You don’t have to be a Clash historian to realise how integral to the steady transformation of the band Topper Headon was. Nor do you need an advanced level of rock band breakup knowledge to know that reaching a position for Topper to ultimately get kicked out/get himself kicked out was by all logic the catalyst that brought The Clash to their premature demise just as they were reaching new heights of success.

A basic awareness of Topper’s path since has not made for light reading, too self-destructive to work with Mick Jones after he also was ‘sacked’ preceded a long dark trip into the regions of drug and drink abuse and illness that I wouldn’t wish on an enemy. My memories of Headon are charged with a drummer who could do anything he wished when sitting on that stool, but it was his time away from the kit that was to be his achilles.

If you saw Westway to The World at the end of the 90′s you’d have been forgiven for thinking the man interviewing as the former Clash drummer was close to the end of his existence, so frail and lacking in hope he seemed. Legend has it Mick Jones had to loan him clothes to wear as his dirty shirt was covered in cigarette burns, Nicky ‘Topper’ Headon was in a dark and low place and I remember thinking I doubt he’ll recover.

Topper with Porchlight Charity

As sad as his own journey and torments have been his honesty in getting clean and taking ownership in recent years has been a welcome revelation. 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 news.

Headon has now been clean for five years and is putting his weight behind helping others who may already have slipped down the slope he fell. It’s so great to see his story (which was so bleak) be his cause as he gives time to Porchlight – a charity that helps the homeless in his home territory of Kent. The newspaper story is linked in the preceding paragraph and here on the porchlight site is a brief video that includes Topper speaking about his role with the cause. His words are far weightier than mine

“When I was homeless the last thing I thought was I won’t have a drink or use heroin. I needed heroin to keep warm and I needed a drink to keep the fear away”

I’ve said it before but I’ll repeat myself – I wish him sincerely well in his continued clean and sober lifestyle and think it’s brilliant that he elects to help others who have addictions that take you to the fringes. A frightening place I’m certain. In a recession charities hurt just like everything else – so I want to extend gratitude to the work organizations such as Porchlight do.

Totally unrelated – please visit a new section on the site - Cut The Crap – featuring bad/wrong or simply weak posts and newspaper articles.

Tim