Ian Stuart

Ian Stuart Donaldson formed the band Skrewdriver in 1976 in Mansfield, England. The group started playing conventional punk rock, but Donaldson's political views soon shaped their direction. He became involved with the British National Front in the late 1970s, and his lyrics grew increasingly militant and racially charged.

Skrewdriver developed a following among white nationalists and skinheads despite the controversies surrounding their music. They released albums like "Hail the New Dawn" in 1984 and "White Rider" in 1987. Songs such as "Battle Cries" became anthems for the extreme right, with lyrics that glorified white supremacist battles.

Donaldson faced legal trouble for his lyrics and political activities. He was arrested multiple times for inciting racial hatred, and in 1993 he received a three-month prison sentence for distributing a song that glorified the murder of a black teenager. That same year, at age 36, he died in a car accident in Derbyshire.