It Takes Blood and Guts

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'One of the most important females in British music of my lifetime.' Colin Murray 'A beautiful, raw and exhilarating book that will leave you feeling empowered.' Fearne Cotton ‘The pioneering Skunk Anansie frontwoman’s memories offer a very different take on the Britpop era…Skin’s story is one of a rhomboid peg spurning both the round and square hole, drilling dimensions of her own…We now have a lot of language – intersectionality, microaggressions – to describe many of the events in this memoir. However, nothing can really equal candid, first-hand experience, recounted matter of factly here. It would be instructive for anyone who thought they knew the story of the 90s to spend 300 pages in Skin’s Skin.’ OBSERVER ‘The epic tale of Glastonbury’s Black British headliner… Skin is one of the Britpop decade’s forgotten epics… Skin’s feet are positioned firmly on the ground throughout; she’s a winningly genial, sweary soul on paper. 4 stars’ Jude Rogers, MOJO ‘The former Skunk Anansie singer pulls no punches in this heady trawl through her life from tough beginnings in Brixton to work as an LGBTQ+ activist and beyond’ The I ' It’s the story of a trailblazer, and gives a refreshingly re-angled perspective on the Britpop era.' Evening Standard , 'Best music books of 2020' Lead singer of multi-million-selling rock band Skunk Anansie, solo artist, LGBTQ+activist and all around trail blazer – Skin is a global icon, and she has been smashing stereotypes for over twenty-five years. Her journey from Brixton to one of the most influential women in British rock is nothing short of extraordinary. ‘It’s been a very difficult thing being a lead singer of a rock band looking like me and it still is. I have to say it’s been a fight and it will always be a fight. That fight drives you and makes you want to work harder… It’s not supposed to be easy, particularly if you’re a woman, you’re black or you are gay like me. You’ve got to keep moving forward, keep striving for everything you want to be.’ Born to Jamaican parents, Skin grew up in Brixton in the 1970’s. Her career as an artist began in the ‘90s, when Skunk Anansie was formed in the sweat-drenched backrooms of London’s pubs. Since then she has headlined Glastonbury and toured the world, both as lead singer of Skunk Anansie and as a solo artist. Her success has been groundbreaking in every way, which has come at a personal cost. She has always been vocal about social and cultural issues, and was championing LGBTQ+ rights at a time when few artists were out and gay. Told with honesty and passion, this is the story of how a gay, black, working-class girl with a vision fought poverty and prejudice to write songs, produce and front her own band, and become one of the most influential women in British rock. Review: Good book - Bought as gift sister and is a good read Review: Inspiring story, very well told, page turner. Recommend! - Skin is a great musician and writes epic songs about life, but she is also a very positive and dynamic person who sees the best in everyone and loves adventure - of which this book contains many. I love the way she and excellent writer Lucy O'Brien tell her story starting from where her family came from and the influences that shape her childhood, growing up in Brixton with her strict and loving mum providing an anchor in the turbulent racism and anti-racism of the 1980s. Skin seeks integrity and truth and from her friends gains the confidence to push back at abusive boyfriend and harassment from a street stalker. From these experiences, she realizes the importance of finding her voice. She keeps searching until she discovers who she feels happy to be, the band she loves to play with and the musical energy that makes every concert a best-ever for the audience because of sheer spontaneous energy and raw waves of music. The book is inspiringly honest, reading between the lines you can see Skin's persistence, discipline and drive in picking up and giving her best again and again. The story is beautifully crafted too, great selection, fastmoving and a page turner as Skin's character and the band's world beating career grow, get setbacks, and eventually recover better into a beautiful positive vibe. Whether you like her music or care to read insights into difficulties and beauties of being Black in Britain - or the world - this is a highly recommended book of honesty, leadership, integrity, respect, passion, history and music, and non-stop searching. DISCLAIMER: Reviewer is biased.