JOE STRUMMER-1988

I know what my regular readers are thinking: "Are you sick? Crazy? You just launched a new site, and your first post had nothing to do with The Clash!"

The Clash were the greatest rock and roll band ever. Bar none. When I see Strummer/Jones after a song listing, I'm far more excited than if I see Jagger/Richards or Lennon/McCartney. Because the Clash didn't choose between love songs and politics, and they weren't idealists. They sang about what was real. They were geopolitical gangsta rockers, punks with incredible skill and control, and true men who could write lovingly about the pain and perils facing the Earth.

On this site, we celebrate The Clash regularly. This is the first such post on Berkeley Place Indie.

Joe Strummer at the Amnesty Festival, Milton Keynes Bowl 16.6.88.

This isn't the greatest quality ever, but it is pretty good, and it features Joe's fantastic solo band, The Latino Rockabilly War, who played with him on the great "Straight to Hell" soundtrack, with Zander Schloss on lead guitar and Willie McNeill beating the skins. As usual, a few tastes and a zip. I especially recommend the versions of Police and Thieves and Love of the Common People.

Tracklisting:

Police and Thieves
Junco Partner
Nothin Bout Nothin
Love Kills
Police and Thieves
Love of the Common People
Ubangi Stomp
Brand New Cadilac
Armagideon Time
Trash City
I Fought the Law