Skip McDonald performed blues under the stage name Little Axe while also accumulating credits on several landmark rap releases. Born Bernard Alexander in Dayton, Ohio during 1949, he received his earliest blues guitar instruction from his father and began working professionally with regional jazz players once he reached age ten. His attention turned to doo wop by the time he turned twelve, at which point he additionally sang in a gospel quartet; following graduation he moved to New York City with companions and helped establish the Entertainers, a group that spent years performing across the East Coast.
During 1973 McDonald joined bassist Doug Wimbish and drummer Harold Sargent to form Wood Brass & Steel, issuing two albums before the ensemble disbanded in 1979. McDonald and Wimbish later reassembled at the newly established Sugarhill label, where drummer Keith LeBlanc completed the house rhythm section. Across the ensuing three years the musicians supplied the backing for numerous era-defining tracks, among them the Grandmaster Flash singles “The Message” and “White Lines.”
Once they departed Sugarhill the musicians took assignments at Tommy Boy Records and began collaborating with producer Adrian Sherwood on his On-U Sound imprint. Sherwood persuaded the group to settle in London, where they adopted the name Tackhead and enlisted vocalist Gary Clail as frontman. They simultaneously handled production and remix duties for On-U projects involving Nine Inch Nails, African Head Charge, Megadeth, and Living Colour, the latter outfit later gaining Wimbish as a member.
McDonald reclaimed the Little Axe identity in 1992 to revisit the blues repertoire of his youth, now filtered through accumulated exposure to gospel, rock, reggae, and funk. Sherwood co-produced the debut material, which featured Wimbish and LeBlanc along with vocalists Kevin Gibbs and Saz Bell plus Indian percussionist Talvin Singh; the single “Ride On (Fight On)” appeared in 1994, followed later that year by the album The Wolf That House Built, which earned widespread praise. “Another Sinful Day” surfaced in 1995 and Slow Fuse arrived in 1996.
McDonald pursued separate endeavors for the next six years before reactivating Little Axe with the 2002 Fat Possum release Hard Grind. He moved to the Real World label by 2004 and issued Champagne & Grits together with Stone Cold Ohio two years afterward. Bought for a Dollar Sold for a Dime appeared in 2010 and marked his final Real World recording. On-U Sound released If You Want Loyalty Buy a Dog in 2011, after which he signed with Echo Beach Records for the 2013 album Return. Following additional session engagements and concert appearances, McDonald recorded his second Echo Beach project, London Blues, which came out in 2017.
