Rollerskate Skinny was an Irish band that enjoyed its greatest success duri… Read Full Bio ↴Rollerskate Skinny was an Irish band that enjoyed its greatest success during the 1990s. The band is probably most famous for containing Jimi Shields, the brother of Kevin, who fronted the critically acclaimed My Bloody Valentine. The sound of Rollerskate Skinny is similar in style to the aforementioned with swirling, buzzing guitars creating a thick sonic landscape in which luscious pop melodies and noise amalgamate in equal measure.

Founded as "The Hippyshakes" in the 1980s, the band became "Shake" and was characterised by a strawberry logo. In 1991, Jimi Shields joined the band and suggested a name change to "Rollerskate Skinny", chosen from a line in The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger:

"She's quite skinny, like me, but nice skinny, rollerskate skinny."

Rollerskate Skinny consisted of Ken Griffin, Ger Griffin (no relation), Jimi Shields and Steve Murray. Shields wrote material and played guitar & drums for much of the band's history but left due to constant media references to his brother which threatened to distract from the band itself.

After the release of "Shoulder Voices" in 1993, to much stateside critical acclaim, Rollerskate Skinny's four original members signed with the Sire imprint of Warner Bros. Records. Following Shields' departure The album Horsedrawn Wishes was recorded and subsequently released in February, 1996 to a great deal of praise, particularly in the Irish music press.

All of those involved with Rollerskate Skinny have gone on to other musical projects: Ken Griffin moved to New York City and formed the band Kid Silver, releasing the album Dead City Sunbeams in 1999. In 2004 Ken joined members of the former Philadelphia band, Aspera, to form his current band, Favourite Sons who are signed to Vice Records. Since Rollerskate Skinny, Ger and Steve worked on the project Walker. Stevie since started the band Empire, now known as The Radio.

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Rollerskate Skinny Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Rollerskate Skinny:

All Mornings Break And by times' decisions for me I've been dancing to some…
Angela Starling Angela Starling was way past hope and on to something that…
Bella Come on skinny love just last the year, Pour a little…
Cradle Burns It's alright it's just the cradle burns racing to corner of…
Man Under Glass I deny everything good I want to be on the side the…
One Thousand Couples The Gethsemane head and the bathwater baby are aching for li…
Ribbon Fat Now the reins are loose and all around The tumbleweed is…
Speed To My Side I followed them footsteps where they lunge the mean to the…
Swingboat Yawning Swingboat yawning up and down Digging trenches in the stars …

Thirsty European Full of the thirst of the ugly energy of cowardice…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

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