Topper Headon interview – brand new!
This was a great find this morning. Please take time to read a very lengthy interview with Topper Headon in the Independent.
It’s a fantastic article which delves deeper into Topper’s post Clash existence than most things I’ve seen before. Headon certainly plumbed the depths after losing his job with The Clash. His story makes for some pretty uncomfortable reading and he is very frank about just how low he sunk. I’m not going to leap on a platform about drug abuse but Topper may just do that for me.
Talent, he had it in bundles, he joined The Clash because he was such a versatile drummer and could incorporate any style – if it wasn’t in his repertoire he’s simply learn it (lucky sod). As he states
“I loved drumming, so I just thought, ‘Right, I’m going to learn reggae now.’ That’s the way I was – I’ve got an addictive personality. All I ever did was drum, drum, drum. Then I went on the road and discovered booze. All I did was drink, drink, drink. Then Mick turned me onto coke and all I did was coke.”
Topper today, in Dover.
He also seems to hold up those talented hands and take full responsibility for the decision by The Clash to sack him. I maintain that the demise of one of the best drummers ever was the keynote to the Clash fragmenting. He was irreplaceable and a loss the band would never recover from.
The piece ends with much brighter news than it starts with as the drummer’s more recent activities are looked into. He’s become a spokesperson for a Hepatitis C Trust and a man who has battled his addictions head on. (pun unintended but I’ll leave it).
You have to wish Topper well, and play Clampdown loud to feel the ferocity of the little bloke. Please write an autobiography!
Oh, I also added 2 new links on Audio Clash (see top navigation) – have a look.
Cheers – Tim
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[...] Topper Headon audio interview and Alex Cox book Posted by Tim at The Clash Blog 22 July 2009 Under: Covers Rolling Stone have posted a short piece about Topper Headon. Good news is that part of the audio from the phone ‘interview’ is direct on their site. Unfortunately the clip only focuses on the creation of Rock The Casbah but evnen then it’s still enjoyable. You’ve got to figure there’s more to that phone call than that – so I hope Rolling Stone will release more online. It’s great to see Topper seemingly doing the rounds with the press to a certain degree, and even better to see him in decent health once again. [...]
[...] The continued ache at the loss of Strummer is partially reduced by reading and seeing Headon both in this article from June 28 and another today which makes for quite uplifting [...]