John Grinny Grinton / NIPS drummer

[John Powers]

That assumes that it's possible to live your life without coming under any form of influence from any direction, religious or non-religious. Which is basically impossible. We all have our attitudes and beliefs formed, knowingly or not, by the society in which we live, whatever that may be. If that society has religious beliefs, then we will have the opportunity either to accept or reject those beliefs. If we are never given the opportunity to explore those beliefs, we will never have the chance to make that informed choice.

No it does not assume that. Obviously everyone will be under a lot of influences. There is a huge difference between influence and brainwash. And how can somebody be denied the opportunity to explore his/her beliefs?

[firehazard]

...how can somebody be denied the opportunity to explore his/her beliefs?

History shows that it can happen under totalitarian atheistic regimes, where all forms of religion are proscribed. And also in theocratic states, where only one form of religion is permitted.

[John Powers]

History shows that it can happen under totalitarian atheistic regimes, where all forms of religion are proscribed. And also in theocratic states, where only one form of religion is permitted.

OK. That is probably true. It just has nothing to do with anything. I was talking about raising kids to explore themselves and do what seems right to them, not pressuring them one way or the other...

By the way, history (and present) shows that it can happen under (not even totalitarian) religious regimes as well..

[duncan disorderly]

Its true:

"Radcliffe was born in Bolton, UK in 1958, and took an interest in music from a young age, playing the drums in a number of unsuccessful bands (including, briefly, Skrewdriver - before their infamous incarnation as a racist band)..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Radcliffe

Yeah I know im a bit slow on this one I must keep up. But read Mark Radcliffes book "Diary of a ROck and Roll nobody " It is excellent. He did drum for Skrewdriver before they went all NF. IT is hilarious. I enjoyed it.

[Nate]

For the record, Skrewdriver's Chiswick ouput was adequate, enthusiastic identipunk.

I too am a little late to this parade. But when I asked about identipunks here the term seemed to be applied only with derision. But it sounds like that isn't the case. Could somebody say a little more about them?

Sorry if this seems a little naive - I haven't got any punks around to ask them.

Nate

[STEVIE]

Like Nate , I also think I may be alittle late with this post,but I seem to remember reading an article by an Ex drummer of Skrewdriver ,who gave an account of his time in the group,being signed to chiswick records ,came into contact with bands also signed to the label through recording,drinking and living in squats,bands referred to in the article were the Radiators From Space , Motorhead, and the NIPS, specific referrence is made in a complimentry way to ,Shane Mc Gowan. This was in the late seventies,early eighties,long before Skrewdrivers 1984 version of reinvention ,of a group who were never any good anyway .Just heard on tv Saddam H has been executed. WHAT ever happened to the singer of Skredriver .Iwill try and find the article I read and let you know were it can be read. ///IF anyones interested///thanks..

[MacRua]

Iwill try and find the article I read and let you know were it can be read. ///IF anyones interested///thanks..

This interview?

[Guest]

Is it true that the NIPS drummer also went on to play with Skrewdriver?. A band with NF conections.
This would greatly shock me as I allways thought Shane would strongly opposed to these kind of views. Added to the fact that he also knocked about with Paul Weller (Jam) whose strongly left wing & anti racist views are well know.

Did Mark Radcliff once drum with Skrewdriver ? Again this does not seem to add up .

yes john grinton did drum for skrewdriver! hes my dad and we have lots of books on skrewdrive and origional merchandise! he died nearly two yr ago tho! RIP

[Guest]

Like Nate , I also think I may be alittle late with this post,but I seem to remember reading an article by an Ex drummer of Skrewdriver ,who gave an account of his time in the group,being signed to chiswick records ,came into contact with bands also signed to the label through recording,drinking and living in squats,bands referred to in the article were the Radiators From Space , Motorhead, and the NIPS, specific referrence is made in a complimentry way to ,Shane Mc Gowan. This was in the late seventies,early eighties,long before Skrewdrivers 1984 version of reinvention ,of a group who were never any good anyway .Just heard on tv Saddam H has been executed. WHAT ever happened to the singer of Skredriver .Iwill try and find the article I read and let you know were it can be read. ///IF anyones interested///thanks..

the singer ian steward died in a car crash

[Low D]

WHAT ever happened to the singer of Skredriver .

yes, he died drinking & driving, and has been memorialized in an MDC song:

NAZIS SHOULDN'T DRIVE

Nazis... shouldn't drive (their cars)
Oi Oi Oi OI!

They shouldn't be driving day or night
They can't think left, they can only think right
The sun reflects off their bald head
Like Ian Stuart they're going to wind up dead

Nazis... shouldn't drive (their cars)
Oi Oi Oi OI!

They should've paid attention in driver's ed
Instead of hating foreigners, queers and reds
Keep your eyes on the highway you loser thug
Now you're squished on the highway like a bug

Nazis... shouldn't drive (their cars)
Oi Oi Oi OI!

Ian, Ian, King of the Pit, no friend to you or me
Aaaaaaaaaaah! Watch out for that tree!

[RoddyRuddy]

Recently got a dogy CDR copy of Skrewdriver - All Skrewed Up [MP3]Lp. [bought a nice coffee table as well] no cover or art work
This was listened to prove /disprove the may comments about the lp . Hope most of you on here know that Iam anti fasicts/nazi so no stupid insults .Have to say it is very like many punk records of the time eg 1234.Sadly most of the lyrics are just very juvenile and as a result are not much too right home about .Happly they are not the right wing scum lyrics of the latter lps .Manly just about lack of money, cars & girls.There is one lyric that was a little prophetic QUOTE "....I'm prayin' to break out free now
Playin' in a rock'n'roll band
Playin' that rock'n'roll music
Probably gonna get us banned ....." end quote.
Listening to it has finaly but to bed the great unease that I personnely had about any drummer from The Nips [ John Grinton] or Mark Radcliff being connected to this band. Also cofirmed other members comments about the lp
I will not been listening to it again.

[philipchevron]

Recently got a dogy CDR copy of Skrewdriver - All Skrewed Up [MP3]Lp. [bought a nice coffee table as well] no cover or art work
This was listened to prove /disprove the may comments about the lp . Hope most of you on here know that Iam anti fasicts/nazi so no stupid insults .Have to say it is very like many punk records of the time eg 1234.Sadly most of the lyrics are just very juvenile and as a result are not much too right home about .Happly they are not the right wing scum lyrics of the latter lps .Manly just about lack of money, cars & girls.There is one lyric that was a little prophetic QUOTE "....I'm prayin' to break out free now
Playin' in a rock'n'roll band
Playin' that rock'n'roll music
Probably gonna get us banned ....." end quote.
Listening to it has finaly but to bed the great unease that I personnely had about any drummer from The Nips [ John Grinton] or Mark Radcliff being connected to this band. Also cofirmed other members comments about the lp
I will not been listening to it again.

Skrewdriver were signed to Chiswick Records at the same time as the Radiators and our early singles and debut albums were more or less contemporary. Chiswick initially lumped both bands together in press statements, as evidence there were punk bands outside London - they from Blackpool, we from Dublin. The same producer, Roger Armstrong, supervised the early recordings of both bands. While I always felt Skrewdriver were a bit naive and hopelessly one-dimensional, they certainly were not the White Power supremos they later went on to be. All Skrewed Up is pretty much a standard-issue noisy punk album, but it contains none of the repugnant racist positions the band would later take and which would make their name and logo infamous all over the world (and banned on eBay, incidentally). Chiswick Records many years ago ceased to exploit Skrewdriver's recordings, which is honourable enough when you consider how much money they could have made from their repertoire (an album and two singles).

Shane and the Nips of course covered much of the same North London/West End "Murphia" territory as ourselves and Skrewdriver, which is how Grinny got involved with the Nips.

[IrishRover]

WHAT ever happened to the singer of Skredriver .

yes, he died drinking & driving, and has been memorialized in an MDC song:

NAZIS SHOULDN'T DRIVE

Nazis... shouldn't drive (their cars)
Oi Oi Oi OI!

They shouldn't be driving day or night
They can't think left, they can only think right
The sun reflects off their bald head
Like Ian Stuart they're going to wind up dead

Nazis... shouldn't drive (their cars)
Oi Oi Oi OI!

They should've paid attention in driver's ed
Instead of hating foreigners, queers and reds
Keep your eyes on the highway you loser thug
Now you're squished on the highway like a bug

Nazis... shouldn't drive (their cars)
Oi Oi Oi OI!

Ian, Ian, King of the Pit, no friend to you or me
Aaaaaaaaaaah! Watch out for that tree!

oi loike MDC !

[Low D]

oi loike MDC !

The late great Utah Phillips - storyteller, songwriter, anarchist, and american folk icon; amongst other jobs - had a phrase for songs like that: "Ogden Nash would blush".

I've always said that, if you can hear the rhyme coming 1/2 a verse away, it makes it easier to sing along. And even though i don't listen to the punk as often as i used to, i *still* love MDC. And Dave Dictor is once of the nicest guys you'll meet.

[SHARP Skinhead]

Apparently old Grinny was always a racist and joined the NF even:
http://www.ainaskin.com/interviews/
(scroll down past the Ian stuart interviews)
He even had his daughters listen to "nationalist" (or more accurately "racist") music.