Nicky Crane
Encyclopedia
Nicola Vincenzio "Nicky" Crane (21 May 1958 - 8 December 1993) was a British
neo-Nazi skinhead activist. He came out
as gay
before dying from an AIDS
-related illness in 1993.
Max Schaefer's 2010 novel Children of the Sun depicts an aspiring screenwriter's search to find out about who was the "real" Nicky Crane.
Nicky Crane joined the British Movement
(BM) in the late 1970s, and by 1980, he had become the BM organiser for Kent. In 1980, he attacked a black
family at a bus stop near Liverpool Street station
. For this act, he was convicted of unlawfully fighting and making an affray, and given a suspended sentence. Crane appeared on several T-shirts and calendars produced by the Aldgate
skinhead shop The Last Resort during the 1980s. In 1981, he appeared on the cover of the Oi!
compilation album Strength Thru Oi!
(due to his skinhead
appearance, not his racist
views), with his Nazi
tattoos partially airbrushed out.
Also in 1981, he was convicted and jailed for four years for his role in a BM-organised attack on a group of black youths arriving on a train at Woolwich
Arsenal railway station in 1980. He once led an attack on an anti-racist
concert being held in Jubilee Gardens in London
. Pictures of him storming the stage where singer Hank Wangford
was performing appeared in national newspapers; although Crane was clearly identifiable, no action was taken. Released from jail in 1984, Crane soon began providing security for the white power skinhead band Skrewdriver
, and remained associated with the band and its leader, Ian Stuart Donaldson
, for the rest of the decade, designing two of the band's album covers and writing the lyrics for the song "Justice" on the LP Hail the New Dawn. He was jailed again in 1986 for six months following a fight on an Underground
train. In 1987, he was instrumental in setting up the neo-Nazi
network Blood and Honour
with Donaldson.
march in 1986. He was a regular at London gay clubs such as Heaven, Bolts and the Bell pub. At various times, Crane had worked as a bin man
, bicycle courier, and a doorman at an S&M
club. He worked for the protection agency Gentle Touch, and was able to shrug off any connection with the London gay scene as just part of his security work. He also appeared in the Psychic TV
video for Unclean, and in amateur gay porn films while still a neo-Nazi activist.
In July 1992, Crane admitted his homosexuality on the Channel 4
programme Out
. On the programme, Crane and various other homosexuals explained why they were attracted to the skinhead scene. He was immediately disowned by his Nazi associates, including Ian Stuart Donaldson
, who said he felt "betrayed". The same month, the UK newspaper The Sun
ran an article on him entitled Nazi Nick is a Panzi, and included a picture of Crane with his face snarling at camera, head shaved bald, braces worn over his bare torso, faded jeans, white-laced boots and brandishing an axe. Some 18 months later, Crane had died from an AIDS-related illness.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
neo-Nazi skinhead activist. He came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
before dying from an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-related illness in 1993.
Max Schaefer's 2010 novel Children of the Sun depicts an aspiring screenwriter's search to find out about who was the "real" Nicky Crane.
Neo-Nazism
Nicky Crane joined the British Movement
British Movement
The British Movement , later called the British National Socialist Movement , is a British neo-Nazi organisation founded by Colin Jordan in 1968. It grew out of the National Socialist Movement , which was founded in 1962...
(BM) in the late 1970s, and by 1980, he had become the BM organiser for Kent. In 1980, he attacked a black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
family at a bus stop near Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
. For this act, he was convicted of unlawfully fighting and making an affray, and given a suspended sentence. Crane appeared on several T-shirts and calendars produced by the Aldgate
Aldgate
Aldgate was the eastern most gateway through London Wall leading from the City of London to Whitechapel and the east end of London. Aldgate gives its name to a ward of the City...
skinhead shop The Last Resort during the 1980s. In 1981, he appeared on the cover of the Oi!
Oi!
Oi! is a working class subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads and other working-class youths ....
compilation album Strength Thru Oi!
Strength Thru Oi!
Strength Thru Oi! is a 1981 Oi! compilation album, featuring various artists and released by Decca Records.- Track listing :# "National Service" - Garry Johnson# "1984" - 4 Skins# "Gang Warfare" - The Strike# "Riot Riot" - Infa-Riot...
(due to his skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
appearance, not his racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
views), with his Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
tattoos partially airbrushed out.
Also in 1981, he was convicted and jailed for four years for his role in a BM-organised attack on a group of black youths arriving on a train at Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
Arsenal railway station in 1980. He once led an attack on an anti-racist
Anti-racism
Anti-racism includes beliefs, actions, movements, and policies adopted or developed to oppose racism. In general, anti-racism is intended to promote an egalitarian society in which people do not face discrimination on the basis of their race, however defined...
concert being held in Jubilee Gardens in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Pictures of him storming the stage where singer Hank Wangford
Hank Wangford
Hank Wangford is a distinguished English country and western songwriter. Hank Wangford is the stage name of Dr. Samuel Hutt, . His music is notable for its humour and cheerful irony, and occasional excursions into biting political undercurrent....
was performing appeared in national newspapers; although Crane was clearly identifiable, no action was taken. Released from jail in 1984, Crane soon began providing security for the white power skinhead band Skrewdriver
Skrewdriver
Skrewdriver was an English punk rock band formed by Ian Stuart Donaldson in Poulton-le-Fylde in 1976. They later evolved into one of the first neo-Nazi rock bands, playing a leading role in the Rock Against Communism movement and becoming known as the most prominent white power skinhead...
, and remained associated with the band and its leader, Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart Donaldson was a British Neo-Nazi singer, musician and songwriter, most known as the frontman of Skrewdriver, a British punk rock band that later became a white power rock band...
, for the rest of the decade, designing two of the band's album covers and writing the lyrics for the song "Justice" on the LP Hail the New Dawn. He was jailed again in 1986 for six months following a fight on an Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
train. In 1987, he was instrumental in setting up the neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
network Blood and Honour
Blood and Honour
Blood & Honour is a neo-Nazi music promotion network and political group founded in 1987 with links to Combat 18 and composed of white power skinheads and other white nationalists....
with Donaldson.
Homosexuality
Crane was leading a double life as a homosexual, even serving as a steward at the London gay prideGay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
march in 1986. He was a regular at London gay clubs such as Heaven, Bolts and the Bell pub. At various times, Crane had worked as a bin man
Garbage Man
Garbage Man may refer to:*a waste collector, a person who goes to houses and businesses to collect waste and take it to a landfill, incinerator, or waste facility.*"Garbage Man," a song by G. Love and Special Sauce from their 1994 album G...
, bicycle courier, and a doorman at an S&M
Sadism and masochism
Sadomasochism broadly refers to the receiving of pleasure—often sexual—from acts involving the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation. The name originates from two authors on the subject, Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch...
club. He worked for the protection agency Gentle Touch, and was able to shrug off any connection with the London gay scene as just part of his security work. He also appeared in the Psychic TV
Psychic TV
Psychic TV or PTV, is a video art and music group that primarily performs psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music...
video for Unclean, and in amateur gay porn films while still a neo-Nazi activist.
In July 1992, Crane admitted his homosexuality on the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
programme Out
Out (magazine)
Out is a popular gay and lesbian fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any gay monthly publication in the United States. It carries itself in a similar editorial manner to Details, Esquire, and GQ. Out was published by PlanetOut Inc...
. On the programme, Crane and various other homosexuals explained why they were attracted to the skinhead scene. He was immediately disowned by his Nazi associates, including Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart Donaldson
Ian Stuart Donaldson was a British Neo-Nazi singer, musician and songwriter, most known as the frontman of Skrewdriver, a British punk rock band that later became a white power rock band...
, who said he felt "betrayed". The same month, the UK newspaper The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
ran an article on him entitled Nazi Nick is a Panzi, and included a picture of Crane with his face snarling at camera, head shaved bald, braces worn over his bare torso, faded jeans, white-laced boots and brandishing an axe. Some 18 months later, Crane had died from an AIDS-related illness.