article

For the tool, see Screwdriver.

Skrewdriver was a punk rock band formed in Blackpool in 1977 by Ian Stuart Donaldson. They later became controversial for advocating racist and far right politics and causes, becoming one of the first Nazi-skinhead bands.

Original line-up

Donaldson, formerly of the Rolling Stones cover band Tumbling Dice, formed Skrewdriver after seeing the Sex Pistols in Manchester. Performing largely for a skinhead audience, the band released a number of records on the Chiswick label.

This line-up consisted of:

  • Ian Stuart Donaldson - Vocals
  • Phil Walmsley - Guitar
  • Ronnie Hartley - Guitar
  • Kev McKay - Bass
  • John "Grinny" Grinton - Drums

This version of the band split up in 1979, but Donaldson resurrected the name Skrewdriver in 1982 using new musicians.

Right-wing reincarnation

Although the original band had a reputation for attracting violence at their gigs (Bob Geldof was reportedly knocked unconscious at one Skrewdriver gig), they did not openly support any political party. The new Skrewdriver, however, were openly sympathetic and supportive of extreme right-wing groups such as the National Front and Combat 18, and raised funds for them and affiliated organizations through their White Noise record label. They also released records on Rock-O-Rama Records, a label that is known for its far right sympathies, and were instrumental in setting up Blood and Honour, a network of bands promoting White Nationalist ideas through music and gigs.

Members of the original Skrewdriver were not impressed by the new direction in which Donaldson took the band, as this interview with Roger Armstrong of Chiswick Records illustrates:

''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 Stewart 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. The teeth on the back of the sleeve are Patti Paladin's of Snatch fame — NY art punk !*

Discography

Studio albums

  • All Skrewed Up (1977) (Chiswick) (later re-issued as The Early Years w. extra tracks)
  • Peel Session (1977) BBC Radio 1
  • Hail The New Dawn (1984) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • Blood & Honour (1985) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • White Rider (1987) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • After The Fire (1988) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • Warlord (1989) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • The Strong Survive (1990) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • Freedom What Freedom (1992) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • Hail Victory (1994) (ISD/White Terror)

12" EPs

  • Back With A Bang/I Don't Like You/Boots & Braces (1982) (SKREW label)
  • Boots & Braces (1987) (previously released tracks) (Rock-O-Rama)
  • Voice Of Britain (1987) (previously released tracks)

7" Singles

  • You're So Dumb/Better Off Crazy (1977) (Chiswick)
  • Antisocial/Breakdown (1977) (Chiswick)
  • Built Up, Knocked Down/Case of Pride/Breakout (1979) (TJM label)
  • White Power/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

  • We've Got The Power (1987) (Viking) (live) (reissued on CD w. bonus live & demo tracks)
  • Live & 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)

Further reading

  • White Noise: Inside the International Nazi Skinhead Scene. Edited by Nick Lowles and Steve Silver, London 1998. ISBN 0952203839
  • 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.

See also

External links

  • Ian Stuart in Germany
  • Blood and Honour U.K. (This site is affiliated with Blood and Honour, and has a small selection of MP3's from Skrewdriver and similar bands.)
  • A Tribute to Ian Stuart
  • * (Skrewdriver feature on 2005/6 'Just Say No To Government Music' CD project "The Ugly Truth about Blackpool". Site provides links to other recent informative resources about the band's pre-Nazi era and the largely unwritten history of this early Blackpool punk band)
Peel Sessions artists | Early punk groups | English musical groups | Neo-Nazi musical groups

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Skrewdriver".

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