Until the bitter end: The story of Daily Terror and Pedder Teumer

Few readers, aside from fans of old-school European punk, will have heard of Daily Terror. Yet in the 1980s they were an important West German punk group – and later, they arguably became the best skinhead band the country ever produced, even if Böhse Onkelz were more popular.

Truth be told, it’s hard for me to be objective, because the matter is to some extent personal. I’m from a mixed background and spent some of my formative years in Germany. Daily Terror were the first Oi band I saw live as a young teenager. They were playing on stage in front of me when I kissed a girl for the first time… Many years later, when I learned that their vocalist Pedder Teumer had died from complications linked to lung cancer, I smoked my last ever cigarette that same day.

To write about Daily Terror means to write about Pedder, who pulled the band into the skinhead scene and was its sole consistent member. As we will see, he later distanced himself from certain aspects of his skinhead years. Did he feel genuine regret? Or was it that times had changed and he wanted a quiet career in the punk music industry?

I’ll try to approach the matter in my usual way: firstly, no censorship – unlike many anti-fascists, I don’t believe in suppressing speech as the best means to counter bad ideas. Secondly, no self-censorship: I’ll tell you as honestly as possible what I make of it all.

Finally, I should add that this account isn’t meant to be the ‘definitive’ Daily Terror story. I didn’t know Pedder personally. What you’re reading here is what I’ve pieced together from memory and from various sources, and I’ve tried to put everything in context. If I got something wrong, or if you think that I have misrepresented Pedder, be my guest and let me know.

I would like to dedicate this series to Pedder’s daughter Charley, who contacted us when the first few parts were originally published.

Part 1 – The punk years 1979-83

Part 2 – Transformation

Part 3 – Emotion, toughness, alcohol

Part 4 – On a forelorn mission

Part 5 – Playing with fire

Part 6 – A turning point 

Part 7 – Till the bitter end – coming soon!

Text: Matt Crombieboy