Offensive Weapon
History
This Oi! / R.A.C band was from Belfast, Northern Ireland. There was another punk band around at the same time but this band was from Wales. Formed in 1981 and their members were Sam “Skelly” McCrory – vocals, Brian Watson – guitar, Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair – bass and Julian “Tarzan” Carson – drums. They recorded a demo with songs like ‘Made In Ulster’, ‘Gestapo R.U.C’ and ‘Bulldog’ and played about 20 gigs in total. Some gigs were in support of the local growing Belfast branch of the National Front. The band had a god sized following of local skinheads and were know as the “NF Skinz” in north and west Belfast. Some of whom would attack the anti-racist fans of both The Specials and The Beat when they played the Ulster Hall in January 1981. Later in 1983 over 200 skinheads would march on Belfast City Hall to disrupt a leftist Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (C.N.D.) meeting.
Carson left the band in 1983. Their first live appearance was in a big R.A.C festival on 29th September 1984 together with Last Orders, Buzzard Bait, Public Enemy, Brutal Attack and Skrewdriver. Their dedicated supporters were known as the ‘Offensive Weapon White Warriors’ and Skrewdriver security “Matty”, led them.
Sam was sent to jail for 3 years in 1984 and with that the band broke up.
Sam “Skelly” McCory went on to become a member of the Ulster Defence Association (U.D.A.). Whilst imprisoned in the HM Prison Maze he became the UDA officer in command after release he moved to Scotland and died 24th July 2022 after falling down some concrete steps.
Meanwhile, Johnny Adair travelled to the mainland and spent time with Ian Stuart. During this time Johnny was a member of the Ulster Young Militants (U.Y.M.) and later in 1984 the U.D.A. Johnny went on to become the leader of 2nd Battalion, ‘C’ Company Ulster Freedom Fighters (U.F.F.) an active service unit who in their own words “took the war to the I.R.A.”, many feel this unit and one or two others were directly responsible for forcing the rebel-marxist Irish Republican Army (I.R.A.) to the negotiating table and ceasing their murderous attacks on the Loyalist community of Ulster. Convicted of “terrorism” in 1995 he was jailed for 16 years being released in 1999. Later moving to Bolton 2005 and later Scotland.
Discography
Official Productions
1983 – Demo – ??? – ??
Track Lists
Demo
Smash the I.R.A.
Shove the Dove
Made in Ulster