Joe Strummer Day 2020: Revolution Clash! Retrospective and Rare Selections From Joe Strummer & The Clash (Show #861)

For the last several years, CJAM FM has held an annual Joe Strummer Day Marathon on their airwaves. Every year at this time, we focus on issues of homelessness and poverty in the Windsor/Detroit area and wrap them around the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash to help raise awareness and to address these issues. Revolution Rock did a music program this year, in addition to providing some information on resources for poverty/homelessness in the Windsor/Detroit area. For this year’s contribution to Joe Strummer Day, Dave & Adam of Revolution Rock did a retrospective of Joe Strummer and The Clash. It has differed from past specials. We decided to play a selection of some of our favourites from The Clash and Strummer’s catalogue. On the episode there is rare live Clash material, selections from The Mescaleros, the Joe Strummer 001 Box Set and more. View the playlist and download/stream link to the episode below. 

In Other Clash News:

On December 11th, a new music video appeared for The Clash’s 1980 single “The Magnificent Seven". It has been 40 years since The Clash released Sandinista! their fourth album, which was actually a triple album. The song is also found on this album. “The Magnificent Seven” featured a funk influence, but also the influence of 80s New York hip hop. This was also the first rap record by a rock group. The album Sandinista! delves into a wide variety of genres and exposed many listeners to different sounds that they may not have discovered otherwise.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sandinista! filmmaker Don Letts put together a new music video for "The Magnificent Seven". Letts has directed numerous music videos for bands such as Public Image Limited, The Clash, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Eddy Grant and Bob Marley to name a few. He also released the award winning documentary Westway To The World in 2000 and Punk: Attitude in 2005. The video for “The Magnificent Seven” compiles footage from The Clash in that time period, featuring footage from when the band appeared on The Tom Synder Show and previously unseen footage from when The Clash played a 17-night residency at the Bond’s International Casino in 1981. This was a surprise for many Clash fans due to the fact that much of this footage was said to have been lost years ago. 

Letts, who was also a frequent collaborator with The Clash (having done all their music videos) had this to say of the band: “They were always ahead of the game,” Letts said of The Clash. “‘Sandinista!’ signposted the multi-cultural way music was going and the elements that make The Clash great are still a currency that’s recognised by youth in the 21st century.” 

  

JSD 2020 Playlist (Originally Aired On December 22nd, 2020)(The Clash & Joe Strummer Retrospective):

1.  Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Gamma Ray (Global A Go-Go - 2001)
2.  Pearl Harbour - 2 Bullets (Joe Strummer 001- 2018)
3.  Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War - Love of the Common People (Live) (Live The Fridge Brixton, South London 1988)
4.  The Clash - Good Times Roll (Rude Boy - The Director's Cut - 2003)
5.  The Clash - Garageland (Demo) (Rude Boy - The Director's Cut - 2003)
6.  The 101ers - Silent Telephone (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
7.  Joe Strummer - Tropic of No Return (Walker Soundtrack - 1987)
8.  Johnny Cash (With Joe Strummer) - Redemption Song (Unearthed - 2003)
9.  Strummer, Simonon & Howard - Pouring Rain (Joe Strummer 001 - 2018)
10. The Clash - Rockers Galore/Bankrobber (Live)  (Live at Brixton Fair Deal 1982)
11. The Clash - Charlie Don't Surf (Live) (Live at Brixton Fair Deal 1982)
12. The Clash - Capital Radio (Live) (Live At The Lyceum - January 3rd, 1979)
13. The Clash - The Gates of The West (Cost of Living EP - 1979)
14. The Clash - The Leader (Sandinista! - 1980)
15. The Clash - City of the Dead (Super Black Market Clash  - 2000)
16. The Clash - Idle In Kangaroo Court (Combat Rock Outtake) (Sound System - 2013)
17. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - X-Ray Style (Rock Art & The X-Ray Style - 1999)
18. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Time and Tide (Yalla Yalla - 1999)
19. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Coma Girl (Streetcore - 2003)
20. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Global A Go-Go (Global A Go-Go - 2001)
21. Joe Strummer - Dum Dum Club (Sid And Nancy: Love Kills (Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack) - 1986)
22. Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War - Nothin' Bout Nothin' (Permanent Record - Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)

23. Joe Strummer & The Long Beach Dub Allstars - The Harder They Come (Free The West Memphis 3 - 2000)
24. The Clash - The Magnificent Seven (Sandinista! - 1980)

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE!

Joe Strummer Day 2019: London Calling 40 Years Later (Show # 807)

Prior to the release of London Calling in December of 1979 (and January of 1980 in the US), The Clash were moving into unknown territory. In 1978, after touring the US and putting out two full-length albums, The Clash parted ways with their manager Bernie Rhoades. They also were going through a spell of writers block. Without their manager, The Clash also no longer had a rehearsal space. Their roadies Johnny Green and The Baker helped them find a new space and an unconventional one at that. The place they found was located in a former factory that was turned into an auto repair shop in Pimlico. This place would be known as Vanilla Studios. It was here that the band, removed from their previous world created the songs for what would wind up on London Calling. Here the band worked on material away from their usual surroundings. Different influences crept in the songs such as reggae, ska, rockabilly, pop and jazz. Demos were made on 4 track tape machines that would become known as The Vanilla Tapes. They were mentioned as early as 1979 in an interview with Joe Strummer, but would not turn up for another 25 years until the 25th anniversary release of London Calling in 2004.

In August 1979, The Clash entered Wessex Studios to start recording London Calling. The producer on the album would be Guy Stevens, known for his strange producing methods. He had produced bands such as Spooky Tooth, Free and Traffic, he was also the manager for Mott The Hoople. Guy would often do things in the studio such as swing a ladder around, yell in people’s faces, and throw chairs to generate enthusiasm while The Clash recorded a take. Bill Price was also on board as engineer to capture all the chaos. London Calling opens with the title track. The track goes beyond the limitations of punk (which is something that was experimented with on London Calling), lyrically, the song generates an apocalyptic rant delving into a variety of political issues as well. Musically, “London Calling” opens the album like a siren call recalling the paranoia around us. With dashes of gallows humour and inspiration coming from reports that the Thames River may flood due to an incident at a Nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, workers strikes, police brutality, and the band’s current situation, the song “London Calling”, like the album, drew a variety of issues and themes.

“Brand New Cadillac” is a cover of a song originally by Vince Taylor. The song was used as a warm up in the studio and the tape recorder was rolling. It became the first song recorded for London Calling. This revved up rockabilly cover about American cars delved into the myth of rock and roll in a cinematic fashion, which would populate the musical depths throughout the London Calling album. While the majority of the songs were worked out during the Vanilla Studios rehearsals, this unplanned track that speeds up in the last verse is also one of the many examples of what can make music so great, spontaneity and indisputable energy. “Jimmy Jazz” utilizes phaser guitar effects, acoustic guitars, horn sections and jazz elements. Lyrically with words such as “Satta Massagana for Jimmy Dread/Cut off his ears and chop off his head/Police come looking for Jimmy Jazz” and “What a relief/I feel like a soldier/Look like a thief/It's for the Jazz”, Strummer and The Clash weave a tale of an unground criminal on the run that can also be seen as an allegory for the punk music scene. “Hateful” brings in Bo Diddley influences with lyrics referencing the complexities of drug addicts and drug dealers with lyrics “It’s hateful/And It’s paid for and I’m so grateful to be nowhere”. “Rudie Can’t Fail” is a reggae, soul and horn driven track sung as a duet by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer. The song itself is inspired the rude boys in 1960s Jamaica who challenged their elders and about a young person that is being criticized for not acting like a responsible adult.

The Clash - Wessex Studios 1979 (Photo by Pennie Smith)

“Spanish Bombs” features many pop elements, the guitar work of jazz/blues guitarist Django Reinhardt also comes to mind, while lyrically it is more on the political side of things about rebellion and its consequences. Strummer’s lyrics juxtapose the Spanish Civil War to the IRA conflict at the time. The song was influenced by George Orwell’s 1938 memoir Homage to Catalonia and could be discussed at length for the themes that it produces, it has also been said to be part love ballad to Palmolive, Joe’s girlfriend at the time and member of The Slits. “The Right Profile” was inspired by a biography on 1950s Hollywood actor Montgomery Clift. The song delves into the tragic tale of the actor who was involved in a car accident and how he could only be filmed from the right side of his face following that incident. With lyrics such as “And everybody say, "Is he all right?"/And everybody say, "What's he like?"/And everybody say, "He sure looks funny"/That's Montgomery Clift, honey”, the song also dealt with Clift’s troubles with drugs and alcohol and drew parallels to producer Guy Stevens who was battling similar at demons at the time. Musically, the song features choppy guitars, Irish horn sections and impassioned vocals from Joe Strummer.

“Lost In The Supermarket” is a song that looks at a person lost in consumer culture that is trying to find some kind of connection with other people and only gets false offerings. Musically, the song takes on disco and pop influences and was sung by guitarist Mick Jones, despite being written by Joe Strummer. Another song that takes on consumer culture is the two-minute punk song “Koka Kola”, which appears later on London Calling and also addresses advertising, corporations, drug fuelled executives and the similarities that they have to each other. “Clampdown” is another rock song that starts with descending bass and guitar patterns, up-tempo drums from Topper Headon, organ and Joe Strummer’s opening rant. This song that would become a live favourite, builds on earlier songs like “Career Opportunities”, but delves even further. With lyrics such as “The men in the factory are old and cunning/You don't owe nothing, so boy get running!/It's the best years of your life they want to steal!”, “Clampdown” tackles a state of mind and situation that many people find themselves in when stuck at a dead end job, emphasizing that you can strive to do better for yourself. It also tackles racial stereotypes with an anti-establishment ethos.

“Guns of Brixton” a reggae song sung and written by bassist Paul Simonon reflecting the reggae gang culture in the film The Harder They Come while contrasting it to gangsters in Brixton, South London. This song, which would also become a live staple for The Clash, captures the alienation that was felt by many in Brixton that would eventually become a site of race riots in 1981 and 1985. “Wrong ‘Em Boyo” is a cover of a song by The Rulers that also digs into the American myth of Stagger Lee and contains part of the song “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price in the intro. This ska-influenced track has a skanking beat with horn sections, stop and start drum fills and many lyrical layers. On songs such as “Jimmy Jazz”, “Rudie Can’t Fail”, “The Card Cheat” and “Revolution Rock”, elements of the Stagger Lee story pop up in different ways.

“Death Or Glory” builds with acoustic guitar, electric guitar and a penetrating, soulful bassline. Throughout this composition, Joe Strummer sings of the complications of the responsibilities of adulthood. With words such as “In every dingy basement on every dingy street/Every dragging hand clap over every dragging beat/That's just the beat of time, beat that must go on/If you've been trying for years we already heard your song”, The Clash also draw on themes of the rock and roll lifestyle, selling out and not being complacent. “The Card Cheat” is a piano driven ballad sung by Mick Jones that tells the tale of a lonely, down and out gambler that brings up images and themes of American Western cinema, “Lover’s Rock” tackles safe sex advocacy, “Four Horsemen” brings more humour into the album as The Clash poke fun at themselves, comparing the band to the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse, while “I’m Not Down” with its Kinks-like chord progressions deals with a character down on their luck. With lyrics such as “If it's true a rich man leads a sad life/That's what they from day to day/Then what do all the poor do with their lives/On Judgment Day with nothing to say?” and “But I know there'll be some way/When I can swing everything back my way/Like skyscrapers rising up/Floor by floor, I'm not giving up”, this song sung by Jones drifts into themes of depression with a message of bettering yourself by pushing through the hard times and dealing with things more directly, despite your troubles.

“Revolution Rock” is the 18th track on London Calling. The song itself is a cover of an obscure reggae song originally by Danny Ray and the Revolutioneers that sampled “Get Up” by Jackie Edwards. Several lyrics were changed by Strummer, most notably the line referencing "Mack the Knife" by Bobby Darin (“Careful how you move, Mac, you dig me in me back/An' I'm so pilled up that I rattle/I have got the sharpest knife, so I cut the biggest slice/I got no time to do battle”) and changing the lyrics to “Everybody smash up your seats and rock to this/Brand new beat” to reflect something that occurred at punk shows. While the gangster theme does come up again in this song, along with many other themes, the result is a song that is a celebration of sorts, as opposed to several of the other songs found on London Calling with darker subject matter. Originally London Calling was going to end at this track, the artwork was even completed and ready to go, but one more song was added to the album at the last minute. The song would be “Train In Vain (Stand By Me)” written and sung by Mick Jones. Rumoured to be about Jones’ Split with Slits guitarist Viv Albertine, the song was written in one night and recorded the next day at the end of the recording sessions for London Calling. This song was originally supposed to be given away as a Flexi single with NME Magazine, however, it didn’t work out that way and this lovesick R&B pop song drives like a locomotive taking the listener to the end of their journey with London Calling.

On London Calling, The Clash created an album made up of many different musical styles. With drummer Topper Headon supplying the dynamic backbeat, a new versatility in The Clash became apparent as they branched out into the genres of reggae, ska, blues, jazz, rockabilly, punk and R&B to name a few. Throughout the album, the lyrical layers compliment the varying musical styles, pulling in literary influences from George Orwell, American culture, gangster films, that sometimes read like a story, sometimes like a classic film, but never beats you over the head with the obvious. It sounds organic, even today. With London Calling, The Clash smashed all preconceived notions of what punk was, releasing a double album of music that pressed on into a new terrain. London Calling was initially going to be called The Last Testament because it was said to stand as the “last rock n’ roll record”. While that changed, London Calling balanced a sense of unease in culture at the time with a sense of optimism. The music of London Calling is a testament however, to the power of rock and roll and the music of The Clash which continues to echo through to audiences, even decades after its initial release.

JSD 2019 Playlist (Originally Aired On September 22nd, 2019)(The 40th Anniversary of London Calling):

1. London Calling (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
2. Brand New Cadillac (London Calling - 1979)
3. Jimmy Jazz (London Calling - 1979)
4. Hateful (London Calling - 1979)
5. Rudie Can’t Fail (London Calling - 1979)
6. Spanish Bombs (London Calling - 1979)
7. The Right Profile (London Calling - 1979)
8. Lost in the Supermarket (London Calling - 1979)
9. Clampdown (Live)(Live At Shea Stadium - 20018)
10. Paul’s Tune (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
11. The Guns of Brixton (London Calling - 1979)
12. Lonesome Me (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
13. Up-Toon (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
14. Walking The Slidewalk (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
15. The Man In Me (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
16. Roadrunner (Live Palladium Soundcheck - 1979)
18. Wrong ‘Em Boyo (Live Palladium NYC 9.21.1979)
19. Death Or Glory (London Calling - 1979)
20. Koka Kola (London Calling - 1979)
21. The Card Cheat (London Calling - 1979)
22. Lover’s Rock (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Edition - 2004)
23. Four Horsemen (London Calling - 1979)
24. I’m Not Down (London Calling - 1979)
25. Revolution Rock (London Calling - 1979)
26. Train In Vain (Live at The Capitol Theater - Passaic, NJ 3.8.80)
27. Armagideon Time (London Calling/Armagideon Time single - 1979)

Download this episode here!

Joe Strummer Day 2015 (Show # 592)

Every December 22nd, CJAM FM holds their annual Joe Strummer Day Marathon. CJAM FM broadcasts for 24 hours bringing awareness to poverty in the Windsor/Detroit area by surrounding it with the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash. This year I helped to kick off Joe Strummer day with my occasional co-host Adam Peltier. In addition to playing a selection of our favourite and rare Joe Strummer/Clash recordings, Adam also brought up some facts and potential places to seek assistance regarding poverty in Windsor/Detroit. You can re-listen to the broadcast below the playlist if you missed it.

Here are some of the highlights from the music that was featured on this program:

Joe Strummer & Jools Holland’s Big Band Rhythm & Blues Band Orchestra

In 2002, Jools Holland released an album entitled Jool’s Hollands’ Big Band Rhythm & Blues featuring a cast of musicians such as Sting, Van Morrison, Paul Weller, Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, John Cale and many others. The compilation is a celebration of rhythm & blues music and also features many original compositions. It also features “Horse To The Water” a song written by George Harrison and his son Dhani. This was also the last song recorded prior to Harrison’s passing in 2001. There is also a song written with Joe Strummer entitled “The Return Of The Blues Cowboy”. This energetic, piano driven track is one of the many songs that were recorded by Joe Strummer, but one that is often overlooked.

When Pigs Fly Soundtrack

As revealed in the documentary The Future Is Unwritten, Joe Strummer recorded for a variety of soundtracks following his work with The Clash. When Pigs Fly was a film directed by Sara Driver in 1993 and Joe Strummer recorded the music for it. Apparently nine hours of music were recorded/submitted for this soundtrack and it remains unreleased. Some of the tracks have been available in bootleg form for some time. The soundtrack showcases several musical styles such as country, folk and jazz. “Storm In A D-Cup” was an instrumental track featured on the program that has both avant-garde Jazz influences and raw early rock and roll surf/instrumental sounds.

Joe Strummer Day 2015 Playlist:

1. The Clash - Bank Robber (Live Concert For Kampuchea Dec 27, 1979)
2. The clash - Rebel Waltz (Sandinista! - 1980)
3. The Clash - Jail Guitar Doors (Super Black Market Clash - 1993)
4. The Clash - Ooh Baby Ooh (Give ’Em Enough Rope Demo)
5. The Clash - Heart & Mind (Demo) (London Calling: 25th Anniversary Legacy Edition - 2004)
6. 101ers - Keys To your Heart (Version 1) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
7. Joe Strummer - Shouting Street (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
8. Joe Strummer & Jools Hollands’ Big Band Rhythm & Blues - The Return Of The Blues Cowboy (Jool’s Hollands’ Big Band Rhythm & Blues - 2002)
9. Tymon Dogg - Pound Of Grain (Made Of Light - 2015)
10. Big Audio Dynamite - V. Thirteen (No. 10 Upping St. - 1988)
11. The Clash - Lost In The Supermarket (London Calling - 1979)
12. Joe Strummer - Storm In A D-Cup (When Pigs Fly - 1993)
13. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Johnny Appleseed (Global A Go-Go - 2001)
14. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Long Shadow (Streetcore - 2003)
15. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Get Down Moses (Streetcore - 2003)
16. The Clash - (White Man) IN Hammersmith Palais (The Clash (US Version) - 1979)
17. Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War - Nothin’ Bout Nothin’ (Permanent Record - Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)
18. Joe Strummer - Love Kills (Sid & Nancy Soundtrack - 1986)
19. The Clash - Janie Jones (The Clash (UK Version) - 1977)
20. The Pogues with Joe Strummer - If I Should Fall From The Grace Of God (Live) (The Pogues With Joe Strummer - Live In London - 2014)
21. The Clash - Complete Control (Live Bond’s International Casino, New York June 9th, 1981)

Download part one of Revolution Rock: Joe Strummer Day Kick Off 2015 here!
Download part two of Revolution Rock: Joe Strummer Day Kick Off 2015 here!

The Clash Live - Joe Strummer Day 2014 (Show 539)

For CJAM FM’s 5th annual Joe Strummer Day marathon, where the station addresses issues related to poverty in the Windsor/Detroit area surrounded by the music created by Joe Strummer and The Clash, I hosted a two-hour program featuring a selection of live Clash recordings. These recordings range from a wide variety of Clash bootlegs to material from official Clash live releases From Here To Eternity: Live (1999) and Live At Shea Stadium (2008).

Here are some recordings of note that were featured on this program:

Bonds International Casino 1981

In May-June of 1981, The Clash played a series of live shows in New York City. Initially the band were to play a series of eight live shows throughout the end of May and in early June 1981. Due to the venue reaching over capacity because of tickets being oversold by promoters, the fire department had to intervene. This resulted in a planned May 30th show being cancelled, but the band decided to extend the amount of shows they were to play. The Clash wound up playing a total of 17 live shows during this May-June period, sometimes playing two shows in a day. While widely bootlegged, some of these shows were recorded professionally. Performances from the bands June 13th date turned up on the 1999 From Here To Eternity: Live album. This album compiled various recordings from 1978-1982 from the band’s career. The band’s time at Bonds was also documented in Don Letts’ Westway To The World documentary.

Live At The Agora Theater, Cleveland, Ohio 1979

In February 1979, The Clash embarked on their first US tour. Playing with Bo Diddley as support on this nine-show tour, the band dubbed this tour the “Pearl Harbor” tour. This show features many songs from the band’s Give 'Em Enough Rope period and the songs and singles from the band’s first titled album. All of these songs are prior to the release of the Cost Of Living EP released in May 1979 and London Calling, which would be released in December 1979. Other facts of note during this period in the band’s career are that the first self-titled album was not initially released in the US. As a result, the album was a high selling import album, reportedly selling 100,000 copies. A modified version of The Clash’s first album was released in 1979 for the US market expanding to the original track listing. In reference to the recording of this live show at the Agora Theater, it is from a soundboard source, but it is however rough sounding at times. Despite this, The Clash’s show at The Agora Theater on February 13th, 1979 features an early example of the band in their explosive live glory on one of the dates on their first US tour. Some of these recordings have also been broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour radio program.

JSD 2014 Play List:

1. What’s My Name (Music Machine, London, England - July 27th, 1978 - From Here To Eternity: Live)
2. English Civil War (The Lewisham Odeon, London, England - February 18th, 1980 - From Here To Eternity II)
3. Safe European Home (The Lyceum Theatre, London - December 28, 1978 - From Here To Eternity II)
4. Jail Guitar Doors (The Lyceum Theatre, London - December 28, 1978)
5. Guns Of Brixton (Bonds International Casino - NYC - June 13th, 1981 - From Here To Eternity)
6. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (Reital France - June 14th, 1980)
7. Police & Thieves (The Agora - Cleveland, Ohio - February 13th, 1979)
8. The Prisoner (St. Paul, Minnesota - June 12th, 1979)
9. I Never Did It (The 100 Club - London, England - August 31st, 1976)
10. How Can I Understand The Flies (The 100 Club - London, England - August 31st, 1976)
11. Remote Control (Mont De Marsan Festival - France - August 5th, 1977)
12. Cheapskates (The Lyceum Theatre, London - December 28, 1978 - From Here To Eternity II)
13. City Of The Dead (The Agora - Cleveland, Ohio - February 13th, 1979)
14. Jimmy Jazz (The Capitol Theater - Passaic, NJ - March 8th, 1980)
15. Stay Free (The Capitol Theater - Passaic, NJ - March 8th, 1980)
16. Magnificent Seven Armagideon Time Medley (Shea Stadium - October 13th, 1982 - Live At Shea Stadium)
17. Ivan Meets GI Joe (Japp Edenhall - Amsterdam, Netherlands - May 10th, 1981)
18. Bankrobber (Brixton Fair Deal - London, England - July 30, 1982)
19. One More Time (Japp Edenhall - Amsterdam, Netherlands - May 10th, 1981)
20. London Calling (Japp Edenhall - Amsterdam, Netherlands - May 10th, 1981)
21. Radio Clash (Bonds International Casino - NYC - June 9th, 1981)
22. The Call Up (Bonds International Casino - NYC - June 9th, 1981)
23. Complete Control (Bonds International Casino - NYC - June 13th, 1981 - From Here To Eternity)
24. Koka Kola (The Palladium - NYC - September 21, 1979)
25. I'm So Bored With The USA (The Palladium - NYC - September 21, 1979)
26. I Fought The Law (The Lyceum Theatre, London - December 28, 1978)
27. Janie Jones (Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, Illinois - September 14, 1979)
28. Garageland (The Capitol Theater - Passaic, NJ - March 8th, 1980)

Download this program here!

Check out and download some of the other programs from CJAM FM's Joe Strummer Day 2014 here!

Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg Vs. Combat Rock - Joe Strummer Day 2013 (Show 488)

Following 1980’s triple LP Sandinista!, The Clash headed into the 1981 studio to record what was to eventually become their 1982 album Combat Rock. Before it became a single LP, it was initially a double album. Produced and mixed by Clash guitarist Mick Jones, Combat Rock was originally titled Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg and was intended to be a sixteen track double album release. Rat Patrol featured lengthier versions of songs and a multitude of sound effects on the songs. After much disagreement about the mix from band members, producer Glyn Johns, who had done work with The Who and The Beatles, was brought in to cut the album down to a single LP and strengthen up the songs. Several parts were re-recorded, mostly vocals, sound effects were removed and songs were edited down due to their length. Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg has been available in bootleg form for some time now, but was initially mixed down to acetates back in 1981. Combat Rock and Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg share many similarities, but also many differences.

Rat Patrol initially started off with two tracks that never made the final cut on Combat Rock “The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too” and “Idle In Kangaroo Court (Kill Time)”. The first track featured pre-dominantly synthesizers and funky rhythms, while lyrically it conveyed an anti-drug message about a rock and roll singer that plays out like a scene in a movie. The lyrics “You thought you were the hero/Of "The Fulham Connection 2"/Yeah, the flashing strip/You flashed your jewels/But now: the credits/It must roll through” and “Oh, the beautiful people are ugly too/There's going to be a lot of washing when the dance is through” emphasize these points. “Idle In Kangaroo Court (Kill Time)” brings in Caribbean sounding drums and flavours, while short stabbing guitars filter in and out through this Funk driven track. It then leads into what was to become a chart topping hit for the band much later on after its release “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”. This was as Mick Jones has stated in interviews not to have any specific meaning behind it, but just an attempt at writing a classic song. The original version found on Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg, featured a different vocal take and a saxophone solo. The Combat Rock Version featured different vocals, added fuzz bass to the mix and shortened up Strummer’s Spanish vocal parts, which are more prevalent on the original version.

“Know Your Rights” started off the 1982 album Combat Rock in a pseudo-Rockabilly style as Joe Strummer ranted and raved, starting off with the lyrics ”This is a public service announcement with guitars”. It was said to be a sarcastic take on three essential rights. The Combat Rock version is a much stronger lean version than the original Rat Patrol version, which was more laid back, longer and featured different lyrics. “Car Jamming” was the second song on Combat Rock, but also made a slightly different appearance on Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg, featuring several car sound effects. This song featured a Bo Diddley style drum beat, while combining with The Clash’s stop and start guitar riffing, lyrically the song, like many on the album address the reactions to the Vietnam War. This song tells the story a soldier that returns home after the war and has a hard time adjusting to home life.

The songs that make up Combat Rock, and even on Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg often times play out like movies, lyrically and musically. The music was very influenced by the films Apocalypse Now and Taxi Driver. In 2004’s Passion Is A Fashion, author Pat Gilbert had this to say of Combat Rock, commenting on its anti-war stance saying that it was “The Clash’s last great statement, and maybe their most important. …Its two fixations, New York and Vietnam, conjoin to produce a damning indictment of American foreign policy and an exuberant celebration of American street culture.”

Songs such as “Red Angel Dragnet” featured bassist Paul Simonon on vocals and Kosmo Vinyl, the bands associate and road manager in a few instances. It was also definitely influenced by New York street culture and also by the film Taxi Driver, Kosmo even reads a monologue for Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle character. “Ghetto Defendant” is a heavy and spooky dub reggae styled track with harmonica and also features American beat poet Allan Ginsberg. The song once again addresses street culture in particular drawing in apocalyptic imagery and lyrics about drug addiction. These two tracks are not too much different on Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg from Combat Rock. The Combat Rock versions of these tracks just shorten them up so they are not as long.

“Rock The Casbah” would be one of the big hit singles from this album, one that earned them more recognition from mainstream audiences. The song was written by Clash drummer Topper Headon, who plays bass, drums and piano on this track. The songs lyrics were written by Joe Strummer, who wrote the opening line The King told the boogie-men 'you have to let that raga drop”, after their manger Bernie Rhodes said “Does everything have to be as long as a raga? The rest of the lyrics soon followed. Ironically, this song that was written by the drummer was one of their biggest hits at the time, but he was soon sacked for drug related issues as the single was beginning to pick up. It was the beginning of the end for The Clash. Another song of note that is important to mention is “Straight To Hell” a song that specifically addressed numerous issues including the “Amerasian Blues”, which was the abandonment of children fathered by American soldiers in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The song musically had ties to the Boss Nova beat supplied by drummer Topper Headon and is often viewed as a strong point in the band’s catalogue.

As a whole, Combat Rock stands up as a lean and for the most part straight to the point album musically and lyrically, it also showcased The Clash's ability to reach a wider audience.  Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg is looser and draws in more instrumental aspects. Like all Clash albums, they all had something different to offer than the previous release. The influences such as Punk, Funk, Reggae, Dub, Hip Hop and elements of Jazz are all over this album and come off in an aggressive nature. In 1991, approximately a decade after its 1982 release “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” became a number one hit single in the UK, proving its sustainability. Combat Rock lived up to its title, the conflicts amongst the band members and the songs would both result in their success and eventual split. Rat Patrol From Fort Brag seems to travel greater lengths to get its point across, featuring more songs, while Combat Rock arrives quicker creating more of a sense of immediacy.

The Play List:

1. The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
2. Idle In Kangaroo Court (Kill Time) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
3. Know Your Rights (Combat Rock)
4. Know Your Rights (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
5. Car Jamming (Combat Rock)
6. Over Powered By Funk (Combat Rock)
7. Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Alternate Version) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
8. Rock The Casbah (w/Rankin Rodger) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
9. Red Angel Dragnet (Instrumental Version) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
10. Red Angel Dragnet (w/Rankin Rodger) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
11. Red Angel Dragnet (Combat Rock)
12. Ghetto Defendant (Extended Version) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
13. Walk Evil Talk (Instrumental)(Outtake) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
14. Death Is A Star (Combat Rock)
15. Atom Tan (Combat Rock)
16. Innoculated City (Combat Rock)
17. Sean Flynn (Extended Version) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
18. Innoculated City (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
19. Cool Confusion (Instrumental 2) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
20. Cool Confusion (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg/Should I Stay Or Should I Go 1983 single)
21. First Night Back In London (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg/Know Your Rights 1982 single)
22. Straight To Hell (Extended Version) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)

Download this podcast here. 

Five Star Rock & Roll ... Joe Strummer Day 2012 (Show 436)

This December 22nd marked the third annual Joe Strummer Day Marathon for CJAM FM in which we confront poverty in the Windsor/Detroit area to the soundtrack of the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash. I put together a program profiling Joe’s pre-Clash band The 101ers, which can be downloaded in the link after the play list below.

Prior to being in The Clash, Joe Strummer was in a band known as The 101ers. This pre-Clash band was different aesthetically falling under the category of Pub Rock, however if you look band a take a listen to the recordings that were made with The 101ers, you can see the sprouting seeds of Joe Strummer and a portrait of the artist he was to become. The band was named after a place that Joe and the group were squatting in during the mid 70s at 101 Wallerton Road in Maida Vale in the UK. The names origins have also been rumoured to be inspired by the torture “room 101” in George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The bands existence was from 1974 to approximately April of 1976. During the bands existence they did release one single the Keys To Your Heart/5 Star Rock & Roll Petrol in 1976 on the Chiswick record label after the band had broken up. They did make several demos and several live recordings were made, some of which would make their one and only album Elgin Avenue Breakdown which was released long after their break up in 1981 during The Clash's pick up in popularity. The bands musical output was built up upon their live set which heavily relied on numerous cover songs. Although the bands line up did have changes in their line up during their brief existence the band contained members Dan Kelleher (guitar/bass/vocals), Richard Dudanski (drums), Mole (bass until 1975), Clive Temperley (guitar/vocals), Tymon Dogg (fiddle/vocals), among others. The bands sound was built upon early Rock music such as Blues and roots Rock and Roll as evidence by the covers they would play live such as “Gloria” by Them, a variety of Chuck Berry songs, “Out of Time”” by The Rolling Stones, Bo Diddley and The Beatles. Just as the band was picking up in popularity, they even had a single coming out on Chiswick Records ("Keys To Your Heart"), everything changed and they were disbanded.

On April 6th, 1976, The Sex Pistols opened up for The 101ers at Nashville Room and something changed in Joe Strummers musical vision. As he famously has said in interviews and in Don Letts Westway To The World documentary: “Five seconds into their (the Pistols') first song, I knew we were like yesterday's paper, we were over”. Shortly after witnessing the Pistols in all their ragged Punk Rock glory Joe had split up The 101ers, joined The Clash with Mick Jones and Paul Simonon and for a long period of time The 101ers were kind of forgotten. As The Clash continued and grew in awareness in the public eye a compilation album was released in 1981 by the Andalucia label piecing together several 101ers studio demos/outtakes and live recordings.  Entitled Elgin Avenue Breakdown, the collection was put together by Joe Strummer and given a limited vinyl release.  A single of the song "Sweet Revenge" was also released in 1981. 

On this album the band displayed their sense of high energy Rock and Roll enthusiasm in the vein of bands such as Dr. Feelgood, Eddie & The Hotrods, Ducks Deluxe, but the songs found on this release also contained a sense of the early R&B Garage Rock sound that had been employed by British Invasion bands, most notably The Rolling Stones here. The album features standout tracks such as “Letsagetabitarockin’” a fast and clangy guitar driven track being one of the first songs that Joe Strummer wrote/recorded for the band, “Keys To Your Heart” the song released as their first single and played in the early days of The Clash, “Motor Boys Motor”, “Sweety of The St. Moritz” and “Surf City”. “Surf City” is a song accredited to not only Strummer but also guitarist/vocalist Dan Kelleher who would also sing this track live to give Joe a break in the live set. Joe always worked well in the collaboration setting even while in The Clash and Kelleher is also an important factor in this and several of the recordings that The 101ers made. He was a good song writing companion for Joe as was the input of Clive Temperley, Richard Dudanski, along with a variety of musicians that had been involved in the group.

In 2002, Joe Strummer was putting together the idea of re-issuing The 101ers material in one definitive collection, but the project was delayed and it would take some time to be released due to his untimely death in December of 2002. With the help of former 101er Richard “Snake Hips” Dudanski the collection was released in 2005 as Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited. The collection featured the previous songs from the 1981 release plus several outtakes and live recordings. Among the unreleased recording there were versions of Them’s “Gloria”, The Rolling Stones “Out of Time”, Slim Harpo’s “Shake Your Hips” and others. From the previously unreleased 101ers material we have most notably the song “Lonely Mother’s Son”, a song that would be later reworked into The Clash song “Jail Guitar Doors”, it was also one of the first songs Joe penned with overtly political lyrics. Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited is a document of the Pub Rock scene at the time and Joe Strummer’s early Rock and Roll vision. And although up until 1975 Joe went by the name Woody Mellor (inspired by Folk legend Woody Guthrie) it would be a few years before he started composing his literate and at times political inspired lyrics that he would be known for.  The songs on this collection make up an early rough snapshot of the later Clash front man that we would come to know as Joe Strummer.

Joe Strummer Day/101ers Play List:

1. Letsagetabitarockin’ (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
2. Shake Your Hips (Live) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
3. Hoy Hoy (Live at Derby Cleopatras December 12, 1975) (Smokey Joe's Cafe Bootleg)
4. Slippin’ and Slidin’ (Live at Derby Cleopatras December 12, 1975) (Smokey Joe's Cafe Bootleg)
5. Sweet Revenge (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
6. Hideaway (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
7. Steamgauge 99 (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
8. Keep Taking The Tablets (Live)(Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
9. I Saw Her Standing There (Live) (Smokey Joe's Cafe Bootleg)
10. Rabies (From The Dogs of Love) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
11. Motor Boys Motor (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
12. Five Star R 'n' Roll (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
13. Out of Time (Live) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
14. Gloria (Live) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
15. Be Bop A Lula (Live at Derby Cleopatras December 12, 1975) (Smokey Joe's Cafe Bootleg)
16. Unknown Song (Pathway Demo March 4, 1976) (Smokey Joe's Cafe Bootleg)
17. Surf City Interrupted (Pathway Demo March 4, 1976) (Smokey Joe's Cafe Bootleg)
18. Surf City (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
19. Lonely Mothers Son (Live) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
20. The Sweety of St. Moritz (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
21. Silent Telephone (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)
22. Keys To Your Heart (Version 2) (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited - 2005)

Download this 101ers podcast/radio program:
Revolution Rock Joe Strummer Day 2012 101ers Special

Joe Strummer Day 2011

As part of CJAM FM's second annual Joe Strummer Day marathon, where we confront issues related to poverty in the Windsor/Detroit area and surround it with the music of Joe Strummer as a back drop, I contributed two programs this year. Both of them were very different and both of them were two hours each. 

Joe Strummer Day Part One:  Rarities Show

The first program aired at 1 AM - 3 AM on CJAM following this years Joe Strummer Day kick off program by programmer Vern Smith of CJAM's Jazz Hacienda. This program was two hours of rare and for the most part harder to find material from the music of Joe Strummer, and the related groups he has been associated with. The program featured live recordings, demos, and songs from a variety of soundtracks from The Clash, The Mescaleros, Latino Rockabilly War, The 101ers and Joe Strummer solo.
 

Rarities Show - Joe Strummer Day Play List One:

1. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Johnny Appleseed (Live Acton Town Hall 2002)
2. Joe Strummer – Slant Six (Earthquake Weather 1989)
3. Joe Strummer – King of the Bayou (Earthquake Weather 1989)
4. Joe Strummer – Punk Rock Blues (Gangsterville EP 1989)
5. The Clash – You Can’t Judge A Book By Looking at the Cover (London Calling Rehearsal Demo)
6. The Clash – Louie Louie (Sandinista! Outtake)
7. The Clash – Jimmy Jazz (From Here To Eternity II)
8. The Clash – London’s Burning (1976 Mickey Foote Demos)
9. The Clash – Career Opportunities (1976 Mickey Foote Demos)
10. The Clash – Janie Jones (1976 Polydor Demo)
11. The Clash – Deadly Serious (Live 1976)
12. Latino Rockabilly War - Theme From Permanent Record (Permanent Record Original Soundtrack 1988)
13. Joe Strummer – Mystery At Ambush Rock (Straight To Hell Original Soundtrack 1987)
14. Latino Rockabilly War – Trash City (Permanent Record Original Soundtrack 1988)
15. Joe Strummer & The Pogues – London Calling Live (The Pogues Boxset 2008)
16. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros– Time and Tide (Yalla Yalla EP 1999)
17. Joe Strummer – Phantom County Fair (When Pigs Fly Soundtrack 1993)
18. The Clash – In The Pouring Rain (Live) (The Future Is Unwritten Soundtrack 2007)
19. The Clash – Know Your Rights (Alt Version) (Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg)
20. The Clash – Good Times Roll (Rude Boy: The Directors Cut 1980)
21. The Clash – House of the Ju Ju Queen (Demo)
22. The Clash – Safe European Home (Give'Em Enough Rope Outtake Version)
23. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – London Is Burning (Burning Streets) (Alternate Version)
24. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Blitzkreig Bop (Live) (Coma Girl Single 2003)
25. Joe Strummer & Long Beach Dub Allstars – The Harder They Come (Free The West Memphis 3 2000)
26. The Clash – Long Time Jerk (7 Inch Version) (Rock The Casbah Single 1982)
27. 101ers – Sweety of the St. Moritz (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited 2005)
28. The Clash -  Where You Gonna Go (Soweto) (Vanilla Tapes Demo) (London Calling: 25^th Anniversary Legacy Edition 2004)
29. The Clash – The Man In Me (Vanilla Tapes Demo) (London Calling: 25^th Anniversary Legacy Edition 2004)
30. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – (Whiteman) In Hammersmith Palais (Live at The 100 Club – July 2000)

Download this program

Joe Strummer Day Part Two:  Sandinista Now!

The second program that I did focused on the album Sandinista! Airing from 1 PM – 3 PM, the show featured discussions on the album, its mystery and why some people like it and some people dislike it. Joining me on the program was Vern Smith (of Jazz Hacienda), Martin Deck (Wake The Town), and Mike Konstantino a local musician and Clash fan.  A lot was discussed on air, download the program below to hear it all, but first a quick blurb about Sandinista!

Sandinista! is an often misunderstood piece of music in The Clash catalogue. Originally released as a triple LP in 1980, the album is known for featuring a variety of genres and styles and having a lot of material ranging from Reggae Dub and Rockabilly, to Jazz, Folk and Gospel. Clocking in at about two and a half hours, the album followed the bands third full length LP London Calling, which was a double album. When it was initially released the album was sold for the price of a single LP, despite having six sides of music on it. As part of a deal with CBS, the band forfeited a large number of royalties (rumoured to be the first 200,000 copies) in order to have the album released as a triple.

Many Clash fans argue that if it were a single or double album, it would have been a stronger release, but the way it is now is seen by some as a flawed masterpiece. When Sandinista! was released in 1980, it should also be noted that a more streamlined version of the album was sent out to radio stations and the press for promotional purposes, it was titled Sandinista Now!  The track listing of this release was “Police On My Back”, “Somebody Got Murdered”, “The Call Up”, “Washington Bullets”, “Ivan Meets G.I. Joe” and “Hitsville UK” on one side followed by “Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)”, “The Magnificent Seven”, “The Leader”, “Junco Partner”, “One More Time” and “The Sound of the Sinners” .  This only adds further debate to the single/double album Sandinista! discussion, but listen for yourself to decide, Sandinista! love it or hate it is a musical statement from a band that was referred to as the only band that matters and one that people can still return to and discover something new.

Sandinista Now! - Joe Strummer Day Play List Two:

1. The Clash – The Magnificent Dance (Super Black Market Clash 2000)
2. The Clash – The Leader (Sandinista! 1980)
3. The Clash -  Somebody Got Murdered (Sandinista! 1980)
4. The Clash -  The Sound of the Sinners (Sandinista! 1980)
5. The Clash -  Police On My Back (Sandinista! 1980)
6. The Clash -  The Equalizer (Sandinista! 1980)
7. The Clash -  The Call Up (Sandinista! 1980)
8. The Clash -  Washington Bullets (Sandinista! 1980)
9. The Clash -  Broadway (Sandinista! 1980)
10. The Clash -  Rebel Waltz (Sandinista! 1980)
11. The Clash -  Lose The Skin (Sandinista! 1980)
12. The Clash -  Charlie Don’t Surf (Sandinista! 1980)
13. The Clash -  One More Time (Sandinista! 1980)
14. The Clash – The Street Parade (Sandinista! 1980)
15. The Clash -  Silicon On Sapphire (Sandinista! 1980)
16. The Clash -  Hitsville UK (Sandinista! 1980)

Download this program

Letsagetabitarockin'....The Joe Strummer Story & Joe Strummer Day CJAM Special

The years 1986 until 1999 are commonly referred to as The Wilderness Years in regards to former Clash front man Joe Strummers artistic output, musically and in film. In 1986, Joe Strummer contributed two songs to the soundtrack for the movie Sid & Nancy. The two songs featured on the soundtrack were “Love Kills” and “Dum Dum Club”. While these two songs were labelled under Joe Strummer he contributed further music to the project under a different name due to the fact that he was limited contractually for two songs only on the soundtrack album. The film was made by director Alex Cox, who met Strummer after part of Sid & Nancy had been filmed (the London scenes). This encounter would lead Joe Strummer to further soundtrack work and acting roles. In the same year Joe reconnected with former Clash band mate Mick Jones producing and co-writing several tracks on the Big Audio Dynamite album No.10 Upping Street, Jones’ post-Clash band. When 1987 hit, Joe Strummer had a small acting role as “Faucet” in the Alex Cox film Walker, he also wrote and performed the score/soundtrack to the film. The movie Straight to Hell was made in the very same year by Alex Cox. Joe played a character named “Simms”, the movie also featured members of The Pogues. Soundtrack work to this Western, which has often been called bizarre was done by Joe Strummer with contributions by The Pogues. Around this time The Pogues needed a fill in for their 1987/1988 tour. Joe filled that role bringing him back into the realm of touring with a band.

A band was put together in 1988 known as The Latino Rockabilly War. Consisting of Zander Schloss, Lonnie Marshall, Jack Irons and Willie MacNeil, this group contributed five songs (“Trash City”, “Theme From Permanent Record”, “Nothin’ Bout Nothin”, “Baby The Trans” and “Nefertiti Rock") to the soundtrack for the film Permanent Record, which featured Keanu Reeves. A full length album was also recorded in 1989. The album featured The Latino Rockabilly War as Joe’s backing band and was entitled Earthquake Weather. The album was a passionate fourteen track collection of songs drawing on a variety of influences such as Folk, World Music, Dub, Rock and there are even hints of Spanish guitar. The album featured songs such as “Gangsterville” and “King of the Bayou” which are quick Rock songs containing Dub elements. There are standout tracks such as the tropical charm of “Island Hopping”, and the soulful “Sleepwalk” which ends the album. Earthquake Weather was an eclectic mix of styles falling within the Rock realm that was a very unique artistic statement and still is. At the time of its release it was panned by critics. The album did not sell well and as a result Joe Strummer was dropped from his contract with Sony records.

In 1989, Joe Strummer played a character named Johnny, alongside Steve Bushemi in the Jim Jarmusch film Mystery Train. The album Hell’s Ditch by The Pogues (which would be released in 1990) was produced by Strummer in the same year. In 1990, Joe Strummer had a small part in a movie by Aki Kaurismäki entitled I Hired A Contract Killer. In the film Joe plays a guitarist performing two songs in a pub. The two songs (“Burning Lights” and “Afro-Cuban Bebop”) were released on a promotional seven inch single. The songs are credited to Joe Strummer & The Astro Physicians, which were actually The Pogues. In 1991, Joe Strummer temporarily replaced Shawn McGowan (singer of The Pogues) for their tour that year. Doubling as vocalist and rhythm guitarist, the band played several Clash songs on that tour. One night of the tour was recorded professionally and three of the tracks (“London Calling”, “I Fought the Law”, and “Turkish Song of the Damned”) can be found on The Pogues 2008 box set. For much of the early years of the 90’s Joe Strummer went under the radar not really doing anything musically. In 1993, Joe Strummer wrote material for the film When Pigs Fly. He scored the entire film, but had issues with distribution resulting in the film and soundtrack being unreleased. He returned in 1994 to live music for a benefit concert known as “Rock For Refugees” for people that were left displaced by war in Bosnia. Taking place in Prague, Joe played a live set backed with Dirty Pictures, a Czech American band that featured many Clash songs that he had not played in a decade. In 1995, Joe Strummer played piano on the song “Just The One” by the UK band The Levellers and then made an appearance on the 1996 Black Grape single “England’s Ire”. Around this time a dispute occurred with Epic Records which lasted almost eight years. The label finally agreed to let Strummer record solo material with another label, but if The Clash were to reunite, they would have to record for Sony. In 1998, Joe Strummer contributed a song entitled “It’s A Rockin’ World” to Chef Aid: The South Park Album. This positive Rock song featured Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nick Hexum of 311, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, DJ Bonebreak and Benmont Tench.

In 1999, Joe Strummer began working with a trio for some short movie soundtracks, for Tunnel of Love and Question of Honor. These other musicians were Pablo Cook and Richard Norris which would lead Strummer to Antony Genn. Strummer would then begin recording a new album at the insistence of Genn, this album would become Rock Art and The X-Ray Style, the first album by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. The original band line up consisted of Joe Strummer on guitar/lead vocals, Scott Shields on bass, Antony Genn on guitar, Martin Slattery on keyboards, additional guitar/various instruments, Pablo Cook on percussion and Steve Banard on drums. Produced by Antony Genn and Richard Norris with Richard Flack doing some engineering and other effects in the studio, Rock Art and The X-Ray Style was Joe Strummer first full length album since 1989’s Earthquake Weather. The album mixed a variety of styles, but also this time adding in a various electronic elements. The album opens with the song “Tony Adams” a powerful song with reggae styled guitar riffs and saxophones that lyrically deals with a catastrophe hitting New York. The song was also named after English Football (or Soccer in the US) player Tony Adams, who Strummer thought should have been the captain of the England Football team. The song doesn’t necessarily deal with Adams directly, but its title can be seen as being more of a dedication to the athlete. There are also songs such as “Sandpaper Blues” which delves into African beats, “The Road to Rock and Roll” which features almost Hip Hop styled drumming and “Techno D-day” a high energy Rock song with electronic elements. The album also features the song “Yalla Yalla, a song that was actually written prior to the recording of Rock Art and the X-Ray Style. The song is richly layered and features synths, guitars, bass, and drums as well as sustain provided by an e-bow. The song was once described by Strummer himself as “An ancient British Folk song … written in the year 1999”. The album ends off with “Willesden to Cricklewood” a song that poignantly looks back at someone who is growing up. The song touches on London, being home, and watching your children grow.

Following the release of Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, Joe Strummer toured across Europe, England, and North America, the bands live sets featured many Clash fan favourites. In 2001, Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros signed to the California Punk label Hellcat Records. The bands follow up to Rock Art was Global A Go-Go, which was released in 2001. This album had contained more of the genre bending flavours that Joe had been experimenting with on the bands previous efforts. Notable influences are apparent on this album. There is a big World Music influence along with Folk, and other exotic rhythmic elements found here. Dominated by mostly acoustic guitars, Global A Go-Go is like no other album in Strummers catalogue. The album opens with Folk Rock of “Johnny Appleseed”. The song takes on an apparent Bob Dylan influence featuring thought provoking lyrics such as “If you’re after getting honey/then don’t go killing all the bees”, which can be read on many levels, relating to workers rights and ideas within the social contexts of the freedoms of society. The song is easily one of the strongest in Strummer’s catalogue and was used as the theme song to the HBO television series John from Cincinnati. Other interesting tracks include “Cool ‘n Out’, which has prominent electric guitar, the Folk and World Music mix of “Global A Go-Go”, “Mega Bottle Ride”, and “Mondo Bongo”. The album also features the almost eighteen minute epic track “Minstrel Boy”, which reflects an Irish Celtic Folk influence. While these are just some of the nuggets found on this album, there are some other facts that are worth mentioning in regards to Global A Go-Go. The album features guest vocals from Who front man Roger Daltrey, and fiddler Tymon Dogg, who was involved in The Clash’s album Sandinista!, and who has musical connections back to Joe Strummers 101’ers days. On Global A Go-Go Joe Strummer re-invented himself separate from his Clash past. While Joe had been experimenting with his unique blend of Folk and World Music from as far back as 1989’s Earthquake Weather, this album easily stood out from the rest and garnered Strummer with new recognition from his peers, fans and critics alike.

The Mescaleros embarked on a 21 date tour in support of Global A Go-Go, touring in North America, England and Ireland. The bands live set usually featured Clash material (as did his previous Mescaleros tour), along with a mix of covers such as “A Message To You Rudy”, “They Harder They Come”, and “Blitzkrieg Bop”. Around this point The Mesaleros were on their Bringing it All Back Home Tour, which was an extensive tour of the UK. It was also around this time where rumours of a Clash reunion started to take place. It was announced that The Clash were being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 2003 and the band were talking again. Nothing was ever confirmed, but when Clash guitarist Mick Jones joined Joe Strummer on stage on November 15th, 2002 for a few live Clash songs at a Mescaleros show, hopes were raised high. Mick joined the Mescaleros for three Clash numbers on stage during that show (“Bankrobber”, “White Riot”, and “London’s Burning”), which was the first time that Mick Jones played on stage with Joe Strummer since 1983. The performance was unplanned. Afterwards Jones was quoted as saying that he felt compelled to join Joe on stage. This was one of the last gigs that Joe Strummer played with the Mescaleros, on December 22, 2002 Joe Strummer passed away due to an unknown congenial heart defect at the age of 50.

In 2003, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros released Streetcore posthumously. The ten track album was a combination of the final studio sessions that Joe Strummer had done with the Mescaleros prior to his death. The album was critically acclaimed at the time of its release being called an album as accessible as some of Joe’s previous Clash efforts. Many of the songs on Streetcore feature a return to Rock basics that had not been found to a large degree on previous Mescaleros albums. At the time of the first recording session for the album, in February 2002 The Mescaleros band line up included Martin Slattery (guitar, keyboards, sax), Scott Shields (guitar, percussion), Luke Bullen (drums) and Simon Stafford on bass. While the band recorded several songs in preparation for the album, many of the songs did not have vocals recorded. One can’t be known for sure, but it has been said that vocals were never recorded for “Dakar Meantime”, and “Guitar Slingerman”, two songs that quickly began to be integrated in the Mescaleros live sets prior to Joe’s passing. Overall the album mixes elements of Folk, Blues, Reggae, Dub and Rock. The album kicks off with the almost Garage Rock “Coma Girl”, a song that has been said to have been the last studio recording to feature Joe Strummer on guitar. The second song on the album is the soulful Reggae Rock hybrid of “Get Down’ Moses”. Other high energy songs on the album include “All in a Day”, and “Arms Aloft”. In addition to the rocked up Mescaleros tracks there are also some ballads that can’t help but remind the listener of The Clash and influences. “Burning Streets” especially emphasizes this point, it seems to draw on a previous Clash based work ethic and at the same time step forward in a new direction with The Mescaleros. "Ramshackle Day Parade”, is the other ballad provided here. The song was recorded for the movie The Diving Bell and Butterfly. “Midnight Jam” is a song that has no lyrics, instead clips of Joe Strummer talking from his London Calling BBC radio show (which ran from 1998-2001) are inter-spliced between the notes of this moving piece.

There are also several acoustic songs on the album one of them being “Long Shadow”. This passionate acoustic number was recorded by Rick Rubin in consideration for Johnny Cash, but wasn’t recorded by Cash. It was recorded by Ruben with Strummer and Smokey Hormel on guitar. Another acoustic song recorded by Rubin was “Redemption Song”. This cover of a song originally done by Bob Marley features Joe’s passionate vocals and a lone acoustic guitar, it was also recorded as a duet with Johnny Cash on vocals (it can be found on Cash’s Unearthed Box Set). The final track on the album is a joyous cover of the Bobby Charles song “Before I Grow Too Old”, renamed “Silver and Gold” on Streetcore. With lyrics emphasizing that one should live their life before they’re too old and it’s too late, leaves Streetcore to end the album on a rather poignant note.

Joe Strummer left behind detailed notes about Streetcore and how it should be organized prior to his passing. The cover art can be best described by strummer himself as: "A distillation thru the mind bending coil..." created by Joe himself, the album is juxtaposed with a bright orange background and on the back features a picture of Strummer sitting cross-legged playing his trademark Telecaster. While the album was released posthumously, it is unknown what was originally intended for the album and what was left out off this album due to Joe’s untimely passing. The album stands as a strong document of his musical efforts, regardless of whether or not it was the bands last album. In 2007 a documentary was made about Joe Strummer entitled The Future is Unwritten by Julian Temple, which further documented the music of Joe Strummer, alongside the Dick Rude documentary Let’s Rock Again!, and Don Letts’ Westway to The World. The music created by Joe Strummer, both in his Clash days and his post-Clash days has gone on to influence and inspire many people to create music that is passionate, meaningful and full of feeling.

If you liked this post check out my Joe Strummer 2011 special, where I did two programs, one program focusing on harder to find recordings from Joe Strummer & The Clash and a second program I did on the album Sandinista!

Joe Strummer Day Play List:

1. Joe Strummer - It's A Rockin' World (Chef Aid: The South Park Album 1998)
2. Joe Strummer – Gangsterville (Earthquake Weather 1989)
3. The Clash - Tommy Gun (Give ‘Em Enough Rope 1978)
4. The Clash - Clash City Rockers (Original Version) (Essential Clash 2003)
5. 101'ers - Letsagetabitarockin' (Elgin Avenue Revisited 2005)
6. 101'ers - Keys To Your Heart (Version 2) (Elgin Avenue Revisited 2005)
7. Joe Strummer - Love Kills (Sid & Nancy Soundtrack 1986)
8. Joe Strummer - Dum Dum Club (Sid & Nancy Soundtrack 1986)
9. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Global A Go-Go (Global A Go-Go 2001)
10. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Bhindi Bhagee (Global A Go-Go 2001)
11. Joe Strummer - Island Hopping (Earthquake Weather 1989)
12. Joe Strummer - Sleepwalk (Earthquake Weather 1989)
13. Joe Strummer - Tennessee Rain (Walker 1987)
14. Joe Strummer - Pouring Rain (When Pigs Fly 1993)
15. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Yalla Yalla (Rock Art & The X-Ray Style 1999)
16. The Clash - The Leader (Sandinista! 1980)
17. The Clash - Jimmy Jazz (London Calling 1979)
19. The Clash - (Whiteman) In Hammersmith Palais (The Clash (US Version) 1979)
20. The Clash - Hateful (London Calling 1979)
21. The Clash - London Calling (Live Amsterdam 1981)
22. The Clash - Bankrobber (From Here to Eternity II)
23. The Clash - This Is England (Cut the Crap 1985)
24. Joe Strummer & The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned (Live (Pogues Box Set 2008)
25. Joe Strummer & The Astro Physicians - Burning Lights (I Hired A Contract Killer 1990)
26. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Road to Rock and Roll (Rock Art & The X-Ray Style 1999)
27. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Techno D-Day (Rock Art & The X-Ray Style 1999)
28. Joe Strummer - Passport To Detroit (Earthquake Weather 1989)
29. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Cool 'n' Out (Global A Go-Go 2001)
30. The Clash - Safe European Home (Give ‘Em Enough Rope 1978)
31. The Clash - Rock The Casbah (Live at the US Festival 1983)
32. The Clash - Police & Thieves/Blitzkrieg Bop (Rockers Galore Promo 1999)
33. The Clash - Garageland (Demo) (Rude Boy: The Directors Cut 1980)
34. The Clash - White Riot (The Clash (US Version) 1979)
35. The Clash - Know Your Rights (Combat Rock 1982)
36. The Clash – Magnificent Seven (Live From Here to Eternity 1999)
37. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Johnny Appleseed (Global A Go-Go 2001)
38. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Coma Girl (Streetcore 2003)
39. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Get Down Moses (Streetcore 2003)
40. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Dakar Meantime (Live Streetcore Outtake 2002)
41. Latino Rockabilly War - Trash City (Permanent Record Original Soundtrack 1988)
42. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Long Shadow (Streetcore 2003)
43. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Redemption Song (Streetcore 2003)

To download this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Joe Strummer Day and download the files for 12 AM & 3 AM.

Joe Strummer Day on CJAM FM December 22nd!

On Wednesday December 22nd, 2010 CJAM will air 24 hours of Joe Strummer related music and wrap it around issues relating to poverty. They're calling it Joe Strummer Day. I will kick off the marathon Tuesday December 21st at midnight and host a three hour radio program featuring an eclectic mix of Joe Strummer solo and Clash material. The show will lean heavier on Joe Strummer based material, but there will also be a variety of Clash songs and rarities played. As per usual this blog will feature a profile on the artist that I play.  I will be posting a profile on Joe Strummer and his Post-Clash efforts following my show on the 21st at Midnight, so check this blog later this week for some additional info on Strummer.  The rest of the 22nd will feature special prgramming, more information can be found at http://www.cjam.ca/

There have already been numerous posts about online Joe Strummer Day on CJAM FM. Here is a collection of them:

The Clash Blog
Strummerville.com
Anit-Label Blog

Give 'Em Enough Rope Demo....Show # 287

Most Clash fans know that there are numerous bootlegs out there containing demos.  On today's program I played one of the demos from the Give 'Em Enough Rope sessions.  The song in question was "Safe European Home".  This version differs in many ways to the studio version, for one the lyrics are different and secondly, it seems slower than the album version. 

Produced by Sandy Pearlman who was known for this work with Blue Oyster Cult, Give 'Em Enough Rope was originally released in November of 1978.  The albums cover which depicts a man being eaten by vultures was designed by Gene Greif.  It was based off of a postcard that was done by Adrian Atwater titled "End of the Road".  Another interesting fact about the album is that on initial US pressings of the album the song "All the Young Punks" is labelled as "That's No Way To Spend Your Youth".  During the sessions the band was said to do several takes of the songs, leaving fans to believe that there could be more Clash material out there from these sessions.  On the Clash On Broadway box set "One Emotion" was included as an outtake from these sessions.  There has been demos and alternate versions of songs available on bootleg from just about every Clash album, the biggest being the alternate version of the album Combat Rock produced and recorded by Mick Jones titled Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg. 







The Play List:

1. Yardbirds - I Ain't Done Wrong
2. Dino, Desi & Billy - The Rebel Kind
3. Elvis Presley - I Got A Woman
4. The Missing Links - Wild About You
5. The Count Five - They're Gonna Get You
6. Quid - Crazy Things
7. The Jury - Who Dat?
8. Teenage Head - Top Down
9. The Saints - Lost and Found
10. Over Night Lows - Static Scars
11. The Deniz Tek Group - 1968
12. The Zeros - What's Wrong With A Pop Group
13. Alternative TV - How Much Longer?
14. Rude Norton - Gilligan's Island
15. Young Canadians - I Hate Music
16. U-J3rks - Naum Gabo
17. The Shades - New Clientele
18. Hot Nasties - I Am A Confused Teenager
19. Modern Lovers - Astral Plane
20. The Scavengers - Mysterex
21. The Hitmen - I Don't Mind
22. The Clash - Safe European Home (1978 Demo)
23. The Victims - Television Addict
24. Undertones - I Told You So
25. Cheap Trick - ELO Kiddies
26. The Gun Club - Preaching The Blues

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 16. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.