The Skids - Singles

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Lots of punky bloodlust on these rough and ready mixes, released by then manager Sandy Muir on a record label set up for the purpose. It had just enough spark to set it apart from the crowd, a fact which did not go unnoticed with Mr Peel. It might sound a little jaded in retrospect, but it was fine as an opening volley.

The "free gimmick" mentioned on the sleeve refers to the white vinyl pressings fro the 7", for their major label debut. The A-Side is s a choppy little number of no small merit, though the clarity of Adamson's fretwork is masked by a fuzzbox. However both sides display the Skids perennial talent for the anthemic chorus. A neat little dig at life in the slow lane.

The lead off track, The Saints Are Coming, is a joy. Mott The Hoople meets The Clash in mini Armageddon scenario. Why this isn't one of '78's more fondly remembered new wave tracks escapes me, as style and energy are balanced in equally abundant proportions. The first rhythm breaks were appearing in One Skin and Night And Day displayed further willingness to experiment with the punk formula. They were still riffing away in the background but Adamson was letting his guitar ride over the top with elegant brashness. Not technical virtuosity yet, though that wouldn't be far away. And there's some genuine "down there" R&B breaks on the final cut, Contusion.

 Click to hear audio clip of 'The Saints Are Coming' John Peel 

From its throbbing bass intro to the snaking guitar fuzz, Into The Valley was the perfect, trashy, punk pop glam single. Jobson on Top Of The Pops was the definitive aristocratic football hooligan as The Skids screamed into the top 19. The live rendition Of TV Stars name checking well, TV stars. In there somewhere singing was John Peel, and , to prove what terrace louts they really were, Kenny Daglish. And as it fades out you can just detect Adamson's guitar striking up the first chords of Will You Go, Lassie Go. The shape of things to come and no mistake.

A modicum of synth by maestro Bill Nelson prefaced another good single, though a long way from their best. It maintained the tempo of their previous hit and is punctuated by pinpoint drumming and rhythm work, a sadly neglected facet of The Skids sound. This was the first of two double packs to be released, following Adamson's objection to the coloured vinyl gimmicks which had accompanied all previous Virgin product. The two tracks on offer were by no means essential..

Another rollicking single, perhaps a little close in conception and execution to its predecessor, but we could live with that. Another sing a long skids chorus. This time the B-Side captured a radically altered band. The slow tempo of Grey Parade was enough of a surprise without the languishing synth and chorister backing vocals. Almost ritualistic and very Celtic, it showed once again what we might expect of the group in the future.

What a corker this was. Again the chorus was not one you could forget in a hurry...(and) featured the most effective use of synth yet with Adamson's guitar dovetailing nicely. A smash hit in pundit land and a return to form with a vengeance. The free single this time comprised two John Peel session tracks. The first, Bowie's All The Young Dudes, left you you in no doubt who Jobson wanted to be when he grew up. A Haunted Ballroom was more frightful yet, with the first evidence of Jobson's, ahem, poetry.