A wolf moon tonight….very nice indeed it is too. If you read this tomorrow (Saturday) you’ll wish you had noticed the moon last night, a killing moon indeed. So what is on the agenda tonight then? The Clash Cup – you have been very patient with me on this and I’ve got a semblance of a schedule back so I’m committing to at least two ‘ties’ per week – round two will begin Sunday. If you’re a newer visitor to the blog we whiled away many hours on the blog last Autumn trying to the best Clash songs of all time. It’s all good fun so do come and participate – we need your votes. I thought Sunday would be a good day as dependent on how a certain football match goes earlier that day I’ll be either elated or morose, so be gentle if need be.

A Cuban in London is a great title for a blog and its also home to a post that I suggest you have a look at. The subject matter is The Clash and the theme of the posts are ‘killer opening songs’ (if he’s in London they should be ‘brilliant opening songs’ but I digress). I’m tempted to agree with his choice – does any album kick off with a better opening track than London Calling from the double album of the same name? I can’t think of any album that opens with a song that sets the stage quite as emphatically, it acts as a call to arms, a warning and a statement of intent – all at the same time. It has everything you want in a Clash song, Joe sounding as fixated as at any time, guitar that chops you in half and Paul with a bassline that should be forever taught in school. Weaving all that magic together was Topper on drums truly making the song a siren to the new decade that was about to begin. It’s a great question – is there a better opening track on any album – the only thing that I think sets up the album to follow with comparable lustre is Joyriders by Pulp which slowly teases you into the world of Jarvis Cocker and the detached brilliance of His ‘n’ Hers their 1994 masterpiece. I’d love to hear your suggestions…

When I think of early English punk  besides The Clash I always associate it with one band above all the other contenders. We all have our own choices and for many its The Sex Pistols, or The Damned (I’d guess they would make the big 3 list for most people) but for myself it would be Buzzcocks. I also think in addition to the Clash the band that most influenced what music I liked most from 1979 onwards would again be Manchester’s entry to the best of British punk. If you have any gaps in your record collection I recommend without reservation that you take advantage of what Mute Records are doing next month! Each of the first three Buzzcocks albums are being reissued as special two disc editions – the amount of extra tracks from John Peel Sessions / Demos / Singles & B-Sides plus live tracks is beyond fantastic. I can’t wait for these and will be replacing my well worn early CDs which in turn replaced my well knackered vinyl. If you don’t purchase any other reissues this year please give these a try. Also, the only live show I show for them in the States this year is next month in Orange County.

Well off track but worthy – a friend of mine runs a site where comic artists (comic book art) sell their private pieces and its more affordable than you’d imagine. If you have a friend, kid, or relative who would appreciate some exclusive art – they are currently holding a special auction of pieces where all proceeds benefit Haiti. Better still he has managed to get his company to match the bids…so have a look here for the details. Thanks. (The auction closes soon..but email me or him if interested).

Finally – sent in a link to a Rancid video (The cover of “Cheat”) via the comments section the other night – in case you missed it I’ve added it below. The first part of the video is what you want to wathc with Joe Strummer giving us all a message.

Cheers all

I was feeling a bit nostalgic this morning and listened to a lot of live Clash tracks from the famed Bonds appearances in New York back in May and June 1981. Over the years I’ve met a number of people who were at one of those numerous concerts (including matinees!) and I need to get recollections from some people written down as a feature on the blog. Anyway the speeding version of Magnificent Seven left me with a smile on my face and you can find most of the tracks on youtube now – just type The Clash and Bonds and you can while away a good hour or so. Overall the sound quality is decent but not tremendous, however the energy of the recordings tends to make up for that.

I’ve a few loose ends related to both The Clash and other things to zip through and then plan to write part 3 of the story about  The Roxy this weekend, ideally complete a jail guitar doors story (Thanks Stu) that was pending, and if time permits get The Clash Cup round one completed. Prior to that though I wrote earlier this week about the punk art exhibition set to begin in Bangor, Wales this weekend. I contacted the main main for the exhibition (Punk Forever) and learned that currently this is the only gallery confirmed for 2010 though they would like to take it out on tour. So I thought I’d send a message to readers in the UK to see if anyone has any strong contacts who may own or manage or represent a smaller gallery somewhere who might be interested in hosting the exhibition later in the year? If you know anyone and can put them in touch please email me at Tim (at) The Clashblog.com.  Thanks!! I see this as community service also so you don’t have to drive to the deepest reaches of North Wales to see the work. Thanks for joining  the Facebook Clashblog page…enjoying seeing your lovely faces and the banter! Over 70 of you in a week…nice one.

A few other non-Clash things to mention. The Blur film - No Distance Left To Run is set for cinema release next week in the UK. Not sure if it will make it over to the States, but the inside word is that its worth seeing even if you weren’t a fan. I’m a huge advocate of Blur and always saw some parallels to The Clash in the way they ended, Graham Coxon was ousted for his behavour/attitude but as the most talented musician it was never to be the same. Unlike the Clash they did have their final day(s) in the sun playing Hyde Park last summer (oh so close to Clash territory).

Just heard that Elvis Costello is coming to town in April….$58 to see him though….I’m on the fence at present.

I also heard The Big Pink will be here that same month, that one is $16 – so I’ll see you there.

Next, if you are anything like me in 1992-1995 Suede were quite a special band for you. Interesting to see them popping up for a reunion at The Royal Albert Hall (they chose a little club I see) and doing so without Bernard Butler. How is that a reunion? Come on…..

Last but not least…hats off to The Beat (I won’t use their US name…it’s just wrong) who just announced a special concert in San Francisco with proceeds going to help the crisis in Haiti.  However like an arse, I can’t find where I read that. ** Update and thank you Gil and Karl **  – The Beat are playing are playing the Haiti quake benefit @ the Red Devil Lounge on Polk St. in SF this Sunday (1/17). Tickets via this link. Help out Haitians if you can…its horribly grim. I’ll be back at the weekend with more stuff and a very cool piece of Clash memorabilia for you.

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