Another 3oth year anniversary. Just to prove that life can always kick you in the teeth a week after the announcement that Derek Beackon had been elected as a BNP councillor on the Isle of Dogs we heard that Ian Stuart was dead. Killed in a car crash. That was 24 September 1993.
You can find a lot of information about Ian Stuart on the internet, some of it may even be true, so I'll keep it to a minimum here and I hope you all raise a glass to him today (replenish the glass he is holding in the picture. I cannot remember Ian ever buying a round!).
Born in Poulton-le-Fylde near Blackpool in Lancashire Ian always aspired to be involved in rock music. What a roller coaster that turned out to be!
Offered lucrative contracts if only he would drop the 'politics' Ian refused to play the game. His band Skrewdriver became the sound and face of 'Rock Against Communism' and later he founded Blood and Honour.
I forget how many concerts I organised for Ian over the years in Newcastle Upon Tyne. He was always willing to come to Tyneside and play gigs there where he felt very comfortable with the people. An in joke of his and mine was that the official title of one of his first White Power vinyl recordings was When The Boat Comes In (the title of a popular 1970's TV series set in Newcastle) which disguised the true title. Google that and I think it still gets past the censors...
I was fortunate to be invited by the organisers Movimento Politico to make a video recording of a super concert weekend in Italy in 1991. This would become Ritorno a Camelot. A three hour video of Skrewdriver and comrades at their best in a superb venue in the foothills of the Alps.
The times we have shared...
Ian packed a lot into his life and used various styles of music to spread the racial message. He and Stigger moved into ballads. He also recorded albums in rockabilly as The Klansmen, Heavy metal as White Diamond.
Above all Ian was a genuine working class man with no airs (he did like an audience though!) who I am proud to have know and worked with. The number of people who 'knew' Ian seems to expand with the years. Twas ever thus. I never had my photo taken with Ian. I always presumed there would be another opportunity.
Which should remind us all that...
Tomorrow Is Always Too Late
youtube.com/watch?v=C21QytYD2Q
Also try:
alternative for britain dereck beackon video
and you should find the talks from the 30th anniversary dinner in his honour.
Until next time. Colin.
Excellent post Mr. Editor, thank you for remembering our mate Ian Stuart.