Skrewdriver

Cultivating one of the scariest careers in the punk rock scene, Skrewdriver have become the proud poster boys for the racial-hate movement in the United Kingdom. They define the stereotypical image of skinheads, preaching the Aryan beliefs of the Nazis, while alternately making violent and visceral music for their fans to get angry about. Led by self-proclaimed "racialist" Ian Stuart, the band came about when he decided to play music with his friend John "Grinny" Grinton, after seeing him perform. Stuart first formed Tumbling Dice, a Rolling Stones cover group that saw very minor success in Blackpool. But the group broke up, and after seeing the Sex Pistols perform in Manchester, Stuart formed Skrewdriver with Grinton. They moved to London and began gigging around the area, eventually releasing the "You're So Dumb" single later that year. Fights were commonplace at their shows, leading to a famous London concert where record executives were suddenly placed in the middle of a full-scale riot. Their skinhead appearance and reputation for violence got them banned from doing gigs in London, and despite gaining some good reviews for their debut album (All Skrewed Up), they were dropped from their label and broke up by the end of 1979. This first phase of their career didn't reflect his racial-purity beliefs, but as Stuart became more involved with those politics, he decided that music was a good way to preach his message. He re-formed the group out of like-minded musicians in 1982, and began releasing singles in Britain again. He still hadn't officially come out with his beliefs, but the press began to spread the rumor that they were racists. In true punk fashion, Stuart walked out on-stage at a concert in late 1982, and raised his right hand just like a Nazi, sending the...