Skin Games & Wendy Page

A Biography


Last Updated: August 9, 2001

  • 19xx

Wendy Page (Pygott) was originally born in Sheffield, but only lived there for six months.

Her parents then moved to South Wales, to an isolated & secluded little village called Llannon.

When Wendy was just four she started her first band! It was called the "Famous Four".

At the young age of 10, Wendy played her first live songs on acoustic guitar, such as 'Annie's Song' and 'Streets Of London' to loads of old people in Wales. She also enjoyed her childhood with violin lessions, folk dancing and fun days out at the Eisteddfod.

She lived in Wales for the next 16 years, where her mother filled her with mysterious Welsh tales and Celtic Folklaw, and the way she was brought up encouraged literacy and imagination a lot because there wasn't really a lot else to do. Television didn't arrive until she was 13-14 years of age. Nearly all of her friends were farmers and she a spent a lot of time in and around farms.

Initial musical inspiration came from male singers that influenced her vocal style, such as Ian Curtis (Joy Division), Ian McCulloch (Echo and The Bunnymen), early Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), David Bowie, Frank Sinatra ! and Paul Buchanan (of The Blue Nile).

Wendy then moved to near Bridlington, Yorkshire for the next few years.

  • 1979-82

Wendy Page then studied English Literature at Warwick University ,

with her consuming passion for the Brontes, Thomas Hardy and Dylan Thomas.

Here she met Jim Marr in their 1st year, after she offered her services as a vocalist, replying to a postcard that Jim had stuck on the student noticeboard. "It was on my way back from an Xmas party, full of Dutch courage, so I wrote my phone number there in lipstick. Normally I'm very shy, which is why I like performing. It's the only way I can express myself", explains Wendy.

They initially formed a band called Double Agents ("a mod/goth crossover - completely forgettable" says Wendy).

From the ashes of this previous band, together they went on to form the band "Skin Games", named after a short story by Dylan Thomas.

They also met up with Rachel Morrison & Welshman Paul Ralphes , a former Stock Exchange operator, who later both formed the band called Bliss,

Paul Jarvis who formed Slab! and now works with ex Microdisney singer Cathal Coughlan,
and also Hugo Roberts who got into the theatre business).

  • 1983-84

They spent a couple of years constantly gigging in the Coventry area.

Wendy got into some showroom modelling, then moved on to some catwalk modelling

  • 1985

The band move to an "unbelievably squalid" squat in Brixton, SE London, which also doubled as a rehearsal studio. The one-light-bulb facilities were free and consequently popular with other local groups, including the embryonic Blow Monkeys. Now the delicatessen counter of a new Tescos covers the space that the squat once occupied.

Systems-inspired Johnny Willett auditioned as lead guitarist in Brixton later that year of '85.

  • 1986

The band record a 12-track demo tape in a studio in Camberwell.

March 1986 - Skin Games signed to Epic Records

July 1986 - Early concerts at The Marquee, London

Drummer Chris Smith leaves the band

  • 1987

March 1987 - Early concerts at The Marquee, London

April 1987 - Drummer Dave Innes joined the band

July 1987 - Cowboy Joe - 1st single released.

Wendy says she "... wrote the lyric at the time of the Libyan bombings when every single newsflash was portraying Reagan as some kind of warped hero". The anti-Regan overtones of the single points an elliptical finger at the Cowboy in the White House.

July 1987 - More early concerts at The Marquee, London

August 1987 - Gigs at Hastings The Crypt, Camden Dingwalls, Bath Cactus Club

October 1987 - No Criminal Mind - 2nd single released.

An extraordinary brain-scrambling melody on which la Pygott gets to wail like a Banshee.
The song was inspired by a friend of Wendy's who was jailed for robbery, an irrational act & completely out of character. The son was was written as a vindication.

November 1987 - Skin Games played a live session for Janice Long's programme on Radio One

November/December 1987 - University Tour

  • 1988

March 1988 - University Tour

August 1988 - Riverside Studios (Down By The Riverside 88) - supporting "So"

October 1988 - Brilliant Shining - 3rd single released.

A swirling, exultant celebration of idealism and hard-fought self-esteem to convert even the most manically depressed. "It's about looking into yourself for strength, rather than to the preacher or the politician - as we're increasingly pressurised to do so. The brilliant shining is like a light inside."

October/November 1988 - University Tour

  • 1989

* Played in Portugal, in a disused Bull Ring

* Appeared on four European T.V. shows in two days

May 1989 - Your Luck's Changed - 4th single released

May 1989 - Live on tour with 'Then Jerico', playing to over 4000 people every night.

26th One-off gig at The Mean Fiddler (Acoustic Room), Harlesden, N.W.London to about 40 people.

June 1989 - Recorded a live session with Nicky Campbell on Radio One

July 1989 - Release of their one & only debut album, "The Blood Rush"

July 1989 - Tirade - 5th single released

A feminist anthem where the 'get-yer-tits-out' element in the audience is rightly and roundly harangued. "Oh yes, that's a very angry song," admits Wendy. "That's demure little me answering back somebody with their sexist attitudes. I was defensive and angry because of the sexist comments you hear day after day, particularly when you're a woman on-stage. They can really build up when your defences are low, and this was the tirade that poured out of me."

July 1989 - Listed to play two or three acoustic songs at the Philips Roadshow in Cambridge,
which was broadcast live on Hereward and Chiltern Radio.

August 1989 - C.A.R.E. Concert - Halifax Peace Hall (Conservation Aid for Rain-forests and Elephants/Elefriends)

September 1989 - Brilliant Shining (reissued/remixed) - 6th single

October 1989 - Amnesty International Benefit Concert, Manchester

  • 1990

February 1990 - Romania Tour - Jesus Jones and Crazyhead (represented by Fizle Sagar)
BBC TV Reportage programme. They sung Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" in front of 8000 delirious teenagers, as one of the first Western rock bands to play in Romania.

Feb/March

Supported "The Stranglers" on their UK '10' tour.

April
The band wrote a lot of new songs and had hoped to record their 2nd album.

Sep/Oct/Nov 1990 - Gigs at The Powerhaus, Borderline, Marquee, Sheffield University

 

The band then try to get released from their EPIC/CBS record contract.

Shock, horror - Skin Games disband, but hey good news - Wendy Page decides to go solo ...

 

 

We Support Ty Hafan - The Children's Hospice In Wales


Wendy Page - solo live concerts

A private studio show with Nicky Neate with Roger Jackson

Wendy Page - Solo gigs at The Orange Club, Mean Fiddler (Acoustic Room)

Wendy employed at Harvey Nicholls.

Wendy Page - Solo gigs at The Borderline, Splash Club, Orange Club, Mean Fiddler (Acoustic Room)

Wendy Page - Solo gigs at The Borderline, Splash Club, Orange Club

Wendy Page - Solo gigs at The Borderline, Splash Club, Orange Club

Wendy Page - Solo gigs at The Half Moon, Kings Head, Harvey Nicholls, Borderline

Cool single released - written by Colin Vearncombe of Black

Wendy gets a deal with Chrysalis Publishing


Wendy Page - moves into song-writing & production
and has new success with several number one hits ...

Wendy toured with A Guy Called Gerald, at the European festivals and stuff in '96.

She toured Denmark, Spain and did all these incredible gigs with Blur and Iggy Pop playing as well.

Also played a gig at The Blue Note.

June 1997 - Sung on Talvin Singh's Anokha "Soundz Of The Asian Underground" album, on the track "Distant God" under the pseudonym "Leone"

October 1997 - Wendy appeared on Vanessa Mae's "Storm" album, backing vocals / song-writing on "Embrasse Moi (You Fly Me Up)" track

October 1998 - Song-writing/Production on Billie's "Honey To The B" album

Mixing with Pete Craigie for S Club 7 on "S Club Party", "Bring It On Back", "Vivila Fiesta"

April 1999 - Wrote the brilliant "Perfect Moment" song for Martine McCutcheon

July 1999 -Singing live with Tin Tin Out - Hyde Park, London

November 1999 - Song-writing/vocals on Tin Tin Out's "Eleven To Fly" album

Tin Tin Out are famous for their "Strings For Yasmin (Matt Darey Remix)" dance track

Then toured in Europe with Tin Tin Out

October 2000 - Song-writing/Production/Backing vocals on Billie's "Walk Of Life" album

August 2000 - Song-writing/vocals on A Guy Called Gerald's "Essence" album

April 2001- Working with the Producer Don Was, on her new solo album in L.A.

July 2001 - Wendy and Jim played a gig at the Half Moon in Putney. They were playing a warm up gig for Womad with Chris Difford. This was all very last minute, so sorry, no time to tell you about it. It was a good gig. This was Wendy's first live appearence since Hyde Park.

July 2001- Wendy will be playing with Chris Difford, the ex Squeeze guy at the Womad festival on 29th July.

TBA - Solo album due to be released real soon on Libertine (East/West) Records.


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