The Skulls (Canadian band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 in Burnaby, Vancouver, Canada |
| Founder | Joey Keithley, Brian Roy Goble, Simon Werner, Ken Montgomery |
| Headquarters | Burnaby, Vancouver , Canada |
| Products | Punk rock music |
The Skulls were among the pioneering Vancouver punk rock groups, whose members went on to establish influential local bands such as D.O.A. in 1978 and The Subhumans. Although they performed widely and produced a demo recording, they never released a complete studio album.
History
Originating in the summer of 1977 in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver, The Skulls formed when musicians from the rock outfit Stone Crazy, initially known for covering Led Zeppelin songs, shifted toward punk rock after witnessing a performance by The Ramones.
The lineup featured vocalist Joey Keithley (known as Joey Shithead), bassist Brian Roy Goble (Wimpy Roy), guitarist Simon Werner, and drummer Ken Montgomery (Dimwit). Except for Werner, all members had previously played in Stone Crazy; Werner took over guitar duties from original member Brad Kent, who occasionally joined The Skulls on stage.
They navigated Vancouver’s difficult club environment and laid down several tracks at Psi-chords Studios, including the song "Fucked Up Baby," which was later recorded by D.O.A. This demo circulated within the local scene but did not see an official release until it appeared on Zulu Records' compilation Last Call. At a time when Vancouver’s punk scene was sparse, with few bands like The Furies and The Dishrags active, The Skulls—without Kent but accompanied by their roadie Gerry Useless—moved to Toronto. The group disbanded shortly afterward: Joey and Dimwit returned to Vancouver while Simon Werner and Wimpy relocated to London (Wimpy came back after several months). Joey then established D.O.A., whereas Dimwit, Wimpy, and Gerry went on to form The Subhumans.
After The Subhumans broke up in 1982, Wimpy joined D.O.A., which now featured Dimwit on drums. This configuration resembled The Skulls’ original lineup but included Dave Gregg substituting for Werner on guitar.
During his time in London, Werner worked with Jim Walker, who had a brief stint with Public Image Ltd.. Together with his brother Jonathan and Kirk Brandon (later associated with Theatre Of Hate), Werner created The Pack. Following The Pack’s dissolution, the three musicians regrouped as the Straps, essentially continuing as the same band under a different name. A retrospective CD documenting this era has been issued.
Band members
- Joey "Shithead" Keithley – Lead vocals
- Simon Werner – Guitar
- Brian "Wimpy Roy" Goble – Bass guitar
- Ken "Dimwit" Montgomery – Drums
- Brad Kent – Guitar
Demo
- The Skulls Demo (Independent) 1978 (not officially released)
Compilation albums
- "Fucked Up Baby" featured on Last Call: Vancouver Independent Music 1977-1988 (Zulu Records) (1991)