Good evening and welcome back to this little corner of the Internet that we like to call The Clash Blog. Hope your Monday went swimmingly well and all things as planned or near enough. I had hoped to feature just one story this evening but then I found that there was really too many new things I came across today that really do merit your attention.

Craig Hlavaty over at the Houston Press has written a great piece about the century man himself Ronald Reagan. The old jellybean lover himself has been in the news a lot over the last few days as this Sunday just passed would have marked his one hundredth birthday had he still been alive. As it was he did live to the age of 93 but the centennial of his birth truly stresses just how old he was when sitting in the Oval Office from 1981 to 1989. Craig’s article is linked here and makes a rather compelling argument that old Reagan was the biggest punk icon of the 1980′s and when you look at the facts of having someone to rally against I think he has a good point.

Violent Femmes – Old Mother Reagan, 1985 – Madrid

I’m sure we could have a very lively debate about the relative imperfections of both Reagan and his trans-Atlantic counterpart in the UK Margaret Thatcher. There were a number of great songs written about both characters but in terms of uniting the musical scene each present a similar legacy of division and huge long-term socio-economic impact. In turn both inspired musicians to be more per politically outspoken than at any other time since the Vietnam era.

The current/forthcoming tours by Gang of Four, Stiff Little Fingers, Big Audio Dynamite and Buzzcocks 2011 is already shaping up to be a vintage year in seeing some of the artists most strongly associated with punk / postpunk in the UK that I’ve seen for a while. Seeing Buzzcocks again a few years ago convinced me that revisiting the past especially if a band still has something relevant to say about the present and the future with their music is no bad thing. If you’re more than a few years younger than me at 43, some of these tools could potentially represent the last chance to see some of these chaps on stage in something approaching original configuration. Therefore by way of this blog I want to always encourage you to see some of these acts while you can, my personal list of regrets of acts that I failed to see always nags at me in hindsight. While happy that I managed to see so many most important bands from about 1980 onwards I’ll always kick myself for those that I missed, especially considering that for the majority of those years I lived in some of the most ideal cities on any tour circuit (London, Chicago, Los Angeles). One act that I wasn’t lucky enough to see but who toured with The Clash were The Undertones, but it looks like you and I may just get a chance still.

The Undertones – Jimmy Jimmy (Old Grey Whistle Test 1979)

The Undertones emerged from Derry, Northern Ireland and put out some of the very best in punk/pop over the course of their first three albums. If you don’t own any of those (The Undertones, Hypnotised, Positive Touch) I’d suggest starting at the beginning with the eponymous title from 1979 and the next two followed within 24 months. They even supported The Clash on a number of US and Canadian dates which must’ve been almost a perfect double bill. You really need to read this quick interview with Damian from the band on ‘The Linc’ website. His recollections are really enjoyable especially his mention of Mick and Joe when his band were touring with them. Incidentally Damian and his brother formed the truly superb That Petrol Emotion after The Undertones concluded who were near perfect in my eyes and I did at least get to see them live more than once. The Undertones set out on a 10 city UK tour on March 31st in Glasgow, full details are available here. Get your tickets!

I’ll be back soon and thanks for your visits, comments and continued support of the blog. If you can tweet, facebook share/like or use wikio to share any post I always appreciate that.

Good evening everyone, cheers for stopping in at the blog. I seem to remember making commitments to keeping some of the regular features on the blog rotated on a more frequent/consistent basis but not for the first time a combination of other interesting news or my own sense of chaos seems to have prevented me from fulfilling that. In this electronic age I really should be far more organised than I am when it comes to the blog, but what I’ve determined that what I really need to do is purchase an old fashioned paper calendar to remind myself of tasks. Between work and the various blogs and projects I try and maintain eight email accounts to which I often email myself reminders, only to find my reminders are often opened a day or two after intended. Does this happen to you too? Is my technical skill level permanently going to reside in 2004….will a smart phone somehow make me feel less saturated or more so? Answers via email…no…scratch that…

One ‘regular’ feature on the blog was/is Video Clash which I just noticed I haven’t managed to get to now for sixty days which in itself is impressive in a ‘just what have I been writing about the last two months?’ sort of way. I realised today when I finally got around to adding the first video beneath to the facebook page. So…standards are as ever that these are more recently uploaded Clash related videos to YouTube, Vimeo, Daily Motion et al that I hope most of you have not seen before. I’m sure you’ve seen some perhaps but I’d sincerely doubt all unless you’ve simply got too much time on your hands. My loose commitment as of today is to try and run through these a few times per month. Or…once a month at the very least.

Mick Jones with Rotten Hill Gang at the Tabernacle on New Year’s Eve 2010/11: This video reminded me just how overdue my update was for the blog. Mick as ever looks as happy as the proverbial at the tail end of what was a very busy and travel filled year for Mr. Jones. While I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that ‘Should I Stay..’ remains a huge crowd-pleaser do you think it’s often chosen as a sing along when Mick appears because the band he guests with tend to know the song or that the crowd aren’t anticipating Atom Tan? The Tabernacle (that I’m not familiar with) incidentally is tucked away behind Westbourne Park Road, Ladbroke Grove (West London).

The Clash at the Concert for the People of Kampuchea: While I’ve read and written a great deal about this appearance at the Hammersmith Odeon on December 27, 1979  I’ve never handed over the cash to own the video nor the DVD that (I think) was released later by Miramax. This was The Clash right on the cusp of a new decade and an album (London Calling) that while receiving favourable press had many asking exactly what had happened to The Clash as a punk rocker’s concern. This stunning version of Armagideon Time shows a band that have the song as fresh in their repertoire as can be….still (to this writer) the best later Clash song never to make it on a studio album by the band. Can you imagine (or perhaps some of you actually) did have tickets for that evening and then the following which featured The Specials, The Pretenders and The Who? Heady days indeed.

Chap ranting about Mick and Paul’s time with Gorillaz: This shows that you can upload anything whatsoever to YouTube. I don’t have time to explain this video although I wish that chap watched the AOL sessions instead of ASL? It’s funny on balance…does he have a guitar plectrum in his mouth perhaps? I know that his opinions were shared by many when Paul and Mick were added to the tour roster but I think the tide gradually turned after concerts were attended and Paul and Mick showed what a great time they had. Damian (sic) Albarn has been warned….

Notting Hill Carnival mini-documentary: In the dark days of winter the Notting Hill Carnival seems a long way off but this short documentary might cure your midwinter blues. Loads of great vintage footage and a Clash provided soundtrack kicks off about half way into the video. Old newsreels and modern video from the carnival peppered with some clips from the White Riot inspiring events in the summer of ’76.

That’s all I have time for this evening…your thoughts, ideas and suggestions all welcomed. If you prefer a debate about gun control you can join that (already in progress) on my other blog….sigh. Thanks for swinging by…more tomorrow I’d say.

Good evening and welcome to the blog – I hope you’ve had a good week overall and an exciting weekend ahead? Tomorrow is our (local) annual Joe Strummer tribute night which I am looking forward to, even though a decade ago it seemed preposterous that we’d be commemorating anything other than anniversaries of album releases and concerts when it comes to The Clash. Even though the anniversary of Joe’s death is December I’m sure the same emotion will be with me tomorrow night – how could it not be? Regardless I hope the turnout is good and songs are played loud and well.

I think I need a ‘personal assistant’ for The Clash Blog and I say that with tongue only partially in cheek as there really is that much to write about, research and organise. I’ve thought more than once that to really keep current on all that is written about in the press, plus interviews, blogs, events, concerts and just looking at the impact of The Clash I could do two or three updates per day – something I never imagined being the case when I began the blog. That said it’s a good thing and I just need to write more often which would provide a partial solution. For example apart from tomorrow night’s event in Phoenix there is also another Joe Strummer tribute night taking place that I only just learned about.

Winnipeg in Canada is the location and it is the city’s sixth annual memorial gig for Joe -which reiterates that I need to spend more time compiling the details of events for the blog. There may be a handful of people in Winnipeg who can make it along – but with more notice they could have come from further afield. That’s the piece where I want to ensure the blog is getting people aware of events and attending events! Still, I’m rambling aren’t I, here are the specifics:

JOE STRUMMER AND THE CLASH TRIBUTE

Saturday, West End Cultural Centre. The sixth annual tribute to the late Joe Strummer and the Clash features the Farrell Bros., Kids on Fire and the Stiff Bishops. The show also doubles as a fundraiser for Solidarity Rock, an initiative to send music instruments to Cuban musicians. This year Kids on Fire will travel to the country in March for the organization’s fourth expedition. Tickets are $10 at Music Trader.

Here is a link to the venue itself which looks like a cool place for sure. I’ve also got a link to the myspace page for Manitoba’s The Stiff Bishops and beneath is a video of them playing Safe European Home if (like me) you can’t make it to Winnipeg tomorrow. (Please note this is not a Strummerville event)

The Stiff Bishops, part of tomorrow’s Joe Strummer night in Winnipeg

On a more constructive note, if you would like to submit an article for the blog or have news you want to share or suggestions in general please don’t hesitate to contact me. Back shortly – Tim

Find out more about Solidarity Rock at their official site or via their facebook page.