In today's world, "Nazi Punk" may seem like an oxymoron, but historically, Punk and the far-right were strange bedfellows. Racist Punk can arguably be traced back to as early as 1977, with the birth of Punk subculture in England. Young National Front started Punk Front in Leeds, growing from a mere zine to a movement which developed a strong following. The front-runners for Punk Front were The Dentists, White Boss, Homicide, The Ventz (later Tragic Minds) and The Raw Boys, playing the first Rock Against Communism (RAC) shows the National Front organized, which took place in 1979. Although none of the bands ever recorded music, they drew a strong, devoted presence dedicated to fighting the far-left. Punk Front discontinued its activities, but RAC was just beginning to gain momentum.
As left-wingers gradually pushed right-wingers out of Punk subculture, the National Front canvassed skinhead subculture to carry the torch of the far-right's counterculture, with Oi! forging a unifying identity. Although never affiliated with any right-wing organization, bands like Combat 84 laid the groundwork for young right-wingers seeking rock 'n' roll as a vehicle of resistance, with lyrics advocating capital punishment and opposing nuclear disarmament. By 1982, the National Front successfully recruited even more followers than before and organized their first concert in Stratford, East London.
Before Skrewdriver rose to prominence, Ovaltinees, Peter & the Wolf and Die Hards formed as vehicles for nationalism. In 1982, Ovaltinees would release what can be considered RAC's first publicly released recording, an EP called "British Justice." Years later, Skrewdriver would reform with a new line-up and would begin their career as RAC's most identifiable band.
Since Ian Stuart's death, RAC has undergone several genre shifts and is now used as an umbrella term for any far-right, Third Position or Nationalist Skinhead music. Originally, RAC was a mix of Hard Rock and Punk/Hardcore/Oi!. Older bands tend to be Hard Rock or Oi!/Punk whereas newer bands tend to be more oriented towards Hardcore or Metal. The music tends to be upbeat, anthemic rock with a hard edge - there are usually gruff vocals mixed with chanted/sung choruses. There are often prominent melodies which can be folksy and/or triumphant, but is most often manifested through ballads and chanted choruses.
As you would surmise, RAC is distinctly anti-liberal and especially anti-left. Many bands are against Communism not only for economic reasons, but also for the humanism and liberal aspects of socialism. The irrelevance of race and/or nation in socialism is the salient point they're against in all their anti-left rhetoric. Consequently, most bands are explicitly White Nationalist despite the scene spanning the globe with musicians hailing from across the Anglosphere, the Americas and Europe.
Early on, RAC was strictly about British Nationalism. There's more than a fair number of '80s RAC bands that weren't necessarily Nazi and some never were in the course of their careers. As time went on, bands became much more openly Nazi, especially with Skrewdriver's later albums becoming more obvious in their references to the Third Reich and Norse Neopaganism.
Adrian Campbell
I'm a real big fan of RAC/black metal combos
obviously the first thing anyone thinks of if is absurd, for good reason, but there's plenty of other black metal with the same thing going on
for me the whole appeal of RAC/oi is the very very basic chord progressions (i love simplicity), and they both have a much high ratio of anthems to just regular songs than a lot of other music
Speaking of Nouvelle Croisade, those guys have some history in Paris's skinhead scene. The band started in 1984 as Malades Mentales before changing their name to Donald Doc. I can only presume the band in those days were apolitical, because after meeting up with the boys behind Légion 88 in 1987, they became Nouvelle Croisade. The band hit the studio and recorded five songs, two of which were released as a single and the other three appearing on Debout Vol. 3. Their guitarist Bruno would later join Alain and company to record Thulé. Around that time, the band called it quits with the drummer Thierry joining Ultime Assaut and then 9ème Panzer Symphonie.
Everything ever recorded, from demos to the studio sessions, would make it to this nifty compilation. Unlike the crude drawings or photographs gracing the covers of most Rebelles Européens's releases, Nouvelle Croisade features a well-rendered illustration of a sword and flag-bearing Teutonic knight standing over a slain Saracen. Thankfully, the production values are a step up from most of their countrymen's records. The guitar sounds beefy with a bit of reverb driving the footstomping rhythms. Everything is balanced, so no instrument is mixed too loud or soft. The biggest drawback here is our lead vocalist, who has that intoxicated off-key moan quite like Robert from Ultime Assaut. God bless you if you can stand his "belting." On this compilation are a few demo songs that didn't make it to the studio.
why do all the RaC have extreme-right undertones? Why does being critical of communism require that all the bands in the genre basically just be nazi punk groups as well?
John Walker
lol white people bruh I swear lmaooo
William Thompson
The term itself was forged by members of the National Front of UK. As left-wingers had massive successes with Rock Against Racism, Eddy Morrison of the NF decided to co-opt the subculture through music. Ergo, RAC is far-right by design.
Kevin Hall
Good tunes, thanks for sharing
Jeremiah Allen
lmao ikr
Jose Thompson
France is home to my personal favorite scene. While Germany's Rock-O-Rama Records was shaking things up over there and beyond, Brest-based Rebelles Européens unleashed one hell of a catalog upon the earth in its mere seven years of existence. I believe founders Gaël Bodilis and Brigitte Maljak are still together as a couple, although it is unknown whether they're involved in far-right politics.
is there any nazi punk that isn't oi! or hardcore?
Owen Sanders
Old Absurd or New Absurd?
I think I like New Absurd marginally better since it's more focused on making more polished music. Yeah, antithetical to Black Metal's origins, but still, the triumph of spirit mandated in RAC helps with better production values: youtube.com/watch?v=Y08naxBshBc
Aiden Scott
Do you like Post-Punk? Above the Ruins might be your thing. Also, The Final Sound.
The band formed in January 1983 out of the ashes of the punk band The Grey Wolves (no relation to the PE group of the same name). The band suffered a number of line-up changes, leaving just Steve X and Tony Mitchell in the band, both of whom were dedicated nationalists. Sadly, this song is the only recording of theirs which has surfaced. The band allegedly produced one demo called "Play to Win" released by Defendant Tapes. If anyone finds this, consider yourself crowned a hero.
Robert Martinez
If you like 2-tone Ska, Evil Skins might be your thing. They're posted above.
Sad that no one has found their legendary demo. Anyone who can and shares the music will be hailed as a hero.
Haven't been able to get into contact with any of the former band members, although they might be good leads. I tried my luck with Tony Wakeford and Eddy Morrison, but neither were able to help.
Elijah Anderson
>punk ain't no religious cult It's a purity spiral
Just as bad, tee bee aitch
Leo Mitchell
>if you're against communism you're for fascism and German national socialism
i wish this meme would die like the original Paul McCartney.
Hudson Peterson
I just want to let you know that I appreciate all the effort you make with these threads user. Im not particularly fascist, but this is still an interesting part of lesser known music history.
Easton Hughes
To get things back on track...
The Ovaltinees's first release "British Justice" features a neat little ditty called "Argentina", celebrating Britain's victory in the Falklands: youtu.be/dyCzt_Brhe0
Peter & the Wolf was also among the earliest known RAC bands. Their demotape remained unreleased until it was discovered and issued on CD by a Bulgarian RAC label in 2000. According to the insert, the band recorded the instruments in studio while the vocalist recorded in the kitchen of a bandmate's mother. Consequently, the lyrics are largely unintelligible, but the rock has a distinctly raw edge. youtu.be/9heoufYhLlw youtu.be/25FI3RRciiU
Next up is London Branch who put out a demo in 1983. The band frequently played the 100 Club in London. After a series of setbacks, the band called it quits. British Nationalism abound. youtu.be/pqQigEghyUI youtu.be/FQ6DfJsu1e8
The Die-Hards released one demo and later appeared on the National Front sponsored compilation "This Is White Noise" EP and later "No Surrender" released by Rock-O-Rama Records. Apart from breaking up and reforming (before breaking up again presumably), little else is known about the band. youtu.be/HCBy-JD31FQ youtu.be/_YKMfGInwDQ
And, finally, we have Brutal Attack, the only band whose frontman Ken McLellan continues to make music today. These guys are just about as significant as Skrewdriver and later No Remorse and Skullhead. In fact, you could call these guys one of The Big Four of British RAC. Special note goes to "As the Drum Beats" whose main chord is eerily similar to "Whole Lotta Rosie" from AC/DC. youtu.be/T3jzs0ZfedY youtu.be/VGhyPRyskcM youtu.be/4v1V1vkuMyY youtu.be/TEpcHqVCInk
Tyler Clark
Know something else? Me neither. I'm not Fascist, but I do have right-wing sympathies. I like controversial ideas, and no group exists on the furthest fringe than National Socialists, White Nationalists and Fascists. That said, can solutions to complex world problems be reached through them? I doubt it.
As one of my pals once said, "Apolitical is good. Anti-political is better."
Jayden Cooper
punk means thinking just like me
Dominic Cruz
Hence this. The relentless scene policing, backstabbing, petty drama and purity spiraling ruined Punk for me. And this is coming from someone who proudly listens to Crass, Zounds, Poison Girls, Thr Apostles, Conflict, Amebix, Hellbastard, Sacrilege and Life Cycle. I hate that Punk has become so polarizing that literally nothing can grow.
Jonathan Sullivan
About as well-known as Skrewdriver and at times even better, Newcastle-based Skullhead were among the few true northerners of RAC's most well-known bands. Also distinct of the band was their staunch Odinist faith and Third Position political stance, where they were as critical of capitalism as they were of communism. Fittingly, the Oi! here sounds as it were conceived in the dingy, dank alleyways of the city centre. "White Warrior" is borne out of social frustration, sorrow, pain and anger, having been inspired by the brutal murder of a close friend Peter Mathewson. Subsequent albums would drift towards a Hard Rock sound that are just as compelling, but their debut just has the right elements for a memorable debut. youtu.be/ZPFY8ylocsw youtu.be/IA7_WDdZZ5w youtu.be/_W56jJlOUDw youtu.be/Xcd0rh0nLI0 youtu.be/aYqpuWXWsmI youtu.be/8YJi0o4ZbUA
No Remorse and their charismatic frontman Paul Burnley would spearhead the Second Wave with "This Time the World". While Brutal Attack and Skrewdriver would sing the glories of England and cast the Third Reich as tragic heroes, they rarely made it racial with one notable exception from the early years.
Fast forward three years later and we have "This Time the World", an album telling you what they thought about Pakistanis, Jews, Blacks and whoever else. Named after George Lincoln Rockwell's book, the music remorselessly embodies the principle of evil. Also significant is that it was the premiere British band on French label Rebelles Européens. Rebelles Européens proudly featured records with emblazoned with Swastikas, Reichsadlers and more.
No Remorse is vicious, degenerate, violent and just vile. The band revels in their slur-laced poetry and, all things considered, the music is as memorable as they come, for the worst and best reasons. Has to be heard to be believed. youtu.be/CJ4aZDeJNBc youtu.be/Ugw7JglJ-9s youtu.be/sFwFn1z46QM
Blake Harris
In case it wasn't screamingly obvious, the RAC band Public Enemy from Kent are completely unrelated to the rap group of the same name, though I'd imagine (later) lead singer Paul Burnley would find a few things to agree on if he ever met Professor Griff. These blokes went on a hiatus shortly after releasing "England's Glory", but not before recruiting Paul Burnley on vocals after some line-up changes. "England's Glory" epitomizes everything the uninitiated would think about RAC with shouty yob Darren "Dal" Mumford yelling to bring back capital punishment to lynch your local rapist all over a steady burst of power chords, tinny drums and cymbal crashes.
Just as the American Hip-Hop legends started shaking up the underground, Paul Burnley resurrected Public Enemy with guitarist Martin Cross to release an album "There Is Only One..." flipping the bird towards the Long Island rappers. Notice the distinct difference between the older and newer incarnations of Public Enemy with the former favoring a straightforward, aggressive style of Oi! like their First Wave brethren while the latter slows down the tempo to a footstomping Hard Rock beat in the vein of the Second Wave. Also different is the lyrical themes. Old Public Enemy strictly stuck to British Nationalism whereas Burnley-era Public Enemy was full-on 1488 Nazi: youtu.be/jznR7vdyjns youtu.be/tmWTaYaPmw8 youtu.be/plHGkoGacNE
Picking a purposely funny yet identifiable name, Indecent Exposure entered the scene as The Hemel Boot Boys before changing their name after a few line-up changes. "Reveal All" is aggressive, passionate and surprisingly catchy. youtu.be/VNk4L7ipOQM
Juan Carter
Hailing from Croydon, Sudden Impact enjoyed a rough reputation as one of Britain's more directly racist RAC bands. The band would publish nasty numbers like "White Slag" under the pseudonym The Croydon Criminals. Their close connection to Ian Stuart and company eventually earned them a deal with Rock-O-Rama Records, debuting with an appropriately named, rough shod Oi! album "Storm." Their music was fittingly spirited if a pinch awkward due to the clunky lyrics.
Sudden Impact would hit the studio again to release a sophomore album "Rock & Roll Rebels." While the songwriting here is cringeworthy with some sour notes to boot, a skinhead band trying their hands at ballad-driven Hard Rock has that inimitable charm characteristic of passion-driven amateurs which lasts long after the first listen not unlike The Shaggs. The release of "White Rider" set a precedent for many to emulate, and if the interviews with Sudden Impact are any indication, Hard Rock was a natural framework for their music. Other skinhead bands would later turn to that sound to a much greater degree than these gents had.
"Hail the Warriors" stands out as the album's highlight. Full of simple, but energetic riffs to keep your blood pumping and keyboards to deepen the impact, the song achieves everything it sets forth. The first real ballad is "God of Thunder," which opens with a soft acoustic before our vocalist proudly hails Thor, hopeful he will return to earth to deliver Europe from the red menace. The song electrifies midway for the refrain before returning to the acoustics. The rest of the album more or less veers between Hard Rock and Skinhead Oi!, but even with a few duff tunes, the music succeeds on its own merits and those curious about RAC's transition from Oi! to Hard Rock will find this listen rewarding. youtu.be/NWJMRjl2B1k youtu.be/NvfpEfroHRQ youtu.be/pT1JgjPbJwM youtu.be/431XUYK0lJQ youtu.be/Kn7loSmVvlc youtu.be/nRxU3WnVOLM
Jayden Roberts
Vengeance entered the world with a rather ordinary Oi! demo that would eventually make its way onto wax two years later, but with a new line-up, the band would release the album "Forward Into War" that radically changed in style. The music here sounds like the bastard child of Motörhead and Skrewdriver. Vocalist Vernon practically sounds like a frothing British Bulldog, relentlessly growling jingoist rhetoric over thunderously hard riffs. Nothing but pure, unabashed English Nationalism. youtu.be/oC1Q2ro1tlM youtu.be/KoVr9COD9rk
Unlike other British skinhead bands who gradually discovered Der Führer, Squadron proudly declared themselves National Socialists from the start. After going through several line-up changes which included the leave of the original songwriter, the band stabilized for the release of "Our Time Will Come" and "Take the Sword", both of which fused the footstomping beat of old school Oi!/Punk with the aggression of Hardcore Punk and later Thrash Metal. By the mid '90s, Squadron would officially crossover to a Metal band with "Combat, Battle and Burn" which features the mighty "Death Before Dishonour". youtu.be/oIFE89leY48 youtu.be/yyHg6ojKuT8 youtu.be/XMWji0XmNsg#t=2m58s youtu.be/PcQnlMxr8bA
Julian Watson
Skrewdriver isn't the only band who met a grim end in an automotive accident. Welsh legends Violent Storm were rising stars in the underground having just finished recording their first full-length album before heading out to promote its release in Spain. The fateful day was Saturday, March 14, 1992. On route to the airport, the band suddenly lost control of the vehicle during a sudden gale, causing it to crash against a bridge and consequently killing all members but lead vocalist Nigel "Billy" Bartlett who miraculously survived after first being ejected several yards from the wreckage and then hospitalized. Bartlett formed Celtic Warrior with former members of Violent Storm and Blackout to continue the legacy of his former bandmates. The music here is straight up Oi!/Hardcore Punk with absolutely no influences of Metal or Hard Rock. youtu.be/RO6BnUP9ads youtu.be/soFD572QKxo youtu.be/f98-fMQnG54
Like Violent Storm, English Rose can safely be considered a throwback to the Oi! of yore rather than the mix of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal that would soon follow in the years to come. Formed out of the ashes of Guttersnipe Army and White Aggression, English Rose would continue their legacy years later as Tattooed Mother Fuckers. youtu.be/dXnv97OGml4 youtu.be/abJhB541Am8
With Nationalist skinhead bands leaving London for Northern England or breaking up, Martin Cross became concerned it would impact the local scene, so he recruited some other musicians on drums, bass and vocals to form Empire. Vocalist Wayne Wakeford sings with an amusingly nasal tone that's a love it/hate it affair, but even so, the gritty barrage of Hard Rock riffs over Anglo-Saxon mythology and Nationalist propaganda grows on you. At times, you will begin to feel the album's length as each track makes a point of wearing out its welcome, but if Z-Grade Hard Rock from the late '80s/early '90s appeals to you, then you're in luck. youtu.be/HQtXYBysGYc
Aaron Carter
Grade One's "Hail the New Land" would be the last British RAC single released by Rebelles Européens. A shame their discography is so limited, because if these two songs are any indication, they could've packed quite a punch if they had a full-length: youtu.be/0aQhKhu3U88
Battle Zone manage to sound better than most of their contemporaries, especially considering they came much later to the game. Sadly, "Nowhere to Hide" languishes in relative obscurity. Years later, lead singer Alex Ellui later renounced his former views, but that still doesn't stop the music from being as fierce as before. The opening title track pummels you with thunderously hard riffs coupled with Alex’s gravelly bark at the forefront all serving to prepare you to fuck shit up in the pit. The rest of the album continues the same way, but special mention goes to the anti-drug song "Way of Death" for featuring some awesome saxophones that accompany the heavy riffs well. youtu.be/FQqPCG7xuxM youtu.be/F0TwdOExAdE youtu.be/EwlMb5fwcgo
Razors Edge earns the distinction as being perhaps the single most repetitive band, but they still manage to be compelling from the sheer strength of their ferocity. First link is a fun little interview from 1996 with Andy Nolan, the madman behind the band. youtu.be/MMiawMjUxi8 youtu.be/8rX4ywVrC50 youtu.be/WXlbMUDTDSQ
Warlord, project of Steve "Stigger" Calladine, started as an ordinary Hard Rock/Oi! RAC band before switching over to Heavy Metal on "Ascension" 15 years after the initial release. The style of that album is refreshingly reminiscent of the NWOBHM. Kudos to them for having the guts to write the Muslim-baiting "Jihad Joe". youtu.be/8yiUQmaV018 youtu.be/viBiIAormQs youtu.be/ZYVjcIBOoNU
Special mention goes to Paul Burnley's solo project solely because of the white power reggae song "Ragga" which has to be heard to be believed: youtu.be/kApS05kQBWA#t=31m02s
Jack Hill
Because saying you're neo Nazi and going all out is illegal in most of Europe, they use crypto language and symbolism instead.
Jack Young
wtf even is this like explain how the definition of anarchy causes Anarcho-communists to screech autistically Then explain how any of this relates to racist shitheads who make shite punk
Jackson Evans
It's certainly not right-wingers countersignaling ITT
Zachary Reed
I'm left wing as fuck, but seeing as this thread isore about discussing the genre rather than Sup Forumsshit, here's a fun fact: here in Czech, after the revolution, Nazi punks and ordinary punks coexisted in peace for years. They released splits, played shows together, all that shit. Also, we had TWO Nazi bands signed to an actual major label which is pretty crazy - one of them was more edgy, crypto Nazism while the other was full out white power Oi, even going so far as to have a big white power cross as one of their album covers, with a major beer manufacturer placing an ad right next to it. To this day I have no idea how they got away with it, I'm not exactly a fan of Nazis
Owen Perry
No I suppose not, but they never do and always end up getting away with it
Mason Taylor
Are you at all aware of the Czech Metal band Excalibur? They were formed out of the ashes of Diktatur. Can you tell us more about the Czech scene? Would love to hear more details. Fascinating stuff
Juan Russell
>always end up getting away with it I've seen RAC threads get deleted for devolving into shitflinging fests no thanks to the countersignaling. Almost always comes from leftists.
I've actually tried opening threads about feminist music and the same shit happens from insecure neckbeards, but at least the threads stay active until archived. The same can't be said for RAC threads. Hopefully this will be an exception
Hunter Hill
Not aware, sorry. What do you want to hear more about? I'm only 25 and not really a historian when it comes to domestic music, so I can't tell you much. As for RAC, it's been mostly banished to small secret gigs usually somewhere in a roadstop restaurant or countryside pubs. The new meme among the bands is to claim they're "apolitical", because showing sympathies or symbolism of Nazism is illegal (mostly pertaining to 3rd Reich, I've found, we actually have a Nazi party that is allowed to exist). And again, being leftist, I was never compelled to listen to those bands, but as far as I know, the sound devolved back into kind of really bad 80s Mötorhead worship or something like that. Of note, a basically cryptofascist band came in 3rd or 2nd in most popular rock band last(?) year in what is basically the local Grammies, which is bizzare. They mostly gained following by baiting alt-righters and other people like that.
Isaac Carter
>Chauves Pourris "Censure" is barred from sale on discogs heh
Logan Russell
Discogs will ban even normal stuff, of course they're gonna ban Nazi music
Gabriel Jones
>To this day I have no idea how they got away with it could it be that the government and wider society knew that they were not literal Nazis from who they had to fear a societal takeover, but basically a street gang which used the swastika to make people afraid of them and to use other peoples' outrage as an opportunity to instigate violence?
Hudson Jones
Interesting thread, like how you describe the history of the movement
James Lopez
I know, right? anyone brandishing the hammer and sickle isn't against dictatorship, so long as it's their side dictating to the rest of society using threats of violence to back a totalitarian agenda. >Democracy is the worst political system, except for every other system that has been tried
