Hello Hello….hope all is well in your corner of the world, I can’t complain from mine. Austin, Texas sounded a good place to visit until the news today that a looper who (was) angry about taxes and the IRS lit his house on fire, and then flew a small plane into government offices that contained tax employees (apparently). I believe the only person to die was the protester or at least I hope that is the case, newswires have it that  he was quoting Karl Marx in his postings of discontent while simultaneously complaining about taxation?? A tad confused eh? You’re giving Marxism a bad name down in Texas chap, knock it off would you please? Austin remains on the agenda however for the Jail Guitar Doors initiative and the early news is now trickling in from Strummerville.

Latitude 30 will be the temporary home of the ‘British Music Embassy’ on Monday March 15th as the venue is turned over to the JGD project. Confirmed acts appearing on the night include Billy Bragg with special guests The Good The Bad, (does that mean what I think it does) and Beans On Toast. MC for the night is Foo Fighter Chris Shiflett. More news to follow nearer the time, if you are heading to the festival that week please get in touch with me as I’d love to ensure we get photos and on the spot reports for the Strummerville related events that are scheduled. There is of course also the premier of the Don Letts Strummerville documentary to look forward to.

If you are a collector of Clash literature and more specifically rare interviews I highly encourage getting over to the website for ArthurMag.Com. In the Spring of 2002 they published a very special edition of the magazine as a tribute to Joe Strummer. The included interview had been conducted the prior Summer with it being intended as a feature in that edition – the sudden unexpected death of Joe led to that edition becoming an issue that was focused on Joe; including the interview but also a slew of extra featured content revolving around Strummer. Its easier if I just share their blurb:

Arthur holds a wake in print for a man who mattered. In addition to stunning photographs by Ann Summa and excerpts of back-in-the-day Clash coverage from Slash magazine, we present reflections on Joe by Kristine McKenna; a lengthy, poignant interview with Joe from 2001 by McKenna; a consideration by Carter Van Pelt of the Clash’s embrace of reggae, featuring insights from Clash collaborator Mikey Dread; and a brief on Joe’s legacy: a forest in the Isle of Skye.

The interview was conducted by Los Angeles arts chronicler Kristine McKenna which adds even more credit to the cause. The reason I want to share this with you is that Arthur are down to their final 50 copies of this special issue and no reprints are possible. Please visit their site for lots of extra information about what this contains but I guarantee it is something work picking up if you like to have a very complete chronicle of all things Joe. I’m getting mine this evening before you all have had a chance to read this. You can order from this link, and if you need global shipping please contact me and we can work something out offline.

Okay then, please tell me I haven’t mentioned this before (it was on my ever growing pending list with a question mark next to it) but another single benefiting the victims of the Haiti disaster is being released. Apart from the cause being worthy of your support the EP also features a cover version of Coma Girl by Joe and The Mescaleros. The band are Class War Kids (fair enough) and they come from Newfoundland which is a place I rarely pronounce as my diction always results in the word ‘found’ appearing in the middle which is very wrong. Class War Kids myspace site features a number of songs if you want to check them out but not Coma Girl, I’d suggest ‘Break Me’ which has a very likable Stiff Little Fingers guitar sound (and nearly vocally too). Perhaps Newfoundland is full of former Ulstermen? Enlighten me….I thought it was more Scottish than Irish? Full details about the charity EP are here or you can hear Coma Girl here (it is good fun…and priced to sell $3 for the download).

Right, that got my energy levels up. Ever been on Ebay and seen a series of bootleg live Clash CDs for sale and felt cautious about what is worth buying versus skipping? I’ve been stuck there since going to Camden Market in the early 80′s and buying bootleg tapes which were very hit or miss. Fortunately someone has put together some decent summaries of some of the more common bootlegs you might be able to find so that you can purchase with a bit more confidence. Set lists and notes are worth the read even if you’re not shopping, regardless here is the link and thanks to BigOzine for the input!

I’ve been asked why I don’t write about the special edition “Converse/Clash” sneakers/baseball boots/trainers (whatever your poison). The truth is that I think they are a bit crap and you’d be better off purchasing some more Clash albums or at least go and see a new artist or too rather than buy them. I’ll add the links to the images when I get really low on other material…sound good?

Earlier I mentioned Stiff Little Fingers….so continuing that 1979 thing one of the very best (to my mind) US punk acts were Husker Du. You probably need no introduction or if you do you really need to get some of their discs in your collection. Tonight I found a brilliant audio interview with former Husker Du member Grant Hart (Bob Mould tends to get the press)….its really worth listening to and learning about what he’s been up to. Link to NPR is here (bless NPR for their DAILY and needed contribution to culture here in the States) so if you have 30 minutes please give it a listen.

Right…somehow this has turned into a very long post. I really do need to catch up – apologies to any unanswered emails you’ve sent lately as I’m nearly a week behind. Cheers for now.

Good day to you wherever you may be, sorry I didn’t have time to get a post together yesterday as work was rather busy but I did spend some time thinking about the blog if that is any help. Technology being what it is I’m patiently waiting for the Microsoft update where my thoughts just automatically transfer to the blog and you’re all set with a new article to read. Odd are that would be an Apple product though eh so I’m out of luck? I’ve been thinking about new things to try with the blog – regular features and such, plus for budding Clash journalists a structure to get your stories, recollections and opinions posted on the blog also. My thinking is this is a community for fans and the more we share and post the larger that audience then becomes. I’ll find a way to balance output and available time and look for the blog to become more active in the months ahead.

Speaking of active – that’s a very appropriate word for the lovely people over at Strummerville and while (I hope) many of you already receive their newsletter if you don’t there is rather a lot going on which I’ll summarise and link below and you can pay them a visit to learn more. So in to particular order here’s whats new:
The Don Letts movie about Strummerville has been previewed and by all accounts it’s going to be something else. It will be premiered at the SXSW music festival in March. If you can get to Austin Texas then you really should. I’m hoping to go myself but I need to juggle a lot to make that happen (more about that in the next week or so). Also at the Festival there will be the ramping up of the Jail Guitar Doors project North American style, which looks exciting as Billy Bragg is heading the charge. Back in Britain don’t forget the Shatter the Hotel album launch event is this Friday at Inn on the Green. Other news about the Strummer music rehearsal space in Somerset, and lots more. Check out the Strummerville site for additional information on all of these items….oh yes – and do some shopping!

I’ll be back later today if I can. Don’t forget to join our facebook page – it’s an easy way to track me down, make suggestions and chatter with the other people who support the blog – we just reached 200 ‘fans’ today. We’ll form our own republic soon….

Good Morning, The Clash Cup is back! I know it’s a long time coming like someone you just assumed had lost your number who suddenly calls. Ever done that? Assumed you wouldn’t hear from someone you liked and moved on with your life and met someone else fairly quickly only to have the one you’d given up on suddenly contact you? Life can be so cruel when you’re a teenager!!

Right then – The Clash Cup – Round One is nearly over so lets get back to it. The rules are simple but if you’re new to the blog – I list pairings of Clash songs and you dear reader have to weigh them up and cast your informed vote. The most votes sees the song through to round two (starting in a few days) and so on. Polls remain open for about 2.5 days and your participation is both encouraged but also warmly appreciated. Round 2 is going to be tasty as its safe to say the vast majority of the match ups for that stage will be difficult at best – and then we have today’s tracks to vote for.

Match 52 -              Jail Guitar Doors versus One Emotion

Match 53 -              Know Your Rights versus Midnight Log

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

Before you click away I’ll do my usual link so you can refresh (in case) or just enjoy my meanderings about the songs in question – but don’t forget to click afterwards!

Take a right for Portobello Road

Jail Guitar Doors – This song has taken on a life of it’s own the last couple of years hasn’t it and the blog has mentioned it many times due to the Billy Bragg / Mick Jones backed project to provide guitars as a rehabilitation tool for prison inmates. Can’t let that distract from one of the more enjoyable (I know – shite adjective) Clash singalongs. When I first heard this as 13 year old I played it loud and in the intervening years that remains the only way to listen to it. Originally just a b-side (Clash City Rockers) it’s also one of the rare holdovers from the 101′ers – well the chorus was anyway as Mick Jones rebuilt the verses. Great fun and fairly sure it will defeat:

One Emotion - In the early Summer of ’78 The Clash spent a lot of time in Basing Street Studios (just 100 yards from the location of today’s photograph from the Westway) and recorded primal versions of much of what to become Give ‘em Enough Rope. From those sessions came the track One Emotion and while its a song I’ve always had a soft spot for a cleaner recording of it would have been welcome. The song itself has a bit of a traditional feel and is apparently the band’s take on wooden actor Roger Moore and his ‘one emotion’ portrayed throughout Bond films. Based on my research the inspiration was probably The Spy Who Loved Me or The Man With Golden Gun. Clash trivia…which band that supported The Clash mentioned both of those films in one of their songs? (easy one for you!)

Know Your Rights – I loved this when I first heard it, I still love it now. At the time it was as a ‘return to form’ by the music press who wanted a punchier Clash than they’d been chewing the prior 18 months. In truth it was a rockabilly riff and Strummer barking out a call to action aimed at anyone who’d listen. It has aged well (in my opinion) and demonstrates that much of what the band were doing in their dying days was still vital, angry and worthwhile. Funnily enough (until I remind myself of the status Combat Rock afforded the band in the States) it is still a song I’ll hear on the radio and jukeboxes alike. It also opened my ears to a whole rockabilly/psychobilly scene I’d previously ignored in London. (ahhh…the Klubfoot!)

Midnight Log – Off we go to another amazing example of the dexterity that was abundant throughout Sandinista! For some reason this was one of the few songs my sister approved off by The Clash. Let me see that was 1981 or 1982 so she was enthused with Antmusic or Dexy’s so I suppose it all adds up. Topper just could play anything eh?

Get voting, polls will close Thursday PM.

Tim