Guarda De Ferro

first of all: FUCK OFF REGGAE LOVERS! and BALD PUNKS SUCK! our music is not for you! 2nd: Europe rules ok! ... punks Carecas (sharp inclui-se nessa categoria) nao serao adicionados...- GUARDA DE FERRO BIO: If you talk about the Portuguese Skinhead scene, you have to mention Guarda de Ferro. It’s the better known abroad and considered by many, very good in the genre. Taking in consideration it was the first Portuguese skinhead band to record something, the one with more records and that they still are mentioned by most Lusitani skins as a favourite (almost 15 years after their last “originals” record) they have already for sure it’s place on the crop heads memorial. Guarda De Ferro (Iron Guard) was formed in 1987 by 4 young Skins from Lisbon inner city area. The first line up was F. with the Guitar, “tratado” on the drums, Paulo “Maluco” was the singer and "Gordo" was with the 4 strings. They decided to do a serious Skinhead band after a failed project called “Maravilhas de Portugal” (Portuguese wonders) which was little more than a silly name... However, the first song they start composing was in fact a polished version from “Portugal aos portugueses” of “Maravilhas de Portugal” because some of the members had participated in that fiasco band. Paulo “Maluco” moved with his family to the north of the country and died later in a motorcycle crash (he was the kid featured on the back of the self-titled LP). The next lead singer was "Himm*er" (the 1st serious vocals, as “Maluco” was a fantastic mate, but a disaster singing...). The band started doing its own songs/lyrics being “Skinheads” and “Botas” the next to be finished. By now, the band received an invitation by Gael Bodilis from Rebelles Europeans to participate with those 3 songs on a compilation LP together with Skrewdriver, No Remorse, Brutal Combat and Peggior Amico. Well, to the Lusitani, this would have been a real dream come true but that record was never released and Guarda de Ferro finished up featured in Debout! Vol 4 side by side with Chauves Pourris from france and U.K. Band Lionheart. The 3rd song “Botas” was already recorded using F. on vocals due to the fact that "Himm*er" was knifed in a lung during a fight with African immigrants a few days before. Line-up changes again and it was F. the lead singer and rhythm guitar, the drums remained with Mané “tratado” (also called sometimes DR Rythm since the recording of the songs - a private joke), “Cenoura” replaced “Gordo” on the bass (”Gordo” became manager/occasional rhythm guitar) and Zé came to “kill” with his lead/solo guitar. GdF done new songs for the self-titled LP on “Rebelles Européens” (under the name Bootboyz records for no special reason) and a 7” for “the Steve Priest Fan Club Street Rock’n’Roll Record Company Inc.” (What a name...) Later to became “Vulture Rock”. When almost everything was done Gdf decided to invite a friend to be a 2nd singer, doing chorus and supporting F. on the main vocals. In fact, he sang “Skinheads II” together with F., the first part of “Suzete” and “IV Poder”. Unfortunately this was a factor which became motif of disagreements instead of giving more power to the band and was, in fact, one of the main reasons to the end of the project. In 2000, a Canadian fan found the e-mail of the lead singer from Mata-ratos (a Lisbon punk/hc band) and asked him about GdF as he wanted to do a CD with the songs. That guy met “Gordo” and gave him the contact of Matt from Royalty records (and that’s the only reason because he is thanked in that CD as the 2 bands got nothing in common). “The worst of” was released but with the booklet including a story which was “politically correct” and consequently (very) distorted (why it’s a long story to be told here)... In 2001, a friend of the band does the Worst of… Picture LP version 500 copies ltd edition and including (in)famous song “Portugal aos Portugueses” as bonus track and in 2003 Pit Records made the edition of the complete discography + versions CD “RAC’n’Oi!” with the real story on the booklet. Still not released, were a few songs made (or started being made) by a couple of members years ago, some to be used for GDF, and some for a new project named “Lidador”, which never really saw the light of the day. It were the unpolished songs used in the dim records 7” of 2003 “Bootboys Old Glories”, a version of "Conquerant", that was supposed to be featured on the Legion 88 tribute CD (never done until this date), a song featured in a football compilation done for the occasion of the Euro 2004 and it’s English version featured on the compilation CD “European Sons of Glory” and finally the ones to be featured in the split CD with the russian band Kolovrat. Some years ago, happened a live show with a Guarda De Ferro cover band (under the name “Golpe De Força“) with the participation of the GDF singer. Despite the fact, that the crowd was enjoying themselves, the fact was that due to complete lack of rehearsals it wasn’t a good performance at all and F. regretted having acceded to participate in that event (as it launched a bit of confusion because it was referred in some media, including a flyer of that gig that wasn’t the definitive one, as if it were the real GDF playing there). Guarda de ferro started in the first wave of Portuguese skins, a time when no sharps or reds existed in this country and all skins were united even if they were 88, Nationalist or just Oi! Skins (real Oi! Not today’s lefties under that banner) and was a reflex of that reality. There were songs about violence as violent was daily reality, songs about warriors and gods of war as the band was involved in that spirit. There were songs about booze and girls because it was part of their life and made songs against the system because they knew this system’s rotten and offers very little to youth and working man. Today, some reaching the age of 40, GDF members followed different routes and some only see each other by chance. Their members links to the scene are at the present day, depending of which one you will refer, none or small (because of family, work and the inevitable generation gap with the new Skinhead gangs).