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DEMON RECORDS
The Skids - The Absolute Game - 45th Anniversary [National Album Day 2026] The Skids
Truly one of the greatest British bands to come out of the 1976 / 1977 musical rupture that was Punk, Dunfermline's Skids went on to demonstrate they had so much more to them than many of their contemporaries
Always a tight and powerful musical powerhouse they enjoyed a string of classic chart hits between 1978 and 1979 ('Into The Valley', 'Masquerade', 'Working For The Yankee Dollar' etc).
Following this, they surprised and delighted fans and critics alike with 1980's ambitious and experimental third album outing 'The Absolute Game'. The album was also the first to feature feature new bassist Russell Webb and his inclusion, along with the contribution of new producer Mick Glossop, made for an accomplished and progressive evolution.
The first sign that the band had upped the ante somewhat came with the album's first single (and its opener), 'Circus Games', which fused incisive lyrics and rallying vocal delivery with a powerful backing track, replete with synth stylings and even a schoolkids' chorus. Future singles to be culled included 'A Woman In Winter' and the glorious 'Goodbye Civilian'. Record Collector latersaid of the album: "Endlessly inventive and perfectly executed, it deservedly became their most successful release".
Initial copies of 'The Absolute Game' came with the free mini album 'Strength Through Joy' an experimental mini- album that blended world music influences and atmospheric and ambient sounds that perfectly fitted 1980's Peter Gabriel / Talking Heads / 'Scary Monsters' Bowie zeitgeist.
For this stunning 2LP vinyl reissue, 'The Absolute Game', and 'Strength Through Joy', have been remastered from the source tapes, thereby correcting previous problems with the album's tape transfers. The work was undertaken by respected audio engineer George Shilling (previous creditsinclude Blur, Teenage Fanclub, Bernard Butler, Oasis, Primal Scream).
Artwork has been lovingly recreated with the original's lyric sheet and Skids merchandise inserts promoted onto illustrated inner bags. The albums have pressed onto translucent blue stone vinyl.
Track List
A1 - Circus Games
A2 - Out Of Town
A3 - Goodbye Civilian
A4 - The Children Saw The Shame
A5 - A Woman In Winter
B1 - Hurry On Boys
B2 - Happy To Be With You
B3 - The Devils Decade
B4 - One Decree
B5 - Arena
C1 - An Incident In Algiers
C2 - Grievance
C3 - Strength Through Joy
C4 - Filming Africa
C5 - A Man For All Seasons
D1 - Snakes And Ladders
D2 - Surgical Triumph
D3 - The Bell Jar
Pickup available at Cambridge
Usually ready in 24 hours. Unless it's a Pre-Order
Product information
Shipping
We aim to keep postage costs as low as possible while making sure your records arrive safely. All orders are packed securely using Defenda MusicMax stiff cardboard mailers, with plenty of “FRAGILE” tape, to provide the best protection in transit.
Shipping costs are calculated automatically at checkout based on the weight and destination of your order, along with packaging materials.
We send most orders via Royal Mail tracked services. For larger or heavier orders, we may use a courier service or split your order into multiple parcels to ensure it arrives safely and efficiently.
Pre-orders
Any items ordered alongside a pre-order item will be held back and posted alongside your pre-order. If you’d like them sent individually, please make separate orders.
On the subject of pre-orders, please note than release dates can change (sometimes not until the scheduled release date). Please keep an eye on our website
Returns
Returns Procedure
If you wish to cancel or return an order, you need to notify us by email (quoting your order number), and wait for us to get back to you before returning goods.
We will email you with instructions and a returns reference number. When returning items to us, you will need to take reasonable care to ensure they are not damaged in transit and that they are labelled clearly with the correct address & reference number (as provided by us) :
Relevant Record Café,
260 Mill Road
Cambridge,
CB1 3NF.
We reserve the right to not process returns sent to us without prior permission.
It’s your responsibility to retain possession and to take reasonable care of the goods in the period prior to return and until you send them back to us.
Your Right To Cancel An Order
Your right to cancel your order starts from the moment you place the order, and ends 14 days from the time you receive your order.
Non-Faulty Products
If you wish to return a product because it’s unwanted or it was ordered in error, please follow the returns procedure (see above).
We’ll happily accept a return as long as the product is still in its original shrink-wrapped packaging and is completely undamaged. You have 14 days from when you receive your order to notify us that you wish to return your order.
By opening a sealed product in any way (or using any digital download code accompanying your order), you waive your right to cancel or return your order.
Obviously we’d rather offer you store credit (in the form of a gift card), but if you’d prefer a refund, we promise to get this sorted within 14 days of receiving your return.
Please take care when ordering!
Faulty Products
If you believe you have purchased a faulty or damaged record, please follow the returns procedure (see above).
Once we receive your record, it will be tested by a member of staff in store.
If your record is deemed as faulty, you will be entitled to a refund, swap or store credit (to the same value as your initial purchase).
If this record is not deemed as faulty, we will not cover any additional postage and packaging costs incurred by either you or us, and we will not be able to offer you a refund, store credit or swap.
Basically, please be absolutely certain the record you have purchased is faulty before following the returns procedure. If possible, we suggest testing the record on different turntables and weighting the tone arm differently.
Steepletone and Crosley Record Players
After having several “faulty” records returned to us (that in actuality had nothing wrong with them), we cannot guarantee that any records we sell will play correctly Crosley or Steepletone branded record players.