Biography
Myke Gray, born on 12 May 1968 in Fulham, London, assembled Taste in 1991 after Jagged Edge disbanded. Joining him were Andy Robbins, the bassist from his prior group, vocalist and guitarist Neville MacDonald from Ynysybwl, Pontypridd, Wales, and drummer Dicki Fliszar, who had performed with Bruce Dickinson’s live ensemble. Rory Gallagher’s earlier claim on the Taste name prompted successive renamings first to Obsession and ultimately to Skin. Eschewing prevailing grunge currents, the quartet cultivated a melodic hard-rock approach that evoked mid-80s Whitesnake yet retained a contemporary vitality in both its music and lyrics. Extensive road work, encompassing opening slots for Thunder and Little Angels, cultivated a devoted domestic audience. The Skin Up EP and the single “House Of Love” both fared strongly, while The Money EP propelled the band into the UK Top 20. Their self-titled debut album showcased MacDonald’s robust, blues-inflected singing alongside the group’s compositional and instrumental strengths, earning a merited UK Top 10 placement. Skin replicated its high-voltage stage energy on the second stage at Donington in 1994 and followed with another Top 20 hit, “Tower Of Strength,” solidifying its position among Britain’s foremost emerging rock acts. In 1995 the band issued a collection of classic rock ’n’ roll covers, distributed in Japan and in a 50-copy limited run exclusively for readers of Kerrang!. Recorded live at London’s Borderline in October 1994, the set featured material originally by Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Montrose, Golden Earring, the Beatles, Deep Purple, the Who and EMF. The longstanding concert staple “Take Me Down To The River” also appeared in standard single format. Keyboardist Colin McLeod joined in 1996 and contributed to the sessions for Lucky. Parlophone Records parted ways with the group after that album’s release, reflecting the industry’s broader disregard for traditional heavy metal. A third studio album, Big Fat Slice Of Life, surfaced in Japan during spring 1997. The band subsequently launched its own Peach label and reissued an expanded edition of the record under the title Experience Electric. This strong outing proved to be Skin’s final statement; the quartet disbanded after a valedictory show at London’s LA2 on 26 April 1998.
Albums