=>Beginning History
Ian Stuart Donaldson, formerly of The Rolling Stones cover band Tumbling Dice, formed Skrewdriver after seeing the Sex Pistols in Manchester. Skrewdriver at first had a punk appearance, but they changed their image into a skinhead look in 1977. They also temporarily had a rocker/biker look, around the time they released the EP Built Up Knocked Down. In 1978, Donaldson moved to Salford, where he recruited guitarist Glenn Jones and drummer Martin Smith. This lineup toured extensively, but many venues were reluctant to book the band because of their reputation as a violent skinhead band attracting audience fights.
Performing largely for a skinhead fan-base, the first versions of the band released one album and two singles on the Chiswick label. This version of the band split up in January 1979 after a concert in Warrington, but Donaldson resurrected the name Skrewdriver in 1982 using new musicians. Several past individuals associated with the group, many of them politically left-wing or centrist, have condemned the latter third position incarnation.
=>Band Musicians And More History
As mentioned, Skrewdriver inherited its first line-up from it’s predecessor, the band Tumbling Dice, which Donaldson had formed in 1975. They felt influenced by contemporary hard rock as well as seminal punk contemporaries such as the Ramones and The Clash. They were Ian Stuart Donaldson, Kev McKay, John Grinton and Phil Walmsley. When the band changed from punk to skinhead, Walmsley bowed out and was substituted with skinhead Ron Hartley. The 1977 release All Skrewed Up managed to give the group considerable underground success, and it's been regarded since as an early punk classic. However, by 1978, the band disbanded.
Both moving to Salford’s Cheetham Hill, McKay and Donaldson reformed the band in 1979 with local Manchester talents Glenn Jones and Martin Smith. Skrewdriver became a regular act at the Mayflower club in Belle Vue and toured local gig venues around Greater Manchester. The version of the band was to be short-lived and, after an ill-fated concert in Warrington in 1980, the band fell apart again.
This time, Donaldson left all the others behind and moved on his own down to London. By 1981, Skrewdriver had reformed for the 3rd time, still with Ian Stuart Donaldson of course. The new additions were Mark Neeson, Mark French and Geoff Williams. French and Williams had previously played with The Elite.
It was this line-up that released the 12” EP 'Back With A Bang' on Last Resort Records in 1982. External pressure on the band took its toll, and, by 1984, all three had left the band. Donaldson recruited Mark Sutherland, Adam Douglas, and Murray Holmes. Holmes, an Australian, had previously played with the band Quick And The Dead. Skrewdriver soon released their LP Invasion on the newly-signed West German label Rock-o-Rama Records, which would stay faithful to the band until the tragic end. The line-up was strengthened with Steve Roda coming in the following year.
Touring extensively once again, by 1987 the line-up is described on artwork as Ian Stuart (Donaldson), Mark Sutherland, Martin Cross, Ross McGarry, Merv Shields, and John Burnley who was the brother of No Remorse’s Paul Burnley. Steve Calladine, better known as Stigger, joined Skrewdriver in late 1987. Donaldson also launched a solo career as Ian Stuart with the release of solo material backed by a group known as 'Strikeforce', which essentially was the remaining band. Skrewdriver as a band continued, however, in parallel with Donaldson’s solo career.
In 1990, the sprawling line-up was added to with John Hickson. Over the 80s, the group released a variety of albums, many of them striking a chord with disillusioned British youths unhappy with both Thatcherism and the Labour alternative, much to the alarm of the mainstream press. Skrewdriver concerts were, although planned in advance, highly secretive, and Donaldson faced many attempts on his life. Releases at this time prominently included the albums Boots & Braces, Blood & Honour, and Hail The New Dawn.
On the 24th of September 1993, Ian Stuart Donaldson died from the injuries sustained in a car-crash the previous evening and with him the band Skrewdriver ceased. Although subject to a large variety of conspiracy theories, most fans have agreed that the death was a surprising, sudden accident. Since then, countless benefit and remembrance gigs has been played in his and the band’s honour, with virtually every rock against communism band worth their salt, producing a Skrewdriver cover.
=>Labels
During their 17-year career, Skrewdriver were signed by five labels:
1977 - Chiswick Records
1979 - TJM Manchester
1982 - Last Resort Sounds
1982 - White Noise Records
1984 - Rock-O-Rama Records
(This list does not include compilations and spin-off work)
=>Members List
(Initial Band)
Ian Stuart Donaldson - Vocals & Guitar
Phil Walmsley - Guitar
Ron Hartley - Guitar
Kev McKay - Bass
John "Grinny" Grinton - Drums
(Other Members)
Glenn Jones
Martin Cross
Dave Cording
Bradley Napier
Mark French
Geoff Williams
Mark Neeson
Joseph Smith
Adam Douglas
Merv Shields
Murray Holmes
Dave Wane
Paul Swain
Stiv "Iena" Roda
Stigger
John Burnley
Colin Smith
Mushy
Mike French
Mark Radcliffe
Andrew Skinner
Ford Freemantle
Blood & Honour
Skrewdriver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our banners flying proudly are unfurled
Even if we stand alone we must never hide
For in our hearts there is a sense of pride
Chorus:
For the blood and honor
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
We look with caution to the east
We can see the red flag of the beast
Countless millions have died at the Marxists' hands
We would fight and die to keep our land
(Repeat Chorus)
Solo
(Repeat Chorus)
Marxists' greedy hands around our throats
Bankers buying up your lives and sitting back to gloat
We should fight to control our people's fate
Europe never was no puppet state
(Repeat Chorus) x3
The song "Blood and Honour" by Skrewdriver is a nationalist and patriotic song that reflects upon the importance of national pride within one's homeland. The lyrics convey a sense of duty towards preserving the cultural essence of their homeland Europe, which is under attack from leftist Marxist ideology and capitalist bankers who seek to control and oppress their people. The opening lines "To dream of freedom in this world" signify a desire for political and cultural independence that is seen to be threatened by the forces of communism and neoliberalism.
The chorus "For the blood and honor, For the blood and for the pride, For the blood and honor, We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride" highlights the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of Europe and standing up for its values against outside forces. The lyrics express caution towards communism, which is portrayed as a "beast" that has caused the deaths of countless millions. The song also speaks to the importance of fighting against oppression, and never giving in to external forces seeking to control their fate.
In summary, the song's lyrics convey a sense of duty towards their homeland and its people, and a desire to preserve its cultural essence and freedom. The song is a call to arms for those who believe in national pride and cultural identity, and a warning to those who seek to oppress or exploit them.
Line by Line Meaning
To dream of freedom in this world
We aspire to live in a world where we can be free.
Our banners flying proudly are unfurled
We show our pride by displaying our symbolic flag.
Even if we stand alone we must never hide
We will not back down or conceal our beliefs even if we're alone in doing so.
For in our hearts there is a sense of pride
We have a strong feeling of self-respect and dignity in ourselves.
Chorus: For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
We'll fight and die if necessary to defend our homeland and way of life from those who want to exploit, oppress, or manipulate us.
We look with caution to the east
We're wary and suspicious of foreign influences, particularly those from Communist or Socialist regimes in the east.
We can see the red flag of the beast
We perceive the banner of Marxism as a symbol of danger and corruption.
Countless millions have died at the Marxists' hands
We blame Communist regimes for the deaths of millions of people throughout history.
We would fight and die to keep our land
We're willing to risk everything to defend our territory and people.
Marxists' greedy hands around our throats
We see Communist regimes as oppressive and tyrannical.
Bankers buying up your lives and sitting back to gloat
We believe that wealthy capitalists exploit ordinary people for their own gain and satisfaction.
We should fight to control our people's fate
We believe that our society and government should be controlled by those who share our values and heritage.
Europe never was no puppet state
We reject the idea that our nation or continent should be subject to external domination, influence, or interference.
(Repeat Chorus) x3
We will continue to defend and uphold our principles and nation at all costs.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andrewsmyth3809
To dream of freedom in this world
Our banners flying proudly are unfurled
Even if we stand alone we must never hide
For in our hearts there is a sense of pride
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
We look with caution to the east
We can see the red flag of the beast
Countless millions have died at the Marxists' hands
We would fight and die to keep our land
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
Solo
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
Marxists' greedy hands around our throats
Bankers buying up your lives and sitting back to gloat
We should fight to control our people's fate
Europe never was no puppet state
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
@BlaggRose0279
Should be our Hymn to take our Countrys back.
Irland/UK/France/Germany
Stand up
Stand together
And Fight back
Greetings from Germany ❤
@user-qk2le4mu6n
Greetings from America 🇺🇸 were growing. Were hungry n were passed Obama destroyed our country n Biden doing the same. Blood n soil
@fenrirauffahrt272
Danke für Deine Freundschaft zu uns! Trotz allen Widrigkeiten - German+British Friendship Ruhe in Frieden Ian Stuart!
@zippybiddelli700
🇬🇧🇩🇪💪
@andrewsmyth3809
To dream of freedom in this world
Our banners flying proudly are unfurled
Even if we stand alone we must never hide
For in our hearts there is a sense of pride
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
We look with caution to the east
We can see the red flag of the beast
Countless millions have died at the Marxists' hands
We would fight and die to keep our land
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
Solo
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
Marxists' greedy hands around our throats
Bankers buying up your lives and sitting back to gloat
We should fight to control our people's fate
Europe never was no puppet state
For the blood and honor
For the blood and for the pride
For the blood and honor
We must never let our Europe be taken for a ride
@brianinthepark5429
That's those lines. Marxists' greedy hands around our throats
Bankers buying up your lives and sitting back to gloat. Thanks -Brian
@jockmcghee4147
Absolutely 💯
@chevyvet69
More relevant now than it has ever been
@Jayson-zp4cv
Cheers from Massachusetts ⚡️☠️⚡️
@CatherineCrouse
Oi 🐈