Inferno hailed from Augsburg, a medium sized city in ultra-conservative Bavaria. Although ‘punk’ in disposition, they were arguably one of the earliest full-on hardcore bands on the European continent, leaving the likes of Discharge in a trail of smoke.
Their debut album Tod & Wahnsinn (1983) contained the song ‘Steinkopf’, which translates as ‘stonehead’ and presumabely means something like ‘bonehead’.
By 1983, relations between German punks and skinheads had hit rock bottom. Somewhat generalising, even ungenerous lyrics like this became common currency:
You’ve adopted traditional values
Frenzied you shout at the top of your lungs
Nazi slogans all over the country
You think you rule us all
You don’t know how to voice your views, all you say is ‘Oi Oi Oi’
No anwers to my questions, all you say is ‘Oi Oi Oi’
Self-criticism is alien to you, all you say is ‘Oi Oi Oi’
But all of this will end soon, you poor little creature
All you say is ‘Oi Oi Oi’
Skinhead
Skinhead
Skinhead
You need a leader to control you
You’re too dumb to think for yourselves
You want a total murder state
But we’ll dig a mass grave for you
Skinhead
Skinhead
Skinhead
New York City thrash band S.O.D, led by ‘skinhead’ vocalist Billy Milano, would cover the Inferno track ‘Ram It Up’ on their album Speak English Or Die two years later.
Only to be expected.
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The problem with the ignorant majority is they think being a Skinhead is all about violence.
What they don’t realise is it about male bonding, friendship, having a sense of belonging, pride, racial harmony and generally having a good time.
I have been a Skinhead since the 1970s and have never looked back.
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