The band’s early live performances included house parties and local gigs, with their first out-of-town shows at Auckland’s Windsor Castle in September 1986. That same year, they recorded three tracks at Frontier Studios with engineer Nick Roughan and nine tracks at CIT Heretaunga, released as a split cassette with fellow Wellington band The Glass. Skank Attack closed 1986 with a national tour, playing in Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland, culminating in a live recording at Wakefield Markets on December 13, which appeared on their self-titled EP, released in April 1987 on their own Skank Records label.

The Skank Attack 12” vinyl EP, featuring five tracks, was supported by a North Island tour, including stops at The Gluepot, Waikato University, and White Hart in New Plymouth. The tour wrapped with two nights at Wellington’s Cricketers, alongside bands like Number Nine and The Wild Poppies, coinciding with the release of the “When The Wind Blows” compilation, also on Skank Records. Phil Simpson’s weekly Radio Active show further amplified the local scene, championing Wellington’s underground acts.

In 1988, Skank Attack played key gigs, including two nights at Railway Hall/Platform 9, Auckland University Cafe with Bygone Era and Fish For Life, and a return to The Gluepot. They also supported Australian band Hunters and Collectors at Victoria University’s Student Union Hall. As members Phil Simpson and Jeff Eden planned to travel overseas, the band decided to record a final album. In 1988, they entered Writhe Studios with Nick Roughan to record seven tracks, but the project was shelved due to time and financial constraints. The master tapes remained in storage for 13 years until the band’s debut album, Here On Out, was released in 2012. Critically praised, the album was lauded for its timeless post-punk sound, with tracks like “Down Around Our Ears” and “Decline” showcasing moody, layered melodies and cerebral lyrics. Reviewers noted the band’s confident, driven sound, with Mike Alexander describing its “moody menace” and James Belfield calling it an “antidote to biodegradable pop.”