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Skrewdriver

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Not to be confused with screwdriver, Screwdriver (musician), or Swervedriver.

Skrewdriver
OriginPoulton-le-Fylde, England
Genres
Years active1976–1979, 1982-1993
LabelsChiswick
Rock-O-Rama
White Noise
Past membersIan Stuart Donaldson
Phil Walmsley
Ron Hartley
Kevin McKay
John "Grinny" Grinton

Skrewdriver was a rock band formed by Ian Stuart Donaldson in Poulton-le-Fylde, England in 1976. Beginning as a non-political, non-racist punk rock/Oi! band,[1] Skrewdriver evolved into the most prominent neo-Nazi rock band in the world.[2] Their original line-up split in January 1979 and Donaldson reformed the band with different musicians in 1982. The new version of the band played a leading role in the Rock Against Communism movement.[3]

Career

Ian Stuart Donaldson, formerly of the cover band Tumbling Dice, formed Skrewdriver as a punk rock band in Poulton-le-Fylde in 1976.[4] At first, Skrewdriver sported a punk appearance, but they later changed their image to a skinhead look. In 1978, Donaldson moved to Manchester, where he recruited guitarist Glenn Jones and drummer Martin Smith. With Kevin MacKay on bass, this lineup toured extensively and built a strong following, but certain venues were reluctant to book the band because of their reputation as a violent skinhead band. Performing largely for a skinhead audience, the first versions of the band released one album and two singles on Chiswick Records. Skrewdriver briefly adopted a rocker/biker-influenced look around the time they released the Built Up Knocked Down EP (1979).[5][6]

Donaldson resurrected the band name Skrewdriver in 1982 with a new band line-up. Although the original band had a minor reputation for attracting violence at their concerts (Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof was reportedly knocked unconscious by a friend of Donaldson who believed that Skrewdriver's sound had been sabotaged),[7] they did not openly support any political ideology or organisation.[8]

The reformed Skrewdriver eventually became openly supportive of far right white nationalist groups, after a lengthy period of publicly denying such support.[9] The band released the White Power single in 1983 and their second album, Hail the New Dawn, in 1984. Although both Skrewdriver and the band Sham 69 had skinhead followings and racist fans early in their careers, Sham 69 denounced racism and performed at Rock Against Racism concerts.[10][11] Donaldson eventually aligned himself with neo-Nazism, saying: "I would describe myself as a British National Socialist, not a German one, and so don't think I'm at odds with British patriots."[12] The band became associated with the National Front and British National Party, raising funds for them (and affiliated organisations) through the White Noise record label. They released records on Rock-O-Rama, a label that became known for far-right sympathies. Skrewdriver was instrumental in setting up Blood & Honour, a neo-Nazi music promotion network.

Some members of the original Skrewdriver line-up objected strongly to the new direction in which Donaldson took the band. Roger Armstrong of Chiswick Records said:

It is a shame that the name was dragged through the gutter like that. The other three guys in the band were really pissed off too. Grinny the drummer came from solid northern socialist stock... When they made records for us Ian Stuart showed no signs of fascism. The skinhead image was a — maybe in hindsight misconceived — fashion thing. It was cooked up by a bunch of us, including the band's then-management and the photographer Peter Kodik.[13]

However, John "Grinny" Grinton later stated in an interview that he had no problem with the new Skrewdriver, and that he became a member of the National Front along with Donaldson.[14]

Donaldson died on 24 September 1993 following a car crash. His death catalyzed the demise of Skrewdriver, and had a strong impact in the white power rock scene.[15] John "Grinny" Grinton died from cancer in June 2005.[16]

Members

Original line-up

Other members

Discography

Studio albums

12" EPs

  • Back with a Bang /I Don't Like You (1982) (SKREW1 label)
  • Boots & Braces (1987) (previously released tracks) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • Voice of Britain (1987) (previously released tracks) (Rock-O-Rama)

Singles

  • "You're So Dumb" / "Better Off Crazy" (1977) (Chiswick)
  • "Antisocial" / "Breakdown" (1977) (Chiswick)
  • "Street Fight" / "Unbeliever" (1977) (Chiswick - recorded but not released)
  • "Built Up, Knocked Down" / "Case of Pride" / "Breakout" (1979) (TJM label)
  • "White Power" / "Smash the IRA" / "Shove the Dove" (1983) (White Noise)
  • "Voice of Britain" / "Sick Society" (1984) (White Noise)
  • "Invasion" / "On the Streets" (1984) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • "After the Fire" / "Sweet Home Alabama" (1988) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "Land of Ice" / "Retaliate" (1988) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "Their Kingdom Will Fall" / "Simple Man" (1989) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "The Evil Crept In" / "Glory" (1989) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "The Showdown" / "Deep Inside" (1990) (White Pride Records)
  • "You're So Dumb" / "The Only One" (1990) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "Streetfight" / "Where's It Gonna End" (1990) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "Stand Proud" / "Backstabber" (1991) (Street Rock'n'Roll)
  • "Warzone" / "Shining Down" (1991) (Street Rock'n'Roll)

Live albums

  • Live Marquee (1977)
  • We've Got the Power (1987) (Viking) (live) (reissued on CD w. bonus live & demo tracks)
  • Live and Kicking (1991) (Rock-O-Rama) (double album)
  • Live at Waterloo (1995) (ISD/White Terror) (recorded 12 Sept. 1992)
  • This One's for the Skinheads (live, recorded 23 April 1987)
  • The Last Gig in Germany (1996)

Radio

Songs on compilations

  • "Government Action" on Catch a Wave (1978) - 10" 2xLP by NICE
  • "You're So Dumb" on Long Shots, Dead Certs and Odds On Favorites (Chiswick Chartbusters Vol.2) (1978) - LP by Chiswick
  • "When the Boat Comes In" on This Is White Noise (1983) - 7" EP featuring three other bands
  • "Boots & Braces" and "Antisocial" on United Skins (1982) - LP by The Last Resort shop
  • "Don't Let Them" and "Tearing Down the Wall" on No Surrender (1985) - LP by Rock-O-Rama
  • "Land of Ice", "Free Men" and "The New Boss" on Gods Of War 1 (1987) - LP by Street Rock & Roll
  • "Rising" and "We Can't Be Beaten" on Gods of War 2 (1989) - LP by Street Rock & Roll
  • "Antisocial" on The Ugly Truth About Blackpool (2005) - CD by Just Say No to Government Music
  • "Night Trains" on Ballads of Blood and Honor (?) - CD by Unknown

Video games

RaHoWa's cover of the Skrewdriver song "When The Boat Comes In" is the main song in the white supremacist video game Ethnic Cleansing.

See also

References

  1. ^ White Rider at AllMusic
  2. ^ a b "Skrewdriver - Raw early punk and oi on Chiswick Records. A Punk Rock History and Pictures". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ Brown, Timothy S. (2004). "Subcultures, pop music and politics: skinheads and 'Nazi rock' in England and Germany". Journal of Social History.
  4. ^ "The soundtrack of neo-fascism: youth and music in the National Front". Tandfonline.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Skrewdriver Discography". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Skrewdriver Information and Photos". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Boomtown Rats vs Skrewdriver". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Skrewdriver Interview". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Skrewdriver Press Cuttings". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Skrewdriver Interview". AinaSkin.com. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Punk and the Swastika". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Diamond in the Dust - The Ian Stuart Biography". Skrewdriver.org. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Skrewdriver - Roger Armstrong Interview". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  14. ^ a b c "An Interview with Grinny from Skrewdriver". Punk77.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  15. ^ a b "Skrewdriver". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  16. ^ "Skrewdriver Timeline". NS Revolt. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  17. ^ a b c Credits of All Skrewed Up at Allmusic
  18. ^ Radcliffe, Mark. Showbusiness: The Diary of a Rock 'n' Roll Nobody. Sceptre; new edition (20 May 1999). ISBN 0-340-71567-7, ISBN 978-0-340-71567-3.
  19. ^ "Waptrick". Criticsmob.com. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  20. ^ "Useless Mark Radcliffe & Lard Facts". Scrawnandlard.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  21. ^ "Skrewdriver - Undercover".
  22. ^ "BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 19/10/1977 Skrewdriver". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2012.

Further reading

  • White Noise: Inside the International Nazi Skinhead Scene. Edited by Nick Lowles and Steve Silver, London 1998. ISBN 0-9522038-3-9.
  • Skrewdriver: The first ten years - The way it's got to be! by Joe Pearce. Skrewdriver Services, London 1987.
  • Ian Stuart - His message across to you. Everlasting songs. Excalibur Services, Antwerp 1995.
  • Diamond in the Dust - The Ian Stuart Biography. Blood and Honour England, London 2002.
  • Nazi Rock Star - Ian Stuart-Skrewdriver Biography by Paul London (a.k.a. Paul Burnley of No Remorse). Midgård, Gothenburg 2002.
  • Ian Stuart Donaldson - Memories by Mark Green. PC Records, Chemnitz 2007.
  • Ian Stuart Donaldson - Rock'n Roll Patriot (Memories II) by Mark Green. Mark Green, 2012.
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