Good Afternoon – I added the headline after the random draw today – more of that in a minute but first we have 2 results to quickly review:

Mustapha Dance defeats The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too 21-18

Clash City Rockers defeats Remote Control 29-14

Two good voter turn outs and look at those scores. Not much between the first two and The Beautiful People may even get a reprise due to strong support. Sadly Remote Control faced a very popular song and is now out of the competition.  Over to the draw – and it’s a good one: ****please note – voting software seems to be having an issue – please visit again soon – I’ll extend the voting deadline as needed****

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Early Clash is the order of the day – and how do you make a decision?? I’ve only got one vote – so it’s down to you. Click songs below for audio or video and check the notes.

I’m So Bored With The USA - Legend has it that one of Joe Strummer’s very first ideas as a member of The Clash was to expand Mick’s existing song from “I’m so bored with you” to the version we all know. Thank goodness for that, another anti-love song or a statement against some of the crassness of American culture? I’ll never tire of this song and assume it will get enough support to move forward.

Career Opportunities – This is one of the songs from Shea Stadium that still has the full degree of punch you’d associate with The Clash. The lyrics hit home in mid 70′s Britain as well as any Clash song with the litany of jobs on offer being jobs you never wanted. That said my brother did want to be a bus driver (unfulfilled as of today)

White Riot - Still shocked that this 2 minute anthem wasn’t seeded during the earlier voting, I’d still bank on it making the last 8 if it gets a good path to the final. So sweet to see this come out of the hat the day after the Carnival….essentially the same week it was written!!

Silicone on Saphire – Washington Bullets in dub and bloody good all the same especially if you are in the mood. High point for me is Strummer rambling about this and that – I am a Texas Instrument, request debug and overdrives. Washington Bullets should have been a single and should have been a hit, this would have been the b-side. Nobody asked me. I’ll assume all knowing Clash fans enjoyed this on headphones back in 1981?

Thanks for your votes – I’m watching these with huge interest.

This appeared on you tube and is worthy of 5 minutes of your time. It’s  actually produced includes interviews and provides a great look behind the scenes at the Mick Jones Rock and Roll Public Library. Some good stories and video for the exhibition that closed just over a week ago. Let’s hope it finds a permanent home soon. I’m still seeking Notting Hill Carnival footage -- stay tuned.

A mate of mine went to see Weezer within the last year and extolled the virtues of their live performance and indeed the overall quality of their back catalogue. I nodded and said ‘OK -- I’ll check it out’ but I never did. When you collect music like I do it’s easy to miss things and how wide can you cast your net in truth? Well the video below makes me feel I now owe Weezer a bit more time.

It’s a good cover, the pace is right the energy is good and best of all perhaps is the crowd reaction. I also liked the Strummer/Spanglish lines being given the proper treatment. Cover versions are always a bit like asking your partner to try something a bit different (I mean like for dinner) as you never know what your audience reaction will be. Sometimes its indulgent as an Icicle Works b- side gets rebuilt on stage but if you hit the right song with the right audience then why bloody not. The Clash get covered more and more often these days it would seem and that’s no bad thing. (Except when Pearl Jam try). It keeps the coals hot, it nods respect and maybe best of all someone will then go out and discover the Clash for the first time ever. I actually envy a 17 year old at a Weezer concert who this week might purchase 2 or 3 Clash albums, imagine the thrill of being exposed to that all at once?

So -- Weezer covering the Clash? This took place at the VFest which was in Baltimore or Washington..(correction video was from New Jersey, they are playing it nightly) they’re very close so perhaps in between and by all accounts (and the video) the fans lapped it up. Better still it was during the encore. I’ve not traced any articles that explain the fondness for the Clash so if you’re aware of it get in touch. Better still if you can recommend where we get started if we wanted more Weezer then let us know. Also enjoyed the running on the spot which must be a tribute to this. OK -- off to bed, the weekend is over and this indecions bugging me.