Alright then, it’s blog time once more fresh from laughing so hard that my sides ache at the Iowa caucus. If you don’t live in the US (or pay attention to it) the election season here is the most protracted and tedious process on earth – the campaigns seemingly begin two years before the election and the media and many members of joe public just can’t get enough. It’s so much work to determine which fawning right wing fundamentalist (this time being the turn of the Republicans to find a new main man) will eventually lose the election in November. I’d really like to see people become more politically active but the popularity contest for President is so long and bizarre I can see why people often vote once and then give up. Perhaps this year will see something really change seeing as the world is an unqualified disaster here in the West….but then again. It’s a circus and if you don’t or never have lived in the States it’s hard to imagine something quite as odd/loud and tiring.

There’s been quite a bit of early season Clash news going on which I need to catch up on so to hasten that day let me continue my review of the most popular posts on the blog last year. So far we’ve covered January through to June so let’s get on with the next three months of the best of 2011.

July 2011 -

‘Covers and Anniversaries’ (July 4th)

For Americans July 4 seems to be a day to celebrate independence (from the UK who were taxing at a far lower rate than today incidentally…) but as you can see from this post last summer there is a more important anniversary to be celebrated than some old war. July 4th also mark the first official live appearance by The Clash which happened to have been 35 years to the day from the post above since that first gig up in Sheffield. A good post overall and worth a read as Billy Bragg defended his roots with The Clash and Joe Strummer whilst Vicky sent in some nice photos of B.A.D. who had just appeared at Glastonbury. Suddenly last summer seems ages ago.

August 2011 -

‘London’s Burning but this doesn’t deserve a Clash soundtrack’ (Aug 8th)

From time to time on the blog I can’t help but write about current events especially if I see it as impacting or somehow related to me or The Clash, either will do for the most part. I know the blog is ‘about the music’ by taking politics out of the equation for The Clash is a bit like playing football without goalkeepers. Naturally not everyone will agree with my politics either which is fine, you can comment and debate to your hearts content but for the most part you can blame The Clash or especially the lyrics of Joe Strummer for much of my interest in the subject in the first place.

Last August was bit different and will long be remembered for the week when the UK lost control as inner London, Manchester and other towns saw a mass outbreak of looting and arson. Rioting was loosely and inaccurately applied to the action in England but it all seemed a bit too opportunistic to me, which isn’t to say the youth should feel bloody helpless at the moment. They are at the bottom of the pile with a huge change taking place in the UK and elsewhere and subsidies that once looked set to last forever are being pulled away in the name of budgets. I expect we’ll see much more of the same this summer to come but my post was about how I didn’t see The Clash as being the most appropriate soundtrack to the events, the most obvious choice of course but typically taken by people who never took the time to study the lyrics of London’s Burning or White Riot. Anyway, I was very happy to see this was one of the most read posts of the summer.

August 2011 -

‘Orlando Bloom seeks to play Joe Strummer, world groans’ (September 7th)

Now there’s a headline worth rioting about. See….the blog isn’t just about politics, sometime we get offended by Hollywood gossip just as quickly and as offensive as this rumour was at least the post contains something enjoyable to read about Joe Strummer’s daughter Jazz. Like it or not 2012 might end up being the year of two Clash films, certainly one and perhaps both might see the cinema later this year and I’ve no doubt that speculation will mount as the projects near completion. I know the films have mixed opinions with many fearing the worst with both the London Calling film and the Joe Strummer biopic. I think the London Calling film has more potential and isn’t as ambitious but for now I’m hoping both films will be decent. Just remember, they aren’t being made for us but for very casual fans instead who won’t complain about Mick’s hair or the way Paul holds the bass in the movie versions.

Right then, I believe that is Friday night taken care of and I have a glass of white wine screaming my name so I better answer. Tim

Good evening once again and thanks for dropping in to the blog. Depending on how the next 24 hours go this may very well be my final post of 2011 in which case it’s probably not a bad idea to acknowledge the passing of another year into the mists of time. I don’t know about you but I think 2011 has just flown by, it’s been a busy year personally, professionally and here on the blog because of all the activities relating to The Clash which isn’t bad going for a band that wrapped up proceedings such a long time ago. Oddly there’s been more to write about this year than at any time since the band were active with the return of Big Audio Dynamite, another great year for Strummerville and of course the events just this month on the Justice Tonight tour which saw Mick and Paul playing Clash songs together on stage for the first time since WarGames was pulling people (idiots?) into the local cinema. Yes, it really was that long ago.

Joe's New York mural last week

In between the big stories there’s been loads of other events worth covering and our rotating look at Clash news both recent and old and in the New Year I’ll work like mad to continue networking and hopefully keep the blog somewhere worth visiting. Now would be a good time to thank you all for reading, the blog has has almost 400,000 visits this year which is nearly double the total of a year earlier – numbers that I never really expected – but it’d be nice to see us pass the half million mark next year. I couldn’t honestly do it without your help – you know who you are. I’m stuck out in the desert in Arizona and it’s your coverage, guest posts, videos, research and wonderful photos in Europe and all other corners of the world that make the blog as fun as it is. I hope I can count on similar assistance next year. Clash fans are a brilliant bunch, very generous and accommodating not too mention intensely loyal and with strong opinions. I love your comments and debates, opinions and ideas and most of all the shared experience of knowing just what this band still means so many years later. Before writing this blog there were (and remain) a few blogs that I read daily or every other day depending on output and they’ve become as much a part of my daily routine as a cup of coffee and checking my email. I always hoped this blog could become the same and if that’s happened then it’s all been very worthwhile. Thanks for being part of it and I hope you can contribute or join me in the comments or on Facebook & Twitter even more often next year.

Before the year ticks over though I think we should quickly remember that the passing of time also means we head into 2012 without some great people we were very accustomed to having around. These gaps don’t get filled but the spirit and energy of these people can only live on through you keeping them in your hearts and on your lips. To that end a sad goodbye from me to:

Trish Keenan the brilliant singer from Broadcast who died in January from pneumonia at just 42.

We also tragically lost Poly Styrene due to cancer aged only 53. That one hurt.

Amy Winehouse deserved much better than to lose her life aged just 27, a reminder that the media didn’t know what to make of Winehouse except act like voyeurs but she was a young woman with immense talent.

One of the saddest losses was the suicide of Wales football manager Gary Speed who took his own life, if you know someone who struggles with depression never underestimate the difference your friendship and support can make.

Away from music we also lost Christoper Hitchens  – never dull, controversial but a brilliant writer without compare, Socrates (the genius footballer and featured in Clash and B.A.D. songs), Ken Russell who made films that changed the landscape before The Clash were about and we also lost Steve Jobs who ensured people care more about their fucking phones than each other – thanks Steve.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some important names and there are also the people who were in your everyday lives that some of you have lost – carry them with you. Have a safe and happy New Years Eve wherever you may be spending it and let’s hope that 2012 isn’t the year of the Newt. I’ll be back soon – Tim

Good evening Clash Blog people….what is your official title anyway? Blog readers? Friends? Yes, friends works for me as I’m glad that you take the time to visit and catch up with the latest and seeing as I’ve not had much time to blog over the last week we definitely have a lot of catching up to do so I’ll try and filter through most of that over the next few days. If you’ve already ready some of the information I’ve been compiling please accept my apologies – I’ll be back on top of my game in a few more days. Here at Clash Blog towers operation ‘find a new place to live near the sea’ continues but nothing quite sorted out yet. I expect we’ll have to go back to San Diego in a few weeks so if any readers want to meet for a beer just let me know, I’d murder a good pint at this stage.

Image courtesy 'mudkiss' http://www.flickr.com/photos/vivamel/with/6455103519/

Mick Jones as you know has had a December almost as busy as mine with the warmly received Justice Tonight tour to benefit the Hillsborough Justice Campaign. There’s been more a flicker of rumour that we might see a return to the stage of this Clash-centric billing in 2012 and there’s even been talk that it might be taken over to North America. Not sure if that’s speculation or gossip (is there a difference?) but that would surely be a hot ticket. If we ran a form book for 2012 events and were setting up odds I’d put money on Jones appearing overseas in the new year the question is will it be the continuation of the Justice Tonight concept or something else? There’s a guaranteed audience for a gig that features a core of Clash songs with Mick being the star of the show but the Hillsborough cause won’t really translate overseas although of course it should. Add to that the question of whether Pete Wylie and The Farm would be game/available and it might be a stretch, if it happens I expect it would only be a 5 or 6 cities versus a full tour but it would certainly make for some interesting guest stars. Of course there’s also B.A.D. to consider which left off earlier in the year with promises of more live dates and potentially new recordings neither of which seem far fetched. Finally but just as valid is Carbon Silicon who remain Mick’s most ‘current’ commitment. At this point I think bringing that band on the road earlier in 2012 in the UK and then over to North America might be the most likely scenario. All of this is pure guesswork on my part – I think I need to find a way to talk to Mick! Having said that I bet he’ll change his mind more about 2012 as the mood takes him, which is a great position to be in.

During the tour earlier this month I hoped that a more in-depth interview would take place with Mick and was excited to see that one was conducted by the excellent Sabotage Times. You can read the long chat with Mick via this link and you’ll enjoy the candour that Mick shows as he talks about Joe, the influence of The Clash, the riots this past summer, the Hillsborough tour and many other topics. It won’t come as a shock to you to learn that Mick is very proud and simultaneously humble that he’s been able to do all he has, both recently and in the past. His love for what he does seems to be at the core of it – if Mick Jones wasn’t to be a musician I don’t think Mick ever developed a plan B. I have to respect that. Here’s a quote below and thanks again to Sabotage Times for publishing this one – they are are a great online magazine so please bookmark it. I’ll be back soon – hope your week has zipped by.

“We always got criticism in The Clash but we always thought ‘you should be happy. We’ve gone a long way and it represents what you can do’, you know what I mean? We took it all the way to Broadway and that meant something. When we got the flack we thought we don’t care because we represent something that will go a long way”    Mick Jones