Hello again and thanks for dropping in to the blog, I’ve got a last bit Monday energy to burn off today which is odd seeing as I was absolutely knackered last night. I hope your week began in a good fashion. I wanted to say a large thank you to those of you who have been kind enough to contribute to the ‘Clash blog fund’ so far (see the icon in the right hand margin) I really appreciate it and you can contribute any amount you wish – no minimum amounts required or such nonsense. I’m actually trying to work out something with Strummerville so a portion of all funds will be donated directly to them, at present they are not registered as a charity outside of the UK so I’m hoping that is something we can overcome and allow people to make tax deductible contributions via the blog though it might not happen til next year. More news on that topics soon I do hope, ideally we’ll work something out.

Excellent response to yesterday’s post about 1977, I spent another hour or so looking at music charts from 1977-1980 yesterday. I can’t even begin to express how much ice was broken by punk when you compare what was happening from 1973-1976, things were so stale it’s almost unreal. I’m glad I was 13 in 1980 and not 1974, I think I would have gone a bit mad. I’ll definitely do some more research about those charts and share it with you as I think it’s fascinating. Many feel, which I partly understand that ‘Punk was crucial but what do we have now?’ – and while that argument does hold some water you have to also agree that recent years have at least seen bands (whether or not you like them) who are young and guitar based. I don’t think Arctic Monkeys or The Cribs compare especially well with Wire, XTC or Buzzcocks but it’s huge improvement over what was happening before 1977. I’d be interested to see whom Clash fans would say have been the best bands over the last 5, 10 or 15 years. Bands that have begun within those spells – I’m sure we’d come up with some great names and have a few disagreements. I’d have to give that some thought although Doves, The Libertines, Los Campesinos, Gorillaz, Frightened Rabbit, Elbow and many others come to mind. There’s also been a lot of bands who seem capable of a good album or two but then lose my interest. What’s been your favourite album of the last year? Was it by an old favourite or a new(er) band? I’m convinced that there are more good new bands around now than there wereat the beginning of the 1990′s but much of that could be due to it becoming easier than ever to find new music. Perhaps a more difficult question – does anything in the last decade remind you of The Clash or inspire you the same way? Or how about this – if you’re under 30, who has been the most inspiring newer band of the last 15 years to you, a band that makes you want to get involved and change things? That’s the type of artist I struggle to find – someone with something to say.

Just wanted to go through a few things on The Clash and related newsfeed tonight and there’s certainly plenty to follow this week but I’m aiming for more frequent posts to help overcome that. Off we go then.

Strummercamp Festival 2012 tickets are on sale now! Best news of all they are offering a special early bird price for a limited time. Take my word for it, you will not find a better price and value for a music festival next summer so take advantage now and warm up by making plans for next summer. Here’s the official blurb, Strummercamp 2012 takes place June 1,2,3. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE. In recognition that money is tight we have decided to release cheap early bird tickets for a limited period. For just £50 (or £25 under 16, £100 family 2+2) you can enjoy 3 days of festival fun over 5 stages. Be sure to book your ticket as soon as possible before the early bird tickets sell out.

Strummer film latest: Not sure if this is the project we spoke about at length earlier in the year which I’d assume to be the case, or if that has been shelved and this takes it’s place as the forthcoming Joe Strummer biopic. However this is not to be confused with the film about London Calling, are you still with me? According to Cinemablend.com the film has now been titled ‘The Right Profile’ (still not ideal if you ask me) and will be directed by Julie Delpy which contradicts what we were hearing at the start of the year. If I had my notes that would be more useful but I’ll seek it out.

Former Mescaleros support Noel Gallagher: I’d meant to mention this earlier too but my secretary was on holiday but The Hours which features Anthony Genn and Martin Slattery are providing support to the former Oasis bloke on his current US tour. His new band is called Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds which always reminds me of Monty Python’s Flying Circus which incidentally was almost brilliantly going to be called Owl Stretching Time. The word on the tour was very positive, I don’t know whether they’ll be the opening act for forthcoming Australia/NZ and European dates but if you’ve heard please let me know.

Right then, I ought to consider some dinner I suppose, I don’t feel particularly brilliant tonight so it’ll be an early one with warm milk or something. Don’t forget to share the blog if you can and wish to plus remember you can keep current via Facebook, Twitter or get the RSS feed  thanks for reading. Tim

Good morning once again and welcome to your tear-stained (Arsenal supporter you see) Saturday morning edition of The Clash Blog. Hoping that your weekend is off and running in good fashion, I’m left with trying to be hopeful about a team that can’t defend…I’m convinced we won’t concede goals quite as stupid again as today but I said that a few weeks ago.

Of all the moments of Clash history that I think I’ve enjoyed reading about most it might be the anecdotes about the regular sessions the band and supporting cast had playing football during the recording of London Calling that make me grin. Much has been written about that in terms of it building camaraderie and loosening any tension within the band and was apparently a near daily occurrence at the adjacent school playground in Highbury when the band were working on the album in the summer of 1979. It was a time when the band felt there backs were against the wall in terms of money, direction, management and the music press which was previously adoring had turned sour. From that came arguably the greatest record of that (or any generation). I remember getting the record as a 12 year old kid and even before listening to it in depth being thrilled at the cover photograph, the fact it was a double album the first I owned as a kid, the lyrics included (the first time for The Clash) and all the inner sleeve photographs. Something special was in my hands and I still remember telling anyone who would listen at that time in school that this was the album you had to have. Anyway, I just was thinking about that this morning and wishing I had photographs of The Clash and crew enjoying a game of 5-a-side football that summer. I don’t think any photographs exist – but if you know differently prove me wrong.

Also I noticed after the event that yesterday was the 34th anniversary of the first ever record released by The Clash as CBS 5058 was released on a pretty unconvinced British public. White Riot came out on March 18th, 1977 and began the  recorded history of the band by just breaking into the UK top 40 peaking at number 38 which of itself wasn’t a poor showing. When you look back at the sleeve of that 7″ single (pictured left) how could you possibly have walked into a record shop in Dundee or Derby and not at least have been curious enough to purchase it. Hopefully some of you reading this actually did so in those first weeks of release, I acquired my vinyl copy some years later. If you’re of similar vintage to me and want to put perspective on how long ago this was now, it was the same month when the worst airline disaster in history occurred when two 747′s collided on a runway in a fog bound airport in Tenerife. Yes, it was a long time ago. I’ve got vague memories of that (I was 9) as I remember being worried about my parents who were at the time on holiday in the Ivory Coast and I naturally thought flying was the most dangerous thing in the world. Turns out I was wrong.

As far as timeless lyrics did Joe ever capture the mood of England at the time with White Riot? He writes of not wanting to go to jail, but not wanting to take orders. Of rich and poor and the haves and have-nots. Here we are over three decades later and we are seeing riots and protests being a focal point of current unrest (and the outrageously immoral reactions) in many Arab states. A riot of our own? Let’s be having it.

all the power’s in the hands
of the people rich enough to buy it
while we walk the streets
too chicken to even try it

Good morning you terrific people and welcome back the The Clash Blog, I really couldn’t be in finer fettle this morning as Arsenal won, Chelsea lost and suddenly the season is looking ever so chirpy again. If you don’t follow football ignore that as I do have a very brief bit of news and if you live in England you need to mark your calendars for Sat January8th, 2011. Yes our first 2011 event, even writing that seems a bit odd as 2000 once seemed so far in the future (you remember!) and now we’re about to hit 2011. Incidentally I hope you refer to the year ‘twenty eleven’ or ‘eleven’  and not ‘two thousand and eleven’ it makes no sense at all and its been a pet peeve of mine now for about a decade. Nobody called The Clash song one thousand, nine hundred and seventy seven did they? Think about it – the same bloody logic applies.

The place to be Jan 8th, Strummer night in Brighton

Right, well…an event then, as you know we are heading for the holidays which means a significant number of Joe Strummer events will be adding to the calendar around that time as we try and make a good fist of the sad memory of Joe’s death in December, 2002. I can’t say that it gets any easier each year at all for me and I usually struggle a lot right around that time – celebrating his birthday seems far more of a buoyant thing but I do think his passing must be honoured too. Like so many of you that I see on Facebook you seem to celebrate Joe every single day (you know who you are) which I think is equally great and apt. Yes…the event, on the South Coast of England sits Brighton, perhaps the hippest small town in England and just a short train ride from London. The Victorian buildings and pebble beach have been upstaged in recent decades as Brighton has become a bit of a celebrity enclave and supports a very active music scene too. When I were a lad its where old people went for a cup of tea and cake while taking in the bracing sea air. In Brighton on January 8th the annual ‘Joe Strummer Remembrance Night’ will be taking place with admission running at £12.00 at The Komedia. Here’s a link to the official blurb and the details are below also:

Saturday 8th January 2011
The Komedia ‘ 7pm
Gardner St, Brighton BN1 1UN
Tickets £12.00 from:
www.komedia.co.uk
Phone Bookings on 0845 293 8480

With all proceeds to Strummerville, the Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music, the line up for the night comprises Clash tribute Rebel Truce, The Sex Pistols Experience and the sounds of Radio Clash from The Boiler. The 22nd December will mark the eighth anniversary of the untimely death of Clash front man, political agitator and world-wide inspiration Joe Strummer. In January 2003, just days after Joe’s death, a group of Brighton fans of Joe, young and old, put together a small event to mark his passing and to celebrate the life of this inspirational musician and campaigner. Saturday 8th January 2011

I’ve linked the address and website above and will add to the events page – I hope some of you will be able to get along to the seaside and pay respect as you should. Back soon – Tim