Skindred

Skindred

Skindred performing at Rock am Ring 2017
Background information
Origin Newport, Wales
Genres
Years active 1999–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website skindred.net
Members Benji Webbe
Daniel Pugsley
Mikey Demus
Arya Goggin
Past members Jeff Rose
Martyn "Ginge" Ford
Dan Sturgess

Skindred are a Welsh metal band formed in Newport in 1998. Their musical style mixes heavy metal, alternative rock, and reggae. The band also integrate elements of hardcore punk, dancehall, jungle, ska, hip hop, drum and bass, dubstep, and various other influences into their music. They are well known for their energetic and involving live performances, and have won several awards including "Best Live Band" at the 2011 UK Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards[4] and the "Devotion Award" at the 2011 Kerrang! Awards.[5]

History

Skindread at Rock am Ring 2017

Dub War was formed in Newport in 1993, and eventually signed with Earache Records. According to lead vocalist Benji Webbe, "They would not let us record and just wouldn't give us money to live on, this made us fight internally till we had no option other than to go our separate ways or kill someone or each other."[6] Dub War disbanded in 1999, and Webbe formed Skindred with bassist Daniel Pugsley, guitarist Mikeydemus, and drummer Arya Goggin after Webbe was unable to put together a new project featuring other members of Dub War.[7] In 2002, Skindred released its debut album, Babylon. After being reissued in 2003 by RCA Records, the album was re-released by Lava Records on 14 August 2004. Allmusic writer Johnny Loftus wrote that "Skindred doesn't seem to consciously want the reinvention tag; it has simply tapped into the same lack of pretension that fueled Korn and Living Colour's Vivid – records that were made visionary by an unadulterated honesty in both delivery and craft. [...] highly recommended for fans of literate genre jumpers like Soulfly and System of a Down, or any heshers looking for some heavy-hitting firepower that hasn't fallen victim to the anvil of corporate assimilation."[8]

In the United States, Babylon charted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart, No. 5 on the Top Heatseekers chart and at No. 189 on the Billboard 200, and the single "Nobody" peaked at No. 14 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and at No. 23 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2004.[9] In 2005, the single "Pressure" peaked at No. 30 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[9] In 2006, Babylon once again charted at No. 1 on the Top Reggae Albums chart.[9] On 23 October 2007, Skindred released its second album, Roots Rock Riot on Bieler Bros. Records. In the United States, the album peaked at No. 6 on the Top Heatseekers chart and at No. 22 on the Top Independent Albums chart.[10] The album Shark Bites and Dog Fights was released in September 2009.

In 2011, Dan Sturgess was added to Skindred's live lineup. The band's fourth studio album, Union Black, was released 25 April 2011 exclusively to the UK & Europe. On 1 July, it was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The band promoted this with a UK tour, supported by American post-hardcore group Chiodos and Blackpool band Me Vs Hero. The London show was filmed for Scuzz TV in the UK. Skindred also played at several major European festivals including Download Festival on the Acoustic Stage (Friday) and Main Stage (Saturday), Boardmasters Festival, Wacken Open Air, Przystanek Woodstock, and Sonisphere Festival in Spain and Switzerland,[11] the Swiss leg of Sonisphere being notable for the first live performance of Warning with Jacoby Shaddix, whose band Papa Roach was also performing at Sonisphere in Switzerland.

In March 2013, the band posted a studio walkthrough of The Chairworks Studio in Cas Vegas, announcing their work on their 5th album.[12]

In April 2013, the band officially announced the title for their new album to be 'Kill The Power'.[13] The album was then released on January 24, 2014. It debuted on the iTunes chart at #37 and then climbed to #32 where it peaked.[14]

Between their 5th and 6th albums, Skindred left their label BMG and signed with napalm records. On October 30, 2015, The band released the album 'Volume'. Marking the shortest amount of time between albums. Alongside the standard release, a deluxe edition of the album that contained a documentary called 'Rude Boys For Life' was available for pre-order through pledge music. The documentary looks at life on the road, its ups and downs, celebrations, festival appearances and headline shows, studio access and their Polish Woodstock headline show where the band played to over 1 million people.[15] The album debuted on the iTunes chart at #55 where it peaked.[16]

Appearances

Television

Skindred's bassist Daniel Pugsley filled in on bass duties for the gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello for their appearance on Later... with Jools Holland on 16 June 2006.

Music festivals

Skindred has appeared at a multitude of international music festivals. Notable appearances include the band's 2011 appearance at Download Festival, where the 'Newport Helicopter' was born. Skindred also made headlines at the same festival in 2006 when Benji Webbe took part performing Korn's track A.D.I.D.A.S. onstage at Download Festival with the band, after vocalist Jonathan Davis was unexpectedly rushed to hospital.[17]

Skindred's festival appearances have included:

Tours

Musical style

Skindred on the Exit festival

Skindred fuse heavy metal, punk rock, hip hop, electronica and reggae influences to create a unique style and sound. The band has previously referred to this style as "Ragga metal".[18][19] Benji Webbe has also jokingly referred to the band's musical style as "nu-reggae", in reference to the term nu metal.[20] Although Skindred has sometimes been compared to Bad Brains,[21] Webbe states that "To someone who doesn't know anything about reggae music, of course we're going to sound like Bad Brains. It's like someone who doesn't know anything about opera might say that Pavarotti sounds just like Mario Lanza. But when your ears are trained and you know what you're looking for, you're going to say, 'Shit no, Mario Lanza don't sound nothing like Pavarotti.'"[20]

Band members

Current members
Former members

Discography

Awards and nominations

Kerrang! Awards

Year Recipient Award Result
2010 Skindred Best Live Band[22] Nominated
2011 Skindred Devotion Award[5] Won

Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards

Year Recipient Award Result
2011 Skindred Best Live Band[4] Won

References

  1. ↑ Magnus Altkula (30 September 2009). "Skindred – Shark Bites And Dog Fights". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Richards, Owain (15 November 2006). "Kerrang! Wales Free Event – Cardiff's The Point". Lucem Fero. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Bye, Jon."Nu metal ain't dead – just ask Skindred". Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-13. . Virgin Music.
  4. 1 2 Shaw, Zach. "Metal Hammer Golden Gods 2011 Winners and Nominees". MetalInsider. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Kerrang Awards 2011 Winners and Nominees". Kerrang.com. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "Biography of Dub War". Dub War. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  7. ↑ Loftus, Johnny. "Biography of Skindred". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  8. ↑ Loftus, Johnny. "Review of Babylon". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  9. 1 2 3 "Charts and awards for Babylon". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  10. ↑ "Charts and awards for Roots Rock Riot". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  11. ↑ "Skindred Return to Download and add more European Festivals". Skindred.net. 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  12. ↑ Skindred Studio Walk Through Skindredofficial1 on YouTube. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Skindred Announce New Album ‘Kill The Power’!". Metal Hammer. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  14. ↑ "Skindred - 'Kill the Power'British iTunes Chart Performance". iTunes Chart. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  15. ↑ "Skindred – Rude Boys For Life – Official Trailer". Skindred. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  16. ↑ "Skindred - 'Volume' British iTunes Chart Performance". iTunes Chart. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  17. ↑ Chris Harris (2006-06-12). "Korn's Jonathan Davis Hospitalized With Blood Ailment; Tour Canceled". MTV News. Retrieved 2007-01-27.
  18. ↑ "Last chance to catch Skindred". Express and Echo. 15 December 2006. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  19. ↑ "Skindred set to storm into action". South Wales Evening Post. 5 April 2006. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  20. 1 2 Briggs, Newt (9 September 2004). "Dread head". Las Vegas Mercury. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  21. ↑ "Mon-Skindred". Idaho Statesman. 25 February 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  22. ↑ "Kerrang Awards 2010 Winners and Nominees". Kerrang.com. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
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