All the young dudes, punks not dead & long shadows
Sa..tur…day (night) just had a vivid 1976 (?) flash back….Swap Shop…Bay City Rollers….Keith Chegwin. If you’re from the UK and about my age that will make sense, if you’re not it only goes to show how much England needed punk rock and The Clash in 1977. I’m getting out the long broom handle this weekend and adding to other pages on the blog – cut the crap has some new additions as will Audio Clash when the weekend is through. If any regular visitors know much about downloading torrents (especially audio) please email me. I need to catch up with blogs this morning so that’s my focus so let me see what’s popped up this week:
Reunion time....
I’ve no idea if Mick Jones reads the blog but if he did he’d be interested to read this article by musicinsider as Mott The Hoople have announced a series of shows. 5 nights at the former Hammersmith Odeon (now the Apollo) should see a lot of people dusting off their burberry hats and growing the sideburns. Mick Jones was more than a fan of MtH he was intensely devoted to the band as being a fan was a big part of his teenage years. This wasn’t a case of buying all the albums he was part of a collective known as Motts lot who essentially were full time fans following them everywhere. Musically I always thought they were innovative during a time in English music when the list of bands thus described was pretty thin. 1971-1976 was a pretty dark time for music as the 60′s buzz washed away you were left with a lot of lumbering pompous rock that was neither inspiring not easy to relate to. With some notable exception on the fringes of glam it was a bleak phase.
Or is it?
Punk’s not dead oh no…or so the Exploited had us believe in 1981 by which point it sort of was. That’s another long long debate that perhaps we can invest in at some point, I’ve got a theory about the attitude never need leave you but music…good music….does and should evolve. On that topic of punk I always am fascinated that in Eastern Europe a first generation attitude to punk still exists which is both simultaneously novel and dated. It’s almost the land that time forgot (I realise that sounds elitist, it’s not meant to) and when you read this post from Turkey about ‘punk’ you’ll hopefully see what I mean. I vividly recall a trip I took to Berlin mid 80′s pre-unification and it was as if Joy Division were just about to happen. In the former Soviet Bloc and Russia itself the scenes we took as history in the ‘West’ remained vibrant long after the sell by date here was declared. There’s no right or wrong, it’s just an interesting contrast.
Do you have any good records? (courtesy MOG)
I’ve a feeling that more than a few of you have amassed a vinyl, and then CD collection that has been both a source of pride but also a battle of logistics and space. I’m one of those people too…I undertsand. Incidentally no, greatest hits albums should not be filed with the standard releases but filed immediately after dependent on the artist. So this article about record collecting made me smile but also offered some amazing information. Steven Blush, journalist, collector was a fan of hard rock and then took a trip to London where he saw the Clash – he then became a serious collector. It’s such a worthwhile article as it explores collecting, digging (prospecting) and the future of vinyl. Vinyl collecting is increasing again according to all the experts and with that the prices are on the rise. It might be time for you to clear out your cupboards.
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
Casting a long shadow
This blog puts together a nice overview of ‘underappreciated’ musicians who for the most part toil in pretty famous company. Maybe it’s just me but I was shocked to see Mick Jones on his (overall good) list for overshadowed musicians. At the time the Clash were a going concern I always saw it as a 4 piece collective with the ‘creative engine’ being Strummer/Jones - I always saw that as equal billing . Despite the fact Joe sung a much higher ratio of songs – the Clash always seemed to have 3 front men – as a kid I thought Mick Jones was more important. I never saw it as Joe’s band. Post Clash I think that balance remained for the most past – certainly with the fans. I do however think the media/press have started to canonize Strummer and cast him as the nucleus…as much as I love Joe…it was in every sense of the word…a group. Topper is also on the list which seems more likely, he was the glue.
OK – have a good one…it’s actually raining here so it might be a good day to play the lottery.
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Hey Tim – enjoying the blog and all your hard work. So apologies for picking up on something negative re Cut the Crap and the The Sunday Herald piece – the piece itself was just rubbish and looked to be written by someone just trying to show off. Don’t really see there was any point in comparing the show in New York to Mick’s well intentioned (and i think fascinating collection)exhibition. But no need to bring the Skids into it – Stuart Adamason was a damn fine guitarist – but at the same time the Skids themselves would not have compared themselves to the Clash! Richard Jobson quite recently said how much of a hero Joe was to him when he was young. And me – I’m from Glasgow and loved the skids who made up some classic punk tunes 77 – 79 – but of course the Clash were the bench mark – by all means slag the bakie who wrote the piece but don’t think it’s fair to write off all things scottish just because of the pretensions of the Herald’s middle class writers.
Fair comments all Andrew…and I loved the Skids, and Josef K, and Orange Juice, and Aztec Camera, and Jesus and Mary Chain and The Delgados etc etc etc. Yeah it was a bad piece of journalism…but I’m a fan of Scottish bands I must confess.
cheers Tim – and all those bands you mention could make it onto your CIA pages in one way or another – but consider this a formal request for Roddy Frame and Aztec Camera to get official recognition with a Clash Influenced Award – I remember seeing Aztec Camera at a wee gig in London funnily enough many, many moons ago where they did about three clash covers – I remember Roddy had a particular penchant for London’s Burning during AC’s earlier gigs.
I loved the first two Aztec Camera albums, I never knew he had a Clash fixation! Roddy (still 17) is one of the great overlooked songwriters that emerged from that indie scene. When they finally sold records it was not for the exciting music originally written but for the (pleasant) soul pop hybrid that came in the mid 80′s. Keep in touch Andrew. Oh yeah there’s also the Roddy/Mick Jones single which was great eh?
I think that that first Aztec album was great too but never heard their second one.
I run a mile when I read that Mark Knofler was the producer
But about Frame’s obsession with the Clash just listen to Walk Out To Winter.
Where he sings “Faces Of Strummer That Fell From Your Wall”.
I also remember that they did a fine version of Lost In The Suppermarked.
And yes he/they deserve a Clash Infuenced Award !
Fanx Peter – isn’t it amazing what you find out all these years later – I never heard the lost in the supermarket cover – so shall we consider that done then Tim Roddy/Aztec official CIA recipients! Oh and thanks for tip off for Carbon Silicon tonight.