The Skids frontman Richard Jobson has unveiled a new documentary titled The Story of The Skids, directed by acclaimed punk artist Mark Sloper. The film premiered last week to enthusiastic audiences across Scotland, celebrating the band’s roots in Dunfermline and their enduring impact on the punk music scene.
This documentary charts the rise of the band, starting from their origins in Fife’s former royal capital. It weaves together Jobson’s personal reflections on growing up in the area, detailing his creative inspirations and pride in Dunfermline’s musical heritage. As the narrator, Jobson shares poignant memories of writing iconic punk anthems like Into the Valley and The Saints are Coming at the Dunfermline Library.
In an interview with the Dunfermline Press, Jobson expressed his deep connection to the town. He remarked, “There’s a lot of special things about the (then) town. It’s our job to highlight them and be very humble about it.” He praised the library as a “special place” that offered him the time to reflect and create, describing the surrounding area as “breathtaking.” Jobson also suggested that pedestrianizing the Maygate could transform it into a vibrant creative hub, enhancing the city’s cultural landscape.
Much of the documentary was filmed at the Old Town Barber Club on Maygate, which is owned by Jobson’s brother, Brian Jobson. It features nostalgic scenes from venues such as the now-closed Bellvue Hotel and the Kinema Ballroom, where Richard recalls a pivotal moment in The Skids’ history: headlining a show that once hosted legends like David Bowie and The Clash.
A particularly memorable anecdote in the film recounts an ill-fated performance during a Communist Party event in Pittencrieff Park, intended to support Chilean refugees. Jobson humorously reminisced, “That was until Stuart Adamson opened by telling the crowd how ‘if this was a Communist country, you wouldn’t be allowed to see a band like this’, at which point the plug was pulled.” He acknowledged Adamson’s influence, noting that while he often had an international perspective, the magnetic pull towards Dunfermline remained strong.
Stuart Adamson later formed Big Country in 1981, achieving international recognition before his untimely death in 2001. Jobson himself transitioned into writing and television before reuniting The Skids in 2017. Reflecting on the band’s ongoing relevance, he stated, “We’ve kept The Skids relevant. When you play a song like Working for the Yankee Dollar, it probably means more today than it did when we wrote it way back then.” He observed that the political climate today imbues their older songs with new significance.
Mark Sloper, the film’s director, is well-known in the British punk art scene and is currently making headlines as the official artist for Oasis’s reunion tour in 2025. He was commissioned to create two neon artworks celebrating the band’s first two albums, Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, each priced at £4,000 in official merchandise stores. Sloper gained notoriety in 2020 for his controversial portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II, which featured her with blue hair and a heart tattoo. He humorously recounted, “I never got the print back so assume it may be hanging in her toilet.”
Speaking about collaborating with Oasis, Sloper remarked, “Noel and Liam Gallagher clearly love the punk aesthetic, and I’m overjoyed to be part of the reunion tour as Oasis still have that punk spirit.”
The Story of The Skids captures not only the band’s rise but also the essence of a punk movement that continues to resonate, both in Scotland and beyond. Through personal stories and historical context, Jobson and Sloper invite audiences to appreciate the lasting impact of punk music, celebrating its roots and its relevance in today’s world.
