Posted on January 10, 2010 - by Editor

Thinking Back And Looking Forward: The Skints

All words by Emma Stone. Photo by Imelda Michalczyk.

The Skints are represented by their singer and guitarist Josh Rudge

Emma:  2009 has been quite a meteoric rise for you guys.  Did you expect to come so far in such a short time?

Josh: Haha, I dunno about meteoric, but some sort of rise yeah. I mean we haven’t really stopped to see the progress but we worked real hard and things are going well.

Emma:  You released your debut album ‘Live, Breathe, Build, Believe’ in November.  Has it been selling/received as well as you’d hoped?

Josh: Yeah, people have been saying crazy good things about it. Every show on the album tour had people singing along, which is more than we could ask for.

Emma: You’re clearly influenced by the early, rootsy reggae sound.  Who were some of your big influences?

Josh:  On the reggae front everyone from The Heptones to Topcat to Johnny Clarke to Mungo’s Hifi. We listen to a lot.

Emma: You’re all very accomplished musicians.  Has anyone learned new instruments to accompany the Skints?

Josh: Errr, well Marcia learned sax to play in the band, started the melodica while in the band and started playing ‘reggae’ organ after we toured with The Slackers, so that’s a couple!

Emma: This year has kind of thrown you all together more often that you might have expected, with excessive touring and then recording.  Has this brought about any major conflicts, or has it brought you closer as a band?

Josh: We’ve all been friends from school and that. Some members of the band have known each other since they were 5 years old so spending a lot of time together ain’t a new thing to us. If anything we’ve been brought closer together.

Emma: You got an amazing crowd reaction at festivals this year.  What festivals would you like to aim for in 2010?

Josh: I wouldn’t like to say for fear of jinxing it. We’ll have fun at whatever festivals we play this year.

Emma: Where’s your favourite place to play? Either city or venue.

Josh:  London obviously as it’s hometown but Nottingham Maze, Leeds Cockpit, Plymouth White Rabbit, Bristol Croft, Kingston new Slang and Norwich are always very kind to us.

Emma: Do you have any bands to suggest we keep an eye out for in 2010?

Josh: Claypigeon, Squab, Gecko, Moral Dilemma. The new Mouthash, Random Hand and King Blues records are gonna kick arse as well.

Emma: What have you got coming up in 2010?

Josh: Rebel Alliance tour in Jan/Feb with Chris Murray, Mouthwash and Random Hand.

Lots and lots of touring. Write a record. Go to Europe for more touring. Tour some more.

Emma: You’ve got 5 words to sum up 2009. Go!

Josh: “Wow. That was fucking sick.”