Good evening all, hope things aren’t too bad wherever you’re reading this. Been a weird sort of day but that happens eh? 2 hours until tomorrow so I’ll bank on that being a better one. Speaking of one better day I’d hate to be the poor chap who is having to sell this superb collection of Clash Merchandise on ebay. I’m sure he’s heartbroken not being able to keep hold of some of these rarities. To start with you’ve got an original framed Bonds poster in that radiant yellow and some other fine posters. Some rare vinyl, backstage passes and original t-shirts. All are worth a look and then an email to your most successful relative saying what a good boy/girl you’ve been this year and that Christmas is coming soon. I’ve never been a huge collector of memorabilia beyond records and cds and I do get a little green when I see a collection like this. I’ve got a framed photo of Joe  Strummer in my office – it was a cut out from a magazine…how punk is that? (incidentally I’ll have that Brixton poster if you are buying)

Some topics create so much obsession that they start to become a parody as soon as the box is opened up. Here’s one of the biggest of all time when it comes to any discussion of The Clash:  “Punk is dead / not dead / never died”

Why does this always come up? Why does their have to be a definite answer when I’m not even sure what the question is. Yahoo in their poppy wisdom had forded this river and asked the question for the 638th time. Well, let me clarify, they elected not to ask the question but to simply state “punk is dead”. Shit this could be a post all on it’s own couldn’t it? Yes…it will be when I’ve got typing fingers ready to go. Here’s my short opinion:

The punk ‘movement’ of 1976/7 is dead. Yes, soon after record companies were pushing each other over to sign every band with a sneer the movement evolved into something else. Punk music is not dead. What those records (not just 1976-1979) mean to me will never change, there have been a lot of records made in the same spirit of punk in the 30 years since also. It was the Punk ideal that created all the indie labels we took for granted ever since. It was the Punk ideal that led to that amazing post punk period of 1979-1984 where the quality and variety of music was outstanding. Moreover, how can you say ‘Punk is Dead’ when you can’t define when it really began. If you were 17 in New York in 1968, the Velvet Underground were punk. If you were 16 in Glasgow in 1984 The Jesus and Mary Chain were punk. If you were 15 in London in 2001 The Libertines were punk. It’s all a question of definition really. Is there music that charges you up and fills you with some fury? Do bands have something more to say than “a boy meets a girl, so what?” (McCarthy - though I’d love to claim that lyric). I considered myself a punk as a kid and I still do. I still don’t subscribe to suburban ideals nor conservative thinking. I still look twice at the kids with the challenging haircut. Did I ever wax on about how bloody brilliant McCarthy were…that’s a long post!!!

I still would rather you told me how you felt about something than be told how to feel. Punks not dead – if you were paying attention it becomes part of who you are. If a new song still excites you – if a social wrong still dismays you – if a hot debate still entices you and if you still like the beat of your own drum, then you were a punk and you remain one. There’s a little pub near me that’s where all the young local punks hang out. They were mostly born between 1987-1993 long after even the ashes of The Clash had cooled, but try telling them they aren’t punk. You can’t change when you were born. The only question is when they hit 30,35,40 do they hold onto most of those ideals? Change is apparently inevitable but in a sense I’m glad I can still relate to who I was at 15. I was angry with Thatcher, with Reagan, with the IRA and The British, I was putting my faith in Strummer and Weller. Later it was Morrissey and David Gedge, then Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn. Music has been my constant, I can’t apologize for that now.

On a very related note Bernard Rhodes and I keep exchanging pleasant emails, he’s reluctant to dig into the past and I’m too polite to insist. I would love to have him contribute to the blog – I’d love to hear just what it was like being at the beginning of The Clash and knowing you were key. Maybe tomorrow I’ll know what to ask him….

Here we are again, one of the few times where you can put complete faith in democracy. The only requirement is that you be a Clash fan and have an interest in helping the blog determine the best Clash songs of all time. If it’s your first visit – it couldn’t be easier – we started with over 160 Clash songs and at random they compete against each other. One vote per visitor per pairing and the winners continue til we reach the last 16. This is still round one (nearly complete) and you’ll see the round of 64 kick off next week. For now though some results must be reviewed with you:

Tommy Gun defeats Wrong ‘em Boyo 31  -   14

1977 defeats Dirty Punk 44  –   1

No shocks there really as Tommy Gun rolls on but by a narrower margin that I’d have guessed. Who voted for Dirty Punk? Was it intentional? Right then let’s see what the next four look like – as ever more info is below and I look forward to your very careful use of your mouse.

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Three Card Trick – It is another moment of post Mick Clash we have to assess. In terms of ‘respect’ it’s one of the few from Cut The Crap that seems to have a few fans. I’m not one of them but to be fair it’s not a dreadful song. That said it won’t win.

48 Hours - One of those songs that takes me right back to my first hearing of the song as a 12 year old. After my first Clash exposure in late ’78 to GTER being able to get the debut album immediately thereafter was nirvana for me. Needless to say 12 months later London Calling was released – no wonder I was a Clash devotee. 48 hours – all the evidence needed that a song can clock in at under 1:50 and still be immaculate.

Lose This Skin - Guest vocals by old Strummer cohort Tymon Dogg make this track as atypical of a Clash song as it gets. As a kid I’d tell my non-clash friends that the vocals were by the geyser from Rush, it worked a treat. Musically it was a rollercoaster of styles and brilliant drumming. A song that will make a non-Clash fan guess for hours – still a great party trick I enjoy. It did get a revival with Joe and The Mescaleros also!

Time Is Tight - When it comes to cover versions were The Clash lucky or simply genius? Not sure but on recorded evidence a bit of both. Here’s a song that they couldn’t even imprint with the vocal styling of Mick and Joe and still it’s just magnificent. I think it’s one of my favourite Clash songs for the car. Original was of course by Booker T and the MG’s – if you saw the Clash perform the song live you might be lying or a statistical rarity as they apparently only ever played it once.

So there you have it – 4 songs that we must slice down to 2. You have until Sunday morning to make your decisions for which I thank you in advance.

Tim

Hello again, we’re getting to the very last embers of round one. At that point I’ll build out the page on the site so you can review the remaining 64 so you can assess what’s at stake. I’m looking at a competition to see who can best predict the final 8 Clash songs when all this voting is over. Perhaps giveaway the new Carbon Silicon album to the two best guesses. I’ll work out the details and let you know. For now I just need your votes to get us down to a final 64 best Clash songs of all time. Prior to our new pairings I’ve got a quick results update to provide:

Julie’s Been Working For The Drug Squad defeats Are You Ready 39  -  2

Something About England defeats Rebel Waltz 28  -  14

Two results that I guess went as expected. Are You Ready suffers the 2nd worst defeat of the round. I look forward to seeing what you think of these new four?

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Wrong ‘em Boyo – This is another Clash cover version and even at that it’s a unique take. The original version is somewhat followed until Strummer instructs them to ‘start all over again’ which indeed they do. The original reggae track was by Roland Alphonso, a Cuban born exile who moved to Jamaica at the age of two. Alphonso was at his most active 1960-1974 but continued playing live right up til his death in 1998.

Tommy Gun - This was probably the biggest surprise of the ‘seeding’ votes we had before the tournament started. I thought this was guaranteed to be protected but fell short of the required votes. Topper’s drums and then the loudest E chords you could ask for. Amazing song, full of power and certain (?) to get through to the next round.

1977 – An early early Clash track that was a Joe’s warning song about 77-84 and with hindsight maybe was prophetic. Great lyrics, and something that captures London and England in a non-majestic but really canny snapshot as it stood in the mid 70′s. I wish that the times when I saw The Clash they had played this song, sadly it was not to be.

Dirty Punk - A Clash song…from Mark II. If you’ve more to add let me know.

Thanks in advance for your votes, you have until Saturday morning to make your decisions. Cheers all.