THE CLASH

The Clash were at least the second best punk band ever. (Indeed, a recent NME survey put them at no. 1.) Unsurprisingly their main rivals for the coveted top spot are the Ramones. Personally I lean more towards the Ramones as their early albums were ultimately more consistently excellent, they were far more uniformly punk, and they invented it (which must give them some extra marks in the stand-off). Even if we ignore the fact that, if we're brutally honest, the Clash only really made two classic albums, they also only produced one straight-forward punk album. It is this diversity, however, that provides the best evidence as to why the Clash were the best ever punk band. In any case they were certainly the most artistically adventurous punk band even if not actually that "punk". Personally I don't find that much of a problem as the Clash always had the attitude (one of uncompromised aggression and non-conformity) that ensured they should always be remembered as a punk band. Of course, this punk attitude isn't the same as the punk ethic which demands the band must never stray past three chords and will only gain respect if they hand out fanzines at their gigs which, in turn, must be held in a grotty urban pub. Anything above that simply isn't punk. The Clash, of course, were far, far above this punk ethic and therefore often get dismissed by the proper "punks" as sell-outs or corporate whores or some other term that conveniently ignores the actual quality of the music.

This debate over whether the Clash were really punk perfectly sums up my position on punk, and it probably won't surprise you to learn I'm with the Clash on this one. The Clash weren't just cockney oiks who just wanted to hang out and take speed, they were artists. Maybe if you told that to Joe Strummer in 1976 he might have got offended but I'm sure by the early eighties he would have agreed wholeheartedly with the statement. The Clash were really the only (British) punk band that were proper artists. (No matter what Johnny Rotten's original intentions were the Sex Pistols were never artists.) They were mainly middle-class (I believe Strummer went to a posh boarding school) and they took their music seriously, not just as song-writers but as musicians. Hardcore punks moan about the Clash abandoning the ethics of punk and going around snorting coke in the States with Hollywood celebrities, delving past three chords, selling lots of records and playing big concerts. In fact, I bet if you went to a Clash concert they might not even buy you a pint and talk about the "scene" with you. You'll notice that this punk "ethic" barely makes any mention of the music. These "punk" fans barely care about the music at all (as long as it is simple enough) but are obsessed with "selling-out". Of course the reason traditional punk bands remain at a grass-roots level is because they are far too shit to ever make it in the big time. I don't care how appreciative or down-to-earth the Exploited are, their music is shit. Conversely, I don't care how arrogant or nasty the Clash are, they made some great music and that is all that counts. That is also why I don't like to call myself a fan of punk. I don't like the "punk" image, I just like the rock'n'roll. Obviously, due to its no-bullshit nature punk bands were often also great rock'n'roll bands and that, to mis-quote the Clash themselves, is all that matters.

In all this talk of punk ethics I've barely touched upon the Clash's political stance, which was uncompromising to say the least. They were actually one of the first wholly political bands (c'mon, we know the MC5 didn't really care) and were certainly one of the best. Like the majority of political bands they were very left-wing and whilst their first album doesn't stray that much further from general youthful nihilism by the time of Sandinista! they really knew what they were talking about. Unlike me, however, who has no idea who these revolutionaries were. Which in a way, shows how great the Clash were given that I have no great interest in political music and yet I still regard them as a great band. Although each member was uniquely talented, guitarists/vocalists Mick Jones, and to a greater extent, Joe Strummer were the main men behind the band. Strummer seems the more aggressive of the two but that certainly adds to their chemistry. Whilst Strummer has a gruff, shouty punk singing voice, Jones has a much smoother voice and is undoubtedly the technically better singer. The band split in the mid-eighties and have so far not reformed (which I hope they never do as, even ignoring the punk ethic, it would seem a little hypocritical and would no doubt tarnish their formidable reputation). I don't quite have a complete collection - I am yet to get their last album, Cut the Crap, which was recorded after most of the band had left and Strummer drafted in a load of session musicians. Apparently it is terrible and most Clash fans don't like to count it as a proper Clash album at all but I will get it at some stage, I'm sure

From: Cristino De Santiago Alba

And finally, I found an article about The Clash that I could agree with! I'm not fond of writing in the Net to people that I don't know, but in this case I felt I should do it.
I had no idea what 'Jack Feeny reviews' was, but I found it at a search engine looking for 'The Clash', and I think the article is the most intelligent, objective and funny that I have read about the band. Most others are either embittered remarks by disappointed ex-fans (Sandinista!, they couldn't swallow it), or just a little too flattering. I think The Clash were a great band, maybe the greatest of all 'punk', but mainly because they went beyond simple noise and fury, and were brave enough to experiment with new musical styles. Of course, in a whole lot of experiments there are always failures.
By the way, I agree with you about other punk bands, especially when you mention the Pistols (I mean it, maaaaan). Didn't anyone sing about 'turning rebellion into money'? I also agree about U.S. punk bands (nowadays hardcore is a mixture of ultra-heavy fast noise with Little Red Riding Hood tunes and lyrics; I stick to Ramones, D.K., Bad Religion and The Avengers), but I would have saved other British bands, like Stiff Little Fingers, The Buzzcocks and The Ruts.
And that's all. I would add that I miss the Clash's political view nowadays, and that I hold Sandinista! as my favourite album: it's far from perfect, but it has both music and lyrics that seem prophetic. "Rock the Casbah" was a hit back in Kuwait's war; "The Call-Up" should be in this days.

From: Jeremy McMillan

What? The Clash better than the Pistols? No way,jack,the Pistols were rock "n" roll guerilla's,Spitting in the face of the establishment and not caring about the repercussions thier actions provoked.The Clash were a punk rock poster band,all image and a few good songs,The Pistols were not the idiots you'd like us to believe they were,they might not have been the first punk band but they were and always will be the best! Case in point: The Pistols were sacked by EMI,the A&M,signed with Virgin in the UK and Warner Bros in the States,The Clash were signed by Epic and remained on that label until their demise.Who do you think impressed Joe Strummer enough to make him disband his rockabilly group,The 101'ers and start the Clash in the first place?The Sex Pistols,that's who.Get your head out of your ass,man.

The Clash's debut album is often regarded as one of the finest punk albums of the '77 vintage, and who am I to disagree? Despite the fact that the band aren't quite the adventurous artists they were to become they still started out as great song-writers. The aggressive attitude of the album also seems far more genuine than the rival Never Mind the Bollocks... (oh Lord, how that album annoys me). I reckon this album might be slightly superior to the Sex Pistols' piece de marketing but it still fails to be consistently excellent enough to acquire a 10* mark from my good self. Indeed, few straight-forward punk albums do, which I put down to the difficulty in making a great album with such a limited musical palette. Of course the Ramones managed it because they were great songwriters and Johnny Thunders managed it because he is some sort of semi-deity but, whilst there are a barrel-load of great songs on here, there aren't quite enough. After "Career Opportunities" the second half of the album seems to trail off slightly due partially to the embedded sameyness (is that a word?) of the songs and also the fact that they placed all the hit singles at the start. Of course it is necessary that I mention that I ended up owning the British version of this album. The American version (which is more commonly available) was released a couple of years later (due to the idiocy of the record companies) but with the hit singles of the time thrown on. Thus my version lacks the brilliant trio of "Clash City Rockers", "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" and "I Fought the Law" plus some others. Instead I get the tracks (if my memory serves me well) "Deny", "Cheat", "Protex Blue" and "48 Hours". None of those are bad songs (none are on here) and "Deny" is really pretty good but I can't help but think maybe the American version might achieve 10* status. The Americans go on about the inclusion of the singles spoiling the flow of the album but, for Christ's sake, this ain't Dark Side of the Moon! It's a punk album, all the songs sound the same so surely it is better to have the better songs? Well, anyway there are enough great songs on here for this to be a great album. Like I said a few sentences earlier most of the best songs are thrown on the first half. The opening foursome of "Janie Jones", "Remote Control", "I'm So Bored with the USA" and "White Riot" are all but the four best tracks on the album. If we're talking strictly the best four I'd probably include "Career Opportunities" ahead of "I'm So Bored with the USA". The first two in particular, "Janie Jones" and "Remote Control", are almost pop songs if it weren't for Strummer's abrasive vocals and guitar tone. Still, they are more than a match for the hit singles from Never Mind the Bollocks.... "White Riot", on the other hand, is more a primal scream of punk aggression. You can barely make out the words as Strummer slurs his vocals to sound like a drunk looking for a fight. Less than two minutes of pure punk aggression. Beat that senor Rotten. "I'm So Bored with the USA"'s main strength lies in its powerhouse chorus although I'd like to think it wasn't a rant against the American punks as everyone knows the New York scene at the time (contrary to what the NME might tell you) was superior to the British one. My favourite song on this album is for the moment "Career Opportunities" with Strummer pretending he's stupid and unemployable when of course he probably could have become an up-and-coming businessman or banker quite easily. Anyway he still manages to sound brilliantly disaffected (like he means it, maaaaaan) and the lyrics are a brilliant dismissal of the British employment system. The bit where he sneers "I hate the army, I hate the RAFFFFFFFFFF" is probably my favourite moment on the whole album thingy. Mick "Jonesy" Jones still manages to get in on the act with the melodic "Hate and War", which is another great pop song while Strummer again perfects the disaffected youth persona on "What's My Name". Showing that this band were more than your typical bunch of punk oiks is the six minute cod-reggae cover of "Police and Thieves", sowing the seeds of London Calling. I really appreciate the diversity an' all but I just don't think the song is quite that brilliant. It is very good, particularly the complicated rhythm (which most punk bands presumably couldn't handle), but, for me, it isn't one of the best moments on the album. Speaking of rhythm you might like to note the album cover which only features three members of the band as Topper Headon hadn't joined yet and therefore Terry Chimes (or "Tory Crimes" as he is humorously called in the sleeve-notes) was on the drum-stool. Anyway, this album certainly deserves its reputation as one of the best of the "classic" albums of the punk explosion of 1977. Unfortunately, it just isn't quite "classic" enough.

Hmm, the Clash obviously have a thing for putting all their best songs at the start of the album as that is exactly the trick they repeat here. Except this time the samey songs on the second half sound so much worse than the debut. Partly because they are less good songs and partly because they lack the punk aggression of the previous album. You see this stuff ain't really punk at all. Well, it is to an extent (most songs are only two or three chords) but they went for a really polished sound and therefore while a more throwaway number on The Clash still sounds like a decent punk song on here it just sounds boring. In fact I could pinpoint exactly two reasons why not to turn off after the jaunty rockabilly of "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad": the Mick Jones' sung "Stay Free" is a pleasant, mid-tempo number and the harmonising on "All the Young Punks" ("doo-waaaaaaaaaaaaah") is far more gorgeous than a punk band should be capable of (shame the song ain't up to the task set by the vocals). Other than that? "Last Gang in Town", "Guns on the Roof" (about the band being arrested for shooting at pigeons apparently - although I don't see why killing vermin is a crime), "Cheapskates" and the worst offender "Drug-Stabbing Time" are all boring nothings of songs. The song-writing simply isn't up to scratch but the production only adds to the disappointment. I really appreciate the lads for realising that punk was an immediate occurrence and the real artists needed to move on but it is clear they didn't have a clue where. That said, this set is rescued somewhat by the first four songs which are all very good songs. The opening "Safe European Homes" is nothing short of a great song. The vocal melody sounds completely original (quite a feat for a punk band) and it rocks furiously. In fact I think the production and detailed arrangement actually aids the song. The bit at the end of each line where the rest of the band echo "where'd you go?" is an inspired touch. Lyrically it is a confusing affair as the title always suggested to me that it was a criticism of the middle-class Europeans for ignoring the plight of the developing nations but, in fact, it seems to be an irony-free blast at the thieves and criminals in poor countries. And "blast" is right as the song packs one hell of a punch. Shame about the rest of the album. "English Civil War" is an arrangement of a traditional English tune (ye olde English) and seems to be one of the better cuts (although I'm willing to admit it's because it comes at the beginning of the album and so seems less generic than the rest). No such problems, however, with "Tommy Gun" which is probably the second best pure rock song on here with good lyrics having a go at the mentality of the armed services' recruitment. I say "rock" song as "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad", like "Police and Thieves", is a more diverse offering paving the way for London Calling. Still it is a catchy little number and any song that has a go at the filth is alright by me. And I guess I have little more to add, which is a shame given this review is rather short at the moment. Basically, the Clash felt the need, as genuine artists, to distance themselves from the quickly stagnating punk scene but Blue Oyster Cult approved polished arena rock production was never going to be the best setting for the punk attitude and this problem is only exacerbated by the fact the band only decided to write enough decent songs for half an album. Still, my crystal ball tells me something big was on the horizon...

This album is so good that it was named best album of the eighties by American music magazine Rolling Stone, even though it actually came out in the seventies. Now that must be good. To be fair to Rolling Stone this album was released in 1980 in the States but you would have thought the initial release date determines what decade the album belonged to. Anyway, this album is a truly incredible feat. Like many classic albums it is hard to see exactly where it came from as Give 'em Enough Rope hardly promised much and to release a double-set after releasing two albums in two consecutive years seems a rather exhausting proposition (although you should see what's coming next). Anyway, everyone goes on about how this album isn't really punk at all and again I think it is and it isn't. Musically there is very little punk on here (the title track perhaps but not much else) but in terms of attitude the Clash are still keeping up their uncompromising political stance. Well, in a way. For some reason they seem so very happy on this album, half the songs sound like Strummer's singing them with a smile on his face. The title track, if it is a punk song, is obviously aggressive (I read somewhere that the moment when Strummer cries out "Now get this!" is the best moment in music history and I'm close to agreeing) and the Paul Simonon penned and sung "Guns of Brixton" (which is a truly fantastic song) is also very menacing, but songs like "Jimmy Jazz", "Hateful" and "Rudie Can't Fail" all sound like party tunes of the highest order. Most of them are based around some sort of reggae or ska basis (particularly "The Guns of Brixton", as Simonon was the main reggae fiend in the band) but done in such a manner that it appeals both to those who dislike reggae and those who dismiss white reggae as some sort of racist assimilation. Again the band opt for a stronger first half than second (although it is much closer this time around) as there are moments on the second half that don't quite match the rest: the double bill of "Death or Glory" and "Koka Kola", and the foursome of "Lover's Rock", "Four Horsemen", "I'm Not Down" and "Revolution Rock". Obviously I'm not suggesting they are bad songs (as all would be a best track on Give 'em Enough Rope) but they lack the magic of the other songs on here (although I wouldn't be surprised if many people regarded them as the best tracks). For me, though, the best tracks again come at the start. Obviously there is the opening title track (which I'd wager everyone here knows) but the old fifties rock'n'roll of "Brand New Cadillac" is perfect, the reggae shuffles "Jimmy Jazz" and "Rudie Can't Fail" are immense fun and the chorus of "Hateful" is quite simply one of my favourite choruses to any song in the world ever. There is some really great melodic rock on here as well (mostly sung by Jones). "Spanish Bombs" and "Lost in the Supermarket" are more akin to pop than punk but the real pop masterpiece is the final (originally unlisted) track "Train in Vain" which is again sung by Mick and was the band's biggest hit single in America. Actually I'm beginning to regret not putting "The Right Profile" on the best tracks list as it is another absolute stormer of a song, again sung in an irrepressibly jaunty manner. Of course the lyrical matter is not parties and girls, though, but a mixture of politics and analysis of drugs culture. The most noticeable lyric on the album is probably "The Card Cheat", however, which instead forms a narrative account of an old-war veteran cheating at cards and getting shot for his trouble. It is also a slight change of direction musically as it seems a more straightforward driving rock song (with prominent piano). The album cover is also almost as famous as the album itself with a striking image of Simonon about to smash his bass. It was actually taken by an NME photographer which they never fail to remind you whenever this album is mentioned in their fair pages. Still this album is famous for other reasons as well. Mainly for being one of the best albums in rock music history (double or otherwise) and for proving that some punk bands were not one-trick ponies. Some had very many tricks indeed.

Well no-one could accuse the Clash of being lazy. After releasing three albums in three years (two of which were excellent) and the third a double-set they then produced this the following year: a TRIPLE album. I know on my review of the Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness I refer to it as the longest rock album ever but I am ever so apologetic that I should have forgotten this test of endurance. Three records average out to two CDs, the first 71 minutes long and the second 74. Now that adds up to one loooooong album. The funny thing is I wouldn't necessary say it is too long. I think part of the appeal of this album is the fact that it is so vast and sprawling, not to say ambitious. Yes, yes, yes, if it had been condensed into a single album it would have been 9* quality, no doubt, (although probably not 10*) but in the process it would have lost some of its mystique. I really like the fact that this album is so sprawling, at least the Clash tried to do something really special. Obviously if you are just releasing a standard rock album I see little point in stretching it out beyond your ten or twelve best songs, but this album is not simply about a compilation of songs. Even the dub instrumentals (eg. "Mensforth Hill") occupy some role on the album (even if it is mainly as filler). Of course dub instrumentals aren't all that punk (although there are less dub experiments on here than people would have you believe) but I really think this album is still a punk album, to some extreme extent. Thus this album stands as excellent proof that punk can be as diverse as any other genre you care to mention. I think to argue that this isn't punk because it is diverse is just to fix the definitions. Punk, like all music, has a basis but there is no reason why it cannot be open to diversity and innovation. Of course, this album isn't really for the fair-weather Clash fan (another album that sorts men from boys) as it is a veritable furlong ahead (in terms of artistic ambition) from their debut and the song writing is nowhere near as eminently poppy as on London Calling. Still, if you persevere, and persevere and persevere a bit more the delights of the album eventually come to the fore. There are some great rock songs on here ("Somebody Got Murdered" and the Eddie Grant cover "Police on My Back" spring to mind) and some more reggae-esque pop numbers, "Washington Bullets" and "Charlie Don't Surf", which are as rewarding as the material on the previous album; if not quite as accessible. Of course, the Clash were experiment-happy at this point so all styles are seemingly accounted for. They cover an old Mose Allison jazz tune ("Look Here") a waltz ("Rebel Waltz"), funk/rap ("The Magnificent Seven" and "Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)") and gospel ("The Sound of Sinners") - and all this is only on the first CD. Yikes. And that is the main reason why I have so much respect for this album, it isn't all great but it is a punk band producing an album so ambitious and artistic that it puts most pretentious art- or prog-rockers to shame. Occasional collaborator Mikey Dread pops up on this album to lend his talents to a few numbers, including the excellent "One More Time", and he sings the entirety of "Living in Fame". Someone with a funny voice also sings "Lose This Skin" which seems like a good song but the vocals really leave me a little confused. And speaking of guest vocalists they also came up with the inspired idea to make kids sing their punk classics. Thus, we get a snatch of a kid singing "Guns of Brixton" but the real highlight is the full version of "Career Opportunities" with a harpsichord playing the punk chord progression and some kid slurring the words as well as Strummer on the original. Obviously it is filler but what brilliant filler it is. There are also some instrumentals on here, many of which are dealt with in dub form. The worst offender is "One More Dub" which is a dub version of "One More Time" precisely after the original has ended. Utterly pointless. Paul Simonon also pens another reggae number, this time "The Crooked Beat", but it ain't a patch on the threatening "Guns of Brixton". The material on the first CD is maybe the more distinctive (in that it is easier to tell the songs apart) but the second CD also houses many a hidden delight. The first half of disc 2 in particular is fairly great. "The Equaliser" and "The Call Up" are sort of industrial, atmospheric shuffles whilst the pure rock blast of "Police on My Back", with its police siren lead guitar, reinforces the notion of the Clash as a rock band. They still know how to knock off a melody however ("Up in Heaven" and "Somebody Got Murdered" in particular) and the lyrics are as political as always, although more focused on the third world (Central America and Africa in particular). If you are a new-boy to the world of the Clash than obviously The Clash and London Calling are the obvious first ports of call but if you really like them, and you think you can manage it, maybe you should try... Sandinista!. (If you say that last line out loud in the A-Team intro voice it sounds better.) Anyway, I would venture for all its sprawling inaccessibility this is the Clash's third best album and one of many hidden delights.

From: dr.acula@level4.org

This was a triple album banged out in what must have been 6 months or some ridiculously short time, in an effort to get out of their CBS record contract. They needed 3 more records, and thought a triple would count (CBS said it didn't). I like to think that they basically put everything they wrote over that time on the album, certainly a lot more material than usual made it through the recording process than is normal. In a way, it's kind of a creative capsule of where The Clash were musically. You can hear influences from so many genres and artists on this album, for a fan, it's almost like being with the band as they bang out an album, witness to all the whims and musings of a great band in what feels like real-time -because as you observed, today this probably would have been stripped down to a very solid LP. Put quotes around "solid", because stripping this album down would have ultimately taken from the group's legacy of being one of the most musically conscious and diverse rock bands of all time, touching on Hip-Hop, Reggae, Dance, Dub, Jazz and Blues, and everything else in between. I'd hate to think what fans may have missed out with on other albums with so much material that was never recorded. There's always excitement when a new song pops up posthumously by acts like The Beatles, Nirvana, or Elvis Presley, no matter how grainy the recording is. There's still excitement when after hearing the song for the first time it becomes clear just why that song ended up in a shoe box, but we're all glad when the new recordings surface. Sandinista! is a "humously" if you will, release, and I am very thankful for it.
Also, the Clash took a hit on their royalties so that the album be available at the cost of a single.

All of sudden the Clash turn into lazy bastards. Can you believe it was two full years before they followed up Sandinista!? I mean, they only produced seven vinyls worth of material in three years, you'd have thought they had more in them. Anyway, obviously commercially Sandinista! bombed bad style so the band appeased their record company by releasing this single record set complete with not one but two bona fide smash hit singles. (After Sandinista! you can almost picture the relief on the record company bosses' faces when they heard "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and "Rock the Casbah".) The band even have a go at writing another straight-up aggressive rock song. Of course, this is the Clash and they weren't really going easy on us, so after the uneasy side 1 finale of "Straight to Hell" we're right back into Sandinista! territory again. Obviously side 2 is much weaker than side 1 (like Give 'em Enough Rope) but at least the band try to write interesting songs even if it doesn't quite work. "Overpowered by Funk" is straight out of Sandinista! but not quite of the same standard whilst both "Ghetto Defendant" and "Death is a Star" are rather drab affairs relying on spoken word narration (by Allen Ginsberg in the former's case, who must have been about 60 at the time and sounds it). The thing that really strikes you about the songs on the second half is that they are meant to be by the Clash. Compare this and the first album and there is just no similarity whatsoever. Of course, that ain't necessarily a bad thing (all artists need to progress) but I don't think these sort of songs are really the Clash's forte. And what sort of songs these are I just couldn't say. Take the weirdest example, "Sean Flynn", which sounds bizarrely like a late-era Van Morrison song with a sparse background and flutes playing over the top. Hearing is believing and believe me, you won't believe it is the Clash. Again that ain't necessary a problem but really the songs just aren't very strong. That said, two songs on the second half (the two most normal) "Atom Tan" and "Inoculated City" are both pretty decent efforts with a sort of laidback melody. They certainly reassure me that this album is a better effort than Give 'em Enough Rope. Of course the main reason why this is a very good album can be heard on the first half. Every song, bar the bizarre "Red Angel Dragnet", is a good song and there are a handful of great songs. "Know Your Rights" opens the album, indicating a return to old ways (which the album, of course, does not deliver), with its abrasive, staccato guitar and aggressive lyrics and vocals from Strummer. Unfortunately the melody is clumsy but the sheer aggression of it (especially after Sandinista!) means it seems like a stand-out track on the album (and in a way it is). The lyrics are pretty good but the reference to "aristocrats" seems a little anachronistic and thus silly (in any case, being somewhat an expert on early modern crime, I can assure you that aristocrats often were prosecuted for murdering lower orders. A common misconception, I'll have you know). The really great rock song on here (and perhaps the Clash's best post-London Calling song) is the infamous "Should I Stay or Should I Go" which the band sanctioned for a jeans advert in the early nineties (hypocrites) and therefore became their most famous song. It is funny how the simple riffs are often the most memorable and the Clash certainly hit upon one for this number. Yet again Strummer knows when to hand over responsibility and the far more suitable vocals of Jones elevates the song. Some people may query why the Clash even wrote it given it seems just to be about girls but my novel take on it is that it is about leaving to fight for the communists in the Spanish Civil War, partly because Strummer sings some of the lines in Spanish and also because all these lefty bands like singing about the Spanish Civil War ("Spanish Bombs", for instance). Please don't hold back from praising my insightful analysis. Anyway that was Hit Single A. Hit Single B is the ethnic boogie "Rock the Casbah" which is another great song. (By the way, do you hear that mobile phone sound effect? And that's before mobile phones had been invented! Now that's visionary.) And there is a third great song on here, even if it isn't hit single material, namely "Straight to Hell" which abandons the rock approach yet again for a more weighty meander with brilliantly eerie instrumentation. Strummer's vocals are a bit funny but the lyrics are good, even if they are just a less ironic rip-off of the Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia". The first side is completed with the poppy "Car Jamming" (another good song) and "Red Angel Dragnet" which is a fairly poor song. It also continues the bizarre link between the Clash and Robert De Niro as it features another spoken word narration of lines from Taxi Driver. (The Clash also have a briefest of cameos in the excellent King of Comedy.) So, this album is a bit like a compact version of Sandinista! but with a bit more commercial material on it. That said, it isn't as interesting as Sandinista! and the crazy stuff doesn't fit on a normal album quite so well. Still a very good effort, though.

From: Nathan

Holy crap...I thought you were joking about the mobile phone thing on "Rock the Casbah"', but then I listened to it, and for a second I seriously thought my cell phone was ringing! Sadly though, that's pretty much the most fun I had with this record, I'm still not really convinced that it's better than Give Em Enough Rope. First, why does everybody list "Know Your Rights" as a best track? It's not even a return to their roots, everything on their debut was much more intelligent and melodic than this. It has one chord, no melody, and stupid lyrics. "This is a public service announcement...WITH GUITARS!!!!" (vomit) What a joke. I think I actually like the second half a lot more, because even if it is weird, at least it sounds like they put their hearts into it, the first half just sounds like self-parody. The three best are "Straight to Hell" (the one classic from here in my opinion), "Car Jamming", and the Talking Heads-ish "Overpowered by Funk", even if it is a bit silly. I think this is the Clash's weakest studio effort...not counting Cut the Crap of course, which I never plan to purchase.

My theory is that the two best words in the world are "b-sides compilations". So how does a Clash b-sides compilation, strike you? Pretty tempting, eh? eh? Well, not overwhelmingly but you might be pleasantly surprised. And unpleasantly disappointed at the same time. You see this was originally released in the early eighties as simply Black Market Clash and it consisted entirely of b-sides during their early period ('77-8) and contained some surprisingly, and consistently, good material. In 1993 it was re-released, however, as Super Black Market Clash and a second half was added consisting of b-sides from mainly Sandinista! and Combat Rock singles. Now that should immediately get the alarm bells ringing as surely b-sides from a triple album are going to involve some extreme form of barrel-scraping. And what happens when one wants to scrape the barrel? Why, one resorts to dub remixes. Oh yes, I hope you boys like dub remixes. To be fair, half of the later material are actually original songs but you'd be hard pushed to notice. All the best tracks I've listed are from the first, original, half of the album and from the second only "Radio Clash" gets anywhere near to being a decent song. Still, it is not as if they've deprived us of anything (think of the shit stuff as bonus tracks) so this still represents a good compilation. It pertains to tie up all the loose ends regarding single releases so if you own all the studio albums, plus this and the singles collection you would own everything the Clash ever recorded, right? Er... no, as the singles collection, for some reason, isn't conclusive ("Armagedion Time" is definitely missing). In fact, if you own all the albums and this CD and the Story of the Clash compilation I think you would then own everything they released. And who, quite frankly, could ever live without a dance remix of "Rock the Casbah" and "The Magnificent Seven"? You would have thought you'd put good b-sides on the singles that are going to sell well so casual buyers would be doubly impressed. Quite who is going to be impressed by "Long Time Jerk" and "Cool Confusion" after buying "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and "Rock the Casbah" respectively is beyond me. Still, like I said earlier, the merit of this album lies in the first half of the album as, amazingly, all the songs are really, really good (as long as we ignore the instrumentals "Listen" and "Time is Tight"). Most of them are more poppy efforts, often with Jones singing, although the opening "1977" is a slice of pure punk aggression (with appropriate vocals from Strummer). There are two really good songs on here, "The City of the Dead" and "Capital Radio Two" (which I think was released as a single as "Capital Radio One"). "The City of the Dead" has some good brass accompaniment while "Capital Radio Two" begins most funnily with folky acoustic picking before launching into its rockin' stride. The bit in the middle where Strummer pesters Mick always makes me laugh (S: JONESY! J: Yeah, what...). Given that this is b-sides the band also tackle a few covers, the best of which is probably "Pressure Drop" although the cute "1-2 Crush on You" is rather fun. The rest of the early tracks, particularly "Jail Guitar Doors", "The Prisoner" and "Gates of the West", are all surprisingly melodic and perhaps show a more playful side to the band that they were forced to conceal, at least on The Clash and Give 'em Enough Rope. It is certainly the first ten tracks that make this compilation worth owning and if you ain't a Sandinista! type of person at least this provides you with some more straight-up punk songs. By the way, "The City of the Dead" has a reference to Johnny Thunders in it. God, that man is soooooooo cool. And he never did drugs. Sorry, I meant dub. Of course he did drugs.

After "b-sides compilation" another great couple of words must be "live album". To be honest, I don't know why people criticise live albums as usually they are decent affairs, and this one is no different. Unfortunately, it isn't one of those all-too-rare live albums that show the bands' material in a new light and therefore improve your view of their catalogue. Still, there isn't anything wrong with this album, even if there isn't anything particularly special either. I can come up with three reasons why one might like to purchase this album. Numero uno: you like live albums and like to own at least one per artist (particularly if you have the rest of their studio albums). Numero two-o: you own the UK version of The Clash and are too cheap to buy the Greatest Hits and therefore you can listen to their early punk classics, albeit in live form. Numero three-o: Some of the songs are changed a little bit - Strummer takes the piss out of Sham 69 in the middle-bit of "Capital Radio" and the set closes with a drawn out, superior rendition of "Straight to Hell" (which I was listening to when I heard the Queen Mother had died, rather appropriately). Actually one reason not to buy this album is that they don't include a version of "Safe European Homes". Inconsiderate bastards. In fact nothing from Give 'em Enough Rope is included at all (although apart from "Safe European Homes" that ain't much of a problem). Like Super Black Market Clash the album is divided into two halves separating the punk songs and the London Calling onwards material which, rather neatly, gives the impression of the band playing two sets with an intermission. Of course, the second half begins with the band launching straight into "London Calling" which perfectly sets the mood, which is generally a bit darker compared with the youthful punk energy of the first half. The album opens with "Complete Control" from the American debut and it is a real stormer of a song. It ain't even the best of the bunch, though, as the gentle reggae of "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" is quite superb. (The bit in the middle where Strummer says "take it" and Jones takes over vocals is an inspired touch.) And just for kicks they even throw in a cover of the Who's "Can't Explain". Oh wait... that's actually their very own "Clash City Rockers". Still, that chord progression rocks soundly and even if it is a bit cheeky it remains a great song. The first half ends with their renowned (and good) cover of "I Fought the Law". From the debut they also do "Career Opportunities" which is bound to please me. Unfortunately they don't get the kid on-stage to sing it. Although they do get the omnipresent Mikey Dread out to sing on the unsettling "Armagedion Time". (Did he just hang round with the Clash 24-7 and contribute on cue?) Also on the second half of the set they manage to squeeze on a Sandinista! song: "The Magnificent Seven". It is perhaps improved upon slightly (I've never been wildly keen on the original) but surely there would be a better choice from Sandinista!? "Somebody Got Murdered", "Police on my Back" and "Up In Heaven", I think, would have been better choices. Apart from the exclusion of "Rock the Casbah" Combat Rock is perfectly represented with "Know Your Rights", "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and, as I've already mentioned, "Straight to Hell" included. The decision to end the album with "Straight to Hell" is certainly an odd one as it is hardly likely to rouse the crowd but it still seems to pay off (the bit when Strummer berates a member of the audience for singing out of tune is v. funny). As their best album London Calling is perhaps a little under-represented but at least Simonon gets to do "Guns of Brixton" and the two big hits ("Train in Vain" and the title track) are included. As for a bit of this clerical stuff, the songs are mainly taken from gigs in '78 and '82 with Terry Chimes playing those drum things on the '82 gigs (I presume Headon had quit by that stage). The sleeve-notes tell us that some of the performances were overdubbed in a studio ("due to technical imperfections"). I imagine most live albums do so but in a way I'd rather they hadn't owned up to it. To be fair, the overdubs were done in 1979 so at least you don't have to imagine the overweight and balding members of the band waddling into the studio in 1999 to patch up the recordings. The booklet also has quotes from people who either saw the Clash live or those that really wanted to and they all go on like it was the best experience in the world which, on this evidence, I find hard to believe. It seems more like a very good band knocking off their best tunes with guile and ease. Still a worthy addition to the Clash collection, however.

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Email me at: jackfeeny@yahoo.co.uk