Saturday morning (congratulations Spurs on your 0-0 with Hull) and the kind of post you love most as I’ve got little to say but lots of great images to show you. I wrote back on Christmas Eve about The Clash appearing at Acklam Hall for 50p on Christmas Day 1979 which was followed by another gig there on Boxing Day. Wayne, a good friend to the Blog wrote in to say he’d been to the concert on Dec 26th and had kept his ticket for these 30 years since, I think he’s got a collector’s piece on his hands. The Pennie Smith photo was the reverse side of the ticket. I rifled through my old tickets last night and found some treats but nothing that predated 1981 so I feel very trumped. Below is the front and back of what Wayne was kind enough to send in – Enjoy !! (We did the best we could with the image quality as he had to scan them…I’ve offered to take this from Wayne for safe-keeping but been rejected)

I simply love that – especially “DINNER DANCE”

Another piece of ‘donated’ memorabilia for you then, some old old Clash concert flyers from the very early days. These appear in the big pink Clash book (seems I need to get a copy) and I just can’t get enough of the DIY fanzine feel of these. Not sure when we went from homemade to corporate with concert promotions but it must have been 1981-2? I got copies of these from Jeff who’d rather be known as DUBWISE72 (fair enough) and they are as old something rather old. No real explanation needed I assume but such joy to see them…..

Talk to you later…oh…a quick reminder about the concert in San Francisco tomorrow featuring the Beat – all proceeds to Haiti disaster relief. Hopefully someone reading will make it along.

Good Morning….it was back in October that I wrote about the Royal Mail issuing a set of classic album covers which included London Calling by The Clash. The original article with some more information is here but some of you have been kind enough to contact me to remind me that today (Jan 7) is the release date for the stamps in Britain.

Above: The sleeve of London Calling by The Clash (1979) features a photograph of bassist Paul Simonon smashing his bass on stage – as shot by Pennie Smith. Designer Ray Lowry’s design is in homage to Elvis Presley’s debut album layout.

It’s one of the more unique honours that the band has received and I can see little old ladies throughout the UK  looking at these stamps thinking ‘why is that nice young man about to break his guitar?‘  Credit to the Royal Mail for commissioning the album cover artwork as stamps series and I do agree with most of the choices as being worthy. So if you can brave the awful weather in Britain and can spend half an hour at the post office it will be worth the trip. I’d love to get a postcard with a London Calling stamp or two sent to me…if you’re feeling generous! Otherwise and seeing as it is now 2010 you can purchase them online and never leave your chair!

Also today, don’t forget the Rich Kids concert in Islington tonight with Mick Jones, Tony James and a host of others!

Tim

Good Morning, it’s already been a busy weekend as I’m sure most of you will relate to as we get closer to Christmas. I’m working on a revised strategy for the Clash Blog for 2010 so that the site is easier to navigate and that you can expect posts at (roughly) the same time of day. I’m also 60% decided in favour of introducing some sort of podcast perhaps twice a month. I’ve found over the first 7 months of the blog that those both directly within the Clash camp as well as many on the fringes are happy to assist the blog with input or interviews. I want to encourage the choice of a written question and answer email or a brief phone interview which could be part of the podcast. It works really well on some other blogs that I enjoy so it is under serious consideration. I’m not going to make you suffer a videocast but I think audio would be fun and if I get the technology sussed out I think even featured songs are possible (now I am digging myself a hole).

Further to the worrying news about Brian Setzer (formerly of The Stray Cats) being taken ill during his live performance in New Mexico this week, I’m pleased to share that he has apparently made a full recovery and has subsequently returned to the touring schedule he was previously on. That’s what I like to hear!

As part of the events surrounding the 30th anniversary of the release of London Calling, the original sketches and design ideas for the albums artwork were put up for auction this week. Ray Lowry’s original sketches and ideas for the album artwork were all on sale and a price of $80-100,000 was anticipated to secure the collection. Even though it might be trite of me to say it (on this blog of all places) I think the famed Pennie Smith photo of Paul Simonon about to take out his frustration on his bass guitar in New York is one the greatest album covers ever made. It’s the whole tone of the image coupled with the ‘borrowing’ of the Elvis Presley album colours and font for the London Calling lettering that frames the black and white image that creates something so visually remarkable. As I’m sure many of you are aware there was a decided intention for London Calling to symbolise the end of Rock and Roll (as Elvis was the beginning), a bold idea for 1979 but some will argue music has been treading water ever since. Anyway, I’m rambling, I’m sure the original design sketches for the album are something else and perhaps the new ‘owner’ of the artwork will be kind enough to post this rare piece of Clash lore somewhere online.

I know there’s a variety of Joe Strummer memorial events around the world this month, so if you have photos or tales to tell of one you attended – please write in and I’ll be sure to include it. Next year this will be far more organised and I’ll seek Clash correspondents (you know you want to!)

Tim