The Clash
albums
The Clash’s songs were rally cries to change their surroundings or society itself. There was something about their attitude that made them sound like they could do anything, and each album dared to evolve into a brand new thing. Their debut came out in March of 1977, one of the first great British punk albums and a milestone for all rock music. After that they didn’t slow down they just slowly evolved: the modern 70’s tropes of Give EM enough Rope then led to the past style revisions of the encyclopedic London Calling. Not even a year after that double the length and you get Sandinista!, one of the most daring and adventurous albums ever made. By this 4th album, you could not call them “punk “ anymore but strangely I wouldn’t call them post-punk either. Rarely did they paint the way for futuristic sounds, they were more a celebration of what was already here and what came before, where they differed from many of their contemporaries- Wire, PIL, Pop Group, Pere Ubu, etc. By the time they made their last coherent record, Combat Rock, the sound went as old as Arabia (“Rock the casbah”) and the brill building/ Tin Pan alley eras of the 1940’s (“Should I stay or Go”).
An odd thing about The Clash too are people can really decide what the best or most defining songs are. Sure there were a couple of surefire hits in “Train in Vein” and “Should I Stay or Should I go”, but you will find as many finding the odd album tracks to be just as defining and you might even hear them more these days- to me it could be “Guns of Brixton”, Last Gang in Town”, “Straight to Hell”, “White Man in Hammersmith Palais” or “Deny” just as easily. Best of all, The Clash proved being ‘punk rock’ was/is about much more than being fast and loud, it is about being open minded and going against the norm. As they reached back into rock history to find their way forward, the band proved this was always true.
Band Members:
Joe Strummer (guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass, vocals), Mick Jones (guitar, vocals, 1976-83), Terry Chimes (drums, 1976-77, 1982), Keith Levene (guitar, 1976), Topper Headon (drums, vocals, 1977-82), Pete Howard (drums, 1983-86), Nick Sheppard (guitar, 1984-86), Vince White (guitar, 1984-86)
Best Album
The Clash 1977 self Titled
Biggest Influences
The Who, Sex Pistols, New York Dolls, The Wailers, Lee Perry, Junior Murvin, The Animals, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, MC5, The Ramones, Mott the Hoople
Albums Chronologically:
1977 – 96% - The Clash (’77)
1978 - 83% - Give 'Em Enough Rope
1979 - 92% - London Calling
1980 - 88% - Sandanista!
1982 – 72% - Combat Rock
1985 - 15% - Cut the Crap
1977
The Clash - 96%
Some albums serve as time capsules of what it felt like to be alive during that time, I don’t think any album in 1977 from Great Britain captures a “spirit” more than this one does. There is an energy, you can call it punk or whatever, that just flows through this thing that makes every single track stand out. Every song is blistering in some way, and most of them are played at breakneck speed. Joe Strummer is an amazing storyteller, as he half screams and half sings. Melody chimes through on the Mick Jones sung “Remote Control” with its militant guitar chords; “Hate and War” which manages to be a protest song but also kind of sweet sounding like a young man waving the peace flag; “Career Opportunities” which tells a story of working a normal job from all the offers that are not popping up, with such naivete it nearly jumps out of the speakers. Basically, a lot of this is like early The Who but played twice as fast and the R&B element removed.
But mainly, this album is about shockingly powerful songs that leave bruises along the way. “White Riot” describes a personal form of youthful rebellion (not related to anything racist, quite the opposite- you can do your own research); “London’s Burning” talks about the town is burning with ‘boredom’ and people need to wake up; “Garageland” harks back to their humble beginnings saying they started small and are now achieving their dreams. “Janie Jones” is a killer album opener, one of the best ever honestly, setting the stage for songs that make you want to get up and run around the room singing them- all these songs are very much call-to-arms and unlike almost any other band The Clash are about anthems. While there are no ballads per say here, there is a longer song- a six minute over of Junior Murvin’s reggae song “Police and Thieves”, that serves at showing their diversity and is a much needed respite with all the other punk songs (it is worth noting without this cover song, the album would be a bit under 30 minutes in length). Being ‘punk rock’ was/is about much more than being fast and loud, it is about being open minded and going against the norm.
Some underrated tunes only on the 77 album version are “What’s My Name” which has a great multi vocal chorus effect; “Cheat” which has an amazing guitar solo that uses the phaser effect like a kid who just got hold of the thing; “Deny” which contains more personal lyrics about how Strummer hates when people lie to him (maybe an ex-girlfriend?). Perhaps “Protex Blue” and “48 Hours” toward the end of the album are lesser tracks, but they still possess this same energy that is fairly unstoppable and because of that they work just fine for me. I don’t think there is one weak track on the entire album! Terry Chimes played drums here on his only Clash album appearance. In all the debut by The Clash in April of 1977 was one of the first real punk albums out of Britain and though all the players are very skilled, the haphazard nature of it makes you feel like you could make and album like this as well and a lot of work goes into albums to make them sound so effortless.
***Sidenote: there was a 1979 version of this album that many people had in my day, and the "war among friends" was which one is better- Clash UK 1977, or Clash USA 1979? Well obviously, the later one is heavily doctored, which killer singles added like 1978’s “White Man in Hammersmith Palais”, the cover of “I Fought the Law”, and their first two singles from 1976/77 “Clash City Rockers” and “Complete Control”. A couple of songs that really give the album character to me are left off this version, like “Deny”, “Cheat” and “Protex Blue”- taking some of the charm with them.
Best Songs: Janie Jones, Deny, Career Opportunities, Hate and War, London’s Burning
1978
Give 'em Enough Rope - 83%
Many people criticize the second Clash album for not sounding more like the debut, which I have always found as funny. Bands are allowed to evolve and grow, are they not? Bands should keep doing the same thing on every album? Yeah, I don’t think anyone would have really wanted just “The Clash pt. 2” Even with a group known for being one ‘thing’ like The Ramones – the closest USA contemporary – the Clash slowly evolves on each of their albums. The Clash were not a typical punk band in any way, they had too much in vested in politics, they had way more a of a sense of rock n roll history – especially rockabilly, The Who (“Guns on the Roof” is basically a remake of “I Can’t Explain”) and 70’s glam rock (“All the Young Punks” being an update on Mott the Hoople/David Bowies “All the Young Dudes”), and a growing admiration for African American music such as Reggae and the new burgeoning hip hop scene. The album was produced by famous Blue Oyster Cult alumni Sandy Pearlman, making it more of an emphasis on guitar solos and even dueling guitars. Jones and Strummer are great guitarists so that totally works in their favor, new drummer Topper Headon shines as well.
On this album, for the most part the band’s tempos are slowed down some but the attitude remains. “English Civil War” is obviously an update on “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” and it stays in that traditional remaking history pattern, and “Safe European Home” also sounds like many older surf rock tunes form the 1950’s or bubble gum tunes, betraying more of a power pop element. The strongest stretch of this album remains Gimme Enough Rope’s best longevity: “Last Gang in Town” breaking down barriers of rebellion, the aforementioned “Guns on the Roof”, the most traditional punk song here “Drug Stabbing Time” an obvious anti-drug song that manages to be another rallying cry; Mick Jones powerful childhood trauma tale “Stay Free” again crossing over into power pop melodies. The only songs that don’t work for me are the polished glam rock of “Cheapskates” or the silly diversion “Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad”, but again the ENERGY is sustained throughout the whole album just like the debut and the way the band is reaching in different directions remains fascinating. In my book, it’s not a sophomore slump at all, just more great rock music.
Best Songs: Last Gang in Town, Stay Free, Dug Stabbing Time, Guns on the Roof
1979
London Calling - 92%
For their 3rd album, The Clash has expanded their sonic palette to incorporate all different kinds of music history. Rockabilly, Jazz, Reggae, and old-fashioned rock n roll are all meshed together on one monolith of a record at 65 minutes. There are songs that trump most of anything they have done before, many of them in the stylings of Ska / reggae- “Rudie Can’t Fail” takes the sound of the Jamaican scene and incorporates it to British folk traditions, “Hateful” is an upbeat jaunt of a catchy tune which has a chorus to die for even though the topic may be drug addiction, “Guns of Brixton” is bassist Paul Simonon big contribution to the band’s legacy making an era defining original reggae song influenced by Peter Tosh and the Wailers but uniquely performed with a punk attitude- truly one of the best bass lines ever created. “London Calling”, the title track and first song, has an unmistakable chromatic chord chug made into an anthem once again by Strummer’s lyrics, wolf like howls, and the band’s dramatic rhythmic interplay.
On the pure rock n roll front, The Clash have stepped up the game- “I’m Not Down” is an easy classic that blend as a sort of glam rock with a rockabilly beat, “Spanish Bombs” incorporate a different language in a glorious way; “Four Horseman” is a beauty that switches tempo about halfway through, “The Right Profile” is a song obsessed with film star Montgomery Clift and in a way the vocal stylings of Broadway that Strummer and the piano player seem to perform more drunkenly as the song goes. “Death or Glory” is again influenced by The Who, a sort of power chord anthem among anthems that rank among the better rock n roll songs ever infused with their unique attitude. I could list songs until doomsday on here that have similar stylings of a full brass band and at times piano and strings that just make every thing sound so magical- “Card Cheat”, cover of Vince Taylor’s 1959 song “Brand New Cadillac”, the humorous “Koka Kola”, the powerful and world shaking guitars of “the Clampdwon”, and best of all the closer “Train in Vein” whose three chord riff sounds so simple I’m surprised it had not been done before. The lifeblood of rock music seems to have a heartbeat in this record.
Some people would say London Calling is one of the best albums ever made and it’s often the band’s first one mentioned. However it’s not my absolute favorite- that would be the self-titled The Clash debut – and some of these songs I still consider good but not great: “Jimmy Jazz” is ….fine for what it is…..but at the number three song it does not match the two openers or “Rudie Can’t Fail” / “Hateful” so it should probably have been later in the track listing. “Lost in the Supermarket" is a pleasant enough ditty by Jones but also has the unintentional funny lyric “Long distance callers make long distance calllls!” which I always laugh at a bit. “Wrong Em Boyo” and “Revolution Rock” are interesting ideas but both go on a little too long, and “Lover’s Rock” is always the song I skip, despite interesting lyrics about practicing safe sex. Still, at least 13 of these songs are stellar though, and the rest are worth a listen. Lyrically, The Clash again love to speak of inner politics as well as worldly ones- social justice as well as finding personal worth. These attributes would be massively influential on band’s that followed in the 80’s (Fugazi, Black Flag, Minutemen, Bad Brains, etc.)
So what we have is an era defining album of the 1970’s (barely, as it came out in the last part of December only in the U.K.) , encapsulating all that came before somewhat in music from the Elvis Presley mocking cover art to the varied instrumentation. It’s all about synthesis on London Calling, taking what came before and remaking it in the punk rock image. The attitude of the punk remains but the breadth of what the band attempts really is quite different and more “classic rock” then most other of their punk rock peers.
Best Songs: Rudie Can’t Fail, Four Horsemen, London Calling, Guns of Brixton, Hateful
1980
Sandinista! - 88%
So Sandinista is the most maligned Clash album, but I am here to say it’s also the most adventurous and rewarding in many ways. First off, it’s a Triple album released less than a year since the double album London Calling….which is crazy. Secondly its loaded with challenging life affirming music, 36 tracks of total experiments in “sound” from every genre possible that has ever existed before! This alone makes it one of the most ambitious albums ever made, and honestly as time goes on it holds up as one of the more successful ones. The Clash proved the punk music is about so much more by not stopping at just being angry and loud, but by fusing more genres together and making it sound fairly unified and extremely profound and endless exploration.
So you may ask, why do people resist it? Well, I can honestly say the only thing I can think of is some people aren’t really listening. Do some of the experiments fail? Sure, but they are few and far between and honestly most of them are on the final part of the record. It may help to break the record into thirds, taking it twelve songs at once (on Cd version like I first had it, it was on 2 cds). On the first album third, you obviously have the most accessible songs. “Hitsville U.K.” remains the most intriguing moment using female vocals (Ellen Foley) and backing vocals in unison with the lead with accompanying xylophone and almost a childlike nursery rhyme. The Topper Headon sung “Ivan Meets GI Joe” is a metaphor for the pending Cold War sung in an unassuming manner, where “Look Here” is a similar scattershot tale that is an old fashion jazz shuffle; both of these songs are overpowered by ‘noise’ from the background in fascinating ways. “Rebel Waltz” has disorienting echo effect on it, it makes it quite beautiful and magical. The more traditional Clash rockers exist in powerful fresco of “Something About England, chilling tale of “Somebody Got Murdered”, and the rap incorporating, bass driven “The Magnificent Seven” which is a song that could literally go on forever and I’d be ok with it. The reggae takeover on “Junco Partner” and especially “One More Time” make for classic songs in those genres, on par with anything from the Jamaican scene in its prime. The dub version of “One More Time Dub” highlights the way this album goes off in unpredictable directions, constantly dissecting itself.
On the Second album third of the record, we have the single ready “Lightning Strikes” a sort of fascinating disco version of “Guns of Brixton” from the previous record, the glorious heavenly guitars of Mick Jones’ “Up In Heaven” which stands as on of The Clash’s better songs overall, and of course the cover of the crowd chanting The Equals’ “Police on My Back” which the band makes their own for sure. “Midnight Log” shows their debt to Chuck Berry. “Corner Soul” is the most emotional song the band ever attempted and it totally works, with background singers that sound like they are coming from another dimension; it is maybe my favorite The Clash song ever. “Sound of Sinners” is a straight up gospel track and it is made a little funny because strummer doesn’t quite have the voice of say Al Green but it still works. “The Equalizer” is a dub song that seems to drift endlessly, ditto for “Broadway” which doesn’t do much for me and is far too long, “Washington Bullets” adds Caribbean notes and quotes the album’s title several times. In fact, sometimes even the great songs can go on a bit too long on Sandinista, a sign the band was really trying for that length.
On the third part of the album we have the Timon Dogg sung (and violin throughout the record) “Lose This Skin” a ballad that sounds like it’s embracing Arabic and Irish traditions at the same time. “Charlie Don’t Surf” blends surf rock and reggae in a humorous way that quotes Apocalypse Now which at the time had just become an instant classic movie. “Kingston Advice” is more classic Clash rocking despite the title. The rest of the album are pure experiments, where the band reaches into more avant-garde rock- the Frank Zappa collage elements of “Version City”, the backwards vocals and guitars of the magnificent “Mensforth Hill, the hilarious galloping vocals on the didactic “Junkie Slip”. As great as a lot of it is I won’t pretend to like a couple of failed experiments that were bound to happen: the children’s choir singing their old staple “Career opportunities”, “Living Version” and Street Parade” are perhaps just repeats of songs that came before them, and the last four songs on the album that don’t get mentioned very often for obvious reasons. Rarely is the album unalienable though, that is a rumor I always hope to dispel.
In many ways I count this album as three separate and interesting albums in their own right, each one making an impact and the first two being masterpieces in their own right while the third one is an interesting experiment that occasionally succeeds. Each album would be around 45 minutes in length, an average for rock albums of this time. Is it meant to be listened to all at once- probably not! It’s well over two hours long so only if you are on a long car ride or sitting around on a lazy Sunday soaking it all in. In all I count 25 to 29 good to great songs which is sooooo much better than it has any right to be. consistency wise, I can’t escape that there are some tracks that don’t work, but they are few and far between and this album in many ways is the groups most ambitious and best work. I could see that argument and Sandinista holds up as a powerful album full of the possibilities of what music can be and most importantly reaching towards the future of how to expand rock music.
Best Songs: Corner Soul, Up in Heaven, The Call Up, The Magnificent Seven, Hitsville U.K., Rebel Waltz, Mensforth Hill, Junkie Slip
1982
Combat Rock - 72%
After exhausting themselves with a double and triple album, the calmness and consciousness of Combat Rock is not too surprising. Really, the question would be where does one even go after those last two albums? While not a sell out at all, the pop sensibilities of the group definitely came to the forefront: the mega hit in old fashioned blues song “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” sung by Mick Jones was an expertly made power pop track; the Arabic influences hit an almost comical point in the Strummer shouted “Rock the Casbah” with had a nice groove despite bizarre rhythms and guitar playing. “Straight to Hell” would go on to be a very highly sampled song and it has a nice desert laid back vibe to it.
Really, despite the title and opening song the militant “Know Your Rights”, the whole album might be too laid back as some songs don’t make too much of an impression towards the end – true duds like the worst of Sandinista in “Death is a Star”, “Sean Flynn” and “Overpowered by Funk”. There are some hidden gems as “Atom Tan” which features odd vocals and saxophone and “Inoculated City” has a bit of meaning, but even the somewhat popular “Ghetto Defendant” I find overrated and not as good as singles around the time not included on an album at all (examples being “Armageddon Time” and “Bankrobber”). The Clash seemed on edge and futuristic on their previous albums but this one the band felt (rightly) worn out and it shows in the songwriting not being as consistent.
Best Songs: Should I Stay or Should I Go, Rock the Casbah, Straight to Hell
1985
Cut the Crap – 15%
So on Cut the Crap, we have an album similar to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s final album Mardi Gras (1972). Drummer Topper Headon left due to drug addictions and Mick Jones left or was kicked out and really landed square on his own with his group Big Audio Dynamite, so what was left was Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon with a bunch of new studio musicians. The production (by original manager Bernie Rhodes) might make this of the most ridiculous and awful 80s recordings imaginable. The songs are not the worst, but almost everything is ruined by cheap drum machines and synthesizers. To say this isn’t up to the standard of the band’s other work is an understatement. I would only recommend it if you were already a die hard and wanted the worst songs on Combat Rock or Sandinista look like masterpieces…..because compared to this album- they are. The people don’t lie on this one, there is not much redeemable at all. Oh and why is it twelve songs long….jesus christ. I do laugh though when I listen to it because of how bad it actually is…..it is not just the worst album by The Clash and a good reason fo the band ot havre broken up- it might be the worst album by a great band EVER!
Best Songs: This is England…..i guess??
Compilations
2013
Hits Back – 98%
This is probably the best compilation of The Clash’s music and where I would send someone who is just getting into the band. It’s tempting to want to go say “listen to the first 4 albums in order” because they are all worth hearing and era defining in their own way. But this compilation has a nice ebb and flow to it as its not merely chronological or not merely leaning on one era, it goes through the first 5 records and back again while collecting the important singles. Early singles not on an album- “Clash City Rockers” is a blast of pure energy that definitely was as good as anything on the debut album; “Complete Control” is one of the easily perfect tracks full of chanting and Who like power chords; “White Man in Hammersmith Palais” pulled out their first great reggae tune that was also blended perfectly blended with that awesome first chorus of rage and power while featuring a haunting falsetto harmony- one of their most perfect songs.
On the later reggae front we have ”Bankrobber” a more pure reggae effort which features Bob Dylan like storytelling, as well as “Armagideon Time” was in the same vein but much more tragic featuring the classic line, “a lot of people won’t get no justice tonight. Some songs feel like should have really been on an album and I am not sure why they weren’t, “This is Radio Clash” sounds like their merging of hip hop in the early 80’s while sampling “Rapper’s Delight” a little bit but of course featuring the yelping of Strummer at the most passionate. The selection of songs is of course pitch perfect- from easy picks like “Train in Vein”, “Janie Jones” and “London Calling” to more powerful album tracks like “The Call Up”, “Straight to Hell”, “Stay Free” and “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”. “1977” is missing, but that’s really about the only single not an album it misses. Its exactly two hours of The Clash’s music and while there is more to explore on their long, intricate albums, this should interest just about anyone interested in what punk rock has to offer.