Into The Valley

by Richard Jobson

From school punk to modern day film producer Richard Jobson has lived a full and colourful life. A harrowing incident as a child that left him suffering with epilepsy but he was a mere 15 year old when he launched the punk rock band The Skids in 1977 with his songwriting partner Stuart Adamson. He was allowed to go on tour on the condition that he received some education on the road. With hit singles including the immortal 'Into The Valley', after four albums The Skids folded and Jobson formed The Armoury Show whilst Adamson moved on to form his new band Big Country. They remained friends and their relationship is explored in detail throughout. In the 1980s Jobson became a familiar face on television as a presenter and as film reviewer for Sky Television. In June 2013, he was awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of Arts) from Edinburgh Napier University. Today he is a successful filmmaker and this part of his life story is also covered. With a life that has gone full circle in 2017 he reactivated The Skids. A successful UK tour prompted demand for more shows in 2018 as well as the band's first new album for over three decades, making this the perfect time to write his memoirs. Into The Valley is a riveting read of how one man overcame his disability to become successful in the world of music and film and will appeal particularly to fans of Punk Rock, The Skids and Big Country.

Genres: Music

256 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully evocative and moving account of Richard Jobson's life focusing primarily on the glory years of The Skids.

There is much here that was fresh to me, not least about Jobson's own precarious health and the dark shadows that loomed over Stuart Adamson even then.

Seeing Jobson onstage these days fronting the present day Skids is one of the most life affirming things you can imagine. Reading this book just makes me appreciate that all the more.

[Mark Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of musicians' autobiographies. A hundred or so. This is one of the best. It's a brutally honest, often painful exposé of an artist's life, taking the reader through Jobson's early childhood and his teenage years with The Skids, then detailing his time as a writer and film-maker based in Berlin, and finishing full-circle with The Skids' glorious comeback and their first new studio album in 36 years. There's no narcissism in these pages - a refreshing change from most autobiographies. Jobson is introspective, reflective, philosophical, and self-absorbed in the way true artists have to be. It's an easy read - full of humility and humour, without even a trace of ego. An immersive journey through the ups and downs of one of the world's most talented and multi-faceted artists.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I am biased. I love the Skids and have grown to love Richard Jobson over the last year and a bit. Naturally this will appeal to fans of the best band ever to come out of Dunfermline (told you I was biased) as Mr Jobson recalls his life right up to the demise of the Skids. Both Richard and Stuart Adamson did not have the easiest of up bringing, but this is Richard's story.

Jobson doesn't hold back with his opinions, the reason I admire him. He has overcome the obstacles in his life to get where he is now. With a reformed Skids, who are as fresh and vibrant as they were back in the late 70s, he is enjoying life, as are the whole band. Stuart Adamson had his inner demons and, as we all know, they led him to a sad outcome when he took his own life. Nobody could have predicted that forty years ago, least of all Richard Jobson.

This is a fascinating tale and it is well told, which brings back many memories for me as the Skids were the first live band I ever saw, having blagged a support slot with the Clash. Love the band. Love the author. Love the book. Just don't mention Albert Tatlock.

Ray Smillie

[Nick Spacek · Rating 3 out of 5]

autobiography of the skids' frontman, richard jobson. it tells the tale of the bands early days, their heyday, and demise, along with the inevitable recent rebirth. evidently written by jobson speaking into a recorder, and then having the stories transcribed., one wonders if a bit more depth could have been acquired by prompting the musician / author to reveal some greater detail here and there.

historical research into the aspects of "i don't know" might've been a nice touch, as well, but the stories extant are a solid read, and fans of the band will enjoy getting tales straight from the singer's mouth, as it were. you'll definitely want to pull that copy of scared to dance off the shelf and give it a spin, if you haven't in a while. it's still damned good.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book which I picked up having recently seen the current incarnation of Skids at Holmfirth, an excellent night by the way. A very honest account of Richard's early years in the skids and the challenges both mental and physical that he faced as well as his relationship with Stuart Adamson.

The fact that the book was transcribed from a recording adds more to it than it takes away and brings a certain style to the narrative that fits Skids style of music.

Recommended whether you are a life long fan or someone like me who has recently rediscovered the band and wanted to look beyond the hits.... highly recommend the recent cd / Vinyl of cover versions of song that shaped the band

[Morag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comes across as just a normal guy who has done well for himself so the story is quite inspirational. Very readable book . Richard was on a long list of men I wanted to marry when I grew up and, unlike the others (including David Soul and John Travolta) I think i'd have made a good choice had I turned out to be the marrying kind as he is self-deprecating enough in this book to come across as being very likeable