I’d mentioned that the Guardian are fawning over all things Clash…and here they are again with an interview and summary of Mick Jones RnR Public Library. It’s a good read and great to see some of the big press sit down and get to grips with Mick’s idea. There’s still banter about this becoming a permanent exhbition at some point which would be great seeing as I think it’s got a potential international appeal. Shocked to see the Guardian write again about it as I’m fairly sure they did on the last display too? **addendum 722pm GMT – The Telegraph also posted a story.

Down another rabbit hole I wanted to share this site for quite a while. For lovers of US punk bands from the early 80’s it’s a great site for some up close and personal photos of bands playing small venues in full throttle. On a related site I especially like all the old flyers for the gigs. Long before Photoshop, My Space and printers in the home these hand made flyers were just what was needed. It just links back to a really good DIY time in music. Fanzines for both football and music were the blogs of my youth. That’s a topic I need to write about for those too young to have had some fanzine fever. I’ve still got my copies of Orange Slices for The Wedding Present somewhere.

Back to those sites, if you have memories of Black Flag, Meat Puppets, Circle Jerks and such you’ll find some great shots you’ve never seen before. I’ve always enjoyed catching up on the lineage of that US scene as it had limited press/exposure across the Atlantic. I’m not an expert by any means but the vibrancy of that very late 70’s early part of the 80’s was as intense as Britain’s and very different to post punk. As I’ve tried to fill in the gaps I’ve realised that the diversity of the US hardcore scene was much broader than I’d first assumed or been shown. From Bad Religion to Bad Brains or Flipper to the Effigies there was a lot of really memorable music made in a very short period of time. This was all before college radio made English ‘new wave’  the dominant music of the mid 80’s in the States. Indie meant small label, transit van and make your own flyers. The impact of The Clash and others on these bands can’t be dismissed.

OK…a bit of a ramble…talk tomorrow. (or later today…depending where you are)

Tim