=>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 itβs 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 Salfordβs 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 12β 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 Remorseβs 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 Donaldsonβs 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 bandβs 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
Warzone
Skrewdriver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was born to stand and fight
No favours nor charity
She was never part of a minority
Inner-city baby, brought up tough
Look around here now, it looks rough
Nerves of steel get her through her day
(chorus)
She's a warzone baby, brought up in a war
She's a warzone baby, she's got to know the score
It's night and on the corner the dealer stands
One more disease in a once-great land
She ignores him and passes by
Her ambition is not to die
Turns a corner and she's in gangland
It's all eyes, teeth, and white headbands
She keeps her distance 'cos she knows their game
Rapes their hobby but she ain't playing
(chorus)
middle eight:
Living in a warzone, living in a hell
I don't recall the exact day that our country's morals fell
Living in a warzone, where death stands by our beds
Did we ever vote for this?
They seem to want our nation dead dead dead
(chorus) x2
The lyrics to Skrewdriver's "Warzone" describe the experiences of a woman who has been raised in a harsh, urban environment. The opening lines (damp pavements, streetlights) set the scene, while the next lines establish the tenacity of the song's protagonist: "She was born to stand and fight/No favours nor charity." This woman is tough, and she has had to be in order to survive in a world that doesn't look out for her. The lyrics suggest that she isn't part of any privileged group ("She was never part of a minority"), which implies that she is oppressed by the dominant society.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea of living in a "warzone" by stating "She's a warzone baby, brought up in a war/She's a warzone baby, she's got to know the score." This woman has had to fight to survive, and she has learned the ways of war. As the song continues, the lyrics describe the specific challenges this woman must face on a daily basis, including drug dealers and gangs.
Ultimately, "Warzone" is a song about the struggles of the working class in urban areas. It paints a picture of a society that has failed to protect its most vulnerable members, and that has instead created a violent, dangerous world in which only the strong can survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Damp pavements, street lights
The environment is gritty and somber
She was born to stand and fight
She has always had to fight for what she wants and needs
No favours nor charity
She hasn't had any help from anyone
She was never part of a minority
She doesn't identify as a victim or marginalized person
Inner-city baby, brought up tough
She grew up in a tough neighborhood
Look around here now, it looks rough
The area has gotten even worse over time
Nerves of steel get her through her day
She has to stay strong to cope with the obstacles she faces
She must survive in this concrete maze
Her life is like navigating an endless labyrinth
She's a warzone baby, brought up in a war
Her life is like a constant battle
She's a warzone baby, she's got to know the score
She has to be aware of the dangers and how to protect herself
It's night and on the corner the dealer stands
Drug dealing is happening in plain sight
One more disease in a once-great land
The drug trade is a symptom of societal decline
She ignores him and passes by
She knows better than to get involved with drugs
Her ambition is not to die
Her main goal is to stay alive and make something of herself
Turns a corner and she's in gangland
She happens to be in a dangerous area ruled by gangs
It's all eyes, teeth, and white headbands
The gang members are imposing and menacing
She keeps her distance 'cos she knows their game
She stays away from the gangs to avoid danger
Rapes their hobby but she ain't playing
She is not interested in getting involved in gang activity
Living in a warzone, living in a hell
Her life is like living in a perpetual state of crisis
I don't recall the exact day that our country's morals fell
Society has undergone a moral decline, but it's hard to pinpoint when it started
Living in a warzone, where death stands by our beds
There is a constant threat of violence and danger
Did we ever vote for this?
She questions how society has become so dark
They seem to want our nation dead dead dead
She perceives a sense of hopelessness and despair in society
She's a warzone baby, brought up in a war
Her life is like a constant battle
She's a warzone baby, she's got to know the score
She has to be aware of the dangers and how to protect herself
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mwgossler
Piwo tradycyjnie warzone π
@CatherineCrouse
Oi π
@danielsvard9894
Thanks man βπΈπͺ