Working for the Yankee Dollar

You Should not Pay More than £3.99 for These Album

 

Scottish punk legends Skids signed to Virgin in 1978. That year 16 year old frontman Richard Jobson & bandmate Stuart Adamson penned "The Saints are Coming" which reached #48 in November that year. In all, the Skids had 10 UK chart singles & four albums. The first three albums featured guitarist Stuart Adamson who subsequently formed Big Country.

At the time, Richard Branson's Virgin label were busy accruing an eclectic roster of post-punk hopefuls. In this feeding frenzy, Skids were hooked to what was to prove an optimistic eight-album deal. 

 

Skids - Scared to Dance, Virgin International VI2116, 1979.
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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 & Glory

 

 

 

 

Days in Europa was sort of a masterpiece of reinvention for the band. Rusty Egan & Bill Nelson were heavily involved & the band created what is possibly the precursor to the New Romantic style that was emerging.

"Two down six to go. Dedicated to the ghosts of futility"

Skids - Days in Europa, Virgin V2138, 1979.

Side One -
Animation
Charade
Dulce et Decorum Est (from a poem by Wilfred Owen)
Pros & Cons
Home of the Saved

Side Two -
Working for the Yankee Dollar
The Olympian
Thanatos
A Day in Europa
Peaceful Times

 

 

 

 

"Three down five to go. Dedicated to the big boys who did it & ran away"

Skids - The Absolute Game, Virgin V2174, 1980.

Side One -
Circus Games
Out of Town
Goodbye Civilian
The Children Saw the Shame
A Woman in Winter

Side Two -
Hurry on Boys
Happy to Be with You
The Devils Decade
One Decree
Arena

 

 

 

 

John Peel was a big supporter of the band. He saw them play live on several occassions & was hooked. Between 1978 & 1980 they performed five times for his show.

The track "TV Stars" recorded for the group's debut session name checks Peel. According to singer Richard Jobson, it was made up on the spot during the session itself. A live version of this was released as the b-side to the group's fourth single, "Into The Valley".

Session 1 - The complete session recorded by Skids on May 16, 1978 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1. Broadcast on the 19th of that month.

Session 2 - The complete session recorded by Skids on August 29, 1978 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1. Broadcast on September 1, 1978.

Session 3 - The complete session recorded by Skids on February 19, 1979 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1. Broadcast on the 26th of that month.

Session 4 - The complete session recorded by Skids on Apri 30, 1979 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1. Broadcast on May 7, 1979. "Hymns from a Haunted Ballroom" was 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.

Session 5 - The complete session recorded by Skids on September 1, 1980 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1. Broadcast on September 15, 1980. John McGeoch from Magazine/Banshees playing guitar as Stuart Adamson was too ill to play. 

 

Skids - The Peel Sessions (1978-1980), 

 Virgin Years boxset CD6, Caroline International CAROLR013CD, 2015.

John Peel Session (May 1978) -
Of One Skin
Open Sound
Contusion
Night & Day
T.V. Stars
John Peel Session (September 1978) -
Hope & Glory
The Saints are Coming
Dossier (of Fallibility)
Six Times
John Peel Session (February 1979) -
Summer
Hang on to the Shadows
Zit
Walk on the Wild Side
John Peel Session (May 1979) -
Withdrawal Symptoms
War Poets
Masquerade
Hymns from Haunted Ballroom
John Peel Session (September 1980) -
Circus Games
Filming Africa
An Incident in Algiers
Snakes & Ladders (instrumental)

Enjoy,
NØ