Hello again, another rainy day in the desert but I’ll take it as in a few months we’ll be begging for seeing some clouds never mind actual rain. Just a few quick things for you today but the best (in my opinion) comes directly from Tony James over at the Carbon Silicon site. I’ve written a number of times about how someone or some collective needs to start chronicling punk, post punk, the London scene or call it what you will. If you want the real facts behind these bands and relationships from those early years you have to get to the source and fortunately Tony James has a wonderful habit of just blogging out memories when the mood takes him. Jump over and read the post as he talks about Generation X, Stiv Bators, Sputnik and more besides. I’m not as old as Tony James but I completely relate to how he writes about sometimes needing to kick start the memory bank to recall all the specifics, I sometimes have to go through my concert ticket stubs or look at old photos to remember all the things I saw and heard in the 1980’s and I’m just an outsider, a fan.

Although I was too young to be at the forefront of 1976-1979, I count myself lucky in seeing some of the very earliest concerts by some really significant acts such as The Smiths, Jesus and Mary Chain, Aztec Camera, The Housemartins, New Order, The Redskins, James, Big Audio Dynamite, The Woodentops, Shack, Gene, Supergrass and a host of others. What I think is needed is a bigger concept that I can articulate but essentially a really broad book/documentary as a memoir of sorts. The music scene in the UK was so electric from 1977-1987 as scenes evolved so rapidly and live gigging was the only way to find a catchment and label support. You could write a volume itself on the whole C86 scene (which in truth had its origins a few years earlier) with some brilliant bands; McCarthy, The Bodines, Jasmine Minks, Cocteau Twins, Primal Scream, Stump, The Wolfhounds and others. That whole shambling sound and those who followed it were my age – too young for first generation punk but terribly committed to the local indie bands that followed some of the gloomy sounds of post punk. Critics complained that the family tree for these acts tended to all lead you back to The Velvet Underground but I think that was a simple summation if you worked for the NME or Melody Maker in those days. I think (and in a few cases know) for certain that the DIY attitude of The Clash and punk was what got a lot of these bands out of the garage and signing with one of the explosion of indie labels that sprung like weeds throughout the UK.

In many senses I think the most lasting gift of punk to the record industry may have been these indie labels. Simply avoiding the pressures of signing to CBS, RCA, EMI or Warners allowed a lot of these bands to release the records they wanted and in the order they wanted. The mistakes of The Clash and The Pistols (if signing to a major label was a mistake) were learned almost immediately afterwards when post punk bands seemed to follow one of two paths. In circumstances like The Cure or Echo and The Bunnymen a major label started a private label specifically for the band – Fiction for The Cure and Korova for The Bunnymen, by default the treadmill that Polydor or WEA would have wanted the band to jump on was avoided to a degree. Better circumstances still followed by the early 80’s as Factory Records (New Order) and Rough Trade (The Smiths) had bands so good that a label and roster would be built around them. Both of those stories ended in tears and the reality is that both of these iconic bands might have sold more records on a major label but not on their own creative terms. I think if punk and The Clash had come along a few years later The Clash would have started their own label, my evidence for that is they did consider starting their own venue. However in 1977 (with the possible exception of Virgin Records) there was no proof that a small label could support an act and get your records pressed and distributed effectively, signing for a CBS or and EMI was logic – sadly however those contracts perhaps contributed to the Clash self-destructing at the end of the day – they certainly resulted in Joe Strummer needing to sit on the sidelines from 1986-1996 and wait things out (the CBS deal).

To me it was a fascinating time to be a music fan and the changes in the music industry due to punk are perhaps just as broad as the music itself. From Factory to 4AD, Some Bizarre to Rough Trade, Creation to Fire Records – the rosters of great music on those indie labels was something to behold. The debt stands – punk made this all happen.

Another day another silver medal. Now that I’ve paid a bit of attention, when did the olympics get to the stage where any pursuit practiced outdoors in the snow is suddenly worthy of a medal? I mean snowboard racing – that’s so stupid it beggars belief – I don’t see the world’s top athletes juggling between shall I devote my life to being the fastest running the 1,500m perhaps swimming 200m or being a snowboard racer. Bollocks is all that comes to mind and it just devalues the whole thing – unless of course they include snowball fights and snowman building medals in time for the next winter games. Totally unrelated I know but it is daft…isn’t it? Clash news – ah yes…I’ve got that too.

Carbon Silicon have updated their site via their handy blog and there is some interesting news. It is a little bit of a shock to learn that so soon after the Carbon Bubble (which I hope you have all downloaded) that the band are lining up more music for our listening pleasure. It seems that there are a number of tracks, 6 to be specific that exist from sessions recorded in 2007.  Word on the site is that these will be released as part of some special edition box sets in the future so stay tuned. Also reported is that Carbon Silicon are recording brand new material also with the phrase ‘back to the roots’ being used (and I thought that was the Carbon Bubble). Either way I’m excited – check their site for additional details.

In 1983 after Mick Jones was unceremoniously removed from The Clash the band did continue on for over two more years as I’m sure most of you are aware. The band was already lacking a drummer (Topper having already been fired) held sessions for replacement musicians to fill these very large shoes. The outcome was three new recruits joining Strummer and Simonon and The Clash Mark II (unofficial title) was born. It’s a dark period in the history of The Clash both musically and in recording. I’d still give the live version of that lineup that I saw the benefit of the doubt, it still had Strummer and these new lads were able musicians, while it certainly lacked the power and cohesion of the ‘proper’ lineup it was still a decent proposition compared with some other things happening in 1984. Not much was written and documented about that period until former Clash member Vince White released his book ‘Out of Control’ in 2007 which chronicled his recollections of the last days of The Clash. I’ll reserve judgment until I read it myself but it has caused a lot of controversy. I mention it as a new interview is online now with Vince White which certainly is worth reading.

Late days of The Clash - courtesy Getty Images

The link to the interview is here – credits to Chairman Ralph and Vince White. It seems to be a topic most Clash fans don’t really want to touch and I understand that to a degree, but the events from ‘83 to ‘86 did happen – and the chaos and politics were genuine, things went downhill fast, there was ill will and the manager had overstepped the line. If you stop seeing someone you once loved you can pretend that their life ended when you stopped seeing them (and some of us do exactly that) but the reality is they moved on and kept living right? That’s the best analogy I can make for that period of Clash history – so ask yourself do you want to know what your former flame did in the three years after they dumped you (or vice versa)? If the answer is yes then this does need exploring. Certainly a topic for future further exploration.

Before I head to bed – I’ll never skip an interview with Buzzcocks and this recent outing in the Yorkshire Post is well worth the visit. If you’ve never seen Buzzcocks live and want the closest thing to a time portal to 1977 – see them while they keep touring…you won’t regret it.

Cheers for now – Tim

Mick playing with The Libertines

Hello all – hope you had a chance to look at the video on yesterday’s post – very cool and equally strange to see Paul Simonon and Mick Jones playing and recording together in 2010. I wish I were a fly on the wall when they went for a pint as reported afterward, as it must have been equally strange for them. Mick has (from my vantage point) made a huge transition in the last decade in terms of now working on a variety of projects in different roles. It seemed to stem from his work with The Libertines as a producer at the start of the decade just ended and then evolved onto his work with Tony James / Carbon Silicon. More recently he has partnered up with other for benefit concerts and taken an active role in Strummerville related projects as well. Coupled with that is the music media and the press in general now see members of The Clash as elder statesman with a lot to offer and stories to tell….its all a million miles from where Mick was in the mid-late 90’s after Big Audio Dynamite came to an end. Throw in the Rock and Roll Library and it’s just a thrill that he has been so public and giving in raw terms.

As a fan I’m thrilled that his influence is both more widely recognised but also more widely felt – it’s more than overdue for him along with Topper and Paul. I don’t want this to lead to simple speculation as to why things have ebbed and flowed but I am pleased that the pendulum of higher regard has swung in the right direction for The Clash. Still crossing my fingers that someone with the creative passion and the finances/studio backing tackles the gaping hole where a proper Clash film needs to be made. I genuinely feel that the surviving members would give the right project the support it merits, until such time I’ll just hope it can happen.

Mojo had an interesting piece today about Bernie Rhodes in a list of ‘The Worst Rock n Roll Management Decisions in History”. For his involvement with The Clash Bernard ranks 5th on their list for the issues that tainted the last year or so of the band’s (proper) existence and of course the Clash MK II. From what I know and have researched the complexity of the last months of the band are as tangled as they are multi-layered, apportioning blame to only one individual I think is akin to saying that The Clash made a definitive album. The implosion of the band was just not as simple as that and to this day a proper and frank account has never been put forward by all parties concerned, while in this case of Joe indeed it is already too late. For my money I think Rhodes’ story does need to be told if only to display the critical piece he played in the formation and original path that the band took.

Over the years it has been easy and quick to blame the end of The Clash on Mick and Bernard/Joe and the revamped band seen as a revolting blot on the copybook created by the ego of a manager who wanted to be the band, but is that entirely fair or accurate? I’m not sure to this day and unless more information is provided it has become accepted wisdom – folklore if you will. I’ve offered the ClashBlog as a forum to Bernard Rhodes a few times during 2009 and while we’ve never agreed on a format for the discussion I think it only fair to remark that he has been polite and considerate with his responses to me. In truth I’d most like to discuss the early years of The Clash with him and not those that are trotted out to his detriment concerning the later stages of the band.  Mr. Rhodes has edged towards talking about today and the future which I respect – at some point perhaps he’ll engage with the blog as I think we have a great audience and community that is open to hearing recollections and ideas, thoughts and concerns, even if (especially if) they go against the accepted truth we’ve been fed all these years. Anyway….that rambled on longer than I intended but the offer is still on the table Bernard. Back to Mojo – 1. Credit the blog for the photo of Mr Rhodes please (but thanks for finding us) 2. They think it was as simple as this “Like the USSR, Bernie has been left behind by history” I beg to differ.

That’ll be me done for the day then…cheers