Why I'm glad The Clash never reformed
I’ve never really been one that would give much time and effort to bands who reform after an extended split. As the years pass it’s actually now hard to think of many bands who haven’t taken the chance to grab a final payout and pile into a tour bus one last time. From the 70′s and 80′s three of the bands who I was most attached to have never tried to emulate their halcyon days, The Clash, The Jam and The Smiths.
It’s a double edged sword, each of these bands have maintained a following that in many ways has grown if not in number then certainly in fervour. Another commonality is that each of these bands for different reasons didn’t seem to want to rewrite the history books. Sometimes the animosity when the band split was to bitter to bridge but more importantly it’s like a painter saying ‘there you go, that’s my best work, you better know how good it was’. It’s no more likely that John McEnroe could win Wimbledon tomorrow than Paul Weller getting the Jam back together and capturing that same energy that was theirs in years gone by.
I know people that before Joe Strummer passed would have given their left arm to see the Clash tour one last time. I’m not one of those people. Look at the example of the Sex Pistols, have their (repeated) cash grabs enhanced the legacy of a band that stand like Everest over the formative year(s) of English Punk? You can argue that it gave thousands of people a chance to see an historic act on stage that age/location or any number of conditions had restricted them from. It’s a bit harsh of me but I say too bad. We all have our chances to see different bands at the peak of their careers, every generation has it’s special wave I sincerely believe that need never end.
Never mind the hypocrisy
I’ve been very lucky, I saw early performances by The Specials, Madness, New Order, The Bunnymen, The Smiths, James, Supergrass, Blur, Oasis, REM, Big Audio Dynamite, Happy Mondays, The Wedding Present, Ride, Stone Roses and more recently Arcade Fire, Gene, Keane, The Decemberists and so on. My point is nobody pulled out a stanley knife and forced me to see these bands. I made the effort and I was in the right place at the right time. But every year brings chances that are unique to you. Do I wish I’d seen T Rex, David Bowie and The Velvet Underground in their brief careers or early days? To a small degree yes, but fundamentally I understand it just wasn’t my time.
I still enjoy many of the bands who have gone down the path of reforming, but I confess it always made me take an intake of breath and mutter ‘sellout’.
Bringing this all back to The Clash. I celebrate all they achieved in a short spell, still question if they could have avoided the eventual disintegration and explain to those who never saw them that what they have is what they were meant to have. A superb band that still had flaws and never that lingering memory of a band who were just in it for the money, doing that is pretty vacant if you ask me.
Thinking post 1990 – Would you have wanted to see The Clash reform? Were you able to see them? I’d love to see your comments.
Tim
I'm glad too !!
Maybe not a full tour reunion, but I would have loved to see them perform at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Not necessarily performing to industry executives, but perhaps a live show in front of fans at the UN Plaza in NY, where they have all the flags, by the river (NYC's East River).
That would have been my Clash reunion!
Think the way things were going the Clash would have reformed. Not for the money but egos were running high(again)
I would like to think that Jonesey and Strummer had a little bit more about them though. I think there would have been a new set of rules. All if not most of the music would have been new stuff new albums etc etc.
You can never repeat the magic and energy of the clash and I think that they were both realistic enough to realise that.
Lets not forget Paul Simonon. I am not sure if he was up for it. Without him no Clash…….Topper probably yes…hes been doin sod all for 25 years apart from the odd prison sentence!!!
Leaving as it was is best for me…it has maitained the mystic and legend.Although I wish Joe was around today giving it rock all about anything just for the hell of it!!!!
leave it the way it is,as now and again,you can still here and see the clash in one off gigs,the most recent was mick at glastonbury pumping out clash tunes,im sure paul will be doing something away from his painting,and joe still alive in every clash song that anyone sings,from the bedroom to the main stage,they may have split from stage but they never split in spirit,they will be here long after most bands of today and yesterday,as after 30 year and ive never known the clash to be sidelined,from anyone that has came across this music of the people,when im 70 you will still hear white man noising up the retirement home
Hi Bronx….
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais will be playing full blast as I go up in flames mate, I'm planning later rather than sooner though…
It's about the lasting influence, the philosophy and of course the music. Some of us are luckier than others, seeing The Clash in their prime, burning brighter than anything else in the musical firmament at the time. For anyone in any doubt watch Henry Rollins' description of first seeing The Clash from Don Letts' excellent documentary 'Punk – Attitude'. He has nailed it precisely.
Some may disagree about the term 'Punk', but the Clash were about creatively challenging the status quo, not blindly accepting the world as it was both musically and politically and moving forward. Once it had been reduced to a safety pin, a leather jacket and a crazy-colour mohican it was all over.
I'm not sure many would've foreseen the massive change in the music industry over the last decade. All the recent reunions have seen ageing groups reform ostensibly 'for the money', content to shake their spreading midriffs, as well as their old guitar riffs for the forties, fifties and fatties, in exchange for a sizeable portion of their large disposable incomes.
I didn't see Elvis, Dylan, The Beatles, Hendrix, The Stones in their prime…I was just too young. The Clash were MY time. Thirty seconds into 'Safe European Home' at a crumbling old theatre in Hyde Road, Manchester and my life was changed forever….It's the spirit, attitude and philosophy which prevails. It's about thinking for yourself and taking your life forward.
Pete, Acton, London.
Fantastic posts Pete and Bronx…there's not really much I can add. There's something (for some of us) that music can do and leave the branding of an experience with us forever. I'm not even sure it's about The Clash versus having a devotion to Happy Mondays (or whomever)…it's about the passion and the awareness of events that shape us.
The Happy Mondays really were fairly hedonistic/apolitical. Great band, but they really don't transcend time the way The Clash do. The Stones Roses, eponymous first album is re-released tomorrow, here in the UK, celebrating 20 years since its original release…Has it really been THAT long….?!??! Because of the influences it's also quite timeless. There is an argument that it's the greatest British debut album of all time……
Pete,
Yeah I was comfortable with The Clash being 30ish years ago – the Stone Roses 20th made me really check the calendar! I think the Stone Roses argument is strengthened by the fact that it was only good album they made. Imagine if The Clash followed up their debut with noting much…(then they'd be the Pistols?)
Another huge difference between the two was the fact that the majority of the Stones Roses audience were completely blissed out on E's and totally oblivious to the shortcomings of the 'live performance'. As much as I love their first album and admire Ian Brown as one of the great frontman, he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket at times. I've looked at a lot of live footage too as well, believe me. The recorded album though is another matter entirely. Pure genius.
Before I incur the wrath of any lurking mad Roses fans – a limited edition John Squire print of the first album cover, sans lemons and typography hangs above my desk, next to an original signed Kate Simon photographic print of The Clash first album front cover image. I have ALL the early singles and the Stones Roses discs occupy a sizeable chunk of space twixt Stiff Little Fingers and The Stooges. A shame their initial creativity was effectively killed off by their music business contractual wrangles.
Maybe they should have gone in for custom painting and decorating services…!
I read that Bruce Foxton and Paul Weller have been working together in the studio for a Weller solo album! Think it was The Sun.
http://www.clashmusic.com/news/the-jam-edge-close…
Do you think Foxton might ask Weller to join From The Jam for a date or two? [screams]
Interesting…I'll have a look around!
Can't see it happenin' somehow, but if it was in the Sun it must be true.
LOL……yes…the zenith of journalism