I see your apolitical view. Sandinista is a nice sing along and lovely beat to Guns of Brixton.
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[Music] Joe Strummer
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I see your apolitical view. Sandinista is a nice sing along and lovely beat to Guns of Brixton.
Pogue Mahone
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Hmmm.....I went to countless ANL and RAR gigs, but all I got from the bands in terms of vibe and politics was 'against the Front' as TRB would put it. I don't recall any actual left politics engagement till Red Skins and Billy Bragg. As for Crass....
ANL was marinated in SWP, and the politicos certainly got all excited about having some bands do benefit gigs but....SWP, a silly cult (did I spell that right?). Never a word of actual positive politics at any gig I went to. Bernie Rhodes would certainly have wanted the Clash on the menu at the big RAR gigs, Finsbury park....but it was more about anti racism, harmony with the reggae boys, and just being there...it was not real left politics.
Look at what was released. Off the top of my head we have 'Right to Work' by Gene October's band (who I saw - forget the name)....this was a protest against all the unemployment under the Callaghan labour government. But it wasn't in favour of anything. I can't think of a single punk records that speaks out in favour of the SWP. Labour weren't worth speaking out for, then.....dinosaurs.
I was very left wing by 1980 (with no place/party to call home), but the left activists were weird geeks, mostly SWP, not really part of the punk scene or the post punk scene (this is about MUSIC let's not forget).
In all the hundreds of punk gigs I went to between 77 and 80, nobody ever tried to recruit me into a left politics organisation, nobody ever said anything at any gig I went to about how to vote, and never did I ever hear Strummer or anyone else endorse the SWP.
No, punk rock was about going mental, and upsetting people. Get pissed, destroy. Strummer may have found political coherence when he got older, but back then....no.
Whilst I agree with you that punk was, from the start, nihilistic, The Clash went political fairly early, in my recollection, They went against the grain..They were always more thoughtful, more worthy than their peers, and often sneered at by the 'get pissed, destroy' mob for this.
They were criticised for taking things too seriously, whether it was their music (remember the scathing criticism when Give 'Em Enough Rope' came out, and, horror of horror, it was well produced?) or their world vision.
They were, as has been discussed, a major part of RAR and the ANL, as well as Artists Against Apartheid, at a time when, even on the left, racism was quite common and accepted. They inspired many to embrace change, and reject racism.
Complete Control was a political statement. As was White Man (and also White Riot). And Career Opportunities. But it went beyond the songs, they embraced an attitude that was about positivity and togetherness, and this was at odds with the original punk attitude.
They further cemented their desire not to be punk-by-numbers when the wonderful London Calling was released (40 years ago, FFS...) It was dismissed by many die hard traditional punks - it just didn't fit the now tired old blueprint.
Joe didn't wave a red flag, and had little to do with the rather pathetic SWP. But he was leading the fight against right wing politics.
Top rank. Guest appearance by Peter Townshend. The extraordinary Scritti politti supporting ('Let's make one up').
This for me is the track of that time. Thirty Six Million views....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfK-WX2pa8c
Just realised this came out 40 ****ing years ago. Where did my life go?
Tymon Dogg vocals....this weirdly is my favourite ever Clash song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJgCDs-Us7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJgCDs-Us7Q
Agree.
I'm one of those sorts who is always thinking 'how can we win' rather than should we, why should we, who are the enemy, etc. It is a fault.
Mr Bridger
Sound of the suburbs
Pogue Mahone
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And the beginning of The Clash. My album version jumps. Not heard this properly since the Basement Club till you toob and mp3s 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjmh52fkQJA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjmh52fkQJA
Pogue Mahone
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Pogue Mahone
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I’d love to do it all over again. Dreaming.
Pogue Mahone
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Apologies. Not woody and the splinters, FFS (A brighton band). I meant the 101ers. The bloke I worked with in Littlehampton (painting council houses, in 1976) was in The Vultures with Mr Mellor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9hBmf5-qg8
Still have this single. Bought it when Peel payed it. Finger on the effing pulse or what?
Still have this single. Bought it when Peel payed it. Finger on the effing pulse or what?
Pogue Mahone
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Pogue Mahone
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I also have that.
Me too. Especially if I could have my knees back. And my 28 inch waist.
Getting fit for skiing yet?
Your hotel’s in the 8th webcam down this link. Loads of snow coming in the next days
https://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/service/webcams
Pogue Mahone
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Yep.
I saw The Clash many times, and later saw Joe in several of his other incarnations...and loads of Big Audio Dynamite gigs.
I still go to loads of gigs, and have seen some brilliant ones every year...but The Clash are still imprinted on my brain - hard to imagine that I could ever enjoy a gig more than one of theirs.