Band Of Skulls are an English rock band from Southampton, UK, that came into existence around late 2008 with the lineup of Russell Marsden (guitar, vocals), Emma Richardson (bass, vocals), and Matt Hayward (drums). Their debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey came out in 2009. Band Of Skulls have just finished a 10th anniversary tour, playing their debut album in full. Earlier this year they released their fifth album Love Is All You Love, their first since the departure of Matt Hayward from the band. Julian Dorio has been drumming with them since 2018.
Now let's look at what my ten favourite Band of Skulls songs are.
10] You're Not Pretty But You Got It Going On (2012)
I am way too polite to ever try this line in a bar, yikes. This track makes you think something's coming and yes it does - a cacophony of uptempo drumming and riffage that's very entertaining.
9] I Feel Like Ten Men, Nine Dead And One Dying (2014)
From wild west sounding beginnings the song delivers a pounding chorus, and guitar histrionics later on. I feel like I've lived the title quite often when Monday morning comes around.
8] We're Alive (2019)
We are indeed. Probably. From the newest album, this has a nice dance-y tempo with a driving bassline, verses with the trademark BoS blended vocals and a chorus that sticks with you the more you hear it.
7] Nightmares (2014)
Commuting, bills, landlords, rampant disaster capitalism... there's lots to have nightmares about in life. In this atmospheric, textured number, Band Of Skulls and their harmonies do their bit to reduce our anxieties.
6] Speed Of Light (2019)
Not necessarily the sounds you would typically associate with Band Of Skulls but there is no denying the class of this tune with its soaring, ethereal chorus. Goes to show they have a level of sophistication that the bands they lazily get lumped with like White Stripes or Royal Blood simply don't have.
5] Patterns (2009)
A lead vocal from Emma starting with the olde traditional nursery rhyme about magpies arrives at the driving beat of the chorus in this fan favourite seemingly about superstition.
4] Death By Diamonds And Pearls (2009)
That classic delay pedal intro is unmistakable on this popular slice of blues rock complete with wailing guitar solo. Sometimes I sing along but with "death by emails and texts" instead cos you know how it is, am I right?
3] I Know What I Am (2009)
Here you have the quintessential Band of Skulls track that helped to put them on the map - back and forth vocals, Bonham-esque drums, driving bass and a rip roaring guitar solo. Factoid: Southampton only got its first Taco Bell in November 2016.
2] Friends (2009)
The lo-fi fuzzy guitar doesn't make you expect the simple but brilliant, lightly reverb-sprinkled chorus on this song about friends. Awww. It's on the soundtrack of a Twilight film and they rarely play this live. Wahhhh. Vaguely on topic, Friends is funnier than How I Met Your Mother, sorry if you disagree but you're wrong.
1] Killer (2016)
You have got to face up to the fact this is undeniably... killer.
That redonkulous snare and a hammer of a pre-chorus go on to unleash all sorts of fire. No trade description breaches here - it's 100% as described in the title. Marvellous.
Here's a Spotify playlist of the above countdown:
This is me enjoying them perform live at the inaugural Common People Festival held in Southampton, 2015:
Good times. Also, Band of Skulls were on the panel of judges in 2017 who decided that out of 100+ songs by local artists the ZEN JUDDHISM track I wrote, "All Of It" (featuring Pammie Moore), deserved to be one of ten to go on a compilation vinyl album representing the best of the local scene, called Southampton Sampler - check it out and buy it from this link: http://www.hightownstudios.co.uk/shop/
Band Of Skulls are an English rock band from Southampton, UK, that came into existence around late 2008 with the lineup of Russell Marsden (guitar, vocals), Emma Richardson (bass, vocals), and Matt Hayward (drums). Their debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey came out in 2009. Band Of Skulls have just finished a 10th anniversary tour, playing their debut album in full. Earlier this year they released their fifth album Love Is All You Love, their first since the departure of Matt Hayward from the band. Julian Dorio has been drumming with them since 2018.