Redskins

English trio Redskins adopted the visual style associated with the early-'80s skinhead scene yet maintained an explicitly left-wing stance. Their sole long-player, the 1986 album Neither Washington Nor Moscow, blended punk with soul and placed them alongside figures such as Billy Bragg in efforts to rally young audiences behind Socialist causes amid the conservative climate of Thatcher-era Britain.

The band originated in York under the name No Swastikas, with singer-guitarist Chris Dean, bassist Martin Hewes, and drummer Nick King comprising the lineup. After relocating to London, the members—who belonged to the Socialist Workers Party and counted Dean among NME’s writers—advanced their political views through both recordings and journalism. Following the name change to Redskins, they issued their first release, the 1982 7-inch “Lev Bronstein,” whose flip side was “The Peasant Army.” Echoing the approach of the Jam, the Clash, and Stiff Little Fingers, the single drew listeners and prompted a John Peel session that same year.

Their next outing, 1983’s “Lean on Me,” shifted further toward pop and earned Single of the Year honors in Sounds via critic Garry Bushell. Interest from major companies led to a London Records contract for the eventual debut album. Increasingly committed to activism, the group performed additional benefit concerts with Billy Bragg in aid of the striking National Union of Miners. After Paul Hookham took over drums from Nick King, Neither Washington Nor Moscow appeared in 1986; despite praise for its fusion of punk, soul, and mid-’80s pop elements, the trio split before year’s end.

Strange Fruit released the 1982 Peel Sessions the year after the breakup, while cuts such as “Lean on Me” and “Keep On Keeping On” resurfaced on later anthologies. In 2021 Cherry Red assembled an expanded edition of the band’s only album, appending previously unheard recordings, concert performances, BBC radio sessions, and interviews.