Donald Ross Skinner

Donald Skinner is a guitarist, songwriter and producer born in Edinburgh, UK primarily known for his work with Julian Cope. Skinner is commonly known by the name Donald Ross Skinner with the addition of the middle name of Ross attributed to him by Cope after Glenn Ross Campbell, the pedal steel player from The Misunderstood.

Pre-Cope career

Skinner played in a number of Tamworth bands including The Fretz,^[1] DHSS^[2] (named after the Department of Health and Social Security) and Freight train.^[3]

Julian Cope Band

After the split of The Teardrop Explodes Julian retreated to his home town of Tamworth and the 18-year-old Skinner visited the singer's home on a number of occasions.^[4] Skinner was subsequently invited to join Cope's band and to play on a Kid Jensen radio session. Skinner played on the Fried album and was Cope's main collaborator on the 4 albums subsequently released on Island Records. Skinner was a mainstay in Cope's touring band throughout this period.

For the Peggy Suicide and Jehovahkill albums Skinner switched to bass and keys (whilst Cope played lead guitar) and he is also credited as co-producer. Both of these albums are regarded as high points in the singer's solo career.

A disagreement^[5] between Cope and the guitarist meant that the 1994 album Autogeddon was the last time they collaborated on record (although Skinner is credited on the 20 Mothers album).

Skinner returned to play on two further tours with Cope, first with the pair backed by a drum machine in 2000^[6] and in a full band line up in 2004.^[7]

Post-Cope career

Skinner auditioned to play in Spiritualized alongside Cope keyboard player Thighpaulsandra^[8] but was passed over in favour of Doggen who has played guitar as a member of Cope's band. During 2000 Skinner played live in the band Fiji with Jamie Hince (Scarfo/The Kills). Since then he has been a member of a number of bands including Prolapse and Kiosk^[9][10][11] and received production credits working with Salad, Tiger, DC Fontana,^[12] Strangelove and Cud.

More recently he has appeared on releases by David Holmes (bass on The Holy Pictures), The Enemy (bass and guitar on Hugo Nicolson's remix of 'This Song' 2008), Yellowhammer, Claire Nicolson and My Toys Like Me.

Skinner is currently playing guitar with Love Amongst Ruin, the band formed by ex-Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt. He also writes and plays with Amp alongside Paul Kennedy, ex of Salad.

Discography

Albums with Julian Cope

• 1984 Fried (UK #87)
• 1987 Saint Julian (UK #11)
• 1988 My Nation Underground (UK #42)
• 1989 Skellington
• 1990 Droolian
• 1991 Peggy Suicide (UK #23)
• 1991 Peggy Suicide Radio Sessions (Japan)
• 1992 Jehovahkill (UK #20)
• 1993 Rite credited to Julian Cope and Donald Ross Skinner
• 1993 Ye Skellington Chronicles (an expanded version of Skellington along with the sequel Skellington 2)
• 1994 Autogeddon (UK #16)
• 1995 20 Mothers (UK #20)
• 2004 Live Japan '91
• 2006 Jehovahkill: Deluxe Edition, re-released with a disc of extra material
• 2011 The Jehovacoat Demos

Albums with Love Amongst Ruin

• 2010 Love Amongst Ruin

References