THE SKIDS - THE ABSOLUTE GAME (45TH ANNIVERSARY) LIMITED EDITION BLUE STONE TRANSLUCENT VINYL 2LP -NATIONAL ALBUM DAY TITLE - PRE ORDER OUT SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2026

NATIONAL ALBUM DAY TITLE - PRE ORDER OUT SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2026.

The Skids 
The Absolute Game (45th Anniversary Blue Stone 
Translucent Vinyl)

Truly one of the greatest British bands to come out of the 1976 / 1977 
musical rupture that was Punk, Dunfermline's Skids went on to demonstrate 
they had so much more to them than many of their contemporaries
Always a tight and powerful musical powerhouse they enjoyed a string of classic 
chart hits between 1978 and 1979 ('Into The Valley', 'Masquerade', 'Working For 
TheYankee Dollar' etc).
Following this, they surprised and delighted fans and critics alike with 1980's 
ambitious and experimental third album outing 'The Absolute Game'. The album was 
also the frst to feature feature new bassist Russell Webb and his inclusion, along with 
the contribution of new producer Mick Glossop, made for an accomplished and 
progressive evolution.
The frst sign that the band had upped the ante somewhat came with the album's frst 
single (and its opener), 'Circus Games', which fused incisive lyrics and rallying vocal 
delivery with a powerful backing track, replete with synth stylings and even a 
schoolkids' chorus. Future singles to be culled included 'A Woman In Winter' and the 
glorious 'Goodbye Civilian'. Record Collector latersaid of the album: "Endlessly 
inventive and perfectly executed, it deservedly became their most successful release".
Initial copies of 'The Absolute Game' came with the free mini album 'Strength Through 
Joy' an experimental mini- album that blended world music infuences and 
atmospheric and ambient sounds that perfectly ftted 1980's Peter Gabriel / Talking 
Heads / 'Scary Monsters' Bowie zeitgeist.
For this stunning 2LP vinyl reissue, 'The Absolute Game', and 'Strength Through Joy', 
have been remastered from the source tapes, thereby correcting previous problems 
with the album's tape transfers. The work was undertaken by respected audio 
engineer George Shilling (previous creditsinclude Blur, Teenage Fanclub, Bernard 
Butler, Oasis, Primal Scream).

Artwork has been lovingly recreated with the original's lyric sheet and Skids 
merchandise inserts promoted onto illustrated inner bags. The albums have pressed 
onto translucent blue stone vinyl.

Tracklistings: Circus Games / Out Of Town / Goodbye Civilian / The Children Saw The 
Shame / A Woman In Winter / Hurry On Boys / Happy To Be With You / The Devils 
Decade / One Decree / Arena / An Incident In Algiers / Grievance / Strength Through 
Joy / Filming Africa / A Man For All Seasons / Snakes And Ladders / Surgical 
Triumph / The Bell Jar