The Skids continue to enjoy popularity with two top 20 singles, "Masquerade" and "Working for the Yankee Dollar", from the album "Days in Europa", produced by Bill Nelson. The Cover of the album, showing an "aryan", was seen by some as Nazi, and was soon replaced with a less controversial sleeve. This sleeve, although conventional, still bore the image of the first release seen through the viewers eyes by a picture on the wall, alongside a picture of 'Scared to Dance', the sleeve portrayed a woman , bare breast showing, in the hands of a man.
The Absolute Game was The Skids' 1980 third album (not counting the two different mix versions released of their second album 1979's Days in Europa) and was produced by Mick Glossop. It featured two new band members, Russell Webb (bass guitar, vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion) and Mike Baillie (drums, vocals, percussion).
The album continued the Skids' progression from a punky sound into a more mellow one - paralleled by many bands of the period. The album has a great deal in common with Days in Europa, but not much with its successor, Joy. Around this time the band were driven by internal rifts and disagreements, leading to various members coming and going. Soon after the release and live concert tour of The Absolute Game, Adamson and Baillie left the band. (Although Adamson did temporarily return to play on one more song from the album Joy, called Iona.) Adamson went on to launch the career of his new band, Big Country, and Baillie moved back to Scotland to live. A great deal of Big Country's future sound and style can be heard in this album. In particularly on Hurry On Boys, which features bagpipe simulations and real didgeridoo. Joy has a completely different sound to other Skids albums, and some fans consider The Absolute Game to be the last canonical Skids album.
Soon after the release and live concert tour of The Absolute Game, Adamson and Baillie left the band. (Although Adamson did temporarily return to play on one more song from the album Joy, called Iona.) Adamson went on to launch the career of his new band, Big Country, and Baillie moved back to Scotland to live. It left Jobson and Webb, in 1981, to write and record the band's fourth and final album Joy, which Russell Webb also produced. The pair played multiple instruments on the album, and also invited a collection of seventeen musical friends to perform on various tracks with them. The Skids dissolved in 1982, with the album Fanfare posthumously issued by Virgin. It was a mixture of greatest hits and unreleased tracks.
Jobson and Webb then went onto form a new band called The Armoury Show. The group only recorded one album called Waiting for the Floods in 1985 before splitting up. Jobson went onto pursue a solo career as a poet, songwriter, television presenter and most recently a film director. He released albums on the Belgian record label Les Disques du Crepuscule, and the UK's own Parlophone Records.
Sadly, on December 16 2001, Stuart was found dead in Best Western Plaza Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii, having committed suicide.
In the year 2007, U2 and Greenday covered "The Saints Are Coming" recorded originaly by the skids for the "Scared to Dance" album. Most fans seen this as a juncture to include new fans to the old punk scene.
In 2007 Richard Jobson, William Simpson and Mike Baillie, along with Bruce Watson (guitar/vocals) of Big Country, Jamie Watson (guitar), Brian Jobson (vocals) and Jane Button (vocals), got together to play three gigs. They were to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the group's formation, and as a final tribute to Stuart Adamson, who died in 2001. The shows on 4 July and 5 July were at Dunfermline's Glen Pavilion, where they were supported by Rosyth band The Draymin - outside of which The Skids had previously played only their second gig according to Jobson - and on 7 July, at the T in the Park festival.
Skids returned to the stage on 28 November 2009 as one of the headlining acts in Homecoming Live, a series of gigs held around the SECC complex in Glasgow to celebrate the end of the Year of Homecoming in Scotland. The line-up mirrored the 2007 gigs, with members of The Gospel Truth Choir joining Button on backing vocals for "A Woman in Winter" and "Working for the Yankee Dollar".
The same lineup performed a concert on 5 March 2010 at the ABC in Glasgow, with support from The Law and Bruce & Jamie Watson, and lastly a concert on 6 March 2010 at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, with support from Beatnic Prestige and Bruce & Jamie Watson. This final concert was to conclude a week of events celebrating the works, past and present, of Richard Jobson as part of The Fifer Festival 2010 on 6 March 2010.
In 2016 the band reformed and announced a 40th anniversary tour of the UK with their original singer Richard Jobson. In 2018, Skids released their fifth album, Burning Cities.
Both Dunfermline Athletic FC and Charlton Athletic FC use "Into the Valley" as a theme song.
Masquerade
The Skids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The battle ground affairs
Incitements all around
Defeat shows through but no one cares
Arrange new attacks
Demand a new decree
Listen to the ploys
Holy to the high masquerade masquerade
Fanfares in the sky masquerade masquerade
Nurture battle scars
Pardon none who dared
Kindle and inspire
Victory shows you cared
Portray amid art
Guernica is plaint
Metal turning sham
But victory is quaint
The Skids's song Masquerade is about war and the deceptive ways in which it is pursued. The first verse, "Heavy armor fails, The battle ground affairs, Incitements all around, Defeat shows through but no one cares," speaks to the futility of war and the fact that it often leads to defeat, yet the desire for power and control continues to drive leaders to wage war. The next verse talks about the need for new attacks and strategies, but also highlights the deceptive tactics used to pursue these goals. The chorus emphasizes the idea of masquerade, referring to the masks that people wear to hide their true motives and intentions. The lines "Holy to the high masquerade masquerade, Fanfares in the sky masquerade masquerade" speak to the glorification of war and the ways in which it is celebrated even while it is being fought. The next verse talks about the need to nurture battle scars and to not pardon those who dared to oppose, while also emphasizing the importance of inspiring others to fight for victory. The final verse highlights the deception of war, referring to Guernica (Picasso's mural of the Nazi bombing of a Spanish town), and the fact that the reality of war is often hidden behind a faรงade of metal and technology. Despite this, the final line suggests that there is still something "quaint" about victory, even amidst the chaos and suffering of war.
Line by Line Meaning
Heavy armour fails
The protective gear used in battle is not always reliable or effective.
The battle ground affairs
The activities and events taking place in the midst of war or conflict.
Incitements all around
There are things that provoke or urge people to take certain actions, often in response to a perceived threat.
Defeat shows through but no one cares
Even though the signs of losing the battle are evident, no one is paying attention or motivated to do something about it.
Arrange new attacks
Develop new strategies for offensive maneuvers in battle.
Demand a new decree
Call for a new order or set of rules to govern future actions in battle.
Listen to the ploys
Pay close attention to the tactics and schemes used by the enemy in order to counteract them.
Destroy them as they flee
Pursue and eliminate the enemy as they attempt to escape or retreat from battle.
Holy to the high masquerade masquerade
There is a sense of religious or sacred importance attached to the elaborate costumes or disguises worn in this performance.
Fanfares in the sky masquerade masquerade
The celebration or pageantry surrounding this extravagant display extends beyond the immediate physical location to include the heavens or sky.
Nurture battle scars
Take care of the wounds and injuries sustained during battle, both physically and emotionally.
Pardon none who dared
Do not show mercy or forgiveness to those who dared to oppose or challenge you in battle.
Kindle and inspire
Ignite passion and motivation in yourself and others to strive for victory in battle.
Victory shows you cared
Success in battle demonstrates that you put in the effort and cared about the outcome of the conflict.
Portray amid art
Depict the realities of war and violence through creative expression or art.
Guernica is plaint
The painting by Pablo Picasso serves as a mournful testament to the destruction and suffering brought about by war.
Metal turning sham
The use of weapons and machinery in war can be deceptive or appear false, with the reality being much more brutal and destructive.
But victory is quaint
Despite the harsh and devastating nature of battle, winning can seem charming or old-fashioned in a way that idealizes its accomplishment.
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@StuartAdamsonInABigCountry
The Skids - Days In Europa (Remixed Version)
https://www.discogs.com/release/1872601-Skids-Days-In-Europa
Animation
Charade
Dulce Et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)
The Olympian
Home Of The Saved
Working For The Yankee Dollar
Thanatos
Masquerade
A Day In Europa
Peaceful Times
@StuartAdamsonInABigCountry
The Skids - Days In Europa (Remixed Version)
https://www.discogs.com/release/1872601-Skids-Days-In-Europa
Animation
Charade
Dulce Et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)
The Olympian
Home Of The Saved
Working For The Yankee Dollar
Thanatos
Masquerade
A Day In Europa
Peaceful Times
@StuartAdamsonInABigCountry
The Skids - Days In Europa (Remixed Version)
https://www.discogs.com/release/1872601-Skids-Days-In-Europa
Animation
Charade
Dulce Et Decorum Est (Pro Patria Mori)
The Olympian
Home Of The Saved
Working For The Yankee Dollar
Thanatos
Masquerade
A Day In Europa
Peaceful Times
@jettboy5265
Brilliant Skids single. trademark Jobbo lyrics and Adamson guitar work
@JPICanterbury
One of the most based single covers of that era. For those who don't know, its depicting the battle of Prestonpans 1745.
@mickharrison9004
Yeah masquerade is a war saying ๐
@timphillips9954
I bought this as a single and havenเธt heard it for twenty years or more. Excellent
@ash231266
The Skids were always one of the best of the punk/post-punk bands and like all great art and music have got better over the years - brilliant stuff! ๐
@timsebcavendish345
Indeed they were, still one of my fave post punk bands ever.
@iamspartacus6713
except for the fabulously talented stuart adamson
@paulbartlett4221
Gatefold EP still got it ๐ค
@BenStone_
The Skids had such a unique sound!.. Superb band.. rip Stuart
@misterigsby
Couldn't agree more you old bludger. Got any grog Lizzie?