Ian Stuart Donaldson

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Ian Stuart redirects here. For the Scottish author who uses the pseudonym Ian Stuart, see Alistair MacLean; see also Ian Stewart.
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Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart in front of Blood and Honour's logo
Ian Stuart in front of Blood and Honour's logo
Background information
Birth name Ian Stuart Donaldson
Born August 11, 1957(1957-08-11)
Origin Poulton-le-Fylde, Blackpool, England
Died September 24, 1993 (aged 36)
Genre(s) Punk rock, Nazi punk, Rock Against Communism
Instrument(s) Vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar
Piano
Years active 1976-1993
Label(s) Chiswick, Rock-O-Rama
Associated acts Tumbling Dice, The Klansmen, White Diamond

Ian Stuart Donaldson (August 11, 1957-September 24, 1993), commonly known as Ian Stuart, was the vocalist and frontman of Skrewdriver, a British punk rock and neo-Nazi skinhead band.

Contents

[edit] Career

Donaldson was born in Poulton-le-Fylde and was raised in Blackpool, where he founded the band Skrewdriver in 1976. Skrewdriver was formed from the ashes of Tumbling Dice (a cover band who played songs by The Rolling Stones, Free and The Who). At first, Skrewdriver had a punk image, and they experimented with their look before eventually adopting a skinhead image. The band had a reputation for attracting violence at their concerts (Bob Geldof was reportedly knocked unconscious at one Skrewdriver show), but they did not openly promote any political views.[1]

Although both Skrewdriver and the band Sham 69 had skinhead followings and racist fans early in their careers, Skrewdriver failed to get the same mainstream promotion that Sham 69 did. Unlike Skrewdriver, Sham 69 denounced their racist fans, and even performed at Rock Against Racism concerts.[2][3]

After the original Skrewdriver lineup parted ways in 1979, Stuart reformed the band and began to write songs for a white power skinhead audience. The new version of Skrewdriver openly promoted far right groups such as the National Front and Combat 18, raising funds for them (and affiliated organizations) through their White Noise Records label. As a result, Skrewdriver became known for its involvement in the white nationalist political movement and its associated music genre, Rock Against Communism.

Donaldson, along with Nicky Crane, founded Blood and Honour, a neo-Nazi network that distributes white power music and organizes concerts. Stuart became leader of two other bands, White Diamond and The Klansmen, and he released several solo albums. Along with Skrewdriver guitarist Stigger, he recorded the albums Patriotic Ballads volumes 1 and 2, which included covers of traditional folk songs such as The Green Fields of France. Donaldson's voice also appeared in the song The Invisible Empire (whose title refers to the Ku Klux Klan) on the 1989 album See you in Valhalla by neo-Nazi rock band No Remorse.

Donaldson was one of the principal organisers of a white power concert near Waterloo station in London in 1992. Anti-Fascist Action organized a protest, which resulted in physical confrontations.

In July 1993, Donaldson and Skrewdriver played their final concert in Waiblingen, Germany. The program, Kreuzritter für Deutschland, was organized by Andreas J. Voigt.

Donaldson died in 1993 in a car crash in Derbyshire.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Skrewdriver

[edit] The Klansmen

  • Rebel with a Cause
  • Rock 'n' Roll Patriots
  • Fetch the Rope

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/skrewdriverinterview.htm
  2. ^ http://www.ainaskin.com/interviews/
  3. ^ Punk and the swastika

[edit] Bibliography

  • 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.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links