Would anyone recommend searching for recordings by the 101ers, Joe Strummer's band before the Clash? I think most of them are live but they've been brought to my attention a few times.

Rockin Rod Strychnine said: Billy Childish also did a cover of "1977" with Thee Mighty Caesars that appeared on one of those DOPE GUNS AND FUCKING IN THE STREETS compilations on Amphetimine Reptile. Probably not a record label you'd enjoy but there was some decent stuff on the comp that they appeard on.
<. That is a great recording. I don't dig the Clash version so much but the childish version would obviously not exist without it. Best song on the whole DGaFitS album I think.

I think they began as a punk band and became a good rock band,maybe their
political lyrics give them that rebel-with-a-cause attitude,
but overall they were a great rock band (Joe Strummer was a great Creedence C.R. fan,so he said)
able in mixing various styles of music as might have been the WHO,ROLLING STONES in past years,
or TALKING HEADS in another country (and some calls them punk too).
And as many great rock band they end in the crap..
And then,what means punk? It's a much larger use term,a word like rock,pop..
Is the one who read it that gives its intent. Not most of us..

Hey, thanks Rod! Turns out I know at least a half dozen or more Clash songs without even realizing - or remembering it. I just performed my 1st ever internet (or otherwise) search on the Clash. I think I'll seek out those early recordings. I'm expanding my horizons! Rockin Rod Strychnine said: Billy Childish also did a cover of "1977" with Thee Mighty Caesars that appeared on one of those DOPE GUNS AND FUCKING IN THE STREETS compilations on Amphetimine Reptile. Probably not a record label you'd enjoy but there was some decent stuff on the comp that they appeard on. Maybe but maybe not, you'd probably like their first album whether the UK or US versions. The Clash do a decent version of Vince Taylor's "Brand New Cadillac" but it's stuck on the LONDON CALLING album,which I feel is kind of overrated.

Michael Kaiser said:

Now that you mention it, I recall Billy Childish referencing that song in an interview, so I guess I've heard of it by proxy. I also remembered that I have those Thee Stash recordings. So there's 4 more, I suppose.

One can gather what an impression the Clash has made on me. I think it must be due to despising that "Rock The Casbah" song so much in my youth that I figured it wasn't worth pursuing the band much further. Heck! for all I know they may be the greatest thing since Emmett Lord!

Strike my testimony from the record.

YOU GOT GOOD TASTE said:

What about ''I'm so bored of the USA' ?
Michael Kaiser said:

Besides "Rock The Casbah" and "Should I Stay..." I can't name one Clash song.

Now that you mention it, I recall Billy Childish referencing that song in an interview, so I guess I've heard of it by proxy. I also remembered that I have those Thee Stash recordings. So there's 4 more, I suppose. One can gather what an impression the Clash has made on me. I think it must be due to despising that "Rock The Casbah" song so much in my youth that I figured it wasn't worth pursuing the band much further. Heck! for all I know they may be the greatest thing since Emmett Lord! Strike my testimony from the record. YOU GOT GOOD TASTE said:

What about ''I'm so bored of the USA' ?
Michael Kaiser said:

Besides "Rock The Casbah" and "Should I Stay..." I can't name one Clash song.

What about ''I'm so bored of the USA' ? Michael Kaiser said:

Besides "Rock The Casbah" and "Should I Stay..." I can't name one Clash song.

Besides "Rock The Casbah" and "Should I Stay..." I can't name one Clash song.

fast eddie said:

I have to agree with lord muck, they were most definitely punk. Punk at the time was more about the social revolution not just music. The press added the label not the artists. I'd rather listen to white riot than any pistols track, live it was an inspiration. If you can't call the clash punk you'd better rule out the ramones (who really wanted to be a surf band , just didn't have the chops to play it at the time), plus as Lord muck said they were great live
I have friends who's band in 76/77 hated the punk label and called themselves hoodlum rock, but they were probably the best of the Toronto punk bands (the ugly - good luck finding their stuff) If you look back now most of the stuff seems pretty tame in comparison, but if you were there it changed music and art for the better (not to mention the fact that a lot of what we listen to now would likely never have come about without the first wave kicking down the walls of mediocrity that had developed in the music scene)

Not punk.

Not even a good band. Ugh.
I'll let white riot and 1977 off but that's about it.

my two cents on this is yes I get where you are coming from, but all in all- yeah they can get the punk credit. Just as much as when you look back at Led Zepplin and can say they started heavy metal. For the music coming out at the time, there was noone out there that took all these influences and put a harder edge to it. But when you see what is punk these days, 20 years down the road we'll say the same thing again.

I have to agree with lord muck, they were most definitely punk. Punk at the time was more about the social revolution not just music. The press added the label not the artists. I'd rather listen to white riot than any pistols track, live it was an inspiration. If you can't call the clash punk you'd better rule out the ramones (who really wanted to be a surf band , just didn't have the chops to play it at the time), plus as Lord muck said they were great live
I have friends who's band in 76/77 hated the punk label and called themselves hoodlum rock, but they were probably the best of the Toronto punk bands (the ugly - good luck finding their stuff) If you look back now most of the stuff seems pretty tame in comparison, but if you were there it changed music and art for the better (not to mention the fact that a lot of what we listen to now would likely never have come about without the first wave kicking down the walls of mediocrity that had developed in the music scene)

So much of a label's meaning is derived from both the context of its use and the experience of the labeler that it's damn near impossible to settle such a debate. In fact, in this particular scenario, the Clash are pretty much interchangeable with the MC5, the Stooges, the Sonics or even - in the hands of the most skilled contrarian - the Beatles and/or Elvis. The best you can hope for is an agreement to disagree. To illustrate my point, I propose that Johnny Cash was far more punk than just about anybody mentioned so far. Further, he was so before such a thing a punk was even on the "scene" radar. What's punker than that? The Clash experimented with lots of different sounds and were largely just ahead of the curve in terms of what the next big thing was. While their s/t was released in the UK the same year as Bollocks, many more bands borrowed from the Clash than from the Sex Pistols, musically speaking and, for better or worse, much more of the Clash's contribution is evident in today's sounds than that of the Pistols'. London Calling incorporated musical styles and production values that other "punk" bands of the time wouldn't have touched. If your criteria is that punk goes against the grain of the times, you have a pretty solid argument for the punk-ness of the Clash. If your criteria has to do with clothes and attitude, that's an entirely different debate, I suppose but it would still be hard to make the argument that the Clash didn't, at least, give it a college try. Personally, - with the exception of Combat Rock - I like the Clash regardless of which categories they might fall into. Additionally, Joe Strummer's solo output serves as evidence that, musically, the Clash were, at the very least, musically capable and, at most, "the only band (punk or otherwise) that matters."

Side note: Generally, these types of arguments degenerate quickly into name calling and sanctimonious name-dropping. I'm new to this forum so it's nice to see some cogent and civilized discourse. Carry on.

WOW! AM i really Glad i stumbled onto this ix!! FOR YEARS i had wondered:"Did i miss SOMETHING??" when it came to these guys.. arriving at the conclusion that i DID NOT.. My "view" (views) ON them.. being EVEN MORE EXTREME than yours.. I bought A CLASH Album.. "ONCE".. The "Green One"!! ~didn't have it long enough to EVEN figger-out the title!! within a week or two.. i took that SUCKER back to the record merchant that i'd bought it from, begging him to:"BUY IT BACK" from me!! i was probably craving "SOMETHING.. LOUDER & FASTER!!"!! around this same time..buying a 7"ep. by a little known Band called:"ANTIDOTE"! &..another 7" Called: "DEAD ROCK 'N' ROLLERS"!!..which seemed to merge with & fit my sensibilities(??!!) ..at The time. Their So-Called POLITRICKS.. WERE Apparrently"LOST".. ON this youth... i have a 10" Of: "GIVE 'EM ENOUGH ROPE"..But Your Comments LEAVE me scratching my head as to: "Why the FUCK i have it??.. haven't given that ONE a spin.. in YEARS!!"...was it because Of The 10" factor?? and, i think, the 45 that came with The aforementioned:"Green Album" might still be floating around my place.. SOME WHERE.. The ONLY tune Of theirs.. that SOLICITES ANY kind Of response or reaction (and SUMS THEM UP Pretty well .. FOR ME) from me is: "Rock The Casbah" a band morphing, changing with the times.."Trying-Out alittle DISCO JOE??!", ..very VERY 80's!! I revisited "LONDON CALLING"..err i think it was.. some years back at the request Of a dearly appreciated musical friend & MUSE.. and don't EVEN REMEMBER my reaction!! ALL that tripe being said,... Its really and Obviously a "matter Of Opinion" man. do i consider THEM SO?? A LOUD & resounding "NO!" ..but Clearly I AM in The minority here.. Which is Alright by me! ME & ME RECORDS have SURVIVED "Quite Nicely".. without THEM.

Not that I'm condoning any of this, but isn't it something he normally could have handled if he hadn't had the flu at this time...of course, falling asleep with that much junk in your system isn't good either...better to let it wear off before crashing. Better not to do any junk in the first place.

Jay Reatard Blows It-- that about sums this up.. Stupid

The cause of death was just announced -- cocaine toxicity and alcohol. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/feb/03/medical-examiner-cites-cocaine-toxicity-alcohol-de/

Some great choices, as usual.
My monthly sub recharges tomorrow, yes!

My eMusic downloads the past month ..

But besides his work with Jackson, Downing, with the Poe Cats cut lots of tunes on their own and that's what's on this collection. Domino's influence is apparent on several of the tracks, as is Little Richard's. Los Lobos fans will recognize "Georgia Slop." Basically this album is full of every I love about early rock 'n' roll. Big Al is one of the great under-recognized heroes of the era.

* Most of The Sheik Said Shake by Hipbone Slim & The Knee-Tremblers. Allright! Voodoo Rhythm last month quietly added a bunch of albums to eMusic including some relatively new ones (The Pussywarmers, The Movie Star Junkies and the latest from King Automatic and The Guilty Hearts).

wow!thanks, will give it a listen and include a track or rwo in my next podcast

hey if you want to check us out I think you can download are songs on myspace www.myspace.com/themeanmeanmen Now that I think of it we also have a kink to a zip folder on our myspace blog and our ebandagogo site http://www.ebandagogo.com/

Phantom surfers,Slacktone (once i saw them in Genova IT,but I was late,just in time for the last song!!).
And I like The Vulcanos but I don't know if it's a new or old band.Impala and Untamed Youth are not bad.

I'd have to go with the same bands above (Phantom Surfers, Satan's Pilgrims, The Apemen(yeah,they are from the Netherlands)) plus the Bomboras , the Ghastley Ones, Los Straitjackets, and (I'm surprised nobody's mentioned them) Jackie and the Cedrics. Embarrassing to say this but I'm really not up on who's really current.

Hmmm....I've been searching through these forums for the pic I asked about and still can't find it....could have sworn I saw it in the discussion "What's spinnin' on your turntable" or something like that" but I noticed that two pictures are gone... one entry has a "deleted by photobucket" in lew of a picture....and another entry has a box with a red x instead of a picture.... anyway....to give a hint of what I'm looking for....imagine this if it looked more like this anybody NOT know what i'm talking about?

I think the Barman is refering to the Bondi Lifesaver in 1980.