Hoping to expand upon this over the weekend with a lot more info from Mark Matthews the man behind the project. If you’re new to the blog Shatter The Hotel is a project in conjunction with Strummerville to create a CD of Clash songs performed in a dub / reggae style. The disc itself is brilliant and benefits the Strummerville  charity – if you haven’t bought it then you can do so and learn more on the site. The UK launch event took place last night at Inn on The Green in Ladbroke Grove. By all accounts it was a great event with a smashing vibe and hopefully I can furnish more info over the weekend. Pete was their with his camera and has captured some lovely images – starting with Dubmatix beneath:

Dubmatix at The Shatter The Hotel event - courtesy Pete Stevens

I’ve been listening to the disc a lot recently and as opposed to other ‘Clash cover compiliations’ this is a really cohesive piece of work and makes for a worthwhile sit down and listen (or drive…or skank). The disc has liner notes from Chris Salewicz and features among others Don Letts, Dubmatix, Chomsky All Stars and of course Prince Blanco (Mark) himself. You can get a flavour of the album on the MySpace page. Back later tonight…

Strummerville Merchandise - image courtesy Pete Stevens

Jools Holland

With the advent of youtube plus other video sharing sites – I so often stumble across something  that tickles my fancy that it would be impossible to see otherwise. (Especially when so much is on TV in other countries). Today is one of those days when you find something cool.

The show Later…with Jools Holland (from Squeeze) has now been on the BBC for seventeen seasons (!!) since it first aired in 1992. I’ve always loved the show for the quality of the live performances combined with the diversity of the acts. If you’re not familiar with it the show is hosted by Jools Holland (the clue was in the title) who will offer brief interviews and sometimes sit in and play with a band, the interesting part is the rotation of live acts. The type of acts run the gamut from folk to indie to blues to rock and everything in between. You could see Nick Cave sharing a stage with Motorhead, Erasure and Anita Baker for example. It’s a huge shared soundstage and each band is set up and ready to play live. The show rotates from band to band and typically each act will perform two or three songs, they used to feature 5 bands but now its down to 3 I think. This link best illustrates the type of variety that the show offers. As its a legitimate live set up and the audio is great you often get some great variations of songs you’ve heard a hundred times before. It’s a great show and sadly I can’t think of anything else quite like it. Anyway the purpose of this piece wasn’t to explain the tv show – but I’ve gone ahead and done that anyway so try and stop me – but to write about a clip I’ve just seen for the first time.

Warren Zevon

On the May 4 2002 recording of the show Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros were on the program along with The Delgados (superb band), Tracy Chapman and Warren Zevon. It would be Zevon I wanted to focus on, at that time as far as I know Zevon was in rude health although later that year he was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer sadly took Zevon’s life in September 2003 – less than a year after Joe Strummer passed away – but on that night on that stage Zevon made a subtle toast/tribute to Strummer who was standing just feet away. Zevon struck me as such an amiable chap and was another sad loss far too young.

During a solo performance of perhaps Zevon’s best known song ‘Werewolves of London’ Warren changes a lyric as a tribute to Joe. It was such a subtle gesture but the short smile from Zevon which follows it is priceless. Its a great song and great moment – listen/watch the whole thing if you can or if you are impatient jump in around the 2:40 mark of the video below. Also at 3:08 you see Joe howling in the background – great stuff!!

Hello all – sorry once for the delay in posts, I was innocently watching a free live stream via Justin TV of Liverpool/Man Utd on Sunday morning (my time) when my computer got infected with swine flu or similar (same thing that hit Man Utd I’m pleased to add). Needless to say, the old PC was never to recover which led to me being without access for a few days and hence the lack of posts in the intervening time. Blah blah blah I hear you say…but that’s what the issue has been. In the meantime Clash news keeps coming in so please allow me to play catch up for the next few days. There is one vital matter for today!!!

Today (Wednesday) London – I recommend in stronger terms that I can write that you make your way down to see the cinema premier of the Alan Miles documentary Breaking Rocks . As you know it received wonderful reviews and acclaim during the Raindance film festival appearance in Camden Town a few weeks ago and tonight’s events look to be equally memorable. Here is what I can confirm: The Full West End Premiere of the Film / Q&A Session with Billy Bragg and Alan Miles / Acoustic Set in the Foyer with Billy Bragg.

Here’s the rumoured part (but a hunch you should go with if you read this in London). The acoustic set may well include Mick Jones and Topper Headon with the Billy Bragg ensemble, even if my sources are incorrect it will be a brilliant evening and if it’s correct it will be an historic one also. Topper had played with Mick and Billy back in September you may recall as Jail Guitar Doors was re-recorded for the film.

For regular visitors to the site you are well versed on the Jail Guitar Doors project if this is your first visit here is all the information you need! Lot’s of news about an American ‘branch’ of the project will follow soon also.

Jail Guitar Doors official site

Proceeds will benefit Strummerville

Breaking Rocks Raindance Film Festival information

Billy Bragg official site

Hoping some of you can make it along this evening to the Prince Charles cinema – doors open at 830pm, tickets via the link!

Cheers

Tim