Well where do you start? At the beginning I suppose when, in 1994, out of the ashes of tidy Darlington band, Palitoy, the notion of Lifetime Skiver was born. (Although  the name was a fortuitous last minute decision.) The remnants of Palitoy, Andy, Jow and Mike, were joined by long term friend and comrade, Chris, and promising young guitar slinger, Nick, to form a band that would strive hard for years to live up to their name and hardly break a sweat. Yet at the same time they've managed to pen some top tunes and play some memorable shows round the North East. Have a look at the list of gigs and stuff they've done and see how many you've seen, or missed. (You can also have a look at the stuff they've recorded and even download an old live favourite.)

Over the years line ups have changed as various Skivers, due to the pressures of life, have been temporarily torn from the fold, only to be replaced by other friends and relatives. Nick's brother, Dan, for instance, shuffled along behind the Skiver's drum kit for years and still shows up at times, along with his older brother, to help the Skiver cause. Membership of Lifetime Skiver is, after all, for life.

During 2004, though, the Skivers pulled aboard two of former John Peel favourites, Two Sheds, to make up the current line up. The addition of Mike's brother Martin and, long term sparring partner, Si Kelly to the fold has seen the Skivers finally get their head's down to some serious practice, there by hitting a good run of form. Mind, this is the first time in over ten years that the band have all managed to live in the same town. 2008 finds the, still Darlo based band, together as a tight four piece - yet another chapter opens.

Things have never been done the easy way in Skiver world, and they probably never will, but isn't that what it's all about? If everything had just run smoothly over the years then, although more things might have got done, it would have been a fuck of a load more boring......