Round 2, Match 7 – Two Seven(s)….this better be a good one. Hello again its time for you to get all democratic on me and vote for a Clash song. A simple task in theory but it carries great weight, songs that survive this round will be really strong and offer a decent chance to make the final top 20 Clash songs ever. So vote with your mind and not just your tapping toes, we are not looking for some lukewarm coalition approach to our final top ten tracks.

Before we turn the dusty spotlight on tonight’s contenders we do need to look back to the last match. The outcome was as I predicted but it was close enough to be interesting (think Spurs trying to break into the top 3).

Hitsville UK     defeats     Inoculated City     28-17

So one of the least ‘Clashlike’ songs in their arsenal is through to the next round. Cry your tears and shed your fears all you like but the election stands, we have another Sandinista! track marching on. Now back to the random number machine to pull the next two from the bobble hat of Terry Chimes…..and what do we have for you?

Round 2 – Match 7

Last Gang in Town vs.       Career Opportunities

I don’t like that pairing whatsoever, really great songs both which represent each of the first two albums with equal importance. How many times have I sung along with each of them over the last 30 years? Should I base my vote on that? I’d really hate to see either one knocked out, there is a slim chance that enough second place votes will keep the runner up alive so yeah this is a vote that does matter. Nothing like your local MP but much more important.

Form:

Round 1 – Last Gang in Town defeated Sound of the Sinners        61% of the vote

Round 1 – Career Opportunities defeated I’m so Bored with the USA      74% of the vote

Odds:

I’d forgotten how well Career Opps did in the 1st round as it hammered strong competition. Some Clash songs are firmly rooted in the late 70’s but I thing Career is a song that holds as much value lyrically in 2010 as it did back in the black and white days of 1977. I think many (most) Clash fans felt at one time or another that working was little more than an obligation and what we really wanted to do played no part in the jobs on offer after school. Though I also still like Last Gang in Town I can’t see it going much further than Joe Cole in the league next season. Career to win with at least 60% of the vote….

Stuff:

Surely no introduction is needed for either song? Career Opportunities might rank as one of the 5 most autobiographical songs Strummer ever wrote, for anyone who ever stood in a dole queue this is your anthem. With great significance its also the place where Jones and Simonon first met Joe Strummer. Last Gang is a song for all of us too however. Please listen before you vote - I’ve got Career Opportunities recorded in awesome live fashion in Amsterdam in 1981, tight drumming, dual barking and a song that got bigger the more The Clash played it. Last Gang in Town is the original LP version, Paul’s bass pumping all over the song. If I ever learned bass I’d have to learn this song! Also, are they any other Clash songs where the vocals start the very moment the song begins as is the case here with Joe? Surely there must be….please vote – I welcome your thoughts as to why you chose the wrong track.

Well…I’ve got no choice ! Also…wanna help the blog? Hit the WIKIO vote button at the bottom of this (and any) post, if you don’t see it just click the title of the post so it refreshes on your screen.

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Good Evening, you’ll recall that a week ago Proud Galleries were able to host another rather unique night in London Music history. Writing about events back in London is partially easy (in as much as I know London like the back of my hand) but not being there can be a hindrance. So as you know (or can revisit the story here) Mick Jones, Billy Bragg, Wayne Kramer and a host of others played an exclusive gig in conjunction with the first screening of Alan Miles’ film “Breaking Rocks” which chronicles the Jail Guitar Doors program. The finest thing about doing The Clash Blog has been the brilliant support, contributions and ideas from fellow Clash fans around the world. You are all familiar with the excellent work of our photographer friend Pete Stevens, in turn Pete has hooked me up with Stuart Warwick who was at the event last Thursday.

Stuart is a 41 year old artist, fan and dedicated supporter of the Clash and all things punk (as we gracefully and collectively slide into our middle age). Stuart has an art background as always enjoyed animation/cartoons (you’ll see below and in part two). As a hobby he’s contributed works featuring Steve Jones, other Sex Pistols, Rat Scabies and of course Mick Jones  and Tony James. They’re all keeping me busy enough at the moment. He insists it’s got to be for fun otherwise he won’t touch it. He arranges to have the art given away at gigs and such. He doesn’t earn a penny for any of his work but has been very happy with trying to raise a few pounds for a couple of charitable causes this year. So I’ll hand the story of last Thursday over to Stuart….part one….

******

Esty (my wife) and I got down to Camden – me laden with pictures, frames and assorted rubbish for handing out. I’d had a message from Jail Guitar Doors to pop my stuff off sometime after 4pm at the Proud Gallery, Camden. To calm the old jitters we stopped off for a few beers en route after checking into our hotel and go for a wander round Camden Market with a view to sussing out the venue. We have a skulk around, check out Rehearsal Rehearsals and the immediate area, where I spot Pat Gilbert chatting to some blokes

Stuart's special piece for the night

Soon we’re at the back of the Proud and I notice a bar sign. We decide to go in and order a couple of beers and hope to work out how/who/where to drop my pictures off. It’s a smashing warm day, so it’s outside again with our drinks to relax for a bit. Minutes later I can hear music coming from somewhere – and as the gallery seems to be open, and people are wandering in and out, I decide to go and explore. It’s Billy Bragg doing his soundcheck. I quietly observe for a bit – he’s doing ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ I think. I go to get my wife, who’s still nursing her beer outside, but she won’t come in. She’s a bit shy. Eventually I persuade her to come in, but Billy’s just about done his stuff so we only catch the final two notes !

There are people putting chairs out for the film and roadie types lugging gear around. I ask some bloke if he knows where my Jail Guitar Doors contact is and lo and behold it’s the guy standing directly behind me. I give him my pictures, then make to leave, when I hear ‘Jail Guitar Doors’ being played in the main hall. We pop through and it’s Pat Gilbert with Night of Treason, running through their soundcheck. We watch them and leave via the back

The audience at Proud ready for the film

exit. Esty sees Billy signing my painting – there are kind of stable areas off a corridor where the bands are based – and you can see over the chest height wall that separates them from the long corridor which runs down the centre of the building. Anyway – it’s a case of “Phew, job done” as far as I’m concerned, so off we go for, you’ll never guess, another beer or two….

….Gulp, glug, wash and scrub, we change clothes and exit the hotel at 6-ish to get to the Gallery for 6.30pm prompt, as the film is meant to start 7pm on the dot. Entering the Stables Market on Chalk Farm Road, not far from the legendary Roundhouse and the first person I spot, lounging on a bench is…..

*** Very nice Stuart...and thanks so much…part 2 will follow soon!Tim

Hello all and a happy Sunday to you. I’ve got a lot of bits and pieces scattered about due to a lack of posts the last few days sorry about that. I’ll work to get current and reply to your emails and posts in the days ahead.  I will try and review Clash stories from around the net Monday though there was nothing major over the weekend. Just one quick piece of news this evening; I’m excited to announce that I’m scheduled to have a short phone interview with Alan Miles, the Director of Breaking Rocks (the Jail Guitar Doors film) this week. Entirely worth being aware of is that Alan also was behind (accidentally) ‘The Last Night London Burned’ the short documentary that captured the night that Mick Jones joined Joe Strummer (Nov 2002) onstage in unplanned fashion shortly before Joe’s death. This famous event in Acton (Acton Town Hall pictured right) was captured by Miles and given the historic nature received great plaudits upon release. If anyone reading the blog has a question they’d like me to offer to Alan Miles I’d be happy to try and include it when we speak. Breaking Rocks of course has been formed in a far more natural style and I look forward to seeing the finished product. Please email me or leave comments before Tuesday evening with ideas.

Lastly, have a look at this article from Wonkavision and help me determine if they are being serious or not. I thought it was a joke but I’m not certain, I think it might be legitimate stab at the moral fibre of ‘punk rock’ in which case…come off it! Not much else, sorry for lack of news – I’ll make up for it next week. Cheers – Tim