Skydaddy

Skydaddy, the moniker of London based musician and bandleader Rachid Fakhre, has shared a new single, ‘Tear Gas’, a duet with Tyler Cryde, vocalist and bass player in Black Country, New Road. The track is taken from his upcoming debut EP Pilot, releasing on 2 Feb. Pre-order limited edition vinyl here

‘Tear Gas’ is at first listen, a beautiful, peaceful duet arranged over finger-picked guitar, violin and flute. As Rachid and Tyler intertwine their voices, it’s upon closer inspection of the lyrics that the harmonious overtones belie the subversively dark and wickedly wry words. The song came to life after receiving an unexpected rework from Tyler of a track which Rachid had been penning. The two went on to write it further, eventually playing it together as a crowd favourite at live shows. ‘Tear Gas’ is the first music released from Tyler under her Tyler Cryde alias and outside of BC,NR, it also features her playing the classical guitar.

Offering more insight into the song Rachid tells us:

“A song that had existed for a few years about a past ill-fated relationship. When hosting a radio show I had asked people to submit covers and reworkings of lesser known songs, it was quite a surprise to receive a version of Tear Gas from Tyler Hyde. She’d taken the original and reworked it into a much more sombre solo guitar piece. On occasion, we would perform the song live together. This became an increasingly regular moment during Skydaddy shows. Gradually, through these performances, it coalesced into the version on the EP.”

Alongside the track, Skydaddy has shared a music video for ‘Tear Gas’. Revelling in the same space between wit and romance as the song, the cinematic video is heart-achingly sad whilst somewhat unsettling, it’s also cleverly funny thanks to its two prosthetically enhanced stars. 

Skydaddy’s upcoming EP Pilot represents rebirth and rediscovery, not only has Rachid started the Skydaddy project from the ashes of former musical ventures, he’s rediscovering and reconnecting with his Lebanese heritage. Much the same as a TV show pilot, the EP is a sampler of everything Skydaddy is about. Packed full of creative compositions and wide ranging influences, the EP is deeply personal and deals with difficult subjects with both sincerity and subversive humour. With previously released tracks ‘That Morning’, ‘His Masterpiece’ and ‘Lebanon Rising’, the 5 tracks on Pilot take the listener on a whistle stop tour of the highlights of a larger grand adventure.

More About Skydaddy

Following a heavy case of ego death and creative disillusionment at Green Man 2022, he felt ready to give up on his musical ambitions. He was drowning in a puddle of music malaise; at odds with the changing tides of the scene and struggling to find his place in his then project Spang Sisters. Whilst peering into the abyss of creative existentialism, Rachid found inspiration, a rush of fizzing creativity and a yearning to express a much more authentic side of himself. In the small hours Monday morning in the festival campsite, Rachid found a guitar and immediately started to pen the tracks of upcoming EP Pilot.
Buzzy whisperings around the name Skydaddy first started to bubble when he and his band were taken on the road as a support on Black Country, New Road’s May 2023 tour, going on to play sold out, 1,500 capacity venues with no music released. Since then, Skydaddy has been holding ‘Works in Progress’ nights at small London venues, hosting the likes of Tyler Hyde (Black Country, New Road), Ethan P. Flynn, Katy J Pearson and Drug Store Romeos, performing stripped back, unreleased tracks which they’re in the process of writing. The nights are often ripe for catching buzzy London upstarts testing new material, including bands such as Keg, Sarah Meth, Heka, Blue Bendy, John Myrtle and more.