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RSSWhy is Plan B wearing a neo-nazi band's T-shirt?
The rapper is pictured in a Skrewdriver shirt in Shortlist magazine.
By Helen Lewis Published 22 July 2012 11:26
The latest Shortlist magazine features an interview with rapper Plan B, in which he is dubbed "The Last Protest Singer". The cover features the rapper, looking moody against a smoky city skyline - but wait, look closer.
That's a Skrewdriver t-shirt he's wearing.
Skrewdriver were a "white power" band, with neo-Nazi overtones and links to the National Front.
Here's an example of some of Skrewdriver's incredibly subtle imagery:
Why on earth would Plan B choose to wear the T-shirt of a band with such a history? And why would Shortlist let him?
As Brian Whelan writes on his blog on the subject:
Skrewdriver were a driving force behind the UK’s neo-Nazi skinhead scene in the 80s and early 90s. Their singer, Ian Stuart, launched the Blood and Honour movement with Nicky Crane, which to this day functions as an international network providing funds for the far-right.
It's hard to see how the "I was doing it ironically" defence will work on this one.
UPDATE: 22 July 2012, 21.00.
Plan B has issued a statement to The Quietus, explaining the provenance of the shirt - and adding that he was unaware of the band's unsavoury links.
"I was ignorant to the existence of the band Skrewdriver. I don't listen to music like that so I wouldn't know the names of bands that make that music. I was wearing a t-shirt I created using a photograph from the photographer Gavin Watson's book Skins.
[...]
Gavin's photos are relevant to me because they represent the demonised youth of the past. Just like my generation of young people are demonised in the media to all be hoodie wearing thugs and chavs so were the skinheads in the 80's.
[...]
The minute I found out what the words on the t-shirt meant I was angry with myself for not questioning them. The t-shirt is not official nor is it on sale anywhere. It was of my own doing and therefore it is my mistake, but that is all it is."
You can read the full statement at The Quietus, which said that its writers did not think "that Plan B is a racist or supports any right wing ideology. We do however reserve our right to question any political choices musicians make as part of their public career."
Images of the cover have now been removed from the Shortlist website.
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Helen Lewis is deputy editor of the New Statesman. She tweets @helenlewis
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49 comments
But it kept telling me I'd blown the site's profanity filter...Doh!
"Wot waste five seconds Googling the most notorious Nazi band since the Hilter youth? Darlings of paramiltary Combat 18? Is that joint still going?"
Sample brilliancy: "You cant relate Yeah well you can .... off cant you mate"
Gosh. what a scary face! Bet the stylists were bricking it.
'His accent is genuine'. Jafraican?
No doubt he'll shift more product to the even thicker trainer-hungry arsonists the next time they fancy endangering lives. Or destroying people's businesses. For which they have absolutely no responsibility.
"Wot? Waste ten seconds Googling Skrewdriver, the most notorious Nazi band in history, darlings of the paramilitary Combat 18. Is that joint still going? "
Gosh, what a scary face! The stylists must have been terrified. 'His accent is genuine." Jafraican? Sample brilliancy: "You cant relate Yeah well you can f... off cant you mate."
No doubt he'll shift more product when the even thicker trainer looters burn a few more buildings. Who cares about frying families or destroying businesses? I need branded sportswear! Fight for your right to Nike!
TellMehdi Hasan that he is still a goatf****r and I still want himout of my country: Nay, continent.
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It's lovely t-shirt lofter
sloppy sensationalistic journalism attempting to demonise someone for their alleged support of that ever present bogey man - 'The Nazi'
What a load of old tosh.
Skrewdriver made some good music but doesn't mean you have to agree with the lead singers politics. I vote Tory but can still be seen listening to 'leftie' music every now and again. Doesn't make me a commie!
Nobody has pointed out that Plan B's excuse was that he got the image from the book Skins without knowing what Skrewdriver meant. Surely he actually read the book and didn't just look at the pretty pictures? He has to have known what the picture represented, yet I agree that the imagery is totally at odds with his background, beliefs etc. So the easiest explanation was that it was a deeply misguided publicity stunt that betrays the guys supposed intelligence. Not very clever Mr Drew.
The book is a book of pictures from Gavins teenage years, there are no words, just a few headlines, the picture is of a young skin with the back drop having some graffiti on a garage wall, one slogan being 'Skrewdriver' as well as other non racist references, get educated before commenting & I don't particulary like plan B, but I do pity the ignorant. bring back the skins!
Dear oh dear! what an exersize in rowing back. The last 'protest singer'? more like yet another of a long line of people who say stuff 'jus cos there mum don't like it' Innit.
Yawn!
Bob Dylan can sleep soundly in his bed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeD7jebwiM8&feature=related
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/voices/2012/07/threat-rape-why-tosh-an...
Similar imagery?
Who is Plan B and why should I have any interest in his sartorial choices? At least he's not waering a burqa or a suicide bomb belt.
On a related note I often wonder if anyone else ever noticed the Burzum t-shirt sported by the chap from The Gossip on the inside sleeve of their 1st album?
Nathan from the Gossip most certainly does know who Burzum are - he's a huge music nerd
Really surprised they got away with it and that it seemingly flew under everyones radar.
Who would wear a t-shirt they knew nothing a bout FFS ?
More to the point a supposed 'protest singer' - hilarious !
Skrewdriver were a great early punk band (from near Blackpool - where I live - although they never gigged here) before they, or rather one of their members, relocated the band to London and started all that stupid nazi stuff. Their first 2 singles and debut album were great - miles better than anything I have heard by surly old Plan B ....
Having said perhaps the imagery is fitting as he is 'an-ti-so-ci-al, an-ti-so-ci-al , an-ti-so-ci-al he hates the world'
This was a genuine mistake. The image on the tshirt is Gavin watsons. Gavin is a photographer who accidentally documented the skinhead movement when he was very much a part of it in the eighties. Ben is a big fan and has been wearing Gavin's tshirts at his last few gigs each with different images on.
Gavin is not a racist nor was he back then. As you can see in his book "skins" there is an array of nationalities, all part of the same "gang"
This was a massive accident and when Ben found out he was horrified. He had no idea who screwdriver were or what they stood for and merely just liked the picture. And more care will be taken in future I'm sure. You just have to meet the bloke to know he loves what he does and would never jeopardise that for a silly statement. So everyone can now get on with their life's. As I'm sure this was the worst news since hitler.
Hi Kayleigh,
The piece has now been updated with Ben's comment and a link to the full statement.
Thanks.
I don't know whether it was pure ignorance or great forethought that the photographer had plan b wearing that shirt.Either way it has generated a lot of discussion and publicity for the untalented oik.
Maybe it was simply a conscious marketing ploy. If it was, it seems to have worked, in so far as it has attracted the public gaze. Don't some people say that there is no such thing as bad publicity?
Is it any worse than bands that idolise communists, after all Stalin killed more than Hitler?
TBH, musicians are no more knowledgable than the average Joe, so why pay attention to their political ramblings?
"TBH, musicians are no more knowledgable than the average Joe, so why pay attention to their political ramblings?"
Really? Are you sure about that? I'd check that if i were you.
I can't help noticing that Che Guevara t-shirts are still common among the younger generation. I would be hard pressed to argue that the Cuban Revolution has been a success and that it hasn't involved violence to human rights.
At least Che was an idealist, fighting for a more equal world. The corrupt regime in Cuba he helped to overthrow was worse for more people than what he helped to put in its place.
Guevara was a killer regardless of his ideals. He was worth more to the Left as an dead icon on a t-shirt than he ever would have been in life.
I don't think idealism is a good thing, to be honest. I think dreams need to be tempered strongly with realism, otherwise a dystopian nightmare will be created. I haven't read enough about Cuban history to know if Cuba is better for the revolution. Perhaps you can direct me to some literature. I do know though, that revolutions can create worse conditions than in the unjust societies they were designed to replace. The Reign of Terror in France was worse than anything the French aristocracy concocted, though that aristocracy was guilty of sowing the seeds for that revolution. The world of the Czars was unjust. But, was Lenin's creation any better? Was it, in fact, worse? I don't know.
To try and defend this by saying it was done in satire is never going to wash. The shirt is covered up, and it's hard to see exactly what it is anyway.
One thing though - I've done a google image search for Skrewdriver shirts, and this one doesn't come up.
As for the Sex Pistols comparison, they were just attention seeking brats of little musical talent or worth, they tried to get reactions by wearing them through a Jewish Quarter in (IIRC) Paris and got ignored. This isn't about getting a reaction, it's about not knowing what you're doing.
And that's being generous.
If Plan B's intent is to play some ironic, deconstructive game, he's playing a dangerous game. Some people won't get it and will go away thinking he's a Nazi. I disagree with you, in so far as I think wearing a neo-Nazi t-shirt is designed to get a reaction. Whether the desired reaction is simply to shock or offend, as the Sex Pistols tried to, or to open up an intelligent debate, your guess is as good as mine. Personally, I think fascist imagery is best left well alone. I might add that I think most popular artistes are attention-seeking little brats of little musical talent.
"Some people won't get it and will go away thinking he's a Nazi"
So what. This missile has a guidance system. He knows where it's going. That's what really counts. And i might add, even more "collateral damage" done to Nazis if they even dare to exploit this.
BTW Plan B fans out there (coming here via twitter, facebook or the NME): please don't try and sanitise this by blaming his stylist or PR or something. Ben Drew knows exactly what Screwdriver are about. Doesn't need defending in that way. Just wise up to the facts about what Plan B is all about.
I don't think anyone knows what the consequences of their actions will be. I don't believe anyone has access to a crystal ball. One may wish certain consequences of one's actions, but it does not follow that they will pan out. And if one's actions are consciously intended to contain missiles and collateral damage...who knows?
I've read that this ISN'T a 'Skrewdriver t-shirt', rather a use of a photo of Gavin Watson's on a t-shirt, a representation of a skinhead rather than an endorsement of Skrewdriver, which makes a lot of difference.
I can see a bit of the word "Skrewdriver" on it, though.
Having met Mr Drew on several occasions and once spending a whole day with him in informal circumstances, with 3 others I can assure any doubters that 1. His accent is genuine. 2. His musical talent is immense (I am also a musician) 3. He is a very modest, polite and unaffected by his fame person. this storm in a teacup over a t shirt tells you more about the idiot(s) who thought it was news than it does about Mr Drew. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. The mind boggles. R A Watson
Having met Mr Drew on several occasions and once spending a whole day with him in informal circumstances, with 3 others I can assure any doubters that 1. His accent is genuine. 2. His musical talent is immense (I am also a musician) 3. He is a very modest, polite and unaffected by his fame person. this storm in a teacup over a t shirt tells you more about the idiot(s) who thought it was news than it does about Mr Drew. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. The mind boggles. R A Watson
Having met Mr Drew on several occasions and once spending a whole day with him in informal circumstances, with 3 others I can assure any doubters that 1. His accent is genuine. 2. His musical talent is immense (I am also a musician) 3. He is a very modest, polite and unaffected by his fame person. this storm in a teacup over a t shirt tells you more about the idiot(s) who thought it was news than it does about Mr Drew. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. The mind boggles. R A Watson
It's either a Screwdriver T-shirt or a lets-screw-screwdriver T-shirt.
Maybe if we ask him nicely he might stop inciting a riot, put down that flare (crikey like anyone see a bigger picture here?) and step out of that jacket so we can all have a proper gawp at it.
why not purchase the book itself,skins by gavin watson and have a look yourself
"Like, forget that it's Ben, what does that "image" say to you?"
This image says to me "This guy is a massive, massive [profanity redacted]"
Well if the political types around here want to all gather round and condemn this well fine.
Let them do it publicly so at least the non-voting youth (swing heil) will understand pretty clearly that politicians don't get it at all. They don't want to know what caused the riots and don't really care that the BNP got into Barking so long as the same corrupt political system can keep them in majority power.
Reality hurts, and SO SHOULD this "image". That's the whole bloody point!
My hunch is that the riots were caused by some people feeling alienated by a material world they are excluded from. My other hunch is that the BNP gained support because of some people's fears of immigration. I may be wrong on both counts. If I am right, however, neither causal issue has been addressed.
Nah Ben Drew is well up on his musical history and know exactly who Screwdriver are. He knows where he is going on this. You might also ask why he's looking angry like he's about to start a riot! So what caused the riots? What made people vote BNP in Barking?
Be careful about criticising this guy. What he wants you to do is join in the conversation. Like, forget that it's Ben, what does that "image" say to you?
If you shud check his Movie iLL Manors you would have clocked the girl called Janet who's boyfriend was a Nazi. That story had consequences. Etc., i could go on.
This imagery done satirically (remember Charly Chaplin?) is an opportunity to step and remind politicians about the consequences of THEIR inaction and ignorance in the face of the problems that society faces.
I suggest the NS get Ben in and give him a voice on that. Who know's you might attract some of Plan B's audience!
That's an interesting theory. I very much doubt Plan B is a Nazi. I've never heard any of his music and I don't want to. I don't like rap. But, it is a musical genre steeped in black culture and heritage. Subsequently, I'd be surprised if Plan B was a Nazi.
'I suggest the NS get Ben in and give him a voice on that. Who know's you might attract some of Plan B's audience!'
'Sir Charles Chaplin' probably doesn't lurk here enough. He should know that the NS is infested by the English Far Right in the comments box. Indeed, all manner of followers of T Southgate and J Evola are here with their racism.
The Sex Pistols wore swastikas on some of their items of clothing. They weren't Nazis though. They just enjoyed offending people. Rebellious youth does enjoy offending people. It always will.
uh, might be missing something but the link to brian whelan's blog seems to be a link to a daily mail article about the soham murders.
I would say it was done to provoke, I think racists can be reformed but this can't happen if it is ignored and we all pretend that there are no racists.
Textbook case of how to piss off 97% of your potential audience.
Maybe he just liked the T-shirt and didn't know who they were. Can't see any Nazi symbols on it for example.
I think that is unlikely. People who have a deeper understanding of the history of popular music will know about Skrewdriver. My abiding memory of them is how bad their music was, aside from the dubious lyrical content. I found their music to be an angry noise that assaulted the eadrums. The sound of a pneumatic drill would beautify the mind more.