The Last Gang In Town
Welcome to my new blog, I’m really excited about this and I hope that if you’re reading this that you come back to the site in the days and weeks ahead as things take shape. Ideally you came here as you share a passion with me for The Clash, it’s why I decided to start the blog and I genuinely want to create a community of Clash fans to share memories, opinions, images, video, audio or simply how the Clash impacted you.
I’ve been blogging related to my work for quite some time and always had a great interest in music. I thought why not write about something I’ve cared about for 30 years? The Clash have quite literally played a part in my life since I was about 11 1/2 years old. Until that time my older brother always had a giant variety of music emanating from his room, I was exposed from an early age to Bowie, T Rex, Elton John, Roxy Music, Barry White, Labi Siffre (honestly), Mott The Hoople, ELO, Queen and from my Mum a bit of Beatles, Tom Jones and some Motown. I remember Bowie seeming the most avant garde of the pack and remember looking at the album artwork as much as the songs themselves.
It was probably the winter of 78-79 that I first heard Tommy Gun from the 2nd Clash Album ‘Give Em Enough Rope’. Suddenly music had a new face, a new urgency and an audible fury. Within 12 months London Calling was
released, by then I owned the first 2 albums and The Clash along with The Specials and The Jam were part of my daily bread. I have some regrets that I wasn’t old enough to have been a part of the earliest Clash history but the impact on me as an adolescent and a teen was pronounced and lasting.
Without the Clash I don’t think my musical obsession with post punk, early synth and C86 brand Indie would have been as likely. Without The Clash and ambassadors like John Peel I’m not sure Factory and Rough Trade Records would have turned into the landmark labels they became. Without the Clash I’m positive the anthemic rock of U2, Simple Minds and The Bunnymen might have never left it’s own local scene. Without the Clash I know I would have been politically more sheltered and less active. Without the Clash I don’t think I would have believed music and musicians had a role bigger than combining D A G chords and adding some lyrics.
I know The Clash shaped who I am today, and I’m not sure the memories of what they gave to my youth will ever leave me. I’m starting this blog because I know the same applies to thousands of people like me who grew up around the same time and also knowing the impact the Clash had on the industry as a whole. I want the blog to be a resource for Clash information, a forum for Clash fans and ideally a place to have these memories and opinions combined for better understanding and bugger it – some activism too. These are dark times we live in – we could do with The Clash today, instead we’ve got our own hopes and agendas. We do still have Carbon Silicon and recently the superb The Good, The Bad and The Queen. Also as you’d expect we’ve got news relating to a band and it’s members that still impact music constantly. I want the Clash Blog to be a resource for that as well.
I really hope this blog connects some people with what we already share and better still brings on some new blood too. I’ll do my part in bringing the threads together – and if you want to participate I’ll hand you the keyboard.
This blog is about the past but what we’ve got is the future, as Joe wrote Crashing head-on into the future, it won’t even leave a dent / Just walk in like you own it, remember it ain’t set in cement”
Tim
[...] new friendships and 154,250 visits so far (!!) let’s start year two by making it even better. Here’s the first thing I wrote last June….like a newborn chick chirping his love for a band from West London. I’ll even be as [...]
Happy Birthday! This site is a brilliant joint effort between you and Kim. Your writing is so personable, clear, and entertaining. Thanks for all the dedication, and for the indulgent Simonon chatter – Cheers
Thank you Kara, it’s appreciated
[...] you’ll stick around to listen. If you are game for a laugh this evening have a look back at the first post I wrote which is linked here, so far we’ve normally stuck to the original task. Tim AKPC_IDS += "5528,"; The future of [...]
I’m not normally one to give a pat on the back in a frivolous and completely gratuitous manner, but bl**dy hell Tim, WELL DONE !!! I can even forgive the fact you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Gooner for this blog…..
I did type a quite lengthy congratulatory post about a week ago, but forgot to ‘Submit Comment’ and accidentally closed the window on my browser…Never used to happen with old fashioned pen and paper, which would at least be posted, if not immediately, then slightly belatedly….
I can’t remember how I read that first page, but it may have had something to do with the fact we were almost neighbours many years ago here in Acton. I just wanted to say thanks for all the effort you and the Clash Blogette and even the Clash blog cat, have put into keeping http://www.theclashblog.com up and running. It’s given me the excuse to ‘get out more’ and has given me new purpose in life, away from the usual commercial/economic reasons….ie (Working For The) Clampdown…
The Clash were always about bringing people together and certainly Joe Strummer in later years would’ve wholeheartedly approved of your blog. It will continue to grow, because the constraints of shifting units are not your purpose, unlike Sony perhaps….
There are tens, if not hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of people all over the world whose lives were touched by the music and lyrics of a band which existed for much less than a decade. The Clash were a truly international band, reflected in their global lyrical themes of many of their songs. Universal would maybe be a better description. Always reaching beyond their immediate horizon, I know they were inspirational to so many here in the UK.
I’ve been really privileged to spend a little bit of time with Mick Jones, albeit slightly belatedly, but I don’t think even now he appreciates quite how wide spread the influence of his band still is. In recent years young people have just discovered The Clash, much in the same way I ‘discovered’ Jimi Hendrix for example. I was lucky enough to be there, not quite at the beginning, but early enough to realise how important ‘my band’ was. The message is just as important today.
The strapline for http://www.theclashblog.com really should be ‘Without people you’re nothing….” Joe would like that, I’m sure ! Thanks again !!
Pete,
Acton
Pete,
Thanks so much for all you wrote, I don’t know where to begin. You’ve been so supportive from the earliest days and I appreciate it more than I can share from this vantage point – but the the thought that the blog has helped motivate or inspire any single person is more than the reward I’d ever have asked for. Keep reading and I’ll always take all the help I can get Pete. I read your message earlier today and it was a great one for a Monday ~~ I thank you again!
Tim