Venue:
The Gov, Adelaide
Date: 10/05/2024
First time to The Gov. In fact, my first concert over here, so that’s about 4 years. A great venue – dark and confined indoors, and a nice garden area outdoors where Sharon could sit, listen, and not get deafened. Friendly staff everywhere.
The support were enthusiastic, which is 80% of the battle for a Jam covers band.
But we were all there for The Skids – which was really Richard Jobson and a band. In and out in just over an hour. I didn’t feel at all short changed by that, as it was enough time for the greatest hits and couple of new tracks, all really well done. Not quite Stuart Adamson on the guitar, but close.
Jobson is the consummate front man, and had the audience wrapped round his finger. Humour, stories, brief tribute to previous band members, and a recurrent Leo Sayer gag. He knew that everyone was there to hear the greatest, so the new stuff was introduced with a semi apology that he hoped we didn;t mind them.
I hope I’m in a good a shape as him when I’m 64; hell, I’d be happy if I could deliver the hour he did. He didn’t stop, and he’s an energetic performer; He also looks like he could take most folk in a square go.
In summary: really really good evening out.
The audience:
As you might expect, a heavy load of British accents, and I – at 52 – was at the younger end of the age distribution. That said, more than a few youngsters as well
It made me think..
The value of the front man. As I said, the intro were OK, but the lead just couldn’t summon Weller, and if you’re going to open with In The City, you really need to.
Jobson, on the other hand, delivered a master class in fronting a band. Everything you ever heard Ellen/Hepworth complaining about when it came to running a concert he checked off, and with ease. Having spent most of the concert with a running gag about hating Leo Sayer because he deprived them on a No1 album, to send us on our way with When I Need You was a great touch.
He also made a great point. The Skids didn’t come from a big town. He’s from Crossgate and Ballingry; Stuart Adamson went to Beath High; someone else came from Lochgelly. For those who aren’t well informed about the geography of Fife, they’re what Americans would call small podunk villages. And they wrote the first song when Jobson was 16 and Adamson 18. They deserve more credit than they get
I bought the first two Skids albums when Last Night From Glasgow reissued them a couple of years ago, having been slightly too young the first time around (I’m two years older than you). They both deserve more attention than they get.
we’re friends on FB and can confirm he is indeed a lovely chap
I worked with Jobbo on a TV series many years ago, and can confirm that he indeed is a lovely fellow.
So which Skids album got to no. 2? I am struggling….
(I enjoyed most of their singles at time of release)
I wondered that – Skids were popular but not that popular. The single of Into the Valley made it to number 10 for a week, and The Absolute Game hit number 9 in the album chart for a week.
Still, a good yarn, made easy to unravel by the internet.
I loved them with Stuart Adamson, but also thought that the daring left turn they made afterwards produced a brilliant album with Joy.
Was he doing any of that atonal dancing he did back in the day?
When I saw them December 1980 in Hull, it was a real highlight when he fell flat on his arse doing said ‘dance’. He did laugh at himself, to be fair.
The Skids passed me by, but I seem to recall Richard Jobson as a regular face on documentaries about 70s or 80s music, and he always seemed like a good sort: knowledgeable and a bit self-deprecating. Good on him for still being able to put on what sounds like a great show.
Good to see they’re still making a mark.
Jobbo is not the greatest singer, but he’s the right singer for The Skids.
Top bloke and keen intellect he may be, but you just get the feeling you don’t want to get on the wrong side of him.
One of the sub genres of my record collecting habits is for sleeves with interesting stickers on (note to self, must start a thread on this) One of my 7″ sticker faves is by The Skids for the early white vinyl pressings of their biggest hit.
Jobbo’s Whit Hot Hair Cut
and
Stuart’s White Hot Trouser Cut
My word! That is a stylish trouser…
“Into the Valley”?
That had that live version of “T.V. Stars” on the B-side. Marvellous.
ALBERT TATLOCK!
Only one the AW would at least three of us know exactly what you mean.
I know why Duco means but I’m not sure I know what you mean @fentonsteve…
Oh crikey, I’ve been suffering from shti tyspit mode all day today. “Only on the AW” is what I meant.
I wrote “smaller” when I meant “larger” at work earlier, which confused someone even more.
I had Into the Valley b/w Albert Tatlock, and probably played that more than the A-side.
I really like the Skids’ “Into the Valley”, despite not being able to make out any of the lyrics after the first three words.
I had that single, but as Coronation St. was never watched in my house, I had no idea who Albert Tatlock was.
I have a New Order bootleg tape where some of the hardcore fans shout “Albert Tatlock” at Barney between songs.
Ena Sharples?
I saw Skids in a double bill with Big Country in Dublin a few years ago and it was a great night out. Lots of crackers by both bands and the unfeasibly skinny guitarist from Big Country and his son (iirc) filled the obvious Stuart Adamson shaped spaces quite well. Jobson was, as stated above, a great frontman, lots of fun, lots of energy and still giving it 100%. I was a Skids fan back in the day while also finding them quite comical. Working for the Yankee Dollar is a post punk classic. I love it.
On stage for just over an hour is fine. Should be the template. In-out, in-out, shake it all about.
If Dylan played our local hall for 100 people, I would far more prefer one hour than three.
Indeed, I’d probably start heckling after an hour-and-a-half.
When I Need You to close. That would’ve been very funny.
Or a mash-up/medley of Scared To Dance / You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
Or a cover of post-punk icons Genesis’ ‘I Can’t Dance’.
Scared To Dance was initially released on coloured vinyl like Into The Valley was, but the band withdrew it as they didn’t like it and is now by far their rarest record.
All this has reminded me that The Armoury Show album Waiting For The Floods is a belter. As it should be with Jobson, John McGeoch, Russell Webb and John Doyle in the band.
Man Jobbo looks cool in this video. Not many escape the mid 80’s looking this good.
Ooh yes, good call. Castles in Spain is ace. Even if it does have fretless farty bass.
I actively like the fretless bass on Castles In Spain. It’s appropriate.
I apologise @leedsboy
Secretly I know what you mean. Good fun to play along to and all
No need to apologise @FreddySteady. Fretless bass is inherently awful. It just isn’t on Castles In Spain.
But, but, but… the most interesting bass player to ever pirouette across a stage played one!
I saw the current line-up in December supporting From The Jam, and they managed to squeeze TV Stars in even then. Was chuffed to get a handshake from Jobbo afterwards, he seems a top bloke.
It wasn’t quite up to when I saw them in 2017 (https://theafterword.co.uk/skids/), but to be fair, that included others from Skids and was one of my favourite gigs ever.
I’m hoping that after Southampton’s semi-final play off win last night we’ll be hearing ‘The Saints Are Coming’ a fair bit.
I’ve often wondered why they don’t use that as the music when they’re coming out onto the pitch. Perhaps they do?