SKIN THE PEELER: Celtic Roots Fusion Band
Skin the Peeler is a unique instrumental Celtic roots fusion band from Bristol, England.
By fusing the raw energy of traditional Irish Folk, World Roots music and original tunes, Skin The Peeler create a dynamic rainbow of sounds. From heartbreakingly beautiful melodies to upbeat feel-good tracks, their music is guaranteed to stir the soul.
Born from the extraordinary writing talents of mandolin player Terry Barter and saxophonist Rod Salter, the band was forged out of a shared love of Celtic music. In the early ’80s, they became a foundational pillar of the Bristol and Bath music scenes, inadvertently pioneering the Celtic Rock movement in the UK. Later, their second acoustic incarnation captivated audiences across major festivals, arts centres, and folk clubs. The enduring legacy of Skin The Peeler is a brilliant, genre-defying fusion of World, Folk, and Jazz that is unmistakably their own.
SKIN THE PEELER VIDEOS
Watch more on Youtube on the
SKIN THE PEELER ARCHIVE CHANNEL
THE EARLY YEARS
1980's
The 1984 Debut Album ‘Skin The Peeler’
When Skin the Peeler unleashed their eponymous debut album in 1984, it stood as an iconic, forward-thinking release that confidently bridged traditional arrangements with progressive rock structures. The record masterfully balanced symphonic original compositions alongside fiercely inventive takes on Celtic folklore.
To bring this ambitious sonic landscape to life, the foundational duo of Terry Barter and Rod Salter gathered an elite tier of Bristol-based musical talent to form the band. A key component of the album's enduring power is its relentless, punchy rhythmic drive brought to life by utilising a rotating powerhouse of three legendary local drummers: Neil Russell, Alan Eden, and Tony Hayes.
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Terry Barter: Mandocello / Mandolin / Harp
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Rod Salter: Flute / Saxophone / Irish Whistles
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Martin Palfrey: Keyboards
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Pat Hunter: Bass
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Mike Pryor: Mandolin / Bass
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Liam ‘Willy’ Henshall: Lead Guitar / Bass (Production & Engineering)
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Neil Russell: Gongs and Percussion
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Alan Eden: Drums (Special Guest on Skin the Peeler track)
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Tony Hayes: Drums
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Stuart Gordon: Violin (Special Guest on Finvarra track)
The First Album
Right Track Records
Right Track Records was an independent record label and recording studio founded in Bristol, United Kingdom, in 1982. The label and its studio, Right Track Studios, played a foundational role in capturing the early roots of the renowned 1980s Bristol music scene, documenting vital genres such as reggae, roots, and early post-punk.
The production force behind Skin The Peeler’s first album was Liam Henshall (frequently credited as William or "Willy" Henshall). A multi-instrumentalist, engineer, and producer, Henshall was an integral figure in Bristol's burgeoning independent music community.
His contribution went far beyond the mixing desk—Henshall actually joined the band's official lineup for their early recording sessions. On the album's liner notes, he is credited with:
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Bass guitar
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Guitar
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Keyboards
In addition to his studio contributions, Henshall stepped out from behind the glass to perform live with the band during a number of their most memorable early gigs.
The Second Album Facing the Sun
“...And now for something completely different!”
Skin The Peeler’s second album lineup marked a bold evolution from the drum-heavy, folk-rock wall of sound that defined their debut.
Reuniting with their deep love for acoustic music and referencing years spent playing intimate traditional folk "sessions" in pubs across the UK and Ireland, Rod and Terry assembled an unlikely but magical acoustic quartet. By bringing in Rose Hull on cello and Jason Gaines on percussion, this stripped-down lineup completely reimagined the boundaries of Celtic roots fusion.
Together, they unlocked a unique chamber-folk energy. The brilliant result of this brief alignment was the 1989 album Facing the Sun a rich, rhythmic, and deeply melodic record that remains a fan-favourite milestone in the band's musical journey.
FRIENDS & LOVERS LINEUP
The early 1990's
Answering the Call of the Wild: World Dance & Friends and Lovers
The addition of two new recruits to the Facing the Sun line-up Neil Russell on drums and Gerald Davis on guitar re-energised the Skin The Peeler sound. This powerful new line-up allowed the band to appeal once more to larger venues and louder audiences.
Inspired by this high-octane energy, Terry and Rod went into creative overdrive. They crafted two breakthrough tracks ‘World Dance’ and ‘Earthsong’, forging a world-dance fusion sound that was entirely unique. Their 1991 EP release quickly caught the attention of critics and opened doors to music festivals all across the UK.
As the musicians expanded their sonic toolkit introducing instruments like the Peruvian charango, ronroco, banjo, lyre, wind synth, recorder and an extensive array of percussion Terry and Rod’s compositions evolved to match. This creative outpouring resulted in some of the most innovative and beloved tunes Skin The Peeler ever produced, culminating in the landmark Friends and Lovers album (1994). The band reached the pinnacle of their success during this era, delivering legendary performances at the Glastonbury Festival and at Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival, where they played to an enthusiastic crowd of 25,000 people.
SMALL QUARTET PROJECT
The mid 1990's onwards
Terry and Rose formed THE PEELER SMALL QUARTET in 1994.
'ROOM FULL OF WINGS' their highly acclaimed CD was released the following year.
The Peeler SmallQuartet
(Aka The Skin the Peeler Small Quartet Project)
Never one to stand still, Terry Barter moved on in 1995 to found an acoustic folk and Celtic fusion duo with Peeler cellist Rose Hull. Built around the unique, resonant pairing of cello and mandocello, their highly praised debut studio album, Room Full of Wings, was released in 1995 to widespread critical acclaim.
While originally recorded and released during the 1990s, much of their collaborative discography has since been beautifully remastered and reissued across modern streaming platforms. You can now stream their entire musical journey via the official Skin the Peeler Spotify Profile and on Apple Music.
Today, the project continues to thrive digitally. The duo frequently collaborates with guest musicians, all of whom were original members of Skin The Peeler in its various incarnations. This ongoing digital era has produced compelling new tracks, ranging from the storming electric guitar solos of 'Pureland' to the deep, roots-influenced acoustic
styling of 'Sweet Rain Falling'.
Explore the Archive
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Watch & Listen: Explore rare archival live performances and classic tracks directly on the Skin the Peeler YouTube Channel.
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Visual Reimagining: Since 2024, Terry has been building a dedicated digital video archive on YouTube. This project creatively fuses his newfound passion for video production with classic, original Peeler arrangements, giving long-time fans a fresh way to experience the music.
Official Discography
Explore the complete studio recorded history of Skin the Peeler.
Major Album Releases
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Skin the Peeler (1984): Our debut self-titled studio album featuring early traditional arrangements. Featuring fan-favourite tracks like "Dunmoor" and "Finvarra".
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Facing the Sun (1989): A definitive fusion album featuring tracks "Changes" and "After the Break".
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World Dance (1991): 3 Track CD Single featuring "World Dance and "Earthsong".
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Friends and Lovers (1994): A studio collection highlighting our progressive folk songwriting and collaborative arrangements.
As well as CDs and Vinyl, most of the collection is now on digital available on Spotify and Apple music
1994 - Skindependent UK CDSTP101
Friends and Lovers
Format: album CD
and Cassette cassSTP101
Tracklist:
L'Amour De La Vie. El Llanto De La Salva. Celebration.
Wizard Of Rods. The Last Charango In Paris. Continuum.
Angel. Friends And Lovers.
1991 – Skindependent UK CDSTP100
World Dance
Format: CD single
and 12" Single STPEP100
Tracklist:
World Dance. Earthsong.
As Tarzan Said, “It’s a Jingle Out There, Julia!”
1989 – Skindependent UK CASSSTP2
Facing The Sun
Format: album cassette
Tracklist:
After The Break. Facing The Sun. Changes. Towards Tomorrow. Barney's Dixie Lullaby. Coming Home.
Armadillo (I'd Rather Be). Giant's Dance!
A number of tunes from the original cassette have been released digitally on Spotify and Apple Music. Available as singles
After the Break
Facing the Sun
Changes
Giants Dance
Armadillo (I'd rather be)
Watch video of all these on Youtube
'The Skin the Peeler Archive Channel'
1986 – Skindependent UK
The Christchurch Tapes
Format: album cassette
Tracklist:
Aquilla. Capella. Friends. Moondance. Illusion
Not Forgotten. Best Forgotten. Rainbird. Scorpio.
This rare collection features all-original compositions from an interim lineup. Self-published and released exclusively on cassette, the tape showcased the band's more jazz-influenced material. Though used for promotion, it was never commercially distributed.
1984 – Right Track Records STP1
Skin The Peeler First Album
Format: album 12" vinyl STP1
and cassette cassSTP102
Tracklist:
Biddy Early. Giant's Dance. Dunmoor. Sarah and the Dancer. The Bells of Shee Chora. Shee Chora. Beechwood. Julia. Finvarra.
The whole Album has been digitally released
(available on SPOTIFY and APPLE MUSIC)
Including a bonus track:
the tune
SKIN THE PEELER
1984 – Right Track Records 7STP2A
Biddy Early SINGLE
Format: 7" single
Tracklist:
SideA: Biddy Early. Side B Child.
Get in touch
If you have any comments or have material that you would like to share on the website
Please contact Skin The Peeler at
