Today, the Wall Street Journal's "Anatomy of a Song" series calls on the surviving members of the Clash for their thoughts on "London Calling," and it's a fascinating read. Did you know Joe Strummer's "seagull cries" were influenced by Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay?" Never heard that one. Read more
here.
The timing for this introspection is the impending 12-disc behemoth of Clash recordings,
"Sound System," coming out Sept. 10. This one is calling me. At nearly $200, however, I may not be able to answer.
Here's a classic from
'Live at Shea Stadium,' circa 1982.
Update: Sorry, folks. This link was yanked.
3 comments:
The Clash at Shea Stadium, basically my back yard growing up in Queens, was both a wonderful and a horrible thing.
Punk didn't and still to my mind doesn't, belong in stadiums - even if they weren't the headliner. This was the same place where bands like Grand Funk Railroad and, oh yeah, The Beatles played...not The Clash. But by 1982, this was a sign of success, breaking through to the masses, in the U.S. But at what cost was always in the back of my mind.
Probably a bit more horrible than wonderful, eh Echorich? When you're hearing about a band playing at Shea all of the way back in the cow pastures of Illinois, as I did with the Clash as a young pup, it must be over. Punk shouldn't be played on the same spot where Tom Seaver pitched.
So VERY true Brian, so very true...
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