Skid Row (blues-rock band)
Encyclopedia
Skid Row was a Dublin based blues-rock
band
of the late 1960s and early 1970s, fronted by Brendan "Brush" Shiels
(born in 1946, Dublin, Ireland
). It was guitarist Gary Moore
's first professional band.
(born in 1946, Dublin, Ireland), Noel 'Nollaig' Bridgeman (currently with Van Morrison
) on drums
(born in 1947, Dublin), Bernard 'Bernie' Cheevers on lead guitar
(born in 1948, Dublin), and Phil Lynott
on vocals. Robbie Brennan temporarily replaced original drummer Bridgeman until June 1969 and Cheevers was replaced by the 16-year-old Gary Moore in early 1968, and the band recorded a single
, "New Places, Old Faces" / "Misdemeanour Dream Felicity", for the Irish 'Song Records' label (the only released recording of Lynott with Skid Row). Later that year Shiels dropped Lynott from the line-up, converting Skid Row to a power trio
by making Sheils the lead vocalist. By way of compensation, Shiels gave him a bass guitar he had bought from former musician Robert Ballagh
for £49 in 1967 while with the Uptown Band, he taught Lynott to play bass, and after a stint with 'Orphanage' Lynott went on to international fame as founder, bassist and vocalist for Thin Lizzy
. The band recorded a second single for 'Song', "Saturday Morning Man" / "Mervyn Aldridge". These two singles, plus three tracks from a BBC
recording, were issued on the 'Hux' label as Live and on Song in April 2006. At the end of 2006 a number of Skid Row demo tapes featuring Phil Lynott were discovered. These were his earliest recordings (from 1968) and had been presumed lost for decades.
With the returning Bridgeman, Skid Row played support to some of the great rock groups of the 1960s, including Fleetwood Mac
in January 1970. Moore was influenced by the Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green
, who was in turn impressed by Moore's guitar playing and introduced him to the Columbia/CBS
record company. A third single, "Sandie’s Gone (Part 1)" / "Sandie’s Gone (Part 2)", was released on the band's new label in April 1970, and a number of sessions and concerts were also recorded for the BBC during this period. The band released its first album Skid
, in October 1970. A second LP, entitled 34 Hours
- so called because it took them a mere 34 hours to record it - was released in early 1971, preceded by the single "Night Of The Warm Witch" / "Mr. De-Luxe". Skid Row performed on the legendary German TV music show Beat Club on 18 March 1971. There were short tours of Europe (October 1970, with Canned Heat) and of the USA (October/November 1970 and August and October 1971). A widely bootlegged show billed as 'The Whiskey, Los Angeles, August 5, 1970', and featuring John Bonham
as a guest, is more likely from August 1971. A third album was recorded in the Autumn of 1971 but Moore left the band in December 1971 just before another planned US tour. He was temporarily replaced by Eric Bell
(from Thin Lizzy) for some live appearances before Paul Chapman
became the bands full-time guitarist. Moore later played with Thin Lizzy, replacing Eric Bell. Chapman overdubbed Moore's guitar tracks on the unreleased album but neither version was made public for almost twenty years. As the band faltered, Chapman left in July 1972 (later joining UFO
). Shiels then teamed with drummer John Wilson
(ex-Them
, Taste
and Stud
) and future Sparks
guitarist Adrian Fisher to form a band named simply 'Brush'.
Skid Row reformed in Ireland in 1973, initially with Shiels, Wilson, singer Eamonn Gibney (ex-Alyce) and guitarist Ed Deane, later adding keyboard player Kevin McAlea. The Shiels/Deane/Wilson line-up released the single "Dublin City Angels" / "Slow Down" (in 1971 according to Deane's website, but this seems too early). John Wilson was replaced by Paddy Freeney before the band split again in early 1974. For the next few months Shiels played in the 'Bell-Brush Band' with Eric Bell and Timmy Creedon (drums, ex-Orphanage), sometimes joined by Eamonn Gibney. At the end of the year Shiels, Moore and Bridgeman briefly reunited for a series of gigs, and a 1975 line-up of Shiels (guitar/vocals), Bridgeman, Jimi Slevin (lead guitar/vocals, ex-Alyce, ex-Peggy's Leg) (born June 1950, Dublin), Timmy Creedon (second drummer/vocals) and Johann Brady (bass) recorded the Skid Row single "The Spanish Lady" / "Elvira". In 1976 Jody Pollard (guitar, ex-Elmer Fudd) replaced Pat O'Farrell in a line-up with Shiels (vocals/mandolin), Bridgeman (drums), John Brady (bass) and Dave Gaynor (drums), recording the Phil Lynott-produced double A-sided single "Coming Home Again" / "Fight Your Heart Out" and unreleased track "Skid Row Flashback". The 1976 double-disc live album of Rock n' Roll standards Alive And Kickin featured Shiels, Bridgeman, Brady, Pollard, Gaynor and Ian Anderson. In 1978 Pollard rejoined, this time replacing Eric Bell alongside Shiels, Bridgeman, Brady and Joe Staunton (guitar, ex-Orphanage). Skid Row had little commercial success outside Ireland and the UK
, although Skid reached #30 on the UK Albums Chart
. More of their recorded material was released between 1990 and 2006.
In 1987 Moore sold the name 'Skid Row' to the American
heavy metal band for $35,000. Sebastian Bach: "When (Skid Row) got signed to Atlantic, Gary Moore heard about it and said we could have the name for $35,000 U.S. dollars. 'We have to pay Gary Moore 35 grand to use the name,' and so we, as a band, did buy the name from Gary Moore. We were all glad to do it because it is a great name for a band. I remember saying, 'Wow, that's a lot of $, but we gotta do it!'" Shiels has said that he has always been unhappy at the group 'stealing their name', and said of their manager Doc Magee, "he could be Doc Marten
for all I know...but he's going to get a kick up the arse". He still occasionally performs as 'Brush Shiels' Skid Row', as recently as February 2005. Bridgeman went on to perform studio work with Clannad, The Waterboys
and Altan
.
Brush Shiels returned to his Skid Row legacy once more releasing Mad Dog Woman (originally titled Skid Row Revisited) - an album of new material and re-recordings of Skid Row songs - through his website in June 2009. He also thanked the other Skid Row "for the generosity of spirit in acknowledging the contribution of the original Skid Row" by using the name.
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
of the late 1960s and early 1970s, fronted by Brendan "Brush" Shiels
Brush Shiels
Brendan "Brush" Shiels is an Irish musician from County Dublin, best known for being the frontman of Gary Moore's first band, Skid Row. Brush Shiels had a TV show on RTÉ called Off yer Brush and was at one point managed by Louis Walsh...
(born in 1946, Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
). It was guitarist Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
's first professional band.
History
The band was formed in 1967, comprising Brendan 'Brush' Shiels on bass guitarBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(born in 1946, Dublin, Ireland), Noel 'Nollaig' Bridgeman (currently with Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
) on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(born in 1947, Dublin), Bernard 'Bernie' Cheevers on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(born in 1948, Dublin), and Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott
Philip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
on vocals. Robbie Brennan temporarily replaced original drummer Bridgeman until June 1969 and Cheevers was replaced by the 16-year-old Gary Moore in early 1968, and the band recorded a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "New Places, Old Faces" / "Misdemeanour Dream Felicity", for the Irish 'Song Records' label (the only released recording of Lynott with Skid Row). Later that year Shiels dropped Lynott from the line-up, converting Skid Row to a power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
by making Sheils the lead vocalist. By way of compensation, Shiels gave him a bass guitar he had bought from former musician Robert Ballagh
Robert Ballagh
Robert "Bobby" Ballagh is an Irish artist, painter and designer. He was born in Dublin and studied at the Bolton Street College of Technology. His painting style was strongly influenced by pop art...
for £49 in 1967 while with the Uptown Band, he taught Lynott to play bass, and after a stint with 'Orphanage' Lynott went on to international fame as founder, bassist and vocalist for Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
. The band recorded a second single for 'Song', "Saturday Morning Man" / "Mervyn Aldridge". These two singles, plus three tracks from a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
recording, were issued on the 'Hux' label as Live and on Song in April 2006. At the end of 2006 a number of Skid Row demo tapes featuring Phil Lynott were discovered. These were his earliest recordings (from 1968) and had been presumed lost for decades.
With the returning Bridgeman, Skid Row played support to some of the great rock groups of the 1960s, including Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
in January 1970. Moore was influenced by the Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green
Peter Green (musician)
Peter Green is a British blues-rock guitarist and the founder of the band Fleetwood Mac...
, who was in turn impressed by Moore's guitar playing and introduced him to the Columbia/CBS
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
record company. A third single, "Sandie’s Gone (Part 1)" / "Sandie’s Gone (Part 2)", was released on the band's new label in April 1970, and a number of sessions and concerts were also recorded for the BBC during this period. The band released its first album Skid
Skid (blues-rock album)
Skid is a 1970 album by Skid Row featuring guitar ace Gary Moore.-Track listing:#"Mad Dog Woman"#"Virgo's Daughter"#"Heading Home Again"#"An Awful Lot Of Woman"#"Unco-Up Showband Blues"#"For Those Who Do"#"After I'm Gone"#"The Man Who Never Was"...
, in October 1970. A second LP, entitled 34 Hours
34 Hours
34 Hours is a 1971 album by Irish blues-rock band Skid Row. It was the band's second album, and takes its title from the fact that it was recorded in 34 hours.-Track listing:#"Night of the Warm Witch"#"First Thing in the Morning"#"Mar"...
- so called because it took them a mere 34 hours to record it - was released in early 1971, preceded by the single "Night Of The Warm Witch" / "Mr. De-Luxe". Skid Row performed on the legendary German TV music show Beat Club on 18 March 1971. There were short tours of Europe (October 1970, with Canned Heat) and of the USA (October/November 1970 and August and October 1971). A widely bootlegged show billed as 'The Whiskey, Los Angeles, August 5, 1970', and featuring John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
as a guest, is more likely from August 1971. A third album was recorded in the Autumn of 1971 but Moore left the band in December 1971 just before another planned US tour. He was temporarily replaced by Eric Bell
Eric Bell
Eric Robin Bell is a Northern Irish rock musician and guitarist, best known as a founder member and the original guitarist of the rock group Thin Lizzy.-Early career:...
(from Thin Lizzy) for some live appearances before Paul Chapman
Paul Chapman (musician)
Paul William "Tonka" Chapman is a Welsh rock guitarist best known for his work in bands such as UFO and Lone Star. Chapman is well known by his nickname "Tonka", allegedly acquired because of his indestructible qualities.-Early career :...
became the bands full-time guitarist. Moore later played with Thin Lizzy, replacing Eric Bell. Chapman overdubbed Moore's guitar tracks on the unreleased album but neither version was made public for almost twenty years. As the band faltered, Chapman left in July 1972 (later joining UFO
UFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
). Shiels then teamed with drummer John Wilson
John Wilson (musician)
John Wilson is a musician from Northern Ireland. He has had a prolific career, playing drums with bands such as Them, Taste and Stud. Previously with 'The Misfits', Wilson became a member of one of the numerous line-ups of Them from September 1965 to March 1966...
(ex-Them
Them (band)
Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...
, Taste
Taste (band)
Taste was an Irish rock and blues band formed in 1966 that gained fame in large part because of their unique style, and the talent and charisma of the band's founder, songwriter and musician Rory Gallagher...
and Stud
Stud (band)
Stud is a British rock band from the early 1970s, that featured two members of Taste - bassist Charlie McCracken and drummer John Wilson - along with two members of Family - former bass guitarist John Weider and future bass player, Jim Cregan.Never a very...
) and future Sparks
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
guitarist Adrian Fisher to form a band named simply 'Brush'.
Skid Row reformed in Ireland in 1973, initially with Shiels, Wilson, singer Eamonn Gibney (ex-Alyce) and guitarist Ed Deane, later adding keyboard player Kevin McAlea. The Shiels/Deane/Wilson line-up released the single "Dublin City Angels" / "Slow Down" (in 1971 according to Deane's website, but this seems too early). John Wilson was replaced by Paddy Freeney before the band split again in early 1974. For the next few months Shiels played in the 'Bell-Brush Band' with Eric Bell and Timmy Creedon (drums, ex-Orphanage), sometimes joined by Eamonn Gibney. At the end of the year Shiels, Moore and Bridgeman briefly reunited for a series of gigs, and a 1975 line-up of Shiels (guitar/vocals), Bridgeman, Jimi Slevin (lead guitar/vocals, ex-Alyce, ex-Peggy's Leg) (born June 1950, Dublin), Timmy Creedon (second drummer/vocals) and Johann Brady (bass) recorded the Skid Row single "The Spanish Lady" / "Elvira". In 1976 Jody Pollard (guitar, ex-Elmer Fudd) replaced Pat O'Farrell in a line-up with Shiels (vocals/mandolin), Bridgeman (drums), John Brady (bass) and Dave Gaynor (drums), recording the Phil Lynott-produced double A-sided single "Coming Home Again" / "Fight Your Heart Out" and unreleased track "Skid Row Flashback". The 1976 double-disc live album of Rock n' Roll standards Alive And Kickin featured Shiels, Bridgeman, Brady, Pollard, Gaynor and Ian Anderson. In 1978 Pollard rejoined, this time replacing Eric Bell alongside Shiels, Bridgeman, Brady and Joe Staunton (guitar, ex-Orphanage). Skid Row had little commercial success outside Ireland and the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, although Skid reached #30 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. More of their recorded material was released between 1990 and 2006.
In 1987 Moore sold the name 'Skid Row' to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavy metal band for $35,000. Sebastian Bach: "When (Skid Row) got signed to Atlantic, Gary Moore heard about it and said we could have the name for $35,000 U.S. dollars. 'We have to pay Gary Moore 35 grand to use the name,' and so we, as a band, did buy the name from Gary Moore. We were all glad to do it because it is a great name for a band. I remember saying, 'Wow, that's a lot of $, but we gotta do it!'" Shiels has said that he has always been unhappy at the group 'stealing their name', and said of their manager Doc Magee, "he could be Doc Marten
Dr. Martens
Dr. Martens is a traditional British footwear brand, which also makes a range of accessories – shoe care products, clothing, luggage, etc. In addition to Dr. Martens, they are known as Doctor Martens, Doc Martens, Docs or DMs...
for all I know...but he's going to get a kick up the arse". He still occasionally performs as 'Brush Shiels' Skid Row', as recently as February 2005. Bridgeman went on to perform studio work with Clannad, The Waterboys
The Waterboys
The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...
and Altan
Altan
Altan are an Irish folk music group. They were formed in County Donegal in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her late husband Frankie Kennedy. They brought Donegal's rich collection of Irish language songs and instrumental styles to audiences around the world, and they remain as the...
.
Brush Shiels returned to his Skid Row legacy once more releasing Mad Dog Woman (originally titled Skid Row Revisited) - an album of new material and re-recordings of Skid Row songs - through his website in June 2009. He also thanked the other Skid Row "for the generosity of spirit in acknowledging the contribution of the original Skid Row" by using the name.
Albums
- Skid (CBS, October 1970)
- 34 Hours34 Hours34 Hours is a 1971 album by Irish blues-rock band Skid Row. It was the band's second album, and takes its title from the fact that it was recorded in 34 hours.-Track listing:#"Night of the Warm Witch"#"First Thing in the Morning"#"Mar"...
(CBS, 1971) - Alive and Kicking - 1976 live album of well known covers (RRL, June 1976)
- Skid Row (a.k.a. 'Dublin Gas Comy.') - CBS demos recorded early 1970 (CBS, 1990)
- Skid Row (a.k.a. 'Gary Moore/Brush Shiels/Noel Bridgeman') - Gary Moore version of the unreleased third album recorded late 1971 (Castle, 1990)
- Live And On Song - Both sides of Skid Row's first two singles on the Song label recorded 1969, plus a BBC 'In Concert' recording from 1971 (Hux, 2006)
Singles
- "New Places, Old Faces" / "Misdemeanour Dream Felicity" (Song Records, 1969)
- "Saturday Morning Man" / "Mervyn Aldridge" (Song Records, 1969)
- "Sandie’s Gone (Part 1)" / "Sandie’s Gone (Part 2)" (CBS, April 1970)
- "Night Of The Warm Witch" / "Mr. De-Luxe" (CBS, April 1971)
- "Living One Day At A Time" / "Girl from Dublin City" (CBS, February 1972)
- "Dublin City Girls" / "Slow Down" (1973?)
- "The Spanish Lady" / "Elvira" (1975?)
- "House Of The Rising Sun" / "Buckfast Tonic" / "Let It Roll" (1981)
- "Mr. Diablo" / "Bring Them Back Alive" (1989)