’23 Splendour Spotlight: Skegss

Solomiya revisits the music of the Byron Bay locals

In all honesty, I have not heard the unconcerned shouting vocals of Aussie garage surf-rock trio, Skegss, since their 2018 album My Own Mess. When I saw that they were playing Splendour, I just had to revisit my glory days of blaring that album through my shitty earbuds as I walked to school in summer thinking “damn I’m so cool”. I was not cool.

The band and their luscious, sea-bleached locks seemed like some coastal fantasy – easy-rocking chords and steady drum beats underneath salty, scratchy vocals passionately yelling “that’s why nobody likes you!” (‘Hell’ – 50 Push Ups for a Dollar (2015)).

As any old fan, I was very sceptical of their newer albums such as Rehearsal, which was released in 2021. There was something just so freeing about their rebellious-sounding songs; I even recently played them on my winter sunshine walks and felt like an extra from Puberty Blues (if it was set in 2018 I guess). But there’s more ‘sureness’ in their newer songs – an elevated maturity and a smoother sound that still retains a certain nonchalance. The closest remainder of their earlier sound is ‘Fantasising’, a more mellow and complex arrangement which feels like a revision of those summer walks. 

Also NEWSFLASH! Splendour may be the last chance to see the full trio before singer and bassist Toby Cregan leaves the band. After 10 years, the trio becomes a duo. What does this mean for the future of Skegss?

I’m interested to see if Skegss will retain their original fanbase with their new music. I hope to hear a mix of their classics, but also a push for their new stuff. When I say that their old albums are a summer’s walk, their new songs are a winter’s drive around the coast.

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