EDITORIAL: Bite the Hand That Steals

Bite the Hand That Steals ~Chris

Once upon a time, in the annals of RAC history, "Rock Against Communism" and "Rock Against Capitalism" went hand in hand. All the original first wave of RAC bands were critical of capitalism, particularly the laissez-faire variety, which was born of the Thatcher/Reagan revolution. Being the product of White working class communities, these early proponents of Nationalism saw their estates decimated, their fathers, brothers and friends lose jobs, be reduced to penury in the name of corporate profit. Their trade union rights disappeared; the concept of a "job for life" went the same way as the dinosaurs, as the manufacturing base disintegrated in favor of a consumer based society. For Nationalists and Skinheads of our generation to laud the virtues of capitalism would have been literally to reload the pistol with which we had already been shot.

Yet there was a broad perception which has a legitimate foundation that when RAC traveled across the Atlantic, this anti-capitalistic vein was ignored, or at best sidelined. Many American Nationalists were perceived to have swallowed the lie, perfected under Reagan, that free market capitalism was as American as Colt. Many were silent or seemed to give tacit approval to capitalism. Perhaps by exclusion rather than inclusion, bands were quick to attack communism but seems loathe to take on capitalism. There were exceptions. Day of the Sword’s song "Consume" was one of their more overt attacks on capitalist culture; Red White and Black have several songs which contain references to the dangers of capitalism. There are others, but that they are vastly outweighed by the anti-communist diatribes in an age where communism has been exposed as a spent force, is an odd scenario.

Whether bands avoided overt attacks on capitalism because they were offering tacit approval, or because attacking capitalism would alienate a section of their fan base, there have been few effective volleys fired in this war on economic liberalism. We have established that music is the most effective messenger, is the catalyst for much of the shifts in our collective political consciousness, and given the recent havoc created by the profiteering of unregulated capitalism, perhaps we will finally see the first effective salvos fired by the younger generation. Anything that musically could be achieved to put a wedge between young Nationalists and the neo-cons and conservatives, who would use them in times of upheaval to defend an ideologically bankrupt fake patriotism, can only be a bonus.

The Unknown War

The Unknown War
~Chris

Many albums over the years have been considered "classics" for a variety of reasons. On the basis of musical ability, lyrical ingenuity or the impact they had upon first being released. Then there are albums which for inexplicable reasons have been sidelined over the years. The Unseen War by Break The Sword is one such release.

On musical grounds alone, this CD should have been essential listening. It was beyond the normal proficiency, with complex overlaid tracks which strayed beyond the usual level of musicianship. While still overtly a Skinhead album, it had the potential to attract a much wider audience. Lyrically, with songs ranging from the considered and intelligent to downright brutal, "The Unseen War" mixed White Nationalism with a healthy American Nationalism, and anti-immigration message. It decried capitalism and communism, consumerism and atheistic hedonistic amorality. Rooted firmly in the Christian Identity anti-government tradition, the CD railed against the modern world. "The Unseen War" was ostensibly made up of three bands, Break the Sword, Day of the Sword and the Philly Bootboys, yet basically both Day of..., and Break the Sword were the same band. With Philadelphia Skinhead Scott Stedeford at the helm of both bands, and clearly the driving force behind them, they transcended the usual level of RAC being produced at the time. As well as breaking with orthodox RAC lyrical content, the bands attacked capitalism, injecting references to Christian Identity and produced the classic "Blood Stained Emerald" which received much flak for being sympathetic to Irish Nationalists. Unfortunately, the CD contained the traditional Skrewdriver cover in the form of "Blood & Honor," yet even this was proficiently played and contained a subtle yet effective lyrical rewrite which transformed the song into a track for a post-Communist world.

On these merits alone, "The Unseen War" should be a classic, yet there is more to the tale. The truth behind this CD is more a key to the radical nature of its members than even the lyrics would suggest. Because the CD was made, produced and released with funds from one of the bank robberies carried out by the Aryan Republican Army (ARA), aka The Midwest bank robbers, a paramilitary group inspired by both the Order and Irish Nationalist guerrillas who carried out 22 bank robberies across the Midwest, between 1994 and 1995, netting an estimated 250 to 500,000 dollars; without injuring or killing a single person. The money was intended for Nationalists across America. Both Stedeford and the drummer on the Break the Sword tracks, Kevin McCarthy, were members of the ARA.

In the next year and a half, Stedeford released two more CDs under the Day of the Sword name, but in actuality both CD’s contained multiple unnecessary and irritating Skrewdriver covers. Nothing ever came close to "The Unseen War." When the ARA fell apart with all members behind bars and much recrimination, Day of the Sword came to an end. At 28 years old, Stedeford was sentenced to 10 years for one of the robberies in Des Moines Iowa, and then received a further 20 year sentence for one of the robberies in Wisconsin. Break the Sword drummer Kevin McCarthy turned states evidence and received a lighter sentence. Stedeford went to prison without uttering a word.

Whatever negative attitudes some have towards this kind of para-militarism, the truth is that Stedeford, et al, practiced what they preached. They took their message outside the studio. But the ARA was active prior to the Oklahoma bombing, when the political atmosphere was very different. Anyone who remembers the aftermath of the Murrah building bombing knows that a lot has changed. The patriot movement became vilified, hunted, while many Skinheads found themselves caught in the backlash. It was essentially the end of an era after which the likes of the Aryan Republican Army could not exist. Yet their musical legacy survives.

Like a great piece of revolutionary literature, "The Unseen War" is a signpost of the times, a zeitgeist, an under appreciated and familiar to few album.