Skrewdriver | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Poulton-le-Fylde,Lancashire, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1976–1979, 1982–1993 |
| Labels |
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| Past members | Ian Stuart Donaldson Martin Cross Merv Shields Phil Walmsley Ron Hartley Kevin McKay John "Grinny" Grinton Jim "Sturmfuhrer" Rice Mark Radcliffe[1][2][3][4] |
Skrewdriver were an Englishpunk rock band formed byIan Stuart Donaldson inPoulton-le-Fylde,Lancashire, in 1976. Originally apunk band,[5] Skrewdriver changed into awhite power skinhead rock band after reuniting in the 1980s.[6] Their original line-up split in January 1979 and Donaldson reformed the band with different musicians in 1982.[7] This new version of the band played a leading role in theRock Against Communism movement.[8]
The band fell apart after Donaldson died in a car crash in 1993.
Ian Stuart Donaldson, formerly of thecover band Tumbling Dice, formed Skrewdriver as apunk rock band inPoulton-le-Fylde in 1976.[9] At first, Skrewdriver sported apunk appearance, but they later changed their image to askinhead look. In 1978, Donaldson moved toManchester, 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 onChiswick Records. Skrewdriver briefly adopted arocker/biker-influenced look around the time they released the EPBuilt Up Knocked Down (1979).[10][11]
Donaldson resurrected the band name Skrewdriver in 1982 with a new band line-up. Although the original band had a reputation for attracting violence at their concerts—Boomtown Rats frontmanBob Geldof was reportedly knocked unconscious by a friend of Donaldson who believed that Skrewdriver's sound had been sabotaged[12]—the new band espoused an openly nationalist ideology.[13]
The re-formed Skrewdriver eventually became openly supportive ofwhite nationalist groups, after a lengthy period of publicly denying such support.[14] The band released the single "White Power" in 1983 and their second album,Hail the New Dawn, in 1984. Although both Skrewdriver and the bandSham 69 had skinhead followings and racist fans early in their careers, Sham 69 denounced racism and performed atRock Against Racism concerts.[15][16] Donaldson eventually aligned himself withneo-Nazism, saying: "I would describe myself as a BritishNational Socialist, not aGerman one, and so don't think I'm at odds with Britishpatriots."[17] The band became associated with theNational Front andBritish National Party, raising funds for them (and affiliated organisations) through the White Noise record label. They released records onRock-O-Rama, a label that became known for National Socialist sympathies. Skrewdriver was instrumental in setting upBlood & Honour, a neo-Nazi music promotion network.
Their songSmash the IRA became popular amongst Loyalists in Northern Ireland. It was one of a number of Skrewdriver songs covered by a Belfast band calledOffensive Weapon, who also covered songs by Black artists such asChuck Berry.[18]
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 Northernsocialist stock. When they made records for us Ian Stuart showed no signs offascism. 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.[19]
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.[1]
Donaldson died in a car crash on 24 September 1993. A friend and fellow Neo-Nazi, Stephen Lee Flint, died from injuries sustained in the crash the following day.[20] Donaldson's death catalyzed the demise of Skrewdriver, and had a strong impact on thewhite power rock scene.[21] John "Grinny" Grinton died from cancer in June 2005.[22][unreliable fringe source?]
Merv Shields died on 1 January 2022 due toCOVID-19 complications.[23]
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