The 4-Skins | |
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 The classic 4-Skins line-up: McCourt, Pear, Jacobs and Hodges, outsideTower Hill tube station, 1980 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Gary Hodges' 4-Skins |
| Origin | East End of London, England |
| Genres | Punk rock,Oi!,[1][2]ska |
| Years active | 1979–1984 2007–present |
| Labels | Clockwork Fun Secret Records Syndicate Records G&R London Randale Records Clockwork Firm |
| Members | As Gary Hodges' 4-Skins Gary Hodges Graham Bacon Tom Brennan Sedge Swatton |
| Past members | Hoxton Tom McCourt Roi Pearce Paul Swain Ian Bramson Steve 'Rockabilly' Pear John Jacobs Tony 'Panther' Cummins Pete Abbot Steve 'H' Hamer Mick Geggus Andy Russell |
| Website | the4-skins |
The 4-Skins are apunk rock band from theEast End of London, England.[3] Originally composed of Gary Hodges (vocals),'Hoxton' Tom McCourt (guitar), Steve 'H' Harmer (bass) and John Jacobs (drums), the group was formed in 1979 and disbanded in 1984 – although new line-ups formed in 2007 and 2008. Many of their songs dealt with violent topics, but the band has claimed they were discussing the realities of inner city life, not promoting violence.[4] Other 4-Skins song topics includepolice harassment, political corruption, war and unemployment.[3]
The band members first met each other through mutual interest infootball or in bands such asSham 69 and Menace. Most of the original four band members were or had beenskinheads, thus thedouble meaning of the band's name.[3] However, Steve Pear had arockabilly style, andHoxton Tom McCourt — who was asuedehead — was one of the leading participants of themod revival.[4][5] Prior to the release of the band's debut single, "One Law for Them", The 4-Skins contributed songs to the first threeOi!compilation albums, alongside bands such asCockney Rejects,Cock Sparrer,The Business andAngelic Upstarts.[6] The 4-Skins went through many personnel changes during their initial five-year existence, with only bassist/songwriter 'Hoxton' Tom McCourt being present in every band line-up.[3] Other former members include Roi Pearce, who was also thefrontman of The Last Resort, and Paul Swain, a guitarist who later joinedwhite power rock bandSkrewdriver.[7]
In 2007, The 4-Skins reformed with two original members — lead singer Gary Hodges and bassist Steve 'H' Harmer, plus guitarist Mick Geggus and drummer Andy Russell of Cockney Rejects. This line-up recorded two songs, "Chaos 2007" and "Glory Days", for the compilation albumKings of Streetpunk,[8] released by theindependent record labelG&R London.
In 2008, Hodges formed a new version of the band under the nameGary Hodges' 4-Skins. This line-up played three shows – one inBerlin at the Punk and Disorderly festival, inAllentown, Pennsylvania, at the East Coast Oi Fest[9][10] and as the headlining act on the final day of theBlackpool Rebellion punk festival in August 2008.[11] Two newly recorded tracks were also released for free on The 4-Skins' official web page. Both were covers ofSlade songs – "Cum on Feel the Noize" and "Thanks for the Memories". Following this, the band decided to continue recording and touring. On 4 April 2010, they released a studio album,The Return, on German label Randale Records.[12]
The 4-Skins, have been associated with a controversial political stance, notably around immigration and nationalism. Songs such as "One Law for Them" (rivers of Blood from Enoch Powell) explicitly express anti-immigration sentiments, echoing right-wing and nationalist viewpoints. The band members' connections further reflect this political leaning: Gary Hitchcock, the drummer, was linked to British nationalist groups (BM and Combat 18) and was involved with Rock Against Communism (RAC) events, which are associated with far-right movements. Paul Swain, a guitarist for the 4-Skins in the early 1980s, later joined Skrewdriver. Gary Hodges, the lead vocalist, denied accusations of Nazism but maintained a strong working-class identity that sometimes aligned with nationalist rhetoric (Take no more).
While the band often claimed to depict the realities of working-class life and inner-city struggles, their lyrics and associations with nationalist groups have led to ongoing debates about their role in promoting nationalist ideologies within parts of the punk skinhead scene.
Along with The Business and Cock Sparrer, the 4-Skins were the most culturally important of the Oi! Bands, their sound influencing a new host of new American bands such as Rancid and Anti-Heroes.
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