Talk:Skid Row (Irish band): Difference between revisions

"In fact, Skid Row was the first metal band to debut an album at #1 (Slave to the Grind)." - This statement is incorrect. Their debut album is self-titled (not Slave to the Grind, which was their 2nd album) as mentioned in the discography at the bottom of the page.

Because of the success of Phil Lynott and Gary Moore I think this should be noted from http://mrdeluxe.tripod.com/hisbot.htm Although Brendan "Brush" Shiels may be a peripheral figure in the realm of rock history, his efforts are highly commendable. While enjoying a lifetime as one of Ireland's best loved entertainers, he has launched the careers of two of the greatest Irish rock stars. Brush was the foundation of an Irish band of the late 60's called Skid Row. Not to be confused with the "hair band" of the 80's led by Sebastian Bach, this Dublin trio wrote rock songs with strong blues guitar parts and folk lyrics. Brush was a bassist, singer and songwriter for most of the tracks, while one of the first lead vocalists was Phil Lynott. Brush "didn't particularly want someone who could sing well," he recalls, "I just wanted someone who looked good. Philip was about the best-looking boy around, and I knew that with him fronting the band we'd get lots of attention from the girls." When Phil was replaced by a 16 year old Gary Moore, Brush took Phil under his wing and taught him to play the bass. Phil soon went on to join a band called Orphanage and by the early 70's he started the internationally famous, Thin Lizzy. In 1970, Skid Row signed a record deal with CBS. Later that year Brush, Gary, and drummer Noel Bridgeman had released thier first album called "Skid" (on CD as Epic/Sony ESCA 5534 [Japan].) Their second album was called "34 Hours," as that was the amount of time it took to record it (Columbia Rewind 480525 2). The last works of the band, recorded just before Gary quit, were not released until 1990. The CD is widely available in American record stores in the Gary Moore section. The early works of the band have also been available since 1983, when they were released under the title "Skid Row" (available on CD as Columbia 477360-2) After spending some time on the road, Brush and Noel returned to Ireland in 1972, where they continued to perform under the name Skid Row. You can also hear Brush and his bass on some tracks recorded by the drug induced Dublin band Dr. Strangely Strange. Brush has always kept the Skid Row name alive, however, and "even went to all the trouble of breeding the guitar player." Indeed it is a musically talented family, as Brush often tours with his son Matthew on guitar and his son Jude on bass and guitar. Brush did not appreciate the American band, launched by Bon Jovi's manager Doc Magee, stealing his band's name. "He could be Doc Marten for all I know...but he's going to get a kick up the arse."

..Now hold it right there people! This is VERY confusing.. I'm right now looking at the American hair band Skid Row album and there's "Slave to the Grind" on it (Bach on vocals). So there is a connection between this Moore band and the American Skid Row?

I'm pretty sure 'Slave to the Grind' IS the American band. The Irish Skid Row's second and only other album was '34 hours'. In fact I suspect this article began as the story of the American band and was later changed to the Irish band. Scolaire 21:40, 7 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"Skid Row (heavy metal band) named themselves after this band." - Uh, are you sure about that? I seem to recall there was some unpleasantness about the American band using this name. Scolaire 18:55, 9 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

1. Skid row was a Dublin band - not Northern Irish, not UK, just Irish. Yes, Gary Moore was from Belfast, but the band was formed in Dublin by Dubliners.

2. Although it was Gary Moore's first band, he was not an original member. I think we have to give credit to the guys who actually formed the band, especially Brush Shiels.

3. I have never read elsewhere that Skid row were "heavily influenced by Peter Green." Moore's playing was considerably wilder than Green's, and their music generally was 'way out' compared with Fleetwood Mac's more traditional blues style.

4. I am deleting the reference to the heavy metal band being named after this group, as I can find no evidence of it. In the original article on the 1989 Skid Row (on this page, before it was reverted) it said: "The band was named after the American term skid row used for the rundown area of a city where alcoholics and vagrants congregated."

5. Although the band's first album has 'Skid Row' across the top, it was actually named 'Skid' - see Amazon.co.uk[[1]]

Scolaire 23:02, 20 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]