Hello again and thanks for dropping in to the Clash Blog. My apologies for a rather quiet weekend in terms of new updates but I found myself playing catch-up after a few days away out of town the previous week, hopefully normal service will get back into my writing cycle this week. I’ll do my best. Any excitement where you are? Just a thought to keep the blog well oiled – if you are ever interested in contributing to the blog a post about The Clash or B.A.D. or the impact of the band and their music on you, or if you have a very unique story or even somewhat unique to share I’m more than happy to include some guest blog posts in the coming weeks and months. No rules about length or your point of view apply, just so long as you think it might be interesting to readers of the blog. If you’d like to contribute something or find out more please contact me via the usual channels. Cheers.

Not for the first time I realised that my inbox is more than a bit backed up so I’ll try and get through some of that this evening. Later in the week sees the return of Clash Landmarks to the blog, as well as The Clash Cup, a new podcast and if I get time a few features previewing the Big Audio Dynamite tour which kicks off now in just three weeks! Where’s 2011 gone so far? Right then on to the mailbag:

Burnbake Calling: I know it’s still a bit difficult to think about summer festivals but the time is drawing nearer, in fact it’s only 94 days until the Burnbake Festival down in Dorset. I had mentioned this a few months earlier but now the festival website (linked above) has added details of the artists that will be appearing. The four-day festival raises funds especially for Strummerville, includes Strummerville acts and also has a special Joe Strummer Memorial area and nightly Clash karaoke. The festival is just a few miles southwest of sunny Bournemouth on the south coast. If memory serves me the last time I was there (Bournemouth) I got sunburned in the day and tickets to see Blur that evening with cold shivers due to what was probably heatstroke, good times. Incidentally there’s also a Facebook page for the festival if you prefer.

Blog recommendation: I wanted to point you in the direction of a great blog called The Junk Archive. Even though it’s authored by supporters of Wolverhampton Wanderers it really is a good read if you enjoy (what I hope we would agree on) great music. Lots of tasty pieces related to The Clash especially this article about Big Audio Dynamite and what might be one of the best songs ever written about London Sightsee MC. Please take a spin on the blog and leave a comment to say hello (blog writers love comments…. this one included!)

Serena Rees & Paul Simonon in Paris

Simonon in Paris: My thanks to Christine for sending this article and the photo featured on the left. Unfortunately this is a month old now which shows you how badly I need to clear out my inbox. Still worth reading the short piece on Paul Simonon attending the Yves Saint Laurent show in France. Sharp jacket Mr Simonon.

I’ve got more for you coming soon and in the meantime THANK YOU so much for your emails I will reply to them all, I promise to get current over the next week or so. Thanks again to those who suggested guest posts – keep in touch and we’ll get those planned.  Small favour, can you tweet this post if you use twitter…as I’m testing something. All the best…come on Arsenal – Tim

Coachella....no room at the inn

Good afternoon everyone and thanks for again stopping by the blog or indeed for your first visit in which case welcome you’re amongst friends (said in my best creepy Reverend voice). I’m surprising myself this morning by bringing to you the second edition of the Clash Blog podcast or if you prefer The Clashcast. The first version of this monstrosity took place a week ago and is available here.

I know many of you in the UK are now happy owners of tickets to see Big Audio Dynamite – you lucky boys and girls – I expect full details from each and every one of you. On today’s podcast I talk about that in addition to Coachella selling out (in just six days) and tips for how to get tickets below face value nearer the time. There are other reasons to listen as well as I  have a bit more information on B.A.D. , the forthcoming Strummerville event, the Sandinista! reissue and some future interviews for the blog so please press play beneath if you’d be so kind.

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Clashcast 2 – The Clashblog Podcast

Near the end of the podcast I spoke a little bit about the recent events in Tucson and a special concert taking place shortly in Phoenix which I wanted to share the details of. The video below is a friend of mine named Kimber Lanning who owns Stinkweeds (arguably the best independent record shop in the country) talking to Joey from Calexico about the concert on February 4th. I realise only a handful of you might be able to make it along due to the location I wanted to mention it regardless. Tickets and more info available via this link.

Finally for RSS Feeds, if you’d like to subscribe for the direct blog feed URL here is the link for that.  I’ll be back tonight or in the morning I’m sure. Cheers -Tim

Calexico in Phoenix (Corona Ranch Promo)

Good evening the wonderful Clash people, how is it then? I’ve gone against my better judgment and poured one more cup of coffee with the express(o) intent of getting a post written before calling it a day. Been doing a bit of spring cleaning on the blog and added a couple of features that you might want to know about for this and future visits. At the foot of each post you’ll see three clickable images that represent other stories from the past, now that the application has a chance to index the entire site I found that it works exceptionally well. The stories are meant to be interlinked and it seems to be doing just that for example if you click on a Don Letts story the related stories at the bottom of that post seemed to be about Don Letts. I’m really glad it works as it pulls articles from the entire history of the blog which now numbers over 600 posts going back to June of 2009, if you are a newer visitor give it a spin! Also on the right-hand side you probably noticed a spinning globe of Planet Clash, with the current Big Audio Dynamite revival I did consider simply calling it ‘The Globe’ but I decided to stick to The Clash theme. It leaves a red dot from where you visit from and highlights the most recent visitors to the site. You can zoom in and out spin and rotate the planet, whatever you feel like. It’s a good laugh and patently reminds me of the global nature of our readers and friends which is great.

I also tested out a widget which would put an open chat lounge (provisionally titled The Casbah Lounge) on that same right-hand side margin where visitors to the blog can natter to one another about all things Clash. It works a treat I’m just not quite sure what the best application for this is, would you talk to other Clash Blog visitors? Should you indeed? I might just set it up for the weekends as a trial and the likelihood of everybody having had a lager gets incrementally higher and you can relax and share your Marlboros. Worst case scenario is that I will use it for live events such as Coachella and do a live blog of some sort. The lounge can also link directly into the post so you get an invitation of sorts. It’s all so 2011 innit?

Anyway enough of that, there’s also a bit of news to be getting through tonight. We’ve got a Strummerville event to look forward to in Camden Town at the beginning of February, is taking place on the 3rd of Feb at The Hawley Arms which is located right by Camden market and a short stumble away from Rehearsal Rehearsals, sort of like Bethlehem for a Clash fan. The benefit pub/club night is presented by Izzy Lawrence and called Apocalystick. Admission is just £5 doors open at seven and it will feature Sissi, Why Mary, The Pins, and The Model Society. Check out The Hawley Arms at their website. Follow Izzy Lawrence on her twitter page, or watch for Apocalystick events on that page. All proceeds of course go to Strummerville.

By the time you read this tickets should be on sale for the Big Audio Dynamite concerts in the UK for late March and April, I’ll repeat this request if I need to but I’m hoping to find a handful of you who are getting tickets and might be able to submit their brief accounts of the night and share any photographs or video from the gigs. I’ll pay you…with recognition on the best music blog on the planet. Please contact me via the usual channels if you might want to volunteer so that we can share the events through the blog – should be good. Tickets incidentally for sale 9am Friday via this link.

I don’t usually promote my other blogs but I will tonight as there is a definite Clash related aspect to my post this evening over on World Service Bulletins and a great song to listen to. Have a look if you fancy.

That’s all I’ve got for now – more tomorrow. Tim