Skin (musician)

Skin
File:Skin Eska Music Awards.jpg Skin at the Eska Music Awards 2011 in Katowice
Background information
Birth name	Deborah Anne Dyer
Born	(1967-08-03) 3 August 1967
Origin	Brixton, London, England
Genres	Indie rock, alternative rock, alternative metal
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1995–present
Labels	One Little Indian, Virgin, EMI, V2
Associated acts	Skunk Anansie
Website	SkinMusic.net

Deborah Anne Dyer, known by the stage name Skin, (born 3 August 1967) is an English singer, a Dj for electronical music and occasional model. As Deborah Dyer, Skin studied Interior Design at Teesside University in Middlesbrough, who later honoured her with an honorary degree. She is currently the lead vocalist of English band Skunk Anansie. Mavis Bayton, author of Frock Rock, an academic book about women musicians in Britain, says that "women like Skin, Natacha Atlas, Yolanda Charles, Mary Genis, and Debbie Smith are now acting as crucial role models for future generations of black women. " In 2015 she joined the judging panel of the Italian version of the talent show The X Factor.

Skunk Anansie

Main article: Skunk Anansie

Skin began her music career in Skunk Anansie, a band often grouped as part of the britrock movement in the UK. Joining Skin in the line up for the band were Martin "Ace" Kent on guitar, Richard "Cass" Lewis on bass guitar, and Mark Richardson on drums.

After forming in 1994, the band released three albums – Paranoid & Sunburnt, Stoosh and Post Orgasmic Chill – which sold over 4 million copies worldwide. They are best known for their single "Weak", but have had a series of other hits including "Charity", "Hedonism" and "Charlie Big Potato". In 2001 the band decided to split. Kent released a solo album entitled Still Hungry, Richardson became a replacement drummer for the band Feeder and Skin went on to pursue a solo career.

In 2008 drummer Mark Richardson confirmed reports that the band was reforming in an interview with Drummer magazine (2008, November issue), and said that the band planned to release a 'Best Of' as well as new material. On 2 and 3 April 2009, two shows took place at the Monto Water Rats (the former venue of the Splash Club) in London under the alias SCAM (Skin, Cass, Ace, Mark). A greatest hits album, Smashes and Trashes, was also announced. The album includes three brand new tracks: "Because Of You", "Tear The Place Up" and "Squander".

Solo career

File:Skin of Skunk Anansie in Glastonbury.jpg

Skin at Glastonbury

After Skunk Anansie split, Skin released her debut solo album Fleshwounds. The album was toned down from her Skunk Anansie days and did not gain the same acclaim from Skunk Anansie fans. She even ditched her trademark bald look and grew her hair into a boyish crop. While the album was not a massive success in the UK, two singles were released from it: "Trashed" and "Faithfulness". "Lost", a double A-Side with "Getting Away With It", was a planned third single but was pulled shortly before release; promo CDs were sent out to radio stations but it received no airplay. Elsewhere in Europe the album's success was greater. For example, in Italy it peaked at Number 6 in the album chart and in Germany at Number 18.

After releasing Fleshwounds, Skin went on to perform various solo gigs around Europe. She was also support for the European leg of Robbie Williams' and Placebo's world tours.

Soon after touring she began to record her second album, Fake Chemical State, which was released for sale on 20 March 2006, preceded by new single Just Let the Sun two weeks earlier. The first single actually issued from this album was Alone in My Room, a download-only track released on 7 November 2005. 'Alone in My Room' was also the name given to Skin's first UK solo tour in two years, which commenced in Berlin in November 2005. For this album she shaved her head bald again, returning to the look she had in her Skunk Anansie days.

Skin's next solo outing was a small promotional 'Fake Chemical State' tour. It started in Glasgow on 17 March 2006. She went onto perform many festivals around Europe including Rock Werchter in Belgium and the Southside/Hurricane festivals in Germany. She performed on the main stage at most of these festivals.

In February 2008 she announced that she was working with Timo Maas and Martin Buttrich on a side project called "Format-3". Her 2008 song "Tear Down These Houses" was released as a part of the soundtrack to Parlami d'Amore, directed by Silvio Muccino.

Personal life

Skin is openly bisexual. In 2013 she entered into a civil partnership with Christiana Wyly, daughter of American billionaire Sam Wyly.

Discography

For Skin's full discography, including tracklistings, see Skin discography.
For Skunk Anansie's full discography see Skunk Anansie discography

Albums

With Skunk Anansie

• Paranoid & Sunburnt – UK Number 8
• Stoosh – UK Number 9
• Post Orgasmic Chill – UK Number 16
• Paranoid & Sunburnt 2005 re-release with DVD
• Stoosh 2005 re-release with DVD
• Smashes and Trashes 2009 Best of Compilation including 3 new songs
• Wonderlustre
• Black Traffic
• An Acoustic Skunk Anansie - Live in London 2013 CD/DVD

Solo

• Fleshwounds (Initial release) – UK Number 43
• Fleshwounds (Re-release)
• Fake Chemical State

Singles

With Skunk Anansie

• "Little Baby Swastikka" (1995) (Limited to 2000 copies released)
• "Selling Jesus" (March 1995) – UK Number 46
• "I Can Dream" ( July 1995) – UK Number 41
• "Charity" (September 1995) – UK Number 40
• "Weak" (January 1996) – UK Number 20
• "Charity re-release" (April 1996) – UK Number 20
• "All I Want" (September 1996) – UK Number 14
• "Twisted (Everyday Hurts)" (November 1996) – UK Number 26
• "Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)" (February 1997) – UK Number 14
• "Brazen (Weep)" (June 1997) – UK Number 11
• "Charlie Big Potato" (March 1999) – UK Number 17
• "Secretly" (May 1999) – UK Number 16
• "Lately" (August 1999) – UK Number 33
• "You'll Follow Me Down" (October 1999) – Ineligible for chart

• "If This Ain't Love feat. Erick Morillo (January 2012)

Solo

• "Trashed" (June 2003) – UK Number 30
• "Faithfulness" (September 2003) – UK Number 64
• "Lost/Getting Away With It" (2003) double A-side
• "Alone in My Room" (November 2005) (download only)
• "Just Let The Sun" (March 2006) UK Indie Chart Number 27
• "Purple" (Limited release in the Netherlands and download)
• "Nothing But" (promotional release in Italy only)
• "Tear Down These Houses" (January 2008) (Italian release only) Italian Singles Chart Number 7

Appearances

• Vocals on "Carmen Queasy" from Maxim's (of The Prodigy) 2000 solo album, Hell's Kitchen – UK Chart Number 33
• Vocals on "Licking Cream" from Sevendust's second album, Home
• Vocals on "You Can't Find Peace", by Pale3, which was made for the Tom Tykwer film Der Krieger und die Kaiserin (the Princess and the Warrior)
• Vocals on "Good Times", by Ed Case – UK Chart Number 49
• Contributes vocals to "Still Standing" from Unity – The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Album
• Performs "Kill Everything" on the OST of L'Empire des Loups
• Contributes vocals to "La Canzone Che Scrivo Per Te" on the album Che Cosa Vedi by Marlene Kuntz
• Contributes vocals on "Stagioni D'Amore" (Seasons of Love) from the sound track to the Italian film Rent
• Vocals on "Meat" from Tony Iommi's album Iommi
• Vocals on "Comfort of Strangers" on the OST to Timecode
• Contributes to charity single "It's Only Rock And Roll"
• "Not An Addict" (with K's Choice) – Live at Pinkpop 1996
• "Army of Me" (with Björk) – Live version on Top of the Pops, 5 May 1995
• "Anti Love Song" (Betty Davis cover) (Live on Taratata with Lenny Kravitz)

External links

• Official Skin Website
• Skin at V2 MUSIC UK – Her record label
• Skin at the Internet Movie Database