Good evening to you all, thanks for making you way back to the blog (or welcome for the first time if that’s the case). Not a lot of excitement midweek but no complaints either. What I do have is a sprinkle of Clash related stuff for your reading/viewing and listening pleasure.

Let’s start with the visual! If you are in or near Toronto (based on the traffic to the site that’s actually a good number of you) there is a great exhibition of photography of bands that visited the city in years gone by. Including shots of the first appearance by The Clash in Toronto (Rex Danforth Theatre Feb 20, 1979) the exhibition is titled ‘Toronto Calling’ and begins today and runs until April 1. Admission is free, included are  The Clash, The Ramones, Johnny Rotten, U2, The Specials, and many more. All images were taken in Toronto which gives is not only a local feel but also will make it a unique collection. If you can make it along I’d love to know what you think of it. Excellent additional information on the Torontoist site and the Steam Whistle site. If you can’t make it to the exhibition it’s still worth visiting the first site I mentioned for a brilliant photo of Strummer on stage.  This all takes place at Steam Whistle Gallery at the Roundhouse (255 Bremner Boulevard in the middle of the city). More on the photographer here.

Audio next right? Yes yes yes…you can hear the entire Gorillaz album online for free via The Guardian. If you’ve been paying attention you know exactly why, if you don’t either ask someone about The Clash connection or read some earlier posts from the last couple of weeks. Having been a Blur fan since the first album and then followed Damon Albarn ever since I’m not the person to ask if the new Gorillaz disc sounds good. Of course it does…

I better offer you something to read too as I’m a bit knackered and won’t be stretching this out to one of those endless posts where you wonder when I’m going to end. This is really worth a read – if you’re in the UK you are already aware that in keeping with the rest of the planet the BBC is struggling (not to make money as it’s not American TV/Radio) to justify it’s current operations. Essentially it looks as if up to 25% of the BBC’s staff, programming, empire need to be removed – on the chopping block is BBC 6 Music. This would be tragic in the extreme, 6 music is perhaps the most diverse, informative, fun, rewarding and consistently innovative places online or offline to find music. I could write an essay about what I think of the station – but it’s better if I refer you to this post. For new artists there is no better venue for them to be found by joe public than BBC 6 music - new artists are always at the heart of music in my opinion. This story on The Daily Growl does a great job in explaining where things stand at present. I’ll get up to speed in the days ahead – I hope the station (and the BBC Asian Network also!) will be spared from closure.

G-night

So said Damon Albarn in the Guardian today. He’s right I suspect (not well tuned on the density of a dying star, astronomy was not my strong point). I do encourage you to get over and read the article in The Guardian where you can learn more about how he hooked up with them and his Clash ‘desert island discs’ – I should have him vote in the Clash Cup eh? I know we’ve covered their contribution to the new Gorillaz album but can you really understate the significance of Mick and Paul recording together again – in truth you cannot – and Joe of course would have been

Camouflage vinyl edition of Combat Rock

invited if he was still with us I’m sure.

This is also worth an extended look on the BBC website. Jim Garrets has amassed a bloody impressive collection of Clash records since 1977, to the point where he tries to get hold of everything and each version of every single he can. His collection has now reached 330 (vinyl) records, singles and albums, by the band. The article explains he was a fan from the beginning and was lucky enough to see the band at the famed Victoria Park, Hackney event in April 1978. Worth a read for the photos alone – what a chap he is, if he can’t display them himself I’ve a feeling Mick Jones might be interested in helping show these to the British public eh? The story also features an interview with Simon Warner, a lecturer at the University of Leeds about the legacy of The Clash. I’ve never reached that level of obsession to collect every version I could find of each record by a band, I always saw that as money I could spend on other new music – but I’m glad people like Jim had the needed dedication. Jim echoes my sentiments about digital music:

“You can’t collect that sort of thing with digital downloads. Quite a lot of the records in my collection I have never actually played. Although when I get a ‘new’ record to add to my collection it’s an opportunity to take a look at some of them again, but mainly the collection sits there quietly.”

Right – I enjoyed that! As for non-Clash artist of the day, I suggest you check out St. Vincent who recorded a session for NPR’s World Cafe. St Vincent is Annie Clark from Oklahoma, this link features an interview with her and a few tracks. Definitely interesting stuff – she doesn’t make music with any rules which I enjoy. The link is here – audio link is on top left of the page. (It’s mellow…listen with coffee)

Let me close with this – A new fashion collection for the Spring is ‘using the Clash as it’s Muse’ – the results are a bit…I won’t comment  yet but the results are as linked beneath. I’d love to know what you think. Clash Fashion for 2010? (we’re decades ahead of you!) They’ve called it the “Magnificent Seven Collection”….and I’m signing off til tomorrow.

Hello all, a few days after we shared the news of Mick Jones and Paul Simonon working together on the new Gorillaz record the British press have seized the story. “Punk reunion” is the preferred headline it seems – but have a gander at the summaries if you will:

The Guardian

The Daily Mirror

The Telegraph

The best quote was the following from Mick Jones ”We didn’t argue as much as we used to. We were wrapped up on our track in a day, no nonsense, and then went down the pub for a pint.”

As I’d written it was the first time the two had recorded together since The Clash, but as the Telegraph article correctly stated they did play live together at a birthday party for Kate Moss in January 2006.

Speaking of Mick – big thanks to Gail who forwarded this Big Audio Dynamite (BAD II) youtube video (beneath) that neither she nor I had seen before, hoping you haven’t either. The live version of The Globe is great to see – sound and video quality are top notch, they were occasionally hit and miss as a live proposition but I blamed that more on the technology of the day than the band themselves. Great to see Mick having such a good time – but please explain just what was going on with his hair. I was at that concert and it was a great night. One query – the video text says Hammersmith…sort it out, that was at Kentish Town, I’ll have to see if I have the ticket stub to scan. I’m happy to say as much as I liked B.A.D. they never influenced my dress sense.

Right then there’s this – obviously quickly done but entertaining regardless. “The Best Clash Dance Songs”……It’s not exhaustive but they have a good list to be starting with. At some point over the last 30 years I’ve probably danced, well..moved, to every song The Clash ever wrote so I can’t come up with a definitive list myself. I would ensure Hitsville UK made that list were I to bother….worst Clash song to dance to – “Somebody Got Murdered”.

The Specials – so far have only confirmed Coachella and New York City as far as US dates…so if you live in the 3,000+ miles in between I’ve no good news yet but I’ll keep an eye out.

Killing Joke – they’re back….read more about that on The Quietus.

Finally, while I’m still working out a schedule for the return of The Clash Cup – this page might suffice – he’s calling it Cover Clash, not due to it it featuring The Clash but it will feature covers. Today it features a cover version by The Clash.

Sam I am….

dsd