Skinny Lister are a British folk band formed in London in 2009. They were a five-piece band until October 2013 when a drummer was added. In August 2022 they returned to being a five piece after Sam Brace left and the decision was made not to replace him. They are signed to Xtra Mile Recordings, and were previously signed to Sunday Best Records in the UK, SideOneDummy Records in the US, and Uncle Owen Records in Japan.
Career
Origins
The band were formed in London in 2009 having met through folk clubs in Greenwich. Prior to forming Skinny Lister, Dan Heptinstall, Sam Brace and Dan Gray had played together in Indie band The Alps.
Dan Gray left the band in the summer of 2012 and was replaced with Michael Camino from Hawaii, US. In the spring of 2013 Sam Brace left the band and was replaced by Andy "Slim" Black; he has since rejoined. In the autumn of 2013 the band expanded to a six piece with the addition of drummer Dave Neale.
The band name is usually said to be taken from the nickname of someone Dan Heptinstall was at school with.
Early years and Forge and Flagon: 2009–2013
During their first year the band put three tracks on iTunes – "Plough & Orion", "December", and "The Kite Song".
During 2010 the band put out a two CD-only EPs: Grand Union EP which was recorded on a canal boat as they toured down the Grand Union Canal network and the Homemade Tour EP recorded at friends and family residences as the band toured their hometowns.
In 2011, the band played more festivals than anyone else in UK and were officially crowned 'Hardest Working Band in UK' by PRS and less officially by the Evening Standard.
Skinny Lister appeared at SXSW at the beginning of 2012 and then staged a short tour of the US in April. During this time they auditioned for SideOneDummy Records and Kevin Lyman in Los Angeles, California in the record label's car park and were immediately offered a place on the 2012 Vans Warped Tour. The band signed up and appeared playing three times a day much to audience delight and critical acclaim, Rolling Stone highlighting the band in a review of the tour.
On return from the United States the band scheduled a number of dates in Germany including Haldern Pop and Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, and a UK tour in October to coincide with the release of double AA side single, "Forty Pound Wedding" and "Seventeen Summers". Before the band left for the US, they appeared on Terry Wogan's Sunday morning BBC Radio 2 show.
In 2013, Skinny Lister started the year with a tour of Germany in January and then immediately flew to the US to join Flogging Molly on the first half of their annual Green17 Tour. The band also appeared at SXSW 2013 and played Coachella as well as a number of other major festivals internationally during the summer of 2013.
Their debut album Forge & Flagon was released in June 2012 in the UK and Europe January 2013 in the US and July 2013 in Japan.
Line up changes and Down on Deptford Broadway: 2012–2015
Between 2012 and 2014 Skinny Lister went through a number of line up changes. At the end of August 2012 Dan Gray left and was replaced by Michael Camino who the band had met on the Vans Warped Tour.
In April 2013 Sam 'Mule' Brace left the band and was replaced by Andy 'Slim' Black who made his debut with the band at South by South West in Texas.
In the autumn of 2013, the band expanded to a six piece by adding Dave Neale on drums. This six piece line up toured Britain and Germany in the autumn of 2013 before going into the studio to record the band's second album, Down on Deptford Broadway.
Skinny Lister's second album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in December 2013 and was released on 20 April 2015. It was produced by Ted Hutt.
The band began 2014 with a tour of the US supporting Dropkick Murphy's and a tour of the UK supporting Boy George. They then toured the US and played a number of UK festivals during the summer.
Drummer Dave Neal left to concentrate on another project and suggested his replacement Thom Mills. Mills made his debut on the Boy George Tour, but Neal chose the last night of that tour as his final gig with the band.
On 16 September 2014 it was announced that the band had signed to Xtra Mile Recordings and that the second album would be out in spring 2015.
On 17 September 2014, Andy Black left the band by mutual consent and was replaced by his predecessor Sam Brace.