The Absolute Game

The Absolute Game is the third studio album by Scottish punk rock and new wave band Skids. Recorded in 1980 and produced by Mick Glossop, it was released in September 1980 by record label Virgin. It became their most commercially successful album, reaching No. 9 in the UK Albums Chart.[2]

The Absolute Game
Studio album by
Skids
Released19 September 1980 (1980-09-19)[1]
Recorded1980
StudioThe Manor Studio, Shipton-on-Cherwell; Audio International Studios, London W1
GenrePost-punk, new wave
LabelVirgin
ProducerMick Glossop
Skids chronology
Days in Europa
(1979)		 The Absolute Game
(1980)		 Joy
(1981)

Writing and recording

This album marks the first collaborative effort between Richard Jobson and new bassist Russell Webb, who continued to work together in the band The Armoury Show and also on Jobson's solo album Badman.

Musical style

Alex Ogg of AllMusic opined "Musically, the Skids were branching out and writing some illustrious pop tunes."[3]

Controversy

Initial copies came with a limited edition second disc entitled Strength Through Joy, a collection of material recorded during The Absolute Game sessions but omitted from the album. Its songs apparently feature members of the band playing each other's instruments. Richard Jobson, the Skids' lead singer, later stated that this title had been taken from Dirk Bogarde's autobiography and was not based on the Nazi slogan "Kraft durch Freude". However, it continued in the controversial theme of the first release of Days in Europa, which had also been withdrawn after accusations of Nazi glorification.

Release

The Absolute Game was released in September 1980, preceded by the release of Circus Games as a single in August. It reached No. 9 in the UK Albums Chart.[2]

Around this time the band was riven by internal rifts and disagreements, leading to various changes in personnel. Soon after the release and tour of The Absolute Game, Adamson and Baillie left the band.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Record Collector[2]

Shane Baldwin of Record Collector called it "their finest work, despite the fact that, by then, Jobson and Adamson's relationship had begun to founder. Endlessly inventive and perfectly executed, it deservedly became their most successful release".[2] Ira Robbins of Trouser Press wrote "Parts of The Absolute Game are just arty pretense, but the inclusion of substantial, engaging material makes it a reasonable addition to the collection."[4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Skids (Richard Jobson, Stuart Adamson, Russell Webb and Mike Baillie), except "Out of Town", written by Jobson and Adamson

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Circus Games"4:10
2."Out of Town"4:08
3."Goodbye Civilian"4:15
4."The Children Saw the Shame"3:40
5."A Woman in Winter"5:40
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Hurry On Boys"3:42
2."Happy to Be with You"3:36
3."The Devils Decade"5:42
4."One Decree"3:23
5."Arena"5:10
2008 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Circus Games" (single A-side edit, 1980)4:10
12."Goodbye Civilian" (single A-side edit, 1980)3:31
13."Monkey Mcguire Meets Specky Potter Behind Lochore Institute" ("Goodbye Civilian" single B-side, 1980)2:55
14."An Incident in Algiers" (Strength Through Joy EP, 1980)3:55
15."Grievance" (Strength Through Joy EP, 1980)2:58
16."Strength Through Joy" (Strength Through Joy EP, 1980)1:59
17."Filming Africa" (Strength Through Joy EP, 1980)3:39
18."A Man for All Seasons" (Strength Through Joy EP, 1980)1:50
19."Snakes and Ladders" (Strength Through Joy EP, 1980)4:01
20."Surgical Triumph" (Strength Though Joy EP, 1980)2:13
21."The Bell Jar" (Strength Though Joy EP, 1980)2:33

Strength Through Joy
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."An Incident in Algiers"3:55
2."Grievance"2:58
3."Strength Through Joy"1:59
4."Filming in Africa"3:39
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."A Man for All Seasons"1:50
2."Snakes and Ladders"4:01
3."Surgical Triumph"2:13
4."The Bell Jar"2:33

Personnel
Skids
Additional personnel
  • Jude Nettleton – vocals
  • Julius Newell – vocals
  • Andrew Sigsworth – vocals
  • John Sigsworth – vocals
  • Alison Pipkin – vocals
  • David Pipkin – vocals
  • Hannah Yeadon – vocals
  • Esther Marshall – vocals
  • Chloe Dymott – vocals
  • Marlis Dunklau – vocals
  • Gracie Benson – vocals
  • Sally Nettleton – vocals
  • Harriet Bakewell – vocals
  • Mary Volke – vocals
  • Derek Wadsworth – didgeridoo

References
  1. "Skids' lig" (PDF). Record Mirror. 23 August 1980. p. 5. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  2. Baldwin, Shane (April 2009). "[The Absolute Game review]". Record Collector.
  3. Ogg, Alex. "The Absolute Game – The Skids | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  4. Robbins, Ira. "trouserpress.com :: Skids". Trouser Press. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
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