"Shout and sing
And dance and
La-a-augh!
Come and hang
With Skeleton
Sta-a-aff!"
Described as an "internationally ignored Psych-pop-folk-glam baroque'n'roll ensemble," Skeleton Staff is an Australian band that lives in a comic strip. The band consists of Stanton (lead guitar/lead vocalist), Godfrey (bass guitar/vocalist), Lucy (keyboards), and Festus (percussion).
Discography:
- Solipsism (2010)
- Psychomorphism (2011)
- Kurfürstendammed (2016)
Tropes related to their work:
- Bait-and-Switch: One comic strip has Stanton telling Godfrey and Festus that Lucy asked him to take off her top and skirt...and then she kicked him out of her room and told him to never try her clothes on again.
- Beatnik: Godfrey.
- British Rock Star: Stanton acts like this, even though he's actually Australian.
- Cover Version: They've posted a few covers on their YouTube page. Examples include:
- Stanton singing "Chun Li" with piano accompaniment
. - An Electro-Dixie/Zydeco version of "Big Girls (You Are Beautiful)" by MIKA.
- An a capella version of "Waterloo Sunset" by The Kinks.
- AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" for two mandolins...and a chorus of stompy bastards.
- Stanton singing "Chun Li" with piano accompaniment
- Deal with the Devil: The song "Harlots" tells the story of the Devil (played by Festus in the lyric video) appearing to a fiddler (Stanton) and trying to tempt him to sign a contract in exchange for fame and fortune, claiming that anyone else would take the deal because "We're all harlots." The fiddler doesn't take the deal.
- Downer Ending: The lyric video for "The Heart of the Sun" ends with Stanton's future self dying in his arms, and the spaceship the band is on flying into the sun, killing everyone onboard (except maybe Festus).
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: Stanton. One comic strip has a bodyguard mistake him for a woman, and in the video for "Art Girl," the titular girl Godfrey finally musters up the courage to talk to turns out to be Stanton in a wig and a skirt. Then they both see an actual art girl walk by, and are immediately smitten.
- Establishing Character Moment: The theme song animation tells you everything you need to know about the band members. Stanton throws his guitar into Festus's drums, Festus promptly starts beating up Stanton for wrecking his drum set, Godfrey is cringing because he nearly got hit with one of Festus's cymbals, and Lucy is off to the side facepalming at the scene in front of her.
- Gold Digger: The subject of "I Told You I Was Poor" is a woman who spends all of the singer's money on stuff for herself, and then promptly dumps him once he's flat broke.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: The first twelve seconds of "Is This Thing Gonna Work Out?" is of Festus screaming at traffic, much to Godfrey's annoyance.
- Implacable Man: The song "Paranoia Strikes" portrays paranoia itself as this, with the singer describing how it always finds him no matter how hard he tries to get away; in turn, the paranoia claims it's only trying to "help." In the lyric video, the paranoia is portrayed as a large, faceless figure that relentlessly chases Stanton.
- Killer Robot: In the "I Told You I Was Poor" video, Festus plays the sheriff who intends to send Stanton, Lucy, and Godfrey to the guillotine.
- Non-Indicative Name: In a band named "Skeleton Staff", none of them are actually skeletons.
- Really Gets Around: Stanton. He's had a lot of different girlfriends...and he's been dumped a lot.
- Shout-Out: The band make some very Queen-esque poses in the "I Told You I Was Poor" video.
- The "Art Girl" video has the band briefly dressed up as members of The Village People. Also, the dancing heart is clearly based on Michigan J. Frog.
- Singing Voice Dissonance: Stanton's speaking voice: high-pitched and nasally. Stanton's singing voice: a smooth baritone.
- Take Over the World: Apparently Festus wants to, as hinted in one strip.Man: Wouldn't you love to live in a world that was free of war, weapons and violence?
- Token Evil Teammate: Festus. He's a Tin-Can Robot with a horrible temper, and he wants to Take Over the World. He also plays the antagonist in two different videos.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Stanton to Godfrey and Lucy at the end of the "I Told You I Was Poor" video. The latter two manage to escape into a nearby carriage...and leave Stanton stranded at the guillotine.
