Giant thanks to Alan Miles director of Breaking Rocks and Billy Bragg for forwarding the official press release (below) – video clip should follow shortly:

Clash members reunite for Billy Bragg’s prison charity

Topper, Mick and Billy Bragg - Image Courtesy Breaking Rocks & Tom Sheehan

Legendary Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon were reunited in the studio for the first time in 27 years when they joined Billy Bragg for a recording aimed at promoting the folk singer’s Jail Guitar Doors campaign.

Started two years ago, the Jail Guitar Doors initiative helps to supply musical instruments to prison inmates, to aid with their rehabilitation, and has so far seen several ‘graduates’ of the scheme pursue careers as performers after their release from jail.

Bragg, Jones and Headon were backed by a band comprising former inmates Leon Walker, Jonny Neesom, Kevin Hawkins and Jon Smillie on a spirited re-recording of the 1978 Clash song Jail Guitar Doors, from which the campaign takes its name.

“The guys were telling us how much this scheme had helped them move on from their previous lives before prison,” said Clash guitarist Mick Jones, who in 2007 donated the money for the first ever JGD acoustic guitars to be delivered to a jail. “It was really touching to think we’ve helped, even if it’s in a small way.”

Drummer Nick ‘Topper’ Headon added: “To see it all come to fruition is absolutely beautiful. It was great to meet these guys. When I was in prison myself, many years ago, I was lucky enough to have access to a guitar, which belonged to the prison vicar! I know how much it helped me get through it.”

Billy Bragg, who says his life was changed after seeing The Clash play live at Victoria Park in 1978, inspiring him to write about social and political issues, explained: “Prison has to be about much more than just locking people up. We want people to be able to move on from their situation and reconnect with the outside world, and my hunch was that playing an instrument – particularly a guitar – could help that.”

The recording session was filmed for Alan Miles’ ‘Breaking Rocks’, a gritty and uplifting documentary about the Jail Guitar Doors initiative, which will be premiered as part of the Raindance film festival at Proud Gallery, Camden Town on 1 October. The film will be followed by performances from Billy Bragg, Mick Jones, the MC5’s Wayne Kramer, Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Jail Guitar Doors graduates Leon Walker, Jonny Neesom, Louise Wells and Theone Coleman, plus Night of Treason.

Proud Galleries, Camden, London, Thursday October 1st sees the Raindance Film Festival premiere of Breaking Rocks, Alan Miles Jail Guitar Doors documentary. The film will be followed by live performances from Billy Bragg, Get Cape. Wear Cape Fly. The Rotten Hill Gang featuring Mick Jones, Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters) Wayne Kramer MC5, Night of Treason.

For information visit www.breakingrocks.co.uk

For Tickets visit

Good Morning, thanks for your votes in the cup and ideas for a new ‘tournament’ although it’s a large time commitment it’s under consideration. I wanted to meander through a variety of Strummerville matters so sit down with a cup of tea and some biscuits and enjoy these.

First up a reminder for a Strummerville event which I’d mentioned a few weeks ago. This Saturday (Sep 19th) sees a concert in Sydney featuring 4 acts under the banner ‘Revolution Rock – a tribute to Joe Strummer‘ the official details are here and I hope some of you that read the blog from Australia might be able to attend what should be a great night. If you do make it along please get in touch with the blog so I can share your report and images if you get some.

Staying with Strummerville (and I’m always happy to do so) they are firmly backing the Jail Guitar Doors film project ‘Breaking Rocks‘ which I’d written about in more detail on this earlier post. I’m excited to announce that I’ve been in contact with the film’s director Alan Miles and we are planning a quick interview about the project and the film next week. I’ll have this documented and released to you to prior to the premier of the film on October 1st. If you are in London I greatly encourage you taking the time to get along to see the film, information is via the links above. If you have any questions for Alan please contact me before Sunday of this week and I’ll include them in our conversation. Don’t forget Alan was also the man behind capturing this event for posterity, a night that will not be forgotten by a Clash fan worldwide.

Finally for our friends in the Bay area (San Francisco for global readers) don’t forget another great Strummerville event is booked for Oct 2nd in the city. Admission is just $10 and considering that typically might buy you a turkey sandwich and a pepsi in that town it’s quite a bargain. Hope some of you can make it along, official information is all here – don’t forget the cause people!!

Thanks for reading, and if anyone reading is associated with forthcoming Strummerville events be sure and contact me.

Tim

Friday afternoon and I’m knackered, supposed to play football in a few hours and it is 104f so I’m not impressed at all. This recent video frenzy I’ve been on isn’t intentional, it’s just that there are a number of things I keep finding coupled with great clips being sent to me (which is much appreciated). I will write more soon, I promise I just tend to remember stories I want to write about but instantly forget video so I have to seize the moment and get this stuff posted.  For this afternoon I wanted to share a video of Billy Bragg performing at the Electric Picnic 5 Sep in Ireland, this hot on the heels of his recent Beethoven inspired trip to Los Angeles. The clip is most notable for both the song but also the Strummer/Jail Guitar Doors guitar that Bragg is playing.

Regular visitors may accuse me of mentioning Billy Bragg too often and I’ve a 2 part answer to that. Yes I do mention him, I’m a huge fan of Bragg and have been for over 25 years. Equally importantly I feel that Billy Bragg comes from the same bloodlines that got the Clash up and running at the dawn of British Punk. From his earliest Bragg plus amp being labeled as a ‘one-man Clash’ right through to the present day and his continued dedication to causes that deserve attention. In conjunction he’s the engine room behind Jail Guitar Doors and will never cease to triumph the impact that The Clash had in terms of both influence on him but also their importance to music history.

Bragg doesn’t seek the easy path, even as he has matured and the issues have changed from Thatcher and supporting striking Coal Miners through to international business practices and the corruption of big oil money. Mixing pop and politics has been his battle for so long and I only wish more artists would mix a little more awareness into their agendas. That said I know there are those who can’t stand Bragg….if you’re one of those don’t worry you’re still welcome round these parts, you can’t help your lack of taste! There’s a lengthy (18 minute) 2 part inverview with Bragg that goes along with the track which I endorse. He now has a 15 year old son who is learning guitar and NOT supporting West Ham (good lad), Billy’s storytelling as usual is hilarious.

Part One -- Billy Bragg Interview

Part Two -- Billy Bragg Interview