 November 1978: Of One Skin (7" EP - Wide Open) 7" Virgin
- November 1978 (BFBS) (1): Night And Day (7" EP - Wide Open) Virgin VS 232
- 25 January 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 01 February 1979 (Paul Gambaccini): Sweet Suburbia (v/a album - 20 Of Another Kind) Polydor POLS 1006
- 01 February 1979 (Paul Gambaccini): Into The Valley (7") Virgin VS 241
- 05 February 1979: Into the Valley (7") Virgin
- 05 February 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 06 February 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 08 February 1979: Into the Valley (7") Virgin
- 14 February 1979: Into the Valley (7") Virgin
- 14 February 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 19 February 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 20 February 1979: Into the Valley (7") Virgin
- 22 February 1979: Scale (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 22 February 1979: TV Stars (b/w 7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 27 February 1979: Into The Valley (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 27 February 1979: Scared To Dance (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 27 February 1979: Of One Skin (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 27 February 1979: Dossier (Of Fallibility) (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 01 March 1979: Melancholy Soldiers (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 01 March 1979: Hope And Glory (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 01 March 1979: The Saints Are Coming (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 01 March 1979: Six Times (album - Scared To Dance) Virgin V 2116
- 06 March 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 07 March 1979: Dossier (of Fallibility) (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 12 March 1979: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 13 March 1979: unknown
- 14 March 1979: Hope And Glory (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 15 March 1979: Hope And Glory (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 15 March 1979: Into the Valley (7") Virgin
- 12 April 1979: Unknown (announced but not on recording)
- 24 April 1979: Of One Skin (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 10 May 1979: Masquerade
- 14 May 1979: Masquerade (dbl 7") Virgin
- 14 May 1979: Out of Town ('Masquerade' dbl 7") Virgin
- 14 May 1979: Another Emotion ('Masquerade' dbl 7") Virgin
- 14 May 1979: Aftermath Dub ('Masquerade' dbl 7") Virgin
- 16 May 1979: Masquerade (7") Virgin
- 21 May 1979: Masquerade (7") Virgin
- 29 May 1979: Masquerade (7") Virgin
- 29 August 1979: Charles (7" EP - Charles) No Bad
- 10 September 1979: Charade (7") Virgin
- 11 September 1979: Charade (7") Virgin
- 11 September 1979: Grey Parade (b-side 'Charade' 7") Virgin
- 17 September 1979: Grey Parade (b-side 'Charade' 7") Virgin
- 18 September 1979: Charade (7") Virgin
- 22 September 1979 (BFBS): Charade (7") Virgin
- 03 October 1979: Animation (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 03 October 1979: Charade (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 03 October 1979: Dulce Et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori) (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 03 October 1979: Pros And Cons (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 08 October 1979: Home of the Saved (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 08 October 1979: Working for the Yankee Dollar (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 09 October 1979: Thanatos (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 09 October 1979: A Day In Europa (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138n
- 09 October 1979: The Olympian (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 13 October 1979 (BFBS): Charade (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 17 October 1979: unknown
- 24 October 1979: Working For The Yankee Dollar (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 27 October 1979 (BFBS): Working For The Yankee Dollar (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- Peel Late October Early November 1979: Thanatos (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138 John tried to play "The Olympian"
- 12 November 1979: Working for the Yankee Dollar (7") Virgin
- 15 November 1979: All The Young Dudes ('Working for the Yankee Dollar' dbl 7") Virgin
- 21 November 1979: Working for the Yankee Dollar (7") Virgin
- 27 November 1979: Woman In Winter (7") Virgin VSK 101
- 06 December 1979: Working for the Yankee Dollar (7") Virgin
- 24 December 1979: Into the Valley (7") Festive 50 #37
- 1980
- 11 February 1980: Animation (7") Virgin VS 323
- 14 February 1980: Animation (7") Virgin VS 323
- 20 February 1980 (BFBS): Animation (7") Virgin VS 323
- 23 February 1980 (BFBS): Animation (7") Virgin VS 323
- 28 February 1980: Animation (7") Virgin VS 323
- 06 March 1980: Animation (7") Virgin VS 323
- 28 July 1980: Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 29 July 1980: Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 02 August 1980 (BFBS): One Decree (7" - Circus Games) Virgin VS 359
- 02 August 1980 (BFBS): Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 05 August 1980: unknown
- 09 August 1980 (BFBS): Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 13 August 1980: The Saints Are Coming (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 14 August 1980: Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 16 August 1980 (BFBS): Of One Skin (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 21 August 1980: Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 27 August 1980: Circus Games (7") Virgin VS 359
- 10 September 1980: Hurry On Boys (album - The Absolute Game) Virgin V 2174
- 10 September 1980: The Children Saw The Shame (album - The Absolute Game) Virgin V 2174
- 10 September 1980: Happy To Be With You (album - The Absolute Game) Virgin V 2174
- 20 September 1980 (BFBS): Hurry On Boys (album - The Absolute Game) Virgin V 2174
- 25 September 1980: Woman In Winter (7") Virgin
- 27 September 1980 (BFBS): Goodbye Civilian (7") Virgin VS 373
- 04 October 1980 (BFBS): Woman In Winter (7") Virgin
- 08 October 1980: Test Tube Babies (7" - Charles) No Bad NB-1
- 13 October 1980: Monkey McGuire Meets Specky Potter Behind Lochore Institute (b/w 7" - Goodbye Civilian) Virgin VS 373
- 23 October 1980: Goodbye Civilian (7") Virgin VS 373
- 10 November 1980: Hurry Up Boys (album - The Absolute Game) Virgin V 2174
- 29 November 1980 (BFBS): Woman In Winter (7") Virgin
- Others
- 08 February 1981 (BFBS): Charade (7") Virgin
- 17 March 1982: Of One Skin
- 21 March 1982 (BFBS): Of One Skin
- 02 May 1982 (BFBS): A Woman In Winter (album - The Absolute Game) Virgin V 2174
- 20 June 1983: All the Young Dudes (2x7" - Working For The Yankee Dollar) Virgin
- Peel July August 1983: The Olympian (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 09 September 1984 (BFBS):The Olympian (album – Days In Europa) Virgin V 2138
- 22 January 1985: Of One Skin (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 17 June 1985: TV Stars (7" - Into The Valley) Virgin K-7472
- 03 February 1986: Six Times (LP - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- 17 May 1988: The Saints Are Coming (EP - Wide Open) Virgin
- 21 February 1993 (BFBS): TV Stars (b-side 'Into the Valley' 7") Virgin
- 29 March 1996: Into The Valley (CD - Scared To Dance) Virgin
- August 2004 (FSK): Of One Skin (7" - Wide Open) Virgin
- John Peel's Scottish Sessions: TV Stars (session #1, first TX 19 May 1978) (Richard Jobson of The Skids explains the story of their first session – includes story about TV Stars, which was made up as one session track short. Made up the lyrics on the spot.)
- John Peel's Scottish Sessions: The Saints Are Coming (1/9/78) (Richard Jobson from the Skids again – Peel was essential to their musical output and how he told him off for being a “rock star” in Notting Hill. “John Peel discovered the Skids.”)
- Walhalla: TV Stars