Still hitting the Skids after all these years

PUNK GROUP LAST PLAYED CITY IN 1978 - AND WERE IN A FIGHT

- WILLIAM TELFORD

Scottish punk band Skids play at the Quad Theatre tomorrow. From left: Connor Whyte (guitar), Peter Byrchmore (bass), Richard Jobson (vocals), and Nick Hernandez (drums)

THE leader of punk heroes Skids is looking forward to returning to Plymouth even though the band were beaten up by sailors on a previous visit.

Richard Jobson, singer and guitarist with the Scottish new wavers, can't wait for the band to play at the Quad Theatre, on the Plymouth Marjon University campus, this Sunday, November 30.

That's despite the group's visit in 1978 ending up with them being set upon and bass player Bill Simpson having to play with broken fingers.

"I'm looking forward to visiting your fine city," said Jobson, recalling the performance at the now-closed Fiesta Suite, in Mayflower Street.

"We got attacked and beaten up - the bass player had his fingers broken," he said. "We had a day off in Plymouth and went for a wander and some people did not take too kindly to us. But the gig was incredible."

That gig certainly was memorable. In 2018, one attendee told The Herald how Skids played after a ballroom dancing session at the Fiesta Suite and were so energetic the stage collapsed and a staff member from a Chinese restaurant below came up because the chandelier was swinging about.