We support all organisations who are loyal to Skinheads"
An interview with Nothingham skinhead band Whitelaw.
1. Introduce yourself and the other bandmembers please?
- Whitelaw are....... Benny, Vocals......Baz, Drums.....Steve, Bass + Backing Vocals......Paul, Guitars.
2. How long has the band been around? Why do you decided to start playing music for Race and Nation?
- When Ian Stuart died we felt a great void in the music we loved, So in 1997 we decided to form a band to try and keep the scene together round where we lived and carry on the work which Ian had started off. We have since then had four CD albums released and have another about to be released. They are Take the Salute, Wer'e Coming for You, Kick the Reds in, Welcome to Our World and the new album is called Valkyrie. We also are on various compilations and a split cd and i have done guest vocals with other bands too. We also did
a rock against Peadophiles cd called No Justice with Celtic Warrior. We were always gonna be a RAC band there was no other reason for why we started Whitelaw....
3. What do you have for influences?
- Musically i like alot of music i listen to how bands play with intresting catchy riffs and also i watch bands perfom to see how they conduct themselves and captuvate audiences. How bands control the crowd and grasp a crowd is very important within our scene. I think bands have got to be all rounders now days and by just singing a good song isnt just the key now because studios can lie and cover up how good a band really is. When you watched Skrewdriver the momentem was brilliant because they audience participated and they were part of the act. Ian new this and was able to get loyal support from his followers and he was loyal to them return. Other bands like the s*xpistols created a phenonama and so people wanted to see or say i was part of that. Undoublty these two bands are my unsung heros. Many others too are my driving force and bands like Brutal Attack and especially Ken McKellan for his help and his faith in us and inspiring help since weve been together. Paul and Baz love Rock too and so when you hear Whitelaw and watch us and most of all understand you can maybe see and hear a little bit of all great bands in our sound. With that mix you can see when we are together we can play as good as any other mainstream band and maybe give it more than they ever can. Politics also, we have our heros and i dont need to mention who they are we sing about them in our songs.
4. Are the members of the band involved in any other bands?
- No we are all just Whitelaw and we live and breath it. The lads sometimes help bands out a bit but only on a temporay basis. But on saying that i am at the moment working on a new project Called Sour Grapes. Which is gonna be a Klansmen style band playing a Rockabilly style music complete with double bassist. So look out for that.
5. You are from Nottingham, right? How is the skinhead scene in your city?
- Yeh Nottingham thats right, We live on the outskirts of the city near a town called Heanor in Derbyshire. The scene here is well supported with yong and old supporting us. The Eastmidlands is very well supported all round even the right wing partys in this area are very well represented and out number the Antifacists.
6. Any trouble with reds or other enemies?
- Well obviously they hate us but who cares we hate them too.
7. Are the bandmembers active in any organization or party?
- We are memebers of an organistation and have been for a long time but we support all organistaions who are loyal to Skinheads and try to do do the best for our Folk and Nation. We regurly play and fund raise for different polical causes in different countrys to try and help them.
8. You release a new album in february. What can we expect from it?
- We personally think that is our best work that we have done to present. "Valkyrie" is a very politcal and british based album. It contains 12 new tracks featuring a range of different styles. It can only be judged by the people who listen to what we are singing about. Hopefully people will see the direction of which the band is moving in. Paul is back on guitars, after 3 years abence after his last album with us "Kick the reds in". His inspiring guitars really captivate the sound of Whitelaw. Steve and Baz worked really hard to boost the sound of rawness. So with the mix of all our imput together we feel this is Whitelaw really coming of age.
9. Other news from the band you can tell us?
- We had a line up change in September when Will left the band to pursue other things. Like I said Paul is back in the band now and is back home where he belongs to (the bugger). Baz has bought some new boots and Steve is tattooing now. So dont go round his house when you are drunk.
10. You are a very active band. How many countrys have you played in?
- Phew! Now thats a question... England, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, America, Finland, Russia, Scotland, Northern Island, Wales, France, Slovenia, Hungary, Holland, Switzerland, Poland and we are the only british band who played in America and Russia in the same year.
11. Tell us about your gig in the U.S. when your were arrested.
- LOL ... We were supposed to playing in California, so we flew to Dallas. Where we were arrested on landing and detained in Bedford County Jail for 24 hours. We made the best of it and we ate sausage biscuit which was foul. Interrigated photographed called illegal aliens treated like vermin but over all it was a right laugh. Us being us we took the piss and caused mayhem. In the end we got a photo in our handcuffs from a very nice guard LOL. Then we put back on the plane and told dont come back here again. They said you arent welcome here we said f**k you its s**t anyway. But before this we did play in America in Atlanta at the Hammerskin Festival. The immigration officals who stopped us at the airport where from African Backgrounds so you have to ask yourself who were the real aliens?
12. You did a great gig in Sweden last summer (July 25, 2009). How did it feel to be on stage in Sweden? Some defferences between the scene in Sweden and England?
- We received a very warm welcome from the swedish. They looked after us really good. We went home after playing there and all thought how inspiring it was to us. It gave us a big boost of confidence. Sadly this was to be Wills last gig with us. The swedish really got behind us and we felt at home there. Sweden is a beautiful country. We wished we could have stayed longer to experience more of it. The concert was well organised and we met and drank with some very good people. The bands we played with were good too. The crowd made the atmosphere bang on. We wished that we as a band could of played in the 90s when Sweden had a big Skinhead Scene. We have offered our services to Sweden though as a band to play and hopefully to get the chance to play there again. The English scene is at a steady growth at the moment with old faces and new coming back and supporting the RAC music scene.
13. Quick questions. What is the first thing you think of...
- Hooligans: Good lads
- Rap and Hip Hop music : Load of Bollox
- Swedish Girls: Good for the eyes
- Tattoos and piercings: Good for moral
- Beer: Love it
- Hangover: Oh no Ive missed monday again
- SHARPs : Bunch of f**king knobs
- Ian Stuart: We miss him
14. Thanks for the interview Benny. Any final words?
- Morning Ken from all the lads! And thanks for the interview its been a pleasure!
