Skeleton Crew Rocks

That "Difficult Second Album"....

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:00:00 +0000

We've finally made a start on recording the follow-up to "Bring It On". We've pretty much narrowed down the list of candidates to 11 songs for the album, so now its time to knuckle down and get recording. The new CD is (likely) to be be called Theatre Of War, and will be out ... when its finished basically!

We have one song done more or less entirely, and now have drums down for another 5.

If you want to follow the progress of the recording then check out our recording blog : www.skeletoncrewrecordings.blogspot.com

A little bit of Google-based fun...

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:37:00 +0000

One of the things with trying to promote any band on the internet is keeping an eye on search results and how easy it is for people to find your website. Having checked the "usual culprits" I thought I'd have a bit of a play with song titles, so I started with Google and the title of our first single, "How Come I'm Never Around"... the results weren't quite what I had predicted ...

Click the "Read More" link for the *ahem* slightly fruity results ...

Here's what the mighty Google suggested:

Apparently we're less popular than single, ugly, deformed Mongolians

Although the suggestions were even more alarming ...

Alarming though some of these are, my favourite is the last one.

Video or "Retribution" from Mansfield Music Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:49:00 +0000

We had a great time at Mansfield Music Festival. The weather held off ... right until the start of our set! So a massive thank you to everyone that stayed to watch us and didn't run for cover!

Here's a nice little video of "Retribution" from the gig. We've also put up some picture so check out the photos page!

SCrew-x

Photos from the Mansfield Music Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:31:00 +0000

Mansfield Music Fesival

Click to view the full album!

Make it a Naked Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:20:00 +0000

Actual contents will almost definitely differ
from illustration

Ok - here's the deal. We're dangling a very small carrot here, but its all in a good cause. We have 100 tickets left to sell for the Mansfield Music Festival. IF we sell all 100 by Saturday, then SCrew's Rob Holsman has pledged to do the entire gig naked.

And pictures will be posted here.

What are you waiting for? BUY TICKETS!!!!

Email us to find out how buy tickets. You can also buy at http://www.childrensbraintumourevents.co.uk/ but those won't count towards the total

Next gig - Sunday 25th July at Mansfield Music Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:10:00 +0000

Right people, this Sunday we're playing at Mansfield Music Festival in aid of Children's Brain Tumour Research, along with:

the marvellous Scarlett's Wake, Pray for Hayden, Tennason, Tastebuds, Calling for Hereos, The Drains, Red Jester, Ton!te, Indie`cise, Quadraphenia (The Who Tribute). Here`s to Tradegy, Maffa Kings, Beetroot Kings, Tennason, Arcanite Repeaer NIKK MAGER, SEAN RUMSEY, JUSTIN TIMBERLIKE and KATY BULLOCK Band.

PLUS
Facepainters, Stilt Wakers, Bike Stunts, Tribal Dancers Street Dancers.

Tickets are £5 in advance, £7.50 on the day. Its going to be HUGE!! Be there, or miss out! You can get tickets by from us (email us) or from the even site http://www.childrensbraintumourevents.co.uk/

Skeleton Crew play Grantham carnival - behold the horror!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Saturday 19th June, and Skeleton Crew will be playing at Grantham Carnival, in the beer tent naturellement. And to promote this twice in a lifetime event, we have a poster. Nothing special about that, but in case you're not in the locality we wanted to share this delightful monstrosity with you.

Not exactly your everyday Bone-R, I tip my (tiny) hat to Mr Byron for this utterly horrific yet delightful technicolour assault which cunningly juxstaposes the horror that even a basic clown conveys in 97% of the thinking populatation,with the carefree yet dismal outlook of Playdays and adds a liberal vanilla topping of information. Its like a cake with delicious icing turned upside down to reveal a base of biscuit, slugs and sh*t.

In the words of the UK's foremost 3D Video Industry expert Andy Bellamy, "Its wrong, in all the best ways". And it is.

Come and see Skeleton Crew at the Grantham Carnival, June 20th.

Chris, Lewis and Lyndon get their sing on...UPDATED

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 24 May 2010 07:20:00 +0000

Last night Skeleton Crew rocked Cryptfest in Nottinghamshire. The hottest night of the year so far also brought with it a nice ending to our year of touring the songs from Bring It On. During the time we spent recording the album, 3 different singers were with the band. Last night, we got all 3 on the stage together, with Lyndon, Lewis and Chris trading lines on All Or Nothing.

A fitting end (almost) to the Bring It On saga, as we are about to start recording the next album. Thank you so much guys, you made it a real blast!

S-Crew x

Festival Season!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:49:00 +0000

Just to let you know, its going to be a fun summer of big gigs for Skeleton Crew this year. We'll be playing at Cryptfest on Sunday 23rd May, which is at Central in Nottingham, at the Duke of Wellington in Lincoln on the 19th June, Upload at Rescue Rooms in Nottingham on the 26th June and the Mansfield Music Festival on July 25th.

All of these are going to be fantastic gigs and we're looking forward to sharing stages with some excellent bands too. Not all of the lineups are confirmed at the moment, but here'd where you can find more details:

Crypt Fest http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170871386091&ref=ts
Upload: http://www.last.fm/event/1386200+UPLOAD+FESTIVAL
Mansfield Music Festival: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106569809613&ref=ts

Hope to see you all there!

SCrew-x

Happy New Year from Skeleton Crew!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:36:00 +0000

We'd all like to say a massive thank you to everyone that has supported us throughout 2009. We have had a wonderful year; we've gained an amazing singer in Lyndon, our first album Bring It On has been released and received great reviews, we've played here there and everywhere (and here again), made loads of new friends and generally had an absolute blast. Thank you all so much.

So now to look forward to 2010! We have a lot planned ... some cracking gigs to kick the year off, and new material too. Some of you have already been guinea pigs for that ("Squeal for me Grantham") but once the festivities are out of the way, we're cracking on with recording our second album. There will be some new videos too, and all sorts of fun stuff, so stay tuned and we'll let you know more once there is more to ... let you know about.

Until then, stay safe, be happy, eat lots, be kind to your elders and don't run with a chainsaw.

Love - S-CrewX

Change of venue for Laika Dog support gig in Nottingham

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:10:00 +0000

The gig with Tony Wright's Laika Dog on the 6th November has been moved from Seven to Central in Nottingham. Central is located on Huntingdon street, postcode is NG1 3LY for those relying on the small goblin-powered boxes to navigate yourselves there.

Battle of the Bands results!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:52:00 +0000

Just a quick message to say thank you to everyone who supported us in the final of the Grantham Battle of the Bands competition. It was an excellent night, a real mixed bag of bands and a wonderful loud and full audience for everyone. We were awarded 2nd place in the end and got some tidy vouchers to spend on new sticks and strings. Which was nice.

Video footage from the Chance To Live Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:20:00 +0000

Just finished cutting together the video footage from the Chance to Live concert. For those that missed this great day, 10 bands performed on Sunday 20th September at the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham, all to raise money for the neonatal unit and the Queens Medical Centre. And here's the footage of our set!

Thanks to Anthony and Katy for the camerawork!

Click the "Read More" link below to see the video!

Through to the Final ....

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:18:00 +0000

Well, we made it through Round 2 of the Grantham Battle of the Bands. I am reliably informed by various Facebook posts (so it has to be true) that we won the heat. Which was nice. So a big thank you to everyone that came and supported us, especially those of you who inflicted damage to their livers and overdrafts in order to gain us your beer votes. Its much appreciated!

So we're through to the final now! The final will be held on Saturday 10th October. We believe it may well be at the Atrium, but we'll post the venue details here as soon as its all confirmed!

SCrew - x

Skeleton Crew on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Just wanted to let all you people out there know that Facebook have finally released usernames for artist pages, so rather than tryng to remember an implausibly long web address, you can go straight to

www.facebook.com/skeletoncrewrocks

Beware though, and surf safe ... Facebook is largely populated by PAEDOs and EMOs, so that lovely italian boy/girl who has just befriended you is probably a fat 55 year old taxi driver from Boston who still ives with his mother and has pieces of bottled tourist in the woodshed. Stick with us though, kids, and you'll come to no harm ...

SCrew x

A fantastic gig with a surreal ending!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:27:00 +0000

On Saturday night we played at the Streetfighter Riff Raff rally, held at MFN in Nottingham. we had an amazing time, thanks guys for inviting us along! A fantastic venue, brilliant sound, great atmosphere, lots of stunning bikes for us all to drool over, and the nicest people you could possibly want to meet on the live circuit (or anywhere for that matter. Including the supermarket, salon or outward-bound activity courses)

Our evening was concluded in atypical style with an impromptu jam featuring 3 members of the band, one of the founding members of Showaddywaddy and the legend that shall be known to us all forever simply as George, who heckled us lovingly and mercilessly throughout and who made the evening complete. And it turns out, plays a mean blues harp, especially when its in the same key as the rest of the band! The number we performed, I am reliably informed, is called "P*ss All Over Yer Shoes Blues" (aka "You Ain't Comin' Ere Next Year You F*$!in' B*5t4rd"), and the video is below. I warn you though, there really is some frightfully fruity language involved so proceed with caution!

One of our best nights. Thank you so much for having us, guys - hope to see you again in the near future!

SCrew X

A couple of new live videos ...

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Hi everyone!

A couple more live videos have made it onto YouTube - this time from our performance at Wildside, Nottingham on the 1st August 2009. Unfortunately we were apparently just too damn loud for the camera ... ;)

ik0

Hard at work on new songs ...

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Well, its been a busy time since the launch of the CD ... we have been out gigging, rocking the Pirate Night at the Salutation in Nottingham, and playing the August edition of Wildside at Nottingham's Seven Bar. Thanks to everyone who has come and given us their support, and to the bands Headrush and Killing with Style who we have played with.

We've also managed to add some new promo pics (see below!) some of which meant running about in fields and, rather less energetically, sitting on a gate. And in a corner.

We have also been busy writing new songs. We have some great new music coming up; these will be the first songs written with the new lineup and the music Lyndon is bringing has really energized us again - we just can't wait for everyone to hear it!

Lyndon demos new songs to a - frankly awed! - other 80% of Skeleton Crew

Promo pics 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Photos from the launch gig

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Hi to all ... just a quickie to say we have posted some pictures from the CD launch gig - you can fill yer boots at http://gallery.me.com/rob.holsman#100025&bgcolor=black&view=grid

New CD "Bring It On" now available to buy online!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:39:00 +0000

Our debut CD Bring It On is now available! We have just about recovered from our launch night (!) and we're delighted to announce that for those that couldn't make it, Bring It On is now available to buy mail order. The price is £7.00 with a 50p worldwide postage charge, and it really is the perfect way to spend that annoying "money" that keeps cluttering up your PayPal account. Alternatively you can email us if you would rather send us crinkly bits of paper, and we'll give you the address to send it to!

Bring It On
1. All Or Nothing
2. If This Is It
3. My Life, My Rules
4. How Come I'm Never Around
5. I Know Your Name
6. Bring It On
7. Tempting Fate
8. Driving Me Crazy
9. Soul
10. World Turns Upside Down

New songs on the website and free download track !

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:41:00 +0000

With the album finished and in our grubby little hands, we have added a bunch of new tracks to the player and also added "World Turns Upside Down" as a free mp3 to download!

Contact Skeleton Crew!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:09:00 +0000

If you want to get in touch with us for bookings, to tell us how glorious we are or simply to request some gardening tips, you can reach us via email or you can send us a message via Facebook or MySpace (see the links on the left).

New Album "Bring It On" Out in 3 days!

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:34:00 +0000

Yes, its finally time boys and girls! Our CD Bring It On will be out on Saturday 27th June. All 10 tracks are now mixed, we are just awaiting the delivery of the CDs and the artwork!

To coincide with the release, we are gigging that night at the Salutation Inn in Nottingham. To coincide even more, this happens to be their 3rd annual Pirate Night event (which is nice!) so it all seems rather timely! So it'll be a great chance to get wrecked and get rocked! (And dress like a pirate too.)

For those of you who can't get to the gig but want a copy of the CD, it will be available to order online from Saturday. We'll also be adding the new tracks to the player as soon as the CD is done!

See y'all soon ...

S-Crew

Waxing lyrical about content

noreply@blogger.com (Skeleton Crew) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:07:00 +0000

With the release of Skeleton Crew's first album "Bring It On" less than a fortnight away, Graham shared some band insights recently on the hidden depths - or lack thereof - of the songs on the record:

ALL OR NOTHING
Some days in the Langar scout hut , where we used to practice, were pretty special. On this particular day we had nothing planned or even ready to start on. Rob wasn't around that day and the rest of us just hit on an idea whilst jamming that felt great and the song practically wrote itself in a very short time. Chris was fairly active and single back then (see Bring It On!) and he quickly penned the lyrics about his...erm...lifestyle. One of the few to be written by us whilst we were an actual functioning band and it pretty much ... became our mission statement-both musically and lyrically.

IF THIS IS IT
One of the songs that Chris opened our song writing sessions with long before the band remotely existed. Chris wrote most of the song on an acoustic guitar and the stabs in the music are a deliberate exaggeration of his playing style. He'd just gone through a particularly painful break up and this song was his goodbye note. Chris and I didnt want this song to be a true ballad however, and we had trouble turning it into a rock song. Eventually we found the right balance after what seemed like months of constant re-writes. One of the best vocal hooks we have!

MY LIFE MY RULES
Another of the original session songs. Chris was fairly p****d about how everyone was telling him what he should be doing differently. The original riffs were very Cult-esque but they gradually evolved once the band actually started playing the song (in fact only the original chord progressions remain the same now) The mad drums in the middle were originally my idea that became a drummer oneupmanship exercise as the time passed and drummers came and went. That is until Drew came along and finally made sense of the chaos!

HOW COME I'M NEVER AROUND
When Rob origially wrote the song he had the music plus the 1st and 3rd lines of the chorus. I fell in love with the song the instant I heard the demo. Its about manipulative exes - I had particular fun writing the lyrics for this one (especially the 2nd verse!!)
The obvious first single the second it was finished How Come was recorded long before it was ever played live and was also the last song to be written for the album.btw: See if you can hear the moment that i fell over whilst soloing (i had a torn LCL in my knee) and carried on-it IS on the record. oh, how the others did laugh!

I KNOW YOUR NAME
i originally wrote the music for this extremely late one night whilst Rob and i were still in KickBack. i love the slower heavier feel to the song and i re wrote the lyrics when Skeleton Crew was formed. Written a few years after the fact the song represents the total anger and upset that , rightly or wrongly, I felt about the people and actions I perceived to be responsible for the untimely death of one of my closest friends...and is my personal message to "them".The idea for the incredible intro drums were one of Drews first contributions to the band shortly after he joined us. One of the few songs we currently have that give Rob a chance to play with his organ ;)

BRING IT ON
About a year into the songwriting sessions Chris and I actually had a praticing version of the band. Our good friend Tony Garrett , who actually gave Skeleton Crew it's name, was helping out on drums and he'd brought Steve into the fold. Rob joined us on occasions and there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel. This was when the song Bring It On was written and it's a raise your fist (steady now!) salute to the "values" of 80's rock. Chris actually wrote the lyrics based on his typical saturday nights out in Nottingham...or what he can remember of them. It became our early rally cry and was the obvious title for the album itself from day one

TEMPTING FATE
I think I was listening to alot of early Crue at the time and the main riff seems to confirm this!! I also wanted to put a huge harmonised solo into a song and this was the perfect opportunity. The song is about people's total slavery to whatever it says in their daily horrorscope. Unfortunately i know many like this and i wanted to have a little fun at their expense (btw I do have 3 kids and a red car that i suppose was probably nice a decade or so ago!) The hamonised chorus has given us all a sleepless night or two as we figure out what each of us should sing and where but we're finally happy with it now...aren't we guys!...guys?

DRIVING ME CRAZY
The first song written by us after Drew joined the band and, like All Or Nothing, was the result of a good night down the "hut" (but this time Rob was around-he wrote the chorus) It started out as a fairly heavy angry riff of mine that everyone jumped on. Before long it was done. It's a fave to play for all the band but I myself have never made total sense of the lyrics...but i think that's the point!

SOUL
i remember Rob having a few riffs that i thought were in the wrong order and once jigged around a little became the basis for the music in Soul. Hailing from the time when Tony was drumming it was pretty much Rob's baby apart from the odd bit of musical sticking tape by me. It's a very thoughtful song that people always love when they first hear it but love more once they know the lyrics. The out solo is a little homage to Bang Tango, a band that we all saw many times at Nottingham's Rock-City in the 90's. A song that truly shows off the entire bands singing ability it also happens to be the song we usually song check with as it has a little bit of everything.

WORLD TURNS UPSIDE DOWN
By most standards I'd been through a pretty rough time in almost every aspect of my life and once everything had eventually settled down i was delighted to find out that i had come out relatively okay and had only gone slightly mad. The song is very "up" , almost punky in feel and represents the "NA NA NANA NA - CANT CATCH ME!" attitude that I had developed. This song was the first complete song that i wrote for Skeleton Crew. if you notice, the key for the first chorus' are different to the ones at the end. World is the perfect song to end the album with a bang!