The up-and-coming, multi-talented and fresh Canterbury based band ‘The Skerts’ have become local Sixth-form stars. The indie-rock group is primarily covering songs like ‘Here Comes Your Man’ and ‘Psycho Killer’ and caused an uproar at their first show: the famous ‘Kitchen Gig’ on 13th July 2024. Yet, they’re teasing new music and original songs. The band consists of Genevieve, the lead singer, Lizzie & Archie – the guitarists, Nat, the bassist and Lily, the drummer.
At the end of September 2023, Genevieve had asked around the sixth form for musicians willing and available to join the band. She had tried to form a group about two years prior but faced difficulties as she’d struggled to find individuals whose interests and musical abilities blended well. Gen’s creative vision became a reality after the help of some mutual friends and after a line-up change in late Autumn, 'the Skerts' formed as we know them. Gen, the vocalist who channels Stevie Nicks, started singing after she’d discovered and subsequently fallen in love with High School Musical karaoke as a child. Gen is superbly multi-faceted and musically versatile, having mastered bass, piano and guitar. Furthermore, she is a gifted artist, designing all the band's merchandise and having the most creative control over their online presence. Next year, she’s hoping to immerse herself within the music and creative industry further through a graphic design course.
The two guitarists are Lizzie and Archie. Lizzie joined the band after she’d moved school for sixth form and started loving music after she discovered ‘Nevermind’, the 1991 Nirvana album. Her artistic career started at six years old. Her musical versatility shines as a guitarist, but also a singer and lyricist; her passionately creative nature led her to the world of theatre. Next year Lizzie hopes to further pursue her talents in this field, and she is currently preparing for auditions at some of the top drama schools in the country. Archie, the guitarist whose sound is reminiscent to the Gallagher brothers, started playing at 14 and he said his earliest memory of music is when his dad had played Rod Stewart in his old VW campervan as a kid. He’d joined the band when he realized it was an amazing opportunity, since he had been aspiring to be a musician for a while. Archie is another multi-faceted member of the band as he drums and sings; he’s inspired by the likes of Morrissey, the frontman and lyricist of The Smiths.
Skilled bassist Nat also aims to study in a creative field. He’s inspired by modern producers like Kanye West and Metro Boomin, tied with his vintage performance-based inspirations like The Rolling Stones and Paul Simonon. His love for music was ignited by his dad’s Beatles records and the influence of retro classics can be seen explicitly through his talented playing. Lily, the drummer, was asked indirectly by Gen if she was available to join the band, after having difficulty finding a drummer, to which Lily said yes on the spot! Lily grew up listening to The Carpenters and was later captivated by Karen Carpenter’s fast-paced, intricate drumming skills. She had already been playing guitar and bass for a while before she started drumming with her first electronic kit in 2021. Currently studying A-Level Music Technology, Lily hopes to pursue this further to university level, dreaming of working in sound design and being heavily influenced by Woody Jackson, the well-known American composer, as she likes the western soundscapes he cultivates.
They’ve got a sold-out Halloween gig coming up in which they’ll showcase their diversity in musical talent and uniqueness. Together they've got an original blend which helps as they’ve begun writing and composing their own songs. They’re promising and face exciting futures across various facets of the music industry.
Go follow them on Instagram and TikTok: @theskerts
