Interview: Skids Debut New Zealand Shows - 45th Anniversary Greatest Hits Tour

A whirlwind of punk / post-punk / new wave innovation during their first era in the late '70s / early '80s, Scotland's legendary Skids finally arrive in Aotearoa this week for debut headline shows in Wellington and Auckland. Founding frontman Richard Jobson — also a famed film director, poet, novelist, music / arts television presenter and more — squeezed in the time to answer our rapid-fire questions in the midst of Skids' 45th anniversary tour of Australasia. Sounding unassailable their new album Destination Düsseldorf, don't wait another 45 years for your chance to catch Skids on local stages, joined for both gigs by sonic juggernauts Vorsen led by John Halvorsen (The Gordons, Bailterspace)...

Skids - 45th Anniversary Greatest Hits Tour
with special guests Vorsen

Tuesday 7th May – San Fran, Wellington
Wednesday 8th May – Galatos, Auckland 

Tickets on sale now at Plus1.co.nz

Why so long for Skids to finally play in New Zealand?

It’s taken so long because we a missed our big chance to come in 1981, when Stuart Adamson left the band [Adamson later formed Big Country - Ed.]. I had no intention of starting playing and it’s been a series of lucky accidents that brought me back to the stage in UK and now to New Zealand — very excited to be here.

Who is playing in Skids for this week's shows?

The new make up of the band consists of Martin Metcalfe and Fin Wilson from Goodbye Mr Mackenzie and rowdy young guys from Fife, Connor Whyte and Nick Hernandez.

Richard you are a poet, film director, novelist, broadcaster, presenter... what keeps calling you back to the world of music making and touring?

I never thought I would ever play music again but as I have said it was luck and a sense of how much fun it could be. And it is although very physically demanding.

Skids' work in the late '70s and early '80s really broke the mould of what could be considered punk, post-punk and new wave — songs on your 1981 album Joy seem to anticipate entire new genres of music. What spurred Skids to keep constantly innovating during that period?

The Skids were always a little bit different to our contemporaries as we tried new things with each album. And our lyrics were much more than just love songs or social observations — there was an ambition to innovate and refresh the band each time we recorded.

Skids' second era has been as prolific and in fact longer than your group's first outburst of activity. Destination Düsseldorf sounds incredibly vital and energetic — I understand the album was inspired in part by memories of witnessing a Joseph Beuys exhibition many years ago in Düsseldorf, featuring the legendary artist himself in a cage with a coyote (I Like America and America Likes Me)?

Beuys was a huge influence. He made me think that everything around you is art of a kind and his political stance resonates with how we thought about the world. I feel European not British and DD is a testimony to my admiration for German art and music as well our shared values.

What can NZ punters look forward to at Skids' first ever shows here this week?

A Skids show is a full on sonic attack — I go from the beginning with an enthusiastic physical experience of the sheer Joy and privilege of being a performer who can’t believe his luck.