The Skids - Land, Sea & Sky: Skids Singles 1978-1981 The Skids

With their breakthrough hit ‘Into The Valley’ in 1979, Dunfermline, Scotland’s premier export Skids quickly rose to become one of the most respected and popular bands to emerge from the UK punk and new wave era. Founding members Richard Jobson (vocals) and Stuart Adamson (guitars) were a dynamic combination up front (Adamson went on to even greater commercial success when he later founded Big Country) while the band’s tight, taut sound was grounded by the William Simpson on bass and first Tom Kellichan and later Mike Baillie on drums.

‘Into The Valley’ had actually come on the heels of a trio of cult-appeal early singles – ‘Charles’, ‘Sweet Suburbia’, and ‘The Saints Are Coming’, all considered classics today, while its success saw chart follow ups with the likes of ‘Animation’, ‘Masquerade’, ‘Working For The Yankee Dollar’, ‘Circus Games’ and ‘Goodbye Civilian’.  Always considered up there with the greatest among their peers – The Jam, Siouxsie And The Banshees, and The Stranglers, for example – both singles and albums showcased an intelligence and literate sensibility as well as musical innovation and awesome power. On stage they were simply dynamite.

Unusually, until now, Skids have never seen their glorious 1978-1981 run of immaculate singles brought together in a vinyl collection.  The 13-track all-killer ‘Land, Sea & Sky’: Skids Singles 1978-1981, presented on Saltire Blue vinyl, finally rectifies that situation. It includes the singles’ A-sides and comes with illustrated inner bag in a new design by Phillip Marshall and an original cover shot by Virginia Turbett.