the clash

The 'only band that matters' were branded as sellouts when they exploded onto the musical scene with the raw and relentless revolution rock of their debut album. The Clash came together from the pub rock of the 101'ers and the punk precursors London SS. After a series of live shows, the band was offered a record deal. Many fans considered it a huge sellout; but they were riding the wave of punk popularity. Recorded over three weekend sessions at CBS Whitfield Street Studio in London,'The Clash' expanded the scope of punk with their embrace of reggae music while they focused their rage on uncomfortable social realities. Joe Strummer expressed their perspective thusly: "We're not into elections and political parties and things like that. We hate fascists, what kind of idiots wear swastikas? We are political in our struggle to survive." Lead guitarist Mick Jones considers: "I am interested in politics. I could reel off a lot of cliches about the political conditions in England, but we write about a lot of things. We're not just interested in one or two subjects. I write about anyhting that interests me. The thing that interests me most is the power and excitement of rock 'n' roll, what it can do to people. I saw Mott the Hoople years ago and I'll never forget the frenzy in the room. People were going crazy. I knew then I wanted to be a rocker. It showed me the impact the music can have on people. I thought about it for weeks afterward. It was a difficult time in my life. The music was one of the only things I had to hold onto. By the time I was old enough to be in a band, however, that frenzy and emotion was gone. People were listening to bands that my grandmother listens to. Then a bunch of bands came along and tries to revive that old energy. That's what the spirit of '76 was all about in England."

That energy expressed itself in an intense competition within the band. Bassist Paul Simonon says: "It was there from day one, there was always verbals going on, there was always competition. At one time, I used to watch the others on stage and think, look how high he's jumped. I'm going to jump higher than that. Right, I'll get on the drum riser and jump off that." Original drummer Terry Chimes remembers: "It took on a life of its own. It was like joining a cult. I wanted to enjoy playing music - and they wanted to suffer. It was serious from the moment you got up in the morning, until the moment you went to sleep." Simonon says the scene was dangerous: "The fact that you had straight-legged trousers was enough that people wanted to come up and give you some. You always knew that if you found yourself in Hammersmith, you had to be careful, because it was known teddy boy country. We had concerts where the minute we started playing, the room would immediately divide into two sort of groups of louts and they'd just go crunch, bash. We were just the soundtrack to a punch-up."

Strummer sounds off: "Punk ain’t the boots or the hair dye. I’ve been asked to define it many times so I’ve actually thought about it for a couple of seconds. It must be the attitude that you have, that approach everything in life with that attitude. Say that you come in here and the music sucks. I don’t care if the guy is big and in a bad mood. The first thing I do is go up to him and say ‘change that music!’ I do it in a cool way though but I don’t sit here fuming, getting sick and having to leave in twenty minutes. I go straight in, see what’s wrong and I fix it. If we’re meeting some new couples, the second someone lights a cigarette, I grab an ashtray and it’ll be there while everything’s going on. Everyone else there will be standing around while their ashes fall off. That is a punk attitude because I wanna be aware of what’s going on. My motto is ‘never take your eye off the ball,’ which is a soccer motto. I like to be completely aware of what’s going on at all times, even if it’s four in the morning. She needs a chair or he needs a beer. There’s no long wait ‘cause I’ve already clocked it while everyone’s going meh-meh-meh. I’m going meh-meh-meh too but I know what’s going on around me. This is punk rock. In fact, punk rock means EXEMPLARY MANNERS TO YOUR FELLOW HUMAN BEING. Fuck being an asshole, what you pricks thought it was twenty years ago. It’s totally just dawned on me. These interviews are good because it makes you think. ‘Cause otherwise you go to sleep and watch the Rider’s Cup or something." 

Chimes remembers Strummer: "He had a vision that his life should be about helping people, doing meaningful, profound things. He thought he should be out there fighting for a cause." 'The Clash' went to number twelve on the British album chart and number forty-two in Sweden. In the US, it became the biggest selling import of 1977.

http://www.theclash.com/

'Janie Jones' was inspired by a London madam.

"He's in love with rock'n'roll woaahh

He's in love with gettin' stoned woaahh

He's in love with Janie Jones

But he don't like his boring job, no..."

'Remote Control'

"Big business it don't like you

It don't like the things you do

You got no money

So you got no power

They think you're useless

An' so you are - punk!"

'I'm So Bored with the USA'

"Yankee soldier

He want to shoot some skag

He met it in Cambodia

But now he can't afford a bag

Yankee dollar talk

To the dictators of the world

In fact it's giving orders

An' they can't afford to miss a word

I'm so bored with the U...S...A...

But what can I do?"

'White Riot'

"Are you taking over

Or are you taking orders?

Are you going backwards

Or are you going forwards?"

'London's Burning'

"Now I'm in the subway and I'm looking for the flat

This one leads to this block, this one leads to that

The wind howls through the empty blocks looking for a home

I run through the empty stone because I'm all alone

London's burning with boredom now

London's burning, dial 99999"

'Career Opportunities' addresses the massive unemployment going on at the time.

"Career opportunities are the ones that never knock

Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock

Career opportunity, the ones that never knock"

The reggae rock of 'Police & Thieves' was written by Junior Murvin and Lee Perry. When Bob Marley heard this song, he was inspired to write 'Punky Reggae Party'.

"Police and thieves in the streets, oh yeah

Scaring the nation with their guns and amunition

Police and thieves in the street, oh yeah

Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition

From genesis to revelation

The next generation will be, hear me"

'Garageland'

"There's twenty-two singers! But one microphone

Back in the garage

There's five guitar players! But one guitar

Back in the garage

Complaints! Complaints! Wot an old bag

Back in the garage

All night"

Topper Headon replaced Chimes on drums. He'd been in the London SS with Jones: "I was really on top of my game then...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."

He played on the band's second album 'Give Em Enough Rope' and appeared on five new songs that were recorded for the American release of 'The Clash' in 1979.

'White Man (In Hammersmith Palais)'

"I'm the all night drug-prowling wolf

Who looks so sick in the sun

I'm the white man in the Palais

Just looking for fun"

'Complete Control'

"They said release 'Remote Control'

But we didn't want it on the label

They said, 'Fly to Amsterdam'

The people laughed but the press went mad

Ooh ooh ooh someone's really smart

Ooh ooh ooh complete control, that's a laugh"

'I Fought The Law' was a cover of the Bobby Fuller song written by Sonny Curtis.

"Robbin' people with a six-gun

I fought the law and the law won "

'The Clash'

full album:

UK version

All tracks written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, except where noted.

Janie Jones

Remote Control

I'm So Bored with the U.S.A.

White Riot

Hate & War 

What's My Name  (Strummer, Jones, Keith Levene)

Deny 

London's Burning 

Career Opportunities 

Cheat 

Protex Blue 

Police & Thieves  (Junior Murvin, Lee Perry)

48 hours 

Garageland

'The Clash'

full album:

US version

All tracks written by Strummer and Jones, except where noted.

Side one
1. "Clash City Rockers" 3:56
2. "I'm So Bored with the USA" 2:25
3. "Remote Control" 3:00
4. "Complete Control" 3:14
5. "White Riot" 1:59
6. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" 3:59
7. "London's Burning" 2:12
8. "I Fought the Law" (Sonny Curtis) 2:41
Side two
1. "Janie Jones" 2:03
2. "Career Opportunities" 1:52
3. "What's My Name" (Strummer, Jones, Levene) 1:40
4. "Hate & War" 2:05
5. "Police & Thieves" (Murvin, Perry) 6:01
6. "Jail Guitar Doors" 3:05
7. "Garageland"    3:12