[video=youtube;SYVLxLvdhpY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYVLxLvdhpY[/video] This doesn't sound talentless to me. Reminds me of the top floor in Spiders not long before I call it a night because I'm worried I might spew pink stuff. A dance to this first...
So what was Strummer's talent 'exactly'? The only semi decent Clash songs were 'Stay Free' and 'Should I stay or should I go?' Both sung by Jones, both atypical, both personal and free from the ludicrous 'angry' barking of Strummer in his 'oppressed prole' guise.
If you don't get it, you never will and nothing posted on a football message board will change your view, but what the hell... Rolling Stone magazine voted London Calling the album of the decade and put it at No.8 in the best 500 albums of all time, the title track was also ranked No.15 in the list of the best 500 songs of all time(Should I Stay Or Should I Go, "Train In Vain", "Complete Control" and White Man In Hammersmith Palais" also made the list). There one of only a handful of Punk/New Wave bands to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame(along with the Pistols, the Ramones, Blondie and Elvis Costello). They have influenced hundreds of bands and were the main motivation in me first picking up a guitar, for the first year I played, I only learnt how to play Clash songs. Stiff Little Fingers, Manic Street Preachers and loads of others have all cited The Clash as one the reasons they formed a band, the only person that I can think off who said 'I don't get The Clash' was Noel Gallagher, so at least you're not alone. For the record, I think this is the best song Jones sang... [video=youtube;AuhQf3ds14k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuhQf3ds14k[/video] and this is The Clash's best song(along with London Calling)... [video=youtube;gchjWcTOVyM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchjWcTOVyM&feature=related[/video]
Did anyone go on Friday or Saturday night ? any advice on bits to avoid etc ? and did Justice for the Tonight band actually play any Clash songs ? ta oh and OLM ...spot on re Joe Strummer !!!
What a fantastic night got in the front pit so ended up about 5 deep from the front squires was class.It was a mud bath also what a nightmare getting out the stewards where worse then at city.
Not disputing their influence on others or their appeal to their fans. I was commenting specifically on Strummer. A group which spouted the stuff that group came out with but had such a flaky shallow bogus front man as its mouthpiece will always be flawed- in much the way Bono undermines U2 and their politics with his tax evasion and wealth- hoarding. Let us also add Gordon Sumner to the list of righteous hypocrites with his gas guzzling private plane trips for his wife, whilst encouraging us all to save the rain forest. Do as I say not as I do. I think listening to the words of 'Fools' Gold' now that we know the Stone Roses just wanted to clean up will seem somehow slightly hollow- as does Ian Brown's 'Keep what ya got' (by giving it all away).
I saw Joe Strummer at Manchester Uni a few yrs back, the atmosphere was electric, inbetween his new Mescaleros numbers, he played Clash tunes ( which, to be honest, thats all i went for). It was brilliant.The only well known track he never played was White Riot, and i believe had he done, they was a chance of one that evening. Off to the S R gig in an hour (Heaton park is only 20 min away), better go find my wellies. I've booked tomorrow off work, its bound to get messy. My thoughts on bands reforming for money or whatever is, who cares, go if you want to, and have a laugh, don't take it too serious. Being with your mates and sharing a good experience is all that counts.
"don't take it too serious.' Fine by me. Just don't hail the righteous messiah who then contradicts himself when the money is waved in front of him !
if you put all the money-making, going back on their word, the wrong reasons etc. stuff to one side and ask the question.. are the Roses worth seeing these days? I'd yes defo, yes.. do they provide a top show? erm defo.. will you enjoy it? if you're a fan, you certainly will.. look, Reni hadn't joined any other bands since they split in 1996, there's some truth in the fact he could do with the money, anyone who thinks money doesn't make the world go round is a bit blindfolded.. I read the article in Record Collector back in January.. they want to be recognized as a great band again.. and why not new fans? I think they've started well.. and there should be a new album coming out too they didn't play any new material at the gig.. most bands do.. you can sit in the past and dwell on former glories but I for one will buy the new album.. if and when it appears in the next 5 years..
Mick Jones & the Justice tonight band played Whie Man at Hammersmith Palace, Algerian singer Rachid Taha sung in arabic to Rock the Casbah.. and they also did Should I stay or should I go with Eric Cantona "attempting" to do back-up vocals..
I can accept the Bono U2 thing and the Sumner thing thing too, I just don't accept that it applies to Strummer. People assume that because Strummer came from an old money diplomatic family, that he had it easy and all his left wing views were invented. It's simply not the case, he barely ever saw his parents and spent his formative years in squats beneath the Westway, which is where he met Jones and Simonom(who, incidentally, still lives there and is a lovely bloke). Strummer was no fake, he believed in everything he espoused, particularly the Rock Against Racism stuff, which came about due to his passion for reggae and his west London Jamaican mates, particularly Don Letts. I've met Don, I've also spent a night with Mick Jones manager(who was a bit of twat to be honest), but The Clash remain the best band I've ever seen live(at least before Jones left) and I've been to a hell of a lot of gigs.
Have you heard of Caroline Coon and Jasper Conran? Joe's chums. It's hardly Mark P of Sniffin' Glue in his Deptford high rise. No matter. If they were good live- they were good live. End of chat.
I have indeed, Caroline is a stroppy feminist who paints crap pictures and Jasper Conran is a clothes designer, who had absolutely nothing to do with The Clash, so I assume you're actually talking about his brother Sebastian?
She was only their manager for two years of the ten that they were together, I've no idea how she landed that gig. As for the Conran thing, you're right, they were all a bit Habitat.
Sometimes the sound of a singer's voice just jars with me and puts me off that band altogether, and that happened for me with Strummer and the Clash and also Jagger and the Stones. Just a personal thing - I can see why people like them, but when someone's voice makes you want to break things there's not much you can do about it. As for Roger Daltrey... surely no one has ruined such a potentially great sound like him? Worst vocalist ever, as Comic Store Guy would no doubt say.
