Joe Strummer Dead at Fifty

Rolling Stone ^ | 12/23/2002 | BILL CRANDALL

[Britton J Wingfield]

Damn... When I missed him playing here last year I thought, "Oh well, I'll catch him next tour."

:(

[Britton J Wingfield]

ping

[Britton J Wingfield]

From National Review Online, The Corner

JOE STRUMMER, RIP [Jim Robbins]

I was sad to see that Joe Strummer had died. I was a fan of the Clash from early on, even before they were on commercial radio. There were a lot of politically motivated punk bands I was into back then (e.g. the Gang of Four and the Dead Kennedys) because, despite their ideological bent, they could crank out great tunes. I used to take heat from Lefties who objected to me enjoying the music while not buying (and frequently mocking) the political message. They thought these bands were popular because of their social relevance. But most kids just wanted to dance. And the biggest Clash hits, like "Train in Vain" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go" had nothing to do with politics. And the first song over the airwaves of the US Armed Forces radio station set up in Saudi to bolster troop morale in the weeks leading up to Desert Storm was "Rock the Casbah." (Note that in November 2001, Strummer came out strongly against the 9/11 terrorists, stating: "I think you have to grow up and realize that we're facing religious fanatics who would kill everyone in the world who doesn't do what they say. The more time you give them the more bombs they'll get.")

Now, decades after the Clash hit the scene, the Revolution is a youthful ideal spoken of with some embarrassment by our radical contemporaries, and punk rock sells luxury cars. Be sure to check out "Brand New Cadillac" on London Calling, which may be coming to a TV commercial someday soon, not to mention being one of my all time favorite songs to play louder than the neighbors would like.

[RepoGirl]

Damn... When I missed him playing here last year I thought, "Oh well, I'll catch him next tour."

Isn't that always the way? I gave up my one chance to see Joe Strummer play a few years ago in Boston, and now I'm kicking myself. Instead, I waste my money seeing the Misfits M25 tour ... fat Jerry Only preening for the audience, and no sign of his little brother Doyle...

Sigh... this sure came as a shock to me. Combat Rock was the big album during my freshman year of high school, and since, the Clash has always been one of my favorite bands.

First Joey, then Dee Dee... and now Joe Strummer... all I can think is the house band in Heaven has gotten just a tad edgier in the last few years.

Rest in piece, Joe...

[xrp]

Welcome to 7 hours ago. This has already been posted, TWICE. Try using the search feature before you post an OBVIOUS news story.

[AdA$tra]

I guess we finally know the answer to the question: "Should I stay or should I go?"

[Britton J Wingfield]

The word "Strummer" returned nothing from the search engine. Bite me.

[Rummyfan]

Strummer came out strongly against the 9/11 terrorists, stating: "I think you have to grow up and realize that we're facing religious fanatics who would kill everyone in the world who doesn't do what they say. The more time you give them the more bombs they'll get."

Bump for Joe Strummer! One artist who got it! Just picked up a copy of LONDON CALLING a couple of weeks ago and will have to give a listen tonight in memory of.....

[Mensch]

I loved no band better than the Clash. I saw them at the US festival back in 83. What a crappy venue, I suffered chokeing smog, San Berdoo heat, and a crowd of clueless California rubes to see them, and only them.

[Mensch]

A half-million clueless Californian rubes!

[dfwgator]

The Clash, a lefty band that even righties could like.

[SBprone]

He was very funny in Mystery Train.

[Kevin Curry]

. . . the house band in Heaven

Not sure that would be Strummer's style.

He was a Marxist. Maybe his soul will migrate to the gulag archipelago.

[Walkin Man]

THE CLASH
Rock The Casbah

Now the king told the boogie men
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin' to the top
The sheik he drove his Cadillac
He went a-cruisin' down the ville
The muezzin was a' standing
On the radiator grille

CHORUS:
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah

By order of the prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy Casbah sound
But the Bedouin they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar picking thumb
As soon as the shareef
Had cleared the square
They began to wail

CHORUS

Now over at the temple
Oh! They really pack 'em in
The in crowd say it's cool
To dig this chanting thing
But as the wind changed direction
The temple band took five
The crowd caught a whiff
Of that crazy Casbah jive

CHORUS

The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way

As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to
The cockpit radio blare

As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

CHORUS

He thinks it's not kosher
Fundamentally he can't take it
You know he really hates it

[RepoGirl]

Maybe his soul will migrate to the gulag archipelago.

LOL! That's a very good point you raise!

[wku man]

"The Clash, a lefty band that even righties could like."

How very, very true. I guess The Clash appealed to the small "l" libertarian in me, especially "Complete Control". Man, this is totally sad. Another of my musical heroes gone. I really dread the day Paul Westerberg goes.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Rocko]

At least I was fortunate enough to see The Clash (post-Mick Jones) once.

I've always regretted never seeing Elvis or The Ramones.

[Rocko]

Another bump.

[Tribune7]

Bite me.

He may be dead but his spirit lives on! :-)

[visualops]

saw this on the news and felt at once sad and older....