HIDDEN GEMS - THE SKINTS

Written by Raabia Haq / Photo by Doug Elliott

An eclectic and bouncy four-piece band emerged from London, The Skints are notoriously known in the UK underground punk scene. With soul-stirring vocals and politically charged lyrics, they deliver a multi-faceted fusion of reggae, ska, punk and grime in the highest of spirits. They have ignited festival and theatre stages with their music around the world, creating rigorously infectious music that everyone can find enjoyment in.

The band was founded by Marcia Richards, Joshua Waters Rudge, Jamie Kyriakides and Jonathan Doyle at school in 2007 and they have since created a huge name for themselves in the industry. From playing in school music rooms together to dominating stages, the band has been relentlessly touring for over a decade. “We were just the alternative kids at school, and we used to hang out in the music rooms; everyone had their interests to bring to the table.” From playing in local pubs across London to playing immense shows at Slam Dunk Festival and Boomtown, the band have risen to fame within the UK reggae and punk scene. They each have independent, evolving tastes in music that they fuse and put through The Skints’ filter, thus creating the amalgamation that is their sound. Their first album ‘Live, Breathe, Build, Believe’ was released in 2010, a mashup of punk and reggae that comes across as a multicultural musical bazaar. They have since released three other albums that exude the creative hunger that The Skints seem to naturally embody.

Known for only making “one album” licensing deals with independent record companies, creative freedom and fluidity are vital to the quartet; they unapologetically stand for the idea that artists should have the rights to their own music. Their latest album ‘Swimming Lessons’ has more range than any of their previous releases before, as it focuses more on punk influences but still features their usual reggae and ska style. The album debuted at number 1 on the Reggae Billboard Charts, featuring Grammy-nominated vocalist Protoje, Runkus and Jesse Royal. On the other hand, Jamaican culture is also vital to The Skints’ sound and bears a lot of meaning to the band: “Reggae music is all about playing with feeling. You’ve got to give respect to the history of music, you’ve got to give meaning, give authenticity.” It’s no secret that the band knows what kind of message they want to reflect, involving social-political issues such as Brexit in their song ‘The Island’. “Like punk music, reggae is very antiestablishment, it’s all about togetherness and standing up for the people. Reggae and dub are just so bombastic and experimental, it’s a very sincere and genuine kind of music - playing it is just so rewarding.”

As has already been teased, we can expect a lot more music to come from The Skints this year, with more collaborations and smaller projects in the works. They hope to have headline tours in the future and to keep touring as they have done for the past decade. Additionally, the four-piece has just toured the UK with Gentleman’s Dub Club, a reggae dub band that has been operating in the same circle as The Skints for years. And we already cannot wait to catch more vibrant live experiences from them as they continue to redefine their musical melting pot of soul-stirring tropical punk.