Vote

Vote for this guy...vote for the other guy. It is up to you. But if you are an American, please don't forget to vote.

S.H.A.R.P - Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice

Found this on Youtube today. Worth a look, not too preachy. Enjoy!

Pride Without Prejudice : The S.H.A.R.P. Book

Say No to nazis Charlotte NC

Only a quick post today. I'm busy editing part of the S.H.A.R.P. book (yes, the history articles about Antifa, AFA, ARA are still coming) but this caught my attention. November 10th is coming up. 

Feel free to do as the flyer suggests. Nothing wrong with a little friendly e-mail or phone call letting them know your honest opinion.

Okay, back to editing the S.H.A.R.P. book (still accepting submissions of flyers, art work, clippings, photos from all over the world).

The S.H.A.R.P. Book

Now as some of you out there know I write for more than just The S.H.A.R.P. Blog. If you didn't know that, guess what? I write for more than just this blog. One of the things that I have been working on over the past year is a book on S.H.A.R.P. that should be finished in the new year (provided 2012 does not kill us all by having dinosaurs rise from the grave).

One thing I'd like to do in this little book is have some photos from S.H.A.R.P. all over the world in it. Crews, individuals, guys and gals. Did you hold an event with a cool flyer? Did you design a cool little S.H.A.R.P. graphic? Send them in (the e-mail is in the contact section on the top of the blog, or if you are lazy, press HERE). The best of the best will be published in the book. All credit will be given for your work.

The S.H.A.R.P. Book will be available as an e-book (Kobo, Kindle, Nook, iPad, I got mad skills and it can be read on all), and as a limited edition highly collectable, savagely murdered tree version (take THAT political crust punks!).

Coming up next week, some history on ARA, Antifa, and AFA, because there seems to be some confusion with some of the younger kids out there about them.

What do neo-nazis put on their luftwaffles? Golden Dawn!

So some people over the past little while have been asking me who Golden Dawn are, and what does fascism have to do with Canadian butter products (see last post)?

As far as the butter goes, nothing at all. I was just making fun of their name. I do that sometimes.

Golden Dawn is an extreme right-wing party operating out of Greece.

Their flag (known as the Meandros Flag) is coloured and based on the National Socialist flag in both colour and design.

Golden Dawn was formed in 1985 by a man named Nikolaos Michaloliakos (dishonourably discharged from the Greek reserves) and some of his friends/supporters after he broke away from the National Political Union (aka the EPEN, another far right Greek political party). Golden Dawn was officially recognized as a political party in 1993.

Golden Dawn has street gangs that have been known for their bloody attacks on immigrants in Greece. Golden Dawn carry out immigration checks, stopping people and making sure they are Greek Nationals.





What has this got to do with Canada you ask? Well to be honest almost nothing... Except that Golden Dawn operates here too.



 Montreal Quebec has seen Golden Dawn become increasingly active with "charity" fundraising events. In an alarming number of Canadian (American as well) cities with a higher Greek population you can find people trying to organize Golden Dawn chapters.

There is a petition out of Montreal against Golden dawn that you can sign HERE

The Americans just had a public meeting about them.




Golden Dawn is bad news.

When I hear your name I think of butter

I simply can not take a neo-nazi group seriously when they are named after butter (Okay they are not actually named after this brand of butter, but it was that or make a Golden Shower joke).

For an article on Golden Dawn, check back here tomorrow.

I agree with the racists who don't want immigrants living on their street.

I have decided that I agree with the racists who do not want immigrants to live on their street. I want those racists to have their all white Christian areas. Because I want the immigrants, from all over the world, to move into mine.

Eastern European, south Asian, African, Indian, Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox, Hindu, Buddhist... I don't care what your native tongue is. I don't care how well you speak English. Please move into my area. Move across the street from me. Move into the buildings next to mine. Move next door to me. Say hello to me when I walk past you, I'll say it back. Just please please please promise to open up shops that sell your food. Please play the music you grew up with. And please remember to invite me over for lunch every once in a while. For those who do you will be gladly welcomed into my Hallway Pub for a pint. Or if you don't drink alcohol, I'll try to figure out some tasty booze free drinks for you.

Damn I feel so sorry for people who are so closed minded that they can't enjoy the different tastes that the world offers. People whose life is so closed off that they can't enjoy the melody of a song that is being sung in a language that they do not speak.

You can have children of any colour you want. You can eat any food you want, watch any shows you like, and listen to any style of music you enjoy. But I've got to tell you, I love having the freedom to decide for myself what I like and what I don't. If I find something I don't like, I won't eat/listen to/ watch/ it again.

The best part of life is actually living it to its fullest. I have no idea what I'm about to eat. I have no idea what the woman who sold it to me called it. She either was speaking in a heavy accent or in her native tongue. All I know is she liked that I was willing to try it, and she gave me what can only be described as a large looking muffin thing with spices in it to dip it in. God bless her, I'll be back again next week to see what else I can find to try!

Activists Part II

I've been seeing this little quote (and variations of) on Facebook a lot lately on a bunch of politically active people's profiles. Just for the record, it has ZERO power. When you joined Facebook, you clicked agree on the terms and conditions and all that lot. You do not have the power to suddenly change your user

"Warning--any person and/or institution and/or Agent and/or Agency of any governmental structure including but not limited to the United States Federal Government also using or monitoring/using this website or any of its associated websites

, you do NOT have my permission to utilize any of my profile information nor any of the content contained herein including, but not limited to my photos, and/ or the comments made about my photos or any other "picture" art posted on my profile. You are hereby notified that you are strictly prohibited from disclosing, copying, distributing, disseminating, or taking any other action against me with regard to this profile and the contents herein. The foregoing prohibitions also apply to your employee(s), agent(s), student(s) or any personnel under your direction or control. The contents of this profile are private and legally privileged and confidential information, and the violation of my personal privacy is punishable by law."

Sorry, but it is just not going to work. It also makes you look sort of silly. Don't just take my word for it though, please feel free to do a little research on the topic.

My problem with some activists out there.

There was a posting on the Occupy Canada Facebook page with this photo:

BREAKING NEWS : City of Toronto Workers Destroy Free Community Food Garden Amid Growing Food Crisis

This morning workers from the City of Toronto were ordered by City of Toronto Parks Director Richard Ubbens to remove all live plants and food from the People's Peas Garden in Queens Park. They were ordered to take the plants and food to the dump and lay sod overtop of this most beautiful free community food garden, without warning, without a chance to remove the rare heirloom plant species or harvest the food. The garden was planted by Occupy Gardens and allies on May 1st, in defense of local and global food security. While the garden has been growing undisturbed for nearly 5 months, with the help of hundreds in the community, the city deliberately decided to have it removed upon the eve of the Autumn Jam: A Harvest Party and celebration of sharing, community and free local food, which is happening tomorrow from

12-6pm at the garden in Queens Park (northwest section).

EVENT PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/events/414496608609039/

The reason? The people did not have permission to grow free food on public land. I come from a city and country where one does not need permission to do the right thing. We are experiencing a "glocal" food crisis, where more and more people are lining up at food banks for kraft dinner and peanut butter, waiting lists for community gardens are growing, food prices rising, and our leaders are nowhere to be seen. Rather they are hiding behind their desk ordering the workers to destroy whatever hope we have left.

We need help sharing this story far and wide.

We will be having our Autumn Jam harvest party/vigil tomorrow as scheduled from 12noon-6pm in the northwest section of Queens Park.

As a side note - last Monday Sept 17th gardeners travelled to Ottawa on a Peas Keeping mission for national, global food security, where we planted a free heart-shaped food garden on Parliament Hill, at which point the RCMP stomped on the plants and threatened arresting people, we removed the plants and relayed the sod.

Thanks so much for your time and help,

In Peas, Lovage & SOILidarity!

Jacob Kearey-Moreland- Occupy Gardens Toronto

RCMP Stop Occupy Toronto From Planting Garden On Parliament Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuZdCLXc7H4

Monday, October 1st- Right to Food Rally - NO GARDEN IS ILLEGAL http://www.facebook.com/events/185270878275210/

we are bringing the garden to them and are going to plant a free food garden at city hall

Now I seriously think that community gardens are a good idea. A way for those in need to get some fresh veggies. However the fact that they decided to plant in Queen's Park without permission was a huge mistake. What they ended up doing was wasting everyone's time, energy, and having their crop destroyed.

Yes it was a douche move to pull up the garden after months of having it grow there, and to destroy all the veggies, I agree. What should have happened is these people go out and ask permission first. Who knows, maybe they would have gotten it? At worse they'd have been told no, and would have then been able to find a different place to plant.

I've been reading people's reaction to this and it seems some miss the point of activism. The point is not to break the law as some have said, but to make the world a better place. Sometimes you might be left with no choice. Some laws are wrong. This does not mean you decided to break any law you want to try to do something good. When you do that it is not heroic, and it is not activism. It is being entitled and lazy.

Let's not forget what matters here... those who are hungry. If you want to help them, then make a full effort to help them, not a half ass lazy one where you get to cry victim because you didn't bother to find out if you were allowed to do something at all.

THIS is pride?

Photo by Brett Gundlock/Boreal Collective. Rob is restrained by Kevin, following a fight with another member of their group, January, 2010, in Calgary. Rob and Kevin are members of Western European Bloodlines.

The Calgary Herald just released an article about some white power boneheads by photojournalist Brent Gundlock, filled with interesting and rather gross photos taken... well, tell you what. It's early and I have not had my coffee yet. You can read the full article and view some of the photos here.

I'll just point out that the article calls this lot skinheads. They are not. Calling these people skinheads is like calling Protestants the Klu Klux Klan.

Anyway, I'm off for my morning coffee.

Green Lantern - Muslim hero?

Normally I try to keep this blog about things skinhead, or local to Toronto. However the past 2 weeks things have been sort of nuts what with right wing Christian nutters writing me death threats due to my not thinking protesting by walking your dog to a mosque is a Canadian Values thing or going to end radical Islam through the world (although it did amuse me that the death threats I got from the Christian nutters pretty much echoed  the tone of groups like the Taliban.. tisk tisk).

So one more post about Islam and then it is back to skinhead stuff for the next little while.

D.C. Comics has announced that the newest member of the Green Lantern Corps. to take the oath is an American born Muslim from Dearborn Michigan. You can read all the details here.

                                              

Congrats to D.C. for doing this. Normally Muslims are shown as the bad guys in pop culture, or at best as minor characters. This will be the first time a Muslim has taken the main stage in North America that I can remember ( Little Mosque On The Prairie being the only other thing coming to mind without the help of a Google search). Odds are for a lot of people this will also be their first introduction to Muslim culture aside from what they see on the news. Which kind of makes me sad.

There are people in comic book fandom who are complaining that "This is just a P.C. move by D.C., and what will they do next, make Superman Muslim too?"

I was never a big D.C. fan (except for their Vertigo line). I grew up in the Marvel camp (go Spider-Man!) but even I know that more than one man has worn the power ring of the Green Lanterns. The fact that this time the new GL happens to be a Muslim should not be a big deal. Muslim children in Canada and the U.S.A. have a hero they can relate to. What is so bad about that?

Canadian Values or pure hate? Walk your Dog In Front Of a Mosque day

For the past week there has been an event page on Facebook called Walk Your Dog In Front Of A Mosque Day. This event claims to be standing up for "Canadian values and freedoms".

Basically what happened is some radical Muslims decided to hold an al Quds Day event at Queen's Park in August. The JDL (Jewish Defence League) showed up to protest the event. Allen Einstoss, ( not associated with the JDL ) decided to walk his 165 pound mastiff dog named Cupcake with an Israeli flag tied to it's neck right up to the radical Muslim protesters.

Mr. Einstoss was punched in the chest by one of the radical Muslim men. Mr. Einstoss shoved the man back. The police grabbed and arrested Mr. Einstoss and threatened to charge him with trying to incite a riot and assault. Some time during the punch to the chest and the shove back it seems Cupcake got kicked as well.

Now anyone with any common sense can see that Mr. Einstoss was there with his dog to protest the al Quds day supporters. He was not just some man out for a walk when he had the bad luck to be assaulted by Muslims and then arrested for it like so many seem to believe.

The police dropped the ball when they arrested Mr. Einstoss and not the Muslim man who punched him in the chest.

Queen's Park made what many people felt was a mistake for allowing the al Quds day rally to happen at Queen's Park.

The Walk Your Dog In Front Of A Mosque protest has decided to target this mosque right when Muslims will be going to pray.

Dharminder Kumar of the Canadian Hindu Advocacy has said that this event is a peaceful one, about love and Canadian values. However a quick look at the events page shows some of the most venomous hate and anger that has been seen in a long time. Mr. Kumar himself even takes part in the hate by calling Muslims "muzzies" and "pakis".

Some of the more vocal hate filled supporters have even posted photos of Anders Behring Breivik, Norway's notorious Muslim killer, calling him a hero and saying the Muslim children he slaughtered were "traitors to Norway".

This event and its supporters have stated to say over and over that they are not racist, and it is not a racist event. I've been giving it a lot of thought, if it is racist or not. Islam is a religion after all, and anyone of any culture and colour can become Muslim. But then I noticed all of the photos, all of the videos posted, all seemed to only show the Arabic and African side of Islam. Calling Muslims "sand niggers", drawings showing Muslim men about to rape children...

I truly believe that not everyone supporting this event is a bigot or racist. But a hell of a lot of them are. Any Muslim who dared post on the event page talking about Islam was insulted, was called a liar, and dismissed. Any non-Muslim who questioned the logic of protesting at this mosque rather than at the police station, or at Queen's Park was told that they were secretly a Muslim ("muzzie") plant, a left wing loon, and dismissed.

A few days ago someone started a blog highlighting the comments that a number of posters have been making. Reblog A Racist. This blog seems to be updated daily with new venom filled screenshots from the event page.

A few people who supported this event have been turned off by the hate shown and decided not to go, which just helps prove that not everyone who supports the event is a bigot.

Muslims have been in Canada since the 1950s. Yes there have been a few that were evil (the Honour killings of the three daughters by their parents). But you can not damn a whole group of people for the actions of a few. If we start to do that the Christian churches would have a lot to answer for (KKK and WBC come to mind).

Is this event hateful? Bigoted? Racist? You be the judge. What Canadian values are, and mean is up to you.

Nigger, N-bomb, The N word

Looking over some of my posts from the past few days, and from some of the e-mail and letters I get, I've noticed that I am rather opinionated. Well here is another opinion for you.

 I hate it when people use the N word. By this I actually mean people who say "the N word" rather than "nigger." This does not mean I want people to be walking around saying stupid shit like "Damn nigger cut me off/forgot to put extra pickles on my burger/is wearing those ugly crock shoes." Anyone who speaks like that should be punched in the face. Twice.

 No, what I'm talking about is that if you are quoting someone who said something like the above to someone else, if you say "the N word" I know you mean "nigger" and so does the person you are talking to. Everyone does. If someone called your mother a bitch would you tell people you punched them because they said "the b word"?

 Words have power, no doubt. If you are outraged by something someone said, and want to share what they said to someone else who will be outraged too, why blunt it? If you feel the need to blunt it, then the person you are talking to will not feel the power of the words used.

Nigger... faggot... bitch... words like these have power. They are loaded words. They are dangerous words. People should use them with caution. Coming up with cute little code words that let everyone say them guilt free does not make them go away. It does not strip the hate and violence from them. If you feel you need to use them to communicate a story, then use them. Or maybe you shouldn't be telling the story at all.

Pride Without Prejudice

Due to the high number of younger skinheads on here that keep contacting me, I'm going to say this once again.

S.H.A.R.P. (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) is NOT political. The ONLY political stance S.H.A.R.P. has is being against racial prejudice, and that is more a moral stance than a political stance due to there being right wing and left wing parties who are also against racism.

To the idiots who slag S.H.A.R.P. as being antifa or communist, and then say things like "I'm not racist but..." Shut up. Clarifying a racist statement by saying you are not racist is the same as saying "I'm not going to hit you but..." and punching someone in the face.

As to all the young people who are claiming S.H.A.R.P. please realize that your personal political feelings do not represent S.H.A.R.P. they only represent you (and maybe some of your friends). For example you will see me take a stand against homophobia and to protect pit bulls. These are things I care about, and NOT S.H.A.R.P. ideals. I know some S.H.A.R.P. how are homophobic, and some who hate dogs. I may not agree with them, but that does not make them any more or less a S.H.A.R.P. than I am. S.H.A.R.P. is not left wing or right wing. S.H.A.R.P. has no position on gun control, abortion, on feeding the homeless. INDIVIDUAL S.H.A.R.P. do.

If you want to join a political movement there are many out there, and God bless for caring enough to try and make a difference in the world. Give 'em hell and make me proud.

S.H.A.R.P. can be summed up pretty well with 3 little words.

"Pride without prejudice."

The Prowlers take Toronto!

Friday April 27th Montreal's best band, The Prowlers will be back in Toronto playing a show at Parts And Labour (1556 Queen St. West).

Birds Of Prey and more TBA opening for them!

$10.50 Advance tickets at Ticketweb, Rotate This, Soundscapes.

South End - 2nd Annual TFC Season Kickoff Show

Yes, it's been a while. It's time to dust off the equipment and put on another show (how we maintain this hectic performance schedule we'll never know).

 C'mon out, get ready for the season, get smashed, act like an idiot, no one will remember or they will be hiding their shame as well... we may even have a few new songs!

 Time for our second annual TFC Campaign kickoff show.

 South End w/ (https://www.facebook.com/SouthEnd111)
 (http://soundcloud.com/south-end)

 Social Club No. 27 (x Broadcast Zero) \
 Hard Luck, March 3rd
 9:30PM 19+ $5

Black History Month Racist?

So it has been brought to my attention that Black History Month is upon us again. Sadly we are forced to deal with this racist cop-out of an idea. Black History Month presents itself as a way to achieve equality between the races, and a chance to promote and teach black history in the United States, and even in Canada. This is total B.S.

Black History Month does nothing more but segregate history in the minds of children. There is 'real' history, and then there is 'black' history, is the message it subtly sends. When it comes to North America, to Canadian and the United States, Black history IS the history of our two nations, or at least a very important part of it. As is European history, Asian history and Native history.

I'm not sure of how Black History Month is taught today, but when I was in high school we learned about the civil rights movement and peanut butter. Slavery was lightly glossed over (many people today do not realize that Canada had slaves as well. It is a shameful part of out history, but it is still a part none the less, and should be remembered and taught). For the most part until I decided to educate myself, by the way it was taught it never occurred to me that Egypt is in Africa. Cleopatra looked like Elizabeth Taylor after all, right?

As I mentioned Black History Month is all about segregation. Here is history, and this is the history for the black students. Here is the water fountain, and here is the water fountain for the black students. I'm betting one of the previous two sentences managed to make some people rather uncomfortable. Both should have.

Before I started writing this I made a little update on Facebook telling people that I was going to be writing about Black History Month, and to not judge what I write until you read it. I did this for a reason. I wanted to see people's reaction. It ran the gauntlet from people asking if the world needs another white person criticizing Black History Month, to someone else suggesting calling it “Humanitarian Month”, while others saying we should teach that racism is just as bad coming from black people as when it comes from white people. One person even commented that the fact that I asked people to not judge until I finished writing this was telling in itself. All this over teaching history.

We are so focused on the most trivial of things to the point that we seem to be always dividing ourselves up and missing the bigger picture. Is a black man a black man, or is he a man? Is a Catholic man a Catholic man, or is he a man? If you ask the Klu Klux Klan both black man and Catholic man are not really men at all, and something to be scorned. Am I a white man? An Irish man? A Canadian man? Other than us all being individuals does my skin define me as a different man than you? Does your skin make you a different man than I am? My cultural roots run deep within me, and helped shape who I grew into. There is nothing wrong in my having pride in who I am, who my family is and where we are from. These things helped me grow into a man. No matter what colour your skin is if you work hard, you try to educate yourself, you help to provide for your family, then you are my brother or sister. There will always be a space for you at my table. I hope there will always be room for me at yours.

If black history was better incorporated into the normal curriculum of history classes it would be better learned by students, slowly being dished out all year long. To attempt to cram the history of a large part of the population all into just one month makes it harder to learn, understand and remember. It would also stop people from saying things like “When is White History Month?” It would give children a better understandings of who they are, who the person sitting next to them is, and teachers could gloss over things like peanut butter and get into more important topics.

If a class was learning about World War II then in that lesson for the week include the contributions of black and Native soldiers with the white ones. We all bled together, shouldn't we learn about it as a whole? When looking back at the 50's and 60's shouldn't we then talk about the civil rights movement and how it changed the country, rather than skim over it and wait until February? Was Dr. King's dream to have "the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood” but have segregation of our history?

History classes should encompass all history of a nation. Here is the history of our nation in the 1st century. Here is what happened in the 17th century and so on. Students, parents, teachers and future employers should be asking, demanding, more incorporated history be taught in schools. We settled so easily on this segregated way of teaching, this flawed idea, that now for a lot of people the very act of teaching history that should be taught, that needs to be looked at and learned seems to bring out such controversy.

I don't want a Black History Month. I don't want a White History Month, or any history month based on the colour of someone's skin. My history is just as important as your history. Your history is just as important as my history. I would rather fight for a year long quality incorporation of our shared history than have it split up like this.

There, I've tossed in my two cents. Feel free to rip me a new one now.

N.J. Rock Against Fascism w/ DJ Mono Local

The skinheads in New Jersey are putting on a little gig with DJ Mono Loco spinning the best in oi, punk hardcore ska and reggae. No cover means you have more money to spend on drinks!

This will take place at the Green Room, in Harrison NJ. Click HERE for more info and directions.

Austria and HARM... Check them out

2 new websites for you to check out. S.H.A.R.P. Austria and Hoosier Anti-Racist Movement (HARM)

Check them out!

The S.H.A.R.P. Blog on Facebook

Making it easier to contact the S.H.A.R.P. blog a Facebook page has been launched. Feel free to like it, comment on it, post it around. The page will be checked every couple of days, so your posts will be noticed.

The S.H.A.R.P. Blog on Facebook...

Supporting Cheri DiNovo In Removing All Aspects of BSL In Ontario

Here is an issue that will be near and dear to a lot of skinhead's hearts... BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) aka pit bull bans.


In Ontario pit bull "type" dogs are banned. Some (like mine) are grandfathered, but new bully breeds (pit bull and pit bull type breeds are targeted... what exactly is a "pit bull type breed"? Boxer? Mastiff? Bulldog?) are not allowed in the province.


Anyone who has ever had a dog and has half a brain knows that ANY dog can be a dangerous dog depending on how it is raised. Banning a breed will eventually stop that breed from biting after all of the breed die out in the banned area. However the idiot owners will just get another type of dog, and them being idiot owners will raise that new dog to be a danger. So do we start banning Bull Terriers in 10 years? German Shepards in 20 years? Or do we come up with a law that targets bad owners, and not entire breeds?


Cheri DiNovo MPP for Parkdale-High Park in Toronto (NDP) has a bill before the House fighting to rid the breed specific portion in Dog Owners Liability Act (DOLA)If you happen to agree with the slogan "Ban the deed not the breed" then please help support Cheri's by visiting www.supporthersheybill.com or the Facebook page for this bill.

A Guide to the cults

A clipping from the Mirror that was sent to me the other day. Just a little bit of skinhead history for everyone to enjoy.

Live music in Hogtown

It was brought to my attention that this blog has a history of helping promote local shows in the GTA, so I called around to see what was up and where and found some upcoming shows for you all to enjoy.

  The Matadors perform in Toronto with the legendary Maximum RnR and Rehab for Quitters. Saturday February 18th at The Hard Luck Bar (812 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON). $12 Advance Tickets at Rotate This!(801 Queen Street West Toronto)19+, Doors open at 7:30 PM

 Also on the same date (oh the choices that you have to make!) The Lager Lads will be back in Toronto for the first time in years and are rippin' it up with Out of Order, Overpower, Birds of Prey, and True Grit! $8 before 10 o'clock, $10 after! 19+, at Rancho Relaxo (300 College street, Toronto)

Follow me on Twitter (I just died a little inside writing that)

I've gotten a few e-mails from people (well, the SHARP blog has and they have been forwarded to me) asking to set up interviews, asking questions, wanting to network etc. The fastest way to get in contact with me I guess would be through Twitter. I am horrible for checking my e-mail, and I'm not going to be posting my phone number on here so if anyone needs to get in contact with me, rather than those who I do this blog with feel free to add me on Twitter. And yes... yes I do feel like a giant nerd at the moment. On to more important things however. A few new interviews will be posted soon and a few rants and essays are in the works. KTF

An interview with Roddy Moreno

TO SHARP: You have been a skinhead for a long long time now. What was it that first attracted you to skinhead, and what is it that has kept you an active skinhead for all these years?

Roddy: I got into it as a 12 year old in 1969 after seeing older skins at the football. The sight of skinheads on the terraces made a big impression on me so When I got home I borrowed my brothers work boots, rolled up my jeans and stole my old mans bracers. Slowly the hair got longer and the jeans got wider and by ‘74 it was all over. After I got out out of prison in ’81 I got back into it and been into it ever since. Now I’m a 55 year old skinhead and can’t imagine being anything else.

TO SHARP: What do you think of the skinhead scene today? How does it stack up against when you were younger?

Roddy: What I see is when I’m on the road with the band and most of the skins I meet are cool people. I can’t really compare how it was with how it is because my perspective has changed. First time round it was a youth cult and we was just kids looking cool and acting stupid but now it’s a totally different thing. I know it’s a cliché but now it’s a way of life.

TO SHARP: What does the term 'greyzone' mean? What makes a band a greyzone band?

Roddy: The way I see it the greyzone is just another way of saying fence sitters or fence walkers. I suppose if a band plays dodgy right wing venues while claiming to be non political and anti-racist they’d be considered greyzone.

TO SHARP: What difference is there between SHARP and groups like ARA/AFA?

RODDY: SHARP is simply stating that you’re a skinhead,who is against racism and disassociating yourself from racist boneheads. ARA/AFA are activists although many SHARPs are involved.

TO SHARP: There have been some postings from some people online calling you a Communist, and saying that you have become too militant in your anti-racist stance and activities. How would you respond to the people saying this?

Roddy: I don’t. I’ve been called a Commie ever since we issued Work Together. Some people will always throw the commie comment around so you just take no notice. If saying fuck fascism and playing anti racist gigs is too militant for some people then that’s their problem.

TO SHARP: How do you feel about skinheads who claim 'no politics'?

Roddy: I find most people who talk about no politics mean left wing politics but seem to have no problem with right wing politics. Fuck the government and fuck the police are political statements but no one says a word when bands sing about these things but as soon as a band says fuck the Nazis and fuck the racists you get accusations of “POLITICS”. At the end of the day life is political and it’s hard to ignore life.

TO SHARP: Skinhead has grown and evolved since the 1960's, and spread all over the world. North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia each have their own skinheads, and skinhead cultures. Some try to copy what they see on Youtube or read in the George Marshall's books(Spirit of '69, Skinhead Nation, etc) and others seem to mix skinhead with their local cultures. I've been seeing 2 sets of opinions on this. One side says that skinheads should act as English as they can, the other says that blending skinhead with local cultures helps keep it fresh and growing. What do you think?

Roddy: I think skinheads should do whatever they want and fuck what other ‘skinheads’ think. I wear trainers most of the time and if someone thinks it makes me less of a skinhead because I ain’t wearing boots then fuck ‘em. Skinhead has been evolving since day 1 and I suppose it will continue evolving.which has to be a good thing.

TO SHARP: Your most famous band, The Oppressed has toured all over since being formed in I believe it was 1981. Are there any cities you have played in that stand out in your mind? Are there any cities that you would have liked to play but never got the chance to?

Roddy: To be honest all cities are the same from a band perspective. The only difference is the language or the accents but the gigs are all full of skins n punks n herberts who all seem to share the same way of life wherever we are. Maybe it’s because I’m and old man but all the gigs are much the same. We always have a ball meeting new people and making new friends and the city I’d like to play is the next one.

TO SHARP: Are there any bands you never got the chance to play with that you would have liked to?

Roddy: The Short n Curlies. Twice we were going to play with them and twice it never came off so I’d like to finally share a stage with them.

TO SHARP: What was some of the music you loved growing up? Who did you listen to?

Roddy: I grew uo listening to my by brothers and sisters soul and motown records and then when the skinhead thing kicked in it was all reggae. The Tighten Up LPs, The Pioneers, Prince Buster,Desmond Dekker and of course Symarip. When I was about 10 yeas old though I loved The Monkeys

TO SHARP: Who do you listen to today?

Roddy: Same as back then. It’s still Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae & Soul but I’ve also dived backwards into the roots of ska and sometimes listen to Rhythm n Blues.

TO SHARP: The media seems to be using the word skinhead less these days when they talk about racist attacks. Do you think this has to do with SHARP growing, oi and ska bands taking an anti-racist stance, and the popularity of books (Skinheads by John King) and movies (This Is England)showing a more realistic slice of traditional skinhead life?

Roddy: I think it’s all of the above but the media will always do and say what they think will sell papers.Truth has never meant a thing to the mainstream media.

TO SHARP: Have you got any advice for the older skinheads still out there today, and the new ones that will be cropping up tomorrow?

Roddy: Watch your back because the cunts are just around the corner.

A blast from the past

Anyone out there remember this old flyer?