Hell W10 explored by The Baker and Derek Goddard on The Daily Swarm
Good morning sunshine and welcome back to the blog. I’ve got grass as long as wheat out in the garden to cut today so I better keep this to the point so I can do my manual labour. I hate manual labour.
First things first this morning and I think you’ll find this piece on the Daily Swarm well worth a read. I imagine you’re familiar with and have probably seen The Clash short film from 1983 ‘Hell W10′. It’s a curious piece that makes you wonder how much more the band might have experimented with other media forms (Radio Clash was another prime example) if they had both had a bit more time (it was always write, record, tour on an almost endless cycle) and of course stuck together in 1982/3. The article was composed by The Baker in conjunction with Derek Goddard and provides probably the best first-hand account of the making of the film I’ve yet to read. There’s more than that on offer though as they explore the meaning behind the film as it evolved. If you somehow haven’t seen it is online and in the article I’ve linked. The Baker and Derek would be happy to answer questions about the film or The Clash as reiterated by him below:
”If anyone has further questions about the filming of the movie ‘Hell W10′ or the hidden meanings behind the story, or any other Clash-related questions, please feel free to ask and Derek and I will do my best to answer in a timely fashion. There was a lot of tangential material that obviously couldn’t be included in the article which needs to be said.” Thanks, The Baker
You can ask via the comments section below on this post and The Baker or Derek will reply here he assures me or via the piece on The Daily Swarm.
More this evening, most likely some Westway Traffic to help me catch up and then a special competition with a prize tomorrow. Stay tuned Clash people and thanks for reading as always.
(The Baker will answer questions about The Film via the blog…)
Legend,along with Johnny Green,dont really hear so much about Kosmo but Johnny and the Baker 2 troopers who held the Clash together,and although like McLaren and many managers who usually get a bad press lets not forget to doff our caps to Bernie too.
read the best punk band ever ? article of course the clash were thre best – two points 1 green day NOT a punk band 2 first post punk band must be a tie siousxie and pil
Anyone figure out whose kids were shown at the end of the movie?
The kids i am sure were Micky Gallagyer keyboards with the block heads and dam cool geezer . His family were often around , and he is was on the nicest blokes i met during that time.
I’d like to know how The Baker created the eyeball special effect.
• No special effect – we really stuck Antoinne’s eye on the spike…..he didn’t mind, it was for a good cause!
• The kids at the end were Mickey Gallagher’s. Filmed on the wastegrond by Westbourne Park Bus Garage.
• Derek still rides that bike….cheapskate!
Very entertaining film and although I’d seen it on DVD the screening at the Portobello pop-up cinema underneath the Westway way brilliant !
The Baker, no special effect…wow. That’s what I call taking one for the team! I figured that they were Gluggo’s kids.
He watched allot of blue peter and learned . his craft i know he cave me his blue peter badge . A true master .
I should say so….Valerie Singleton – not half!!
As a young boy it was Val, Barbara Eden, Elizabeth Montgomery, June Lockhart, and Betty Rubble that kept us going….
Not much comment on the blog yet about the movie – I’m surprised. Its a true slice of the times….if you’re old enough it will bring back memories of the oppressive gradual dissolution into Thatcher’s grey version of Britain. If you’re too young then it provides a unique window into a bygone age without cell phones, cable TV, or MP3′s. It is a vision of Britain every bit a bleak as Orwell’s 1984. I don’t suppose there was a day went past during filming when Joe didn’t question what the hell he was doing or why. But following his gut instinct he knew this was a worthy project that would stand the test of time and has certainly gained relevance through the passing years, even though he later dismissed it as ‘shit.’
And as far as a sneak peek in to the inner circle of the band and their associates, the movie is no better example that illustrates where everyone stood and were placed before the entire seven year project collapsed in a quagmire of inter-band politics, personal resentments, managerial manipulation and just plain road-weary exhaustion.
Everyone seems to miss the point – this was exactly the moment that it was all falling apart! The fact that the last project the band all willingly worked on wasn’t even music speaks volumes….they couldn’t agree on anything musically, so an entirely different medium was the vehicle used. As Derek said, Joe told him, “I hate music!”….a flippant remark to be sure. If I was a fan I would be asking, “Why did Joe say he hated music?”
And why would Mick willingly play the villain he was being made out to be in the minds of the band and their associates? In real life, the philosopher Socrates was found guilty of corrupting the minds of the youth of Athens. In ‘Why Socrates Died: Dispelling the Myths,’ Robin Waterfield suggests that Socrates was a voluntary scapegoat; his death was the purifying remedy for Athens’ misfortunes. Did Mick know what was coming and realise the inevitability of it? Lots of questions Tim…..
Maybe my idea of introducing unsung heroes from the Clash past is something that needs to be worked on more fully…..
The film was tremendously entertaining and the place to watch it was underneath The Westway at the Portobello Pop-Up cinema. With hindsight it’s easy to see how various members of the band and their associates were portrayed perhaps reflecting on the internal tensions which were rife – although not obviously to the general public at the time it was made. If you were living 200 miles from London at the time and your only access to ‘Clash’ news was via the inkies, then it would be difficult to see these problems. This period was crucial in British history, with the rise of Thatcher and her championing of the free market economy; the results of which we’re still dealing with today. We entered a really divisive period, scars of which haven’t healed even today. Was Mick being portrayed as Thatcher perhaps ? Now there’s a thought !
Oh….and Happy Birthday to The Baker !
Baker, I’m also curious if Don Letts played any part in the making of Hell W10. Did Joe ask him for advice on shooting the movie?
I remember Donn letts showing up on the odd occasion at a pub etc, but I think Joe was pretty sure that he wanted the film to be his baby, so i am sure he kept Mr Letts from at least a few good feet away from him and his project . Joe threw himself into the film making world almost like a man throwing himself off a cliff and hoping to land in a soft spot , and being Joe he was ready to put his balls out there to be admired or kicked to shreds . Although i feel that Joe saw the whole thing as an experiment in which he could learn as much as he could about the craft of making films .
Cheers, Derek. I figured that Joe wanted “complete control” of his project.
Your welcome mate always open to questions about a Joe …. he changed my life just by knowing him i know he was just human but i was very lucky to meet and play and consider him a fiend .