Good Morning. Tomorrow is Joe Strummer’s Birthday, or more poignantly would have been Joe Strummer’s Birthday or maybe I ought to say should have been. Just writing those words make me feel more hollow, a more concrete reminder of the fact that he is gone and somehow the years have rolled past and we’re all still here. I think the fact is that ‘here’ just isn’t quite as good as it was knowing Strummer is not part of events, but then again he is. I realise that the people who are kind enough to read the blog are just a tiny fraction of those that had their lives touched by The Clash and Joe Strummer. I can tell by your comments and facebook updates that The Clash still play a critical part in your daily lives, getting you through a rough Monday at work or ready for the weekend, helping you spend hours at work or studying, perhaps just reconnecting with where you were all those years ago.

I like to think growing up involves a lot of learning and via that learning we’re all meant to improve and change (or so it goes). I reconnect now with people who say ‘you’ve not really changed at all’ and I’m not sure if its a compliment or am I missing growth somehow. At the core of who I am is a passion for music and that passion was lit by The Clash. I’m as ignited by hearing ‘Complete Control’ or any one of dozens of songs today as I was thirty years ago. I’m as able to have my mood lifted or my sadness buffered by a great song as easily as I was thirty years ago. The Clash to me represented energy and knowledge, commitment and fury 30 years ago…nothing has changed. I guess I haven’t changed. I guess I probably never will. I don’t know if I even want to.

Joe Strummer has gone….I hate that fact. It makes me ache more often than it should but I usually end my sad fest with a sense of thank fuck he existed in the first place. Thank fuck he met Mick and The Clash happened, what would be my bedrock music otherwise? Who would have been the catalyst for my love of music and political/social matters if it weren’t for Joe? So while we should raise a toast or spend a moment reflecting on Joe try and be positive if you can – consider a world where Joe simply gave up playing in Newport, or a world where Joe’s unknown heart condition decided to end matters when he was twenty and not fifty. Imagine if Joe had given up after so many years away from the spotlight post Clash. Joe never gave up and that made his loss all the worse for those of us who waited so patiently for him to write and play again frequently. The Mescaleros were making records that were vital and fresh, Joe was touring again and still had so much to say….he was on top of his game. Then he was gone.

Happy Birthday Joe Strummer – thank you for everything.

I’ll be back later with the calendar of events for tomorrow.