Vulgar Boatmen?  I thought it was a Roky Erickson reference.  Vulgar Boatmen may make more sense since an obscure, arty, indy band was a big part of the novel.  But Roky lived electro-shock therapy and sang about vampires and baby ghosts so he wins every time.

Ahh…the Skid's.  It should have been a huge thing for Stuart Adamson.  The best damned guitar player to come out of the whole post-punk thing.  Yeah, Mr. The Edge, you're close but no banana.