Hello again, nice to get back in the rhythm of blogging once more, I actually missed it this weekend. I’ve got to put that CLASH77 license plate on the car soon…it’s sitting on my Clash shelf at present just apparently there to make me smile it would seem. I’ve a few headlines for you which I’ll get to but first I wanted to say thanks for all your growing support for the blog – August has been the busiest month of the year for the blog and its great to see so many return visits so I appreciate that. In the next week or so I’m excited to say we will be welcoming our 200,000th visitor ever to the blog and this week will see our 100,000th visit of the year – so cheers to you all on helping reach both landmarks! September will also see the introduction of our monthly interview series – so keep your eyes open on that.

So the last few days…..Don Letts usually manages to get flagged down around the time of the Notting Hill Carnival and this year was no exception. It was Letts of course who features on the striking cover of Black Market Clash as a then 20 year first generation proud young black man walking the tightrope of tension that was the riots of the summer of ‘76. I can’t say enough about Don Letts, he’s just such a likable character and always looks to be moving the tide forward and celebrating the unique period of time where he grew up and helped reggae and punk reach to cross sections within both camps. In addition he always shows pride and optimism which are so often lacking in some quarters. Anyway, getting back on track I’ll point you in the direction of both recent interviews with Letts as he sat down and spoke to the Telegraph and SKY TV in recent days.

Over at the Telegraph check out the feature on Don as he talks about his heritage, racial integration and his part in what was to be the forming of a soundtrack for mid/late 70’s Britain. Letts was always it seemed in the right place at the right time, or was that part of who he was? Hanging out with Malcolm McLaren and the various incarnations of his shop on the Kings Road, becoming the resident DJ at London’s first punk club The Roxy, befriending The Clash and later even Bob Marley. Then to follow that up as a member of Big Audio Dynamite and an accomplished filmmaker. As Letts himself explains he had an early taste for the counter culture from McLaren and it seems his thirst has never left him in the decades since. As for the music – he knows how vital it was to his peers:

As first generation British born blacks, we copped it the worst. But we came up with a good soundtrack. Tell you what!  They’d better come up with a good soundtrack, these eastern Europeans – that’ll help ‘em!”

Letts shares a sentiment that many of you reading this of a certain age probably reflect on all too frequently, with the current social upheaval globally and lack of equality its remarkable that music/culture seems so passive…so pedestrian when surely the need for a real change resonates as loudly as ever. Letts puts it in better terms than I can:

“Right now it feels like punk never happened. All the things that helped create punk rock, racism, recession, strikes – other than power cuts – all the things we had in the late seventies are happening again today. What’s happening about it? I don’t know. All I know is that all the interesting ideas are coming from the amateur and the naive, and it’s increasingly difficult to find anyone who meets those criteria in the west”

He’s right….and I don’t even know why apathy is suddenly the most popular flavour for much of the generation who should really be tearing down the walls instead of watching the bloody television and youtube. Don is doing the rounds partly because he certainly should but also because two of his more recent projects are getting released to UK cable television and a special film fest at the ICA respectively. More of that in a minute but  the Blighty channel  also premiered at the weekend the Don Letts film Carnival (Notting Hill Documentary from 2009) and interviewed him in conjuction with that event. Well worth a read and a good taster for the film also, full information via this link.

As a reminder – the Don Letts documentary about his life will be getting its UK premier at the ICA (talk about a historic venue!)  ‘Superstonic Sound, The Rebel Dread’, shows at the ICA on 6th, 9th and 10th October. Ticket information and to purchase via this link.

Superstonic Sound: The Rebel Dread plus Q&A (Don Letts will appear at the Oct 6 Screening)

Hello again welcome back to the blog, feeling a bit more ship-shape today although I still don’t have my voice back properly although no one’s complaining about that funnily enough. I should have another post this evening but I wanted to quickly share some exciting news from Strummerville. It always warms my heart when I see the continued activity from the foundation with Joe’s name on it, this year like last has seen continued strides to sponsor new bands and facilities while simultaneously spreading the word and the work of Joe in so many different places. It’s a pleasure to bring news about Strummerville to you and they also been ever so supportive of the blog itself which is nice.

Right on the back of Joe’s birthday celebrations that were held in support of Strummerville and the Carnival events this past weekend (news to follow I hope) Strummerville have announced a tour featuring three Strummerville bands around the UK for a crazy week in October. The tour is being dubbed “Strummerville Westway round the UK” and will feature Rum Shebeen, The Supernovas and Beans on Toast. Better still unlike so many concerts this won’t cost you too much either with tickets fixed at around five quid it will make for a night out that is affordable and right at the core of what Strummerville are doing. Full details via the Strummerville site in the weeks ahead I’m sure and also on the groovy artwork I’ve enclosed – so if you are in Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle and for those living the high life in London entry is free at The Flowerpot in Kentish Town for the final night. Three bands all touring together makes it sound a bit like one of the old Motown revues or perhaps something the Sex Pistols, Richard Hell and The Clash attempted many moons ago, hopefully not as many concerts will be canceled this time round!

I will be back a bit later with new words from Don Letts and some other stuff. Thanks for dropping in – Tim.

The Supernovas – City of Smoke

Hello once more and thanks for visiting the blog again or welcome aboard for the first time. A slightly better day today for your blogger as the Clash Blog cat is back at home and for once it’s less than 100° F. outside which makes a pleasant change. Before last weekend is too far gone I wanted to quickly cover the best option that was to be found in London on Joe Strummer’s birthday. As previewed here the gig up in Islington at The Garage featuring The Chords looked to be the ideal choice for a Clash fan on a late summer evening in the capital, and so it turned out. Now is also a good time to remind you of the Strummerville events taking place on Sunday in conjunction with the Notting Hill Carnival, I’ll get to that at the end of the post but first of all The Chords.

I’m really excited to welcome back to the blog Pete in London who as you may know has been kind enough to provide some of his fantastic photography from various concerts and events in London since the early days of the blog. Strangely enough Pete lives but a few hundred yards away from where I once lived in West London and we met via the blog. He was lucky enough to get up to Islington for The Chords show, plus in addition to his wonderful photography he has even contributed a review of the evening. So let me hand it over to him:

“I’ve waited thirty years to see The Chords, arriving as I did in London just a few short months after the original band split up. The original members were Billy Hassett – Vocals/Guitar, Chris Pope – Guitar/Vocals Martin Mason – Bass/Vocals and Brett ‘Buddy’ Ascott – Drums.

Now occasionally reunions prove to be a little disappointing, an anti-climax or just plain sad for everyone involved. Saturday night in London proved to be anything but that. In short, The Chords were absolutely magnificent. Billy introduced the band, first acknowledging that the 21st August was a special day and making a dedication to the late, great Joe Strummer. On a personal note I went with Chris and Buddy to see The Clash in the mid-eighties play at Brixton Fairdeal and I know they are both huge fans of The Clash.

History may write off The Chords as ‘just’ a mod revival band. I think they may just have broken during that period in British music culture where the press were very keen on labelling everything. The only label I would attach is ‘a great pop/rock band’. Like many of the greatest bands, they – and I can say now with experience – are better live than on record, although their records were also damn good too.

The Chords, Islington, London 21/8/10 (image courtesy Pete Stevens)

The years rolled away and the packed house at The Garage in Islington witnessed one great song after another, guitarist Chris Pope looking like a man possessed, sweat-drenched and bleeding; Buddy manic on the drums and Martin holding it all steady on bass. Billy, suited and booted, with a beautiful electric blue Rickenbacker happily chatted to the crowd between songs as if to a room full of friends, which a lot of them probably were !

Maybe vague memories of sweat-drenched nights at the old Marquee in Wardour Street were re-kindled in older members of the audience. There were certainly many younger members in the audience who couldn’t have been more than a twinkle in their parent’s eyes when The Chords last played. The temperature in The Garage rose steadily until the explosive climax of ‘Maybe Tomorrow’, probably one of the finest 45’s of all time….

The final night of this tour will be in Brighton at the weekend and if you live any where in South East England I’d urge you buy a ticket.

Worth the thirty year wait for me ? You bet !!”

Pete,

Billy Hassett of The Chords, Islington, London 21/8/10 (image courtesy Pete Stevens)

Thanks again for that excellent summary Pete, I also know you wrote that in atypical location (a ferry in the middle of the Irish Sea) so even greater appreciation for your diligence. The photographs once again are excellent and I’m glad to share them on the blog. You may also recall if you’ve been reading the blog since the early days that Buddy from the chords played a special show with Mick Jones last summer at the 100 Club. It’s back in the archives but here’s a link for a great account Buddy wrote for us at the time. Still waiting on one other Joe Strummer birthday event summary which I hope to cover in the days ahead. Finally as mentioned, if you’re in London this weekend please don’t forget to head into the real center of London (West London) and enjoy the Notting Hill Carnival and of course the Strummerville carnival night on Sunday at ‘The Inn on the Green’. Six(!) Strummerville bands and a low admission cost really means you have no excuses to drop in if you are nearby. Here’s the link for further information, that’s about it for now I’ll be back over the weekend with more so please drop in.

Lastly, if you get the chance to vote at the bottom of the post by clicking on the Wikio button (if you don’t see it click on the title of the post and it will appear at the foot of the story) each time you visit. Wikio is a hugely popular blog and news portal service in the UK and we entered the rankings at number 108 for music blogs and also in the top 300 for popular culture blogs, any help you can give will be greatly appreciated and helps to spread awareness of The Clash Blog. Cheers for now – Tim.