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Owning Skrewdriver Records

volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
edited January 2012 in Strut Central
Is this really that big of a deal? I own Boots and Braces (found it at an old record store for $5 so I had to get it) and I actually think it's a pretty good record. It really doesn't have much of the overt white power stuff though I can't understand every word. Matter Of Pride is pretty obviously aimed at immigrants but it's also one of the songs I don't like due to the subject matter.

My wife thinks I should get rid of it on principle, but I'm not racist or homophobic and an old Skrewdriver record it's going to make me change my views.

I see it like owning a piece of history and it's got some good riffs to boot. Plenty of people own Nazi stuff as collectables but don't support Hitler.

  Comments

  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    My friend managed a band called Swervedriver and regularly got bricks through his window and abuse daubed all over his house by people who thought he managed Skrewdriver. Musically not sure which band was worse.
  • pcmrpcmr 5,591 Posts
    i would feel better purging it than having an uneasy feeling of owning it
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    pcmr said:
    i would feel better purging it than having an uneasy feeling of owning it

    That's the thing it doesn't really bother me. It's one record and it's one that isn't that bad considering some of the songs they've put out. Plus, I find the Matter Of Pride song rather ironic (yes it's hateful too) considering the run down s*it holes I see here in the US populated by nothing but white people.

    Plus, if you are going to purge this then get rid of all your Pantera too. Yea, Dimebag was a shredder but that singer said some boneheaded stuff and wore South African Neo-Nazi shirts for pete sakes. And that band was HUGE.
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    Flomotion said:
    My friend managed a band called Swervedriver and regularly got bricks through his window and abuse daubed all over his house by people who thought he managed Skrewdriver. Musically not sure which band was worse.

    Took me a while to figure that one out too. I was always surprised those guys just didn't change their name. I'm sure they got a lot of heat. It's another one of those "we should have too" but when bricks are coming through you window just do it.

    Ahhhhhh mounting a misinformed violent attack to protest misinformed violent attacks! USA USA USA!
  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    At least you didn't buy it new. At this point you own the record so there's not much point in trashing it. I would hope you would destroy it rather than sell it on to some aspiring Ian Stuart fan down the line when you're done with it though.

    I never got Skrewdriver musically. I've heard lots of people say "I don't agree with the lyrics but the music is great", but everything after their first couple of singles sounds like shit to me. There are dozens of bands who do that streetpunk sound way better.

    I do love the irony that all of their music is based on blues changes and riffs stolen from black musicians.
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    asstro said:
    At least you didn't buy it new. At this point you own the record so there's not much point in trashing it. I would hope you would destroy it rather than sell it on to some aspiring Ian Stuart fan down the line when you're done with it though.

    I never got Skrewdriver musically. I've heard lots of people say "I don't agree with the lyrics but the music is great", but everything after their first couple of singles sounds like shit to me. There are dozens of bands who do that streetpunk sound way better.

    I do love the irony that all of their music is based on blues changes and riffs stolen from black musicians.

    I agree, it sounds like Chuck Berry riffs through a fuzz pedal and it amazes me someone can be so hateful they don't put it all together. I also agree that if I were to get rid of it trashing it is the only option and I don't see the point in that. If it was the one with White Power I never would have bought it in the first place.

    Like I said, if they have a bon fire full of WW II collectibles and Pantera stuff I'll show up with my Skrewdriver record.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    Skrewdriver certainly didn't start off as a neo-Nazi outfit, even in their early skinhead incarnation, and when Donaldson took it all a step too far and signed up to the National Front not all the band were behind him. I think Boots and Braces covers tracks from their pre-and post-wanker period so not necessarily just a hymn book for racists. Keep it. If you start filtering your music based on the moral credentials of the artist you'll end up with a pretty thin collection...or a lot of Christian records.
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    Flomotion said:
    Skrewdriver certainly didn't start off as a neo-Nazi outfit, even in their early skinhead incarnation, and when Donaldson took it all a step too far and signed up to the National Front not all the band were behind him. I think Boots and Braces covers tracks from their pre-and post-wanker period so not necessarily just a hymn book for racists. Keep it. If you start filtering your music based on the moral credentials of the artist you'll end up with a pretty thin collection...or a lot of Christian records.

    Yea, I thought the same thing. From what I've read Miles Davis was a bit of an a-hole who hated white people and Fela was a bit of a totalitarian with his band but no way in hell I'm getting rid of those records.

    The Police just beat the crap out of each other so i guess they are OK.
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    There's a lot of people who were repugnant, or have done repugnant things whose records get filed or played on the radio without it being an issue. I guess one difference is that their music doesn't express these things.

    If 'Layla' was about killing your mom it probably wouldn't be the radio staple that it is.
  • TheKindCromangTheKindCromang 1,463 Posts
    It's already been established, you should never judge an artist by anything more than their music. To do otherwise is insane. Also, if you can't prove they wrote their songs you can't hold them responsible. They did it a long time ago and probably didn't really mean it.
  • sakedelicsakedelic 247 Posts
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    The first (pre-racist) Skrewdriver LP is a pretty good example of the late 70s UK punk sound. But the fact is that there were like a million other bands who sound the same or similar so if Skrewdriver makes you uneasy it's not a big deal to replace it with a UK Subs or The Business LP or something else.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I don't like having nazi, kkk, john birch society, charles manson records around and if I end up with them I get rid of them right away.

    But none of them have any redeeming musical qualities, so it is easy to do.

    My advice is, if it bothers your gf to have it around get rid of it to please her.
    You win a few points and can listen to something better.
  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    I don't like having nazi, kkk, john birch society, charles manson records around and if I end up with them I get rid of them right away.

    But none of them have any redeeming musical qualities, so it is easy to do.

    Wrong - the Manson record blows away 99% of the loner/downer/outsider folk stuff.

    I have several Manson Lps filed and don't think twice about it.
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    LaserWolf said:
    I don't like having nazi, kkk, john birch society, charles manson records around and if I end up with them I get rid of them right away.

    But none of them have any redeeming musical qualities, so it is easy to do.

    Wrong - the Manson record blows away 99% of the loner/downer/outsider folk stuff.

    I have several Manson Lps filed and don't think twice about it.

    Conversely, I wouldn't consider owning any Manson records - and I feel quite confident that they couldn't possibly sound good enough to justify me shelving them.
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    If 'Layla' was about killing your mom it probably wouldn't be the radio staple that it is.


    What'll you do when I get home
    And stick a big knife in your side?
    You've been running and hiding much too long.
    You know I???ll kill you, you can???t hide

    [Chorus:]
    Momma, get down on your knees
    Momma, give me the car keys
    Momma, I???m gonna kill you, you???re so unkind.

    I tried not to give in to temptation
    But you and the old man let me down.
    He is a tool, I???m gonna kill him too
    But now it???s your turn to go down

    Momma, you can beg me pretty please
    Momma, you???re worse than a disease
    Momma, I???ll kill you and your body they won???t find.


    I know you believe in reincarnation
    So I don???t expect you to complain.
    Before I slay, I???ll give you time to pray
    And tell me why you caused me pain


    Momma, I???ll kill you with such ease
    Momma, Your body I will freeze
    Momma, just make sure your will is signed
  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    Excellent Rock. Those could easily be Geto Boys lyrics as well. They're definitely better than anything Skrewdriver ever wrote.
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    asstro said:
    Excellent Rock. Those could easily be Geto Boys lyrics as well. They're definitely better than anything Skrewdriver ever wrote.

    That's what 5 minutes, ADHD and a Ritalin shortage will get you.
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