I saw Joe Strummer walking with the Queen….
Jools Holland
With the advent of youtube plus other video sharing sites – I so often stumble across something that tickles my fancy that it would be impossible to see otherwise. (Especially when so much is on TV in other countries). Today is one of those days when you find something cool.
The show Later…with Jools Holland (from Squeeze) has now been on the BBC for seventeen seasons (!!) since it first aired in 1992. I’ve always loved the show for the quality of the live performances combined with the diversity of the acts. If you’re not familiar with it the show is hosted by Jools Holland (the clue was in the title) who will offer brief interviews and sometimes sit in and play with a band, the interesting part is the rotation of live acts. The type of acts run the gamut from folk to indie to blues to rock and everything in between. You could see Nick Cave sharing a stage with Motorhead, Erasure and Anita Baker for example. It’s a huge shared soundstage and each band is set up and ready to play live. The show rotates from band to band and typically each act will perform two or three songs, they used to feature 5 bands but now its down to 3 I think. This link best illustrates the type of variety that the show offers. As its a legitimate live set up and the audio is great you often get some great variations of songs you’ve heard a hundred times before. It’s a great show and sadly I can’t think of anything else quite like it. Anyway the purpose of this piece wasn’t to explain the tv show – but I’ve gone ahead and done that anyway so try and stop me – but to write about a clip I’ve just seen for the first time.
Warren Zevon
On the May 4 2002 recording of the show Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros were on the program along with The Delgados (superb band), Tracy Chapman and Warren Zevon. It would be Zevon I wanted to focus on, at that time as far as I know Zevon was in rude health although later that year he was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer sadly took Zevon’s life in September 2003 – less than a year after Joe Strummer passed away – but on that night on that stage Zevon made a subtle toast/tribute to Strummer who was standing just feet away. Zevon struck me as such an amiable chap and was another sad loss far too young.
During a solo performance of perhaps Zevon’s best known song ‘Werewolves of London’ Warren changes a lyric as a tribute to Joe. It was such a subtle gesture but the short smile from Zevon which follows it is priceless. Its a great song and great moment – listen/watch the whole thing if you can or if you are impatient jump in around the 2:40 mark of the video below. Also at 3:08 you see Joe howling in the background – great stuff!!
Loved that footage Tim. The song was and is still a favourite of my daughters. It’s especially good sung in the car, where we do a bloody good version of the howling bits. I hadn’t realised that Warren Zevon had died. Robert Elms has played it a few times on his show over the years.
Was it in the comedy horror classic “An American Werewolf In London” ? I’m not sure. Creedance’s “Bad Moon Rising” certainly was, along with various versions of “Blue Moon” Sam Cooke, Bobby Vinton and The Marcels…. I met Jenny Agutter a couple of years ago and she’s still stunning.
Putting it back in the car for this afternoon’s school run !
Pete,
Glad you enjoyed that….it’s always good to howl and Joe in the background is lovely.
Yes, Warren Zevon’s sad demise was fairly public here as he was good friends with David Letterman who hosts one of the big nightly chat shows. He faced his illness with such calm dignity that it was really inspiring. Here’s a clip of his last TV interview – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hl9Tw2GzvA
Tim
You’ve met Jenny Aguter!!! I’m so jealous so in a huff will never talk cardies or demin with you again!!….pssssst did you get her number – I’d pay top dollar….
Actually – she does a nice thing on her website – for a donation to charity she’ll sigh the pic of your choice from her gallery – I’m saving for the whole set…..
nice post, i found it googling the airing date of this ep of Later to see if joe strummer was on and what songs were played.
strange that steve wright would say werewolves of london was in the movie an american werewolf in london, it wasnt (but perhaps should have been).
also the show was recorded in 2000 not 2002, here is the setlist > http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p005jf24
I just saw this entire show for the first time on Saturday (free option on Verizon FIOS – Concert TV) so searched it today and came to this site. After seeing it on TV I will always interject “I saw joe strummer walking with the queen” into that song. Great T-shirt material. Joe and the Mescaleros played X-ray style and a few others. I wanted to stand and deliver the “I want some Rock Art” line with Joe but they cut the song a little short to trim some time off. What a surprise to find available.
Glad you found the site Mike…and a good way to do so. That might have been the best episode of that show I’ve seen. T-shirt is a sound idea…