Well hello again….it’s Saturday night and I’m glad to be back – welcome. The topic tonight is self-explanatory – the return of The Clash Cup! If you’re a regular you know the drill – vote for your favourite track in the quest to find the ultimate Top 10 of Clash songs. If you are a newer arrival we started this magnificent process last Summer (seriously) and I do mean to complete it so you’re very welcome to join in. For the rules and concept please visit this older post where I had clarity in better doses about the method. Speaking of voting I asked over a week ago whether .5C/G (Gorillaz with half of The Clash) should play a Clash song at Glastonbury. Thanks for your votes and there is a decent consensus which you

Police on my back...

can see on the original story. I was happy to see that 63% of you felt it was the ideal tribute, and another 17% felt it depended on the song. So only 20% remain resolutely against the idea of a Clash song ringing around Glastonbury this week – despite the fact that Mick and Paul will be performing it. Don’t really understand your logic if you’re in that minority but I respect it. I also hope the rest of us are fawning over a video this time next week of the other outcome!

Speaking of doubts, I know I’ve dragged my heels on The Clash Cup – but I really think it’s worth continuing as we’ve had some good fun and discussions as a result. That will only heighten as we keep chopping down the number of remaining songs and the decisions become more difficult. If you nothing else about this process know this – all the songs are matched up at random – so you might have to kick out a song you love. Before the next pairing a review of our last result, I’m ashamed to say it was back in March (!!) but I’ve a partial excuse as the blog went to The Shetland Islands for six weeks being rebuilt. The two up for grabs were The Leader versus Every Little Bit Hurts – and The Leader won comfortably with 72.4% of the vote. Sandinista! lovers rejoice. Okay then enough fluff – I’ve visited the random number generator and picked today’s pairing. If I get my life together we’ll try and run the cup twice a week, allowing the players time to recover and train.

So dig into these two: Round Two Match Five

Jail Guitar Doors         versus         Police On My Back

That’s not easy is it? Most of the time I’m quite sure what to vote for and this isn’t one of those times. I’d hate to see either get knocked out here in Round Two – worth noting the best runners up will make the final 64, perhaps this will save the one with fewer votes. How do you pick? Listen to both (below) or maybe study your tea leaves.

Form:

Round 1 – Jail Guitar Doors defeated One Emotion – with an amazing 96% of the vote

Round 1 – Police On My Back defeated Hateful  – picking up 55% of the vote

Odds:

You might not want to trust the ClashBlog bookmaker or a prediction here as I’ve only been correct on 2 out of 4 this round. Considering the ‘fame’ of both tracks and I’m sure it will be very close. Seeing as Police.. beat Hateful I think it might have enough to see off Jail Guitar Doors. Then again earlier Clash songs seem to bring out the voters. I’m going to forecast Police On My Back although at long odds – perhaps by a vote or two.

Stuff:

Jail Guitar Doors isn’t your average early Clash number but has Mick really stamping his authority all over it with guitar. Arguably Joe’s barking 54-46….over the last 25 seconds outro make it one of the best endings to a Clash song. On the other hand Police on my Back has one of my favourite openings to any Clash song, if you ever wondered how powerful Topper was this one is like a machine, download some different live performances of this one.

As ever you can make your mind up in the privacy of your own cubicle but first have a final look at these. Your standard version of JGD is here but you might like the abbreviated (and very blurry) clip from Arms Aloft in Acton in 2007 with Mick Jones which is here. As for Police On My Back it has to be the clip with Joe’s intro and howling and of course his request for people to….STOP YAKKING!

Vote early, just the once and polls close in tandem with England’s World Cup bid…or sooner. Night….!

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Goaaaallllll !!!! Nah just kidding, there weren’t any goals in England’s big match and if you laboured with me through the 90 minutes of tedium from Cape Town today you might wonder why anyone would ever want to be a football fan. This was meant to be the World Cup and the best eleven players England could offer, instead we got a feature length advert about poor tactics, lack of creativity and rule one as to why club football is infintely superior to international football (the answer being it just is).  Cheering for England is like getting excited about a new McDonalds getting opened, very familiar but ultimately pointless and not good. I learned years ago that we English should be happy that we produce the best rock music on earth and expecting to lead the world at more than thing is both selfish but also unrealistic. If I want to hear flair I’ll listen to Jazz, if I want flair on the pitch I’ll depend on the Dutch and Brazilians as I don’t think its going to be borne of Stoke and be orchestrated by an Italian manager, nothing personal but I don’t watch Serie A for mesmerizing attacking football. I’ll move the topic rapidly back to The Clash but don’t be downhearted about the football if you’re English, be realistic we’re not The Clash on the field – far more like The Alarm.

Opening night at the Ray Lowry Exhibit (Courtesy Idea Generation Gallery)

On a brighter note I’m really excited at the press coverage this Ray Lowry London Calling exhibition is receiving and rightly so. I exchanged the briefest of messages with author Chris Salewicz who was at the opening event who relayed that it was an excellent event, well attended but perhaps lacking in those who were very familiar with Ray or The Clash. That’s what those nights are for it seems, the real fans can start attending today and enjoy its  run until July 4th. My thanks to Ian and Hector who both emailed me details of a wonderful audio slideshow via the BBC News website. I can’t encourage you strongly enough to take a few minutes to listen and watch. It features Johnny Green talking about Ray and The Clash and also artist John Butterworth discusses the contributed pieces of art to the exhibition. The link is here so please nip over and enjoy.

Also trying to determine more information about the auction of the contributed pieces to the exhibit although these things often happen quite a little bit later but I will keep you posted. Another question from Betsy asked if there was an official guide or book to accompany the exhibition, I spoke to the gallery and at present no guide has been confirmed but a poster is being published – details to follow (hopefully by Monday).

As ever I’ve a deluge of things to cover so we’ll shortly launch into that news snippet idea (Westway Traffic) over the weekend. I feel like I’m cheating you out of information if I don’t write more but also if I don’t link these stories. We’ll get there in the end.

Finally tonight another wonderful article via theQuietus on The Ruts. Please do read it if you can for the Ruts were a great band though fraught with tragedy. Malcolm Owen died of an overdose at the age of  just 25, and Paul Fox passed from cancer back in 2007. The Ruts were seen by some as capable of following the path or even carrying the punk banner said to have been dropped by The Clash. However you feel they certainly made some great music. The article is here so have a look.

Cheers for stopping in, the exit is your back button but please bookmark the site if its your first time visiting. We’re a nice bunch.

Morning…just a quickie!! Less than a week now until Glastonbury so get ready for some all night sessions around The Strummer Campfire. Joe’s favourite spot at the festival remains intact and the memory lives on courtesy of the good people over at Strummerville for all four nights. My laziest post of the week - all information below is courtesy of Stummerville. If you are going along and wish to send photographs or quick stories please get in touch and I’ll be happy to share them. .5C/G are also gonna be there don’t forget!

Cheers -

Strummerville will be kicking off this year’s festival tour at their natural home, Glastonbury festival. They will be lighting the campfire (the biggest campfire at Glastonbury) Thursday night and keep it burning till Monday morning.

Situated in the unfair ground field in the exact same spot where Joe Strummer used to have his fire, the Strummerville campfire sessions will start at midnight every night and will run until 3am. Confirmed acoustic performances from bands include a mixture of Strummerville supported bands and bands who are fans of Joe Strummer himself, such as: The Drums, I Blame Coco, Beans on Toast, Handshake, Sound of Rum, Ali Love, Lissie, Fionn Regan, Frank Turner, Depot, Nat Jenkins and many, many more (some who can’t be announced!).

In true Strummerville spirit, no times will be announced for any performance, the best way to find out is to swing by and say hi during the day to find out who’s playing that night, rest your feet on our many sofas, grab a tea from the cafe or take part in our drumming workshops.

For Joe Strummer, the idea of a “campfire” – any loose assembly of people bonded by the rising flames and the advancing dawn – became an art form in itself.

We’re here to provide warmth, encourage conversation, listen to amazing music and generally spread the love. Everybody’s welcome.

Strummerville 2010 Campfire dates include:
Glastonbury: 24th – 27th June
Lounge On The Farm: 9th – 11th July
Secret Garden: 22nd – 23rd July
Endorse It In Dorset – 6th -8th August