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Interview
by SashaS
22-12-2002
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| Joe 'The Clash-man' Strummer |
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The Clash-man re-cometh
In memoriam: Joe Strummer
The tragic news of Joe Strummer’s passing leaves a huge hole in anyone’s life touched by the punk uprising in the 1970’s Britain. Even a few years earlier, when he was a member of the seminal pub-rocking 101ers... The Damned might have been the first to release a punk-single but it would be The Clash’s ‘White Riot’ (1977) to lead the gobbing-generation into more meaningful global awareness and hook everyone on reggae.
It is tough to explain to people who haven’t lived through a turbulent, counter-cultural time such as punk rock but it was monumental, truly life changing. The Clash were in front, the brains to The Sex Pistols’ heart of the ‘movement’ and the only band that lived up to its principals: never appearing on ToTP or reforming, despite constant offers of millions each… But, Strummer once told me that, if there were such offers, he’d never get to hear any due to his management thinking it not worth his attention.
Born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey, in 1952, the son of a British diplomat, he began his musical career playing with rock-classics covers band The 101ers. He put together The Clash in 1976 with Mick Jones and bassist Paul Simonon, later joined by Topper Headon on drums, the band many regard as the most important to burst from the ’70s punk explosion. Always political and edgy, their third album, ‘London Calling’, a double LP, is one of their finest/all-time great rock releases.
After the Clash’s split in mid-1980s, Strummer continued making music with a variety of projects, including a stint with the Pogues. His current band was Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros that continued to reflect the man’s fine penchant for World music. This unique artisan also had a DJ spot on the BBC World Services.
J. Strummer: 21 Aug. ’52 – 22 Dec. ’02
* * * * * *
Legends grow, stories persist. A long time ago there was a band that spelt London, The Clash. Its reputation is impeccable (they never appeared on ToTP) and legacy undisputed but rumours of the band reforming are as regular as seasons of the year.
One of The Clash’s frontman, Joe Strummer is busy with his Mescaleros - Scott Shields, Martin Slattery, Pablo Cook and new member but old Strummer comrade Tymon Dogg (writer of ‘Lose This Skin’ on The Clash’s ‘Sandinista!’ album) – that recently released ‘Global A Go-Go’, the follow-up to 1999’s ‘Rock Art And The X-Ray Style’.
As the title of the new album indicates, it is an eclectic journey through several genres delivered with Strummer’s trademark impassioned vocals. But, it might not have happened…
“‘Rock Art...’ didn’t pay for itself so, in the real world, the labels (Epitaph and Hellcat) had all the right in the world to say, ‘Well, thanks mate but we don’t fancy losing our shirt and trousers.’ But they’ve decided to provide financial support and I feel we’ve repaid them by delivering a really decent record. Our deal is one-offs, repeated by mutual agreement. That’s the downside to the agreement but not a bad thing either. This situation really suits me and my ambition is to release albums until they start paying for itself. I’m aiming at that because I wouldn’t want them to go ‘Sorry mate, we’re not interested’ and then to be pushed into doing mail order or selling online.”
Nihilism is the new optimism
When punk happened The Sex Pistols were its face but its passionate heart belonged to The Clash. The focus of it, more than his partner-in-chords, Mick Jones, was Joe Strummer who has lately added another string to his bow: as well as music making he plays it on the BBC’s World Service radio, an experience which gave the new album its title. The former John Mellor, born in Turkey on account of his father being a diplomat, appears to have mellowed out in his middle age. (He turned 49 in August.)
“Well, over the years I’ve realised,” Strummer’s stance is still punk, “that you can only sloganeer when a) you’re young, b) you’re stupid or c) you’re young and stupid. I fitted the ‘c’ category because I was very certain about everything. That’s what makes getting older much more interesting; it all becomes complex and you can no longer see in that ‘This is right and this is wrong’ mode, you realise that nothing is simply black or white. It’s good to become aware of all the colours in between. It’s like becoming a realist after a long spell of nihilism.”
New realisations, courage to admit ignorance, supposedly a fresh bout of tolerance, it seems the maturing is doing nicely…
“Yeah, I’m getting older and, hopefully, wiser but that is something that a lot of people would consider to be impossible in my case. When you reach certain age you really start to understand how much you don’t know and the clear-cut attitudes of your youth simply appear like a very simplified way of looking at the world. That’s the arrogance of teenage-years and the feeling that you are inheriting the world, you are misguided in thinking you could change it. Well, not really… If at all, just a tiny bit.”
Sounds of the city
The Clash were the sound of London – and in spite of Gerry Rafferty’s lame ‘Streets Of London’ being often cited as the best song about the British capital – their ‘London Calling’ (1979) really captures the spirit of the city on the go. The whole Clash opus is a big burden to bear that ever so-often is revived with stories that the band were offered enormous amounts of money to reform, the latest being 1 billion dollars; any truth in them?
“I hear the rumours myself and often wonder who starts them,” Strummer shakes his head. ”I’ve never been officially offered any amount of money and if somebody really offered us 1 billion dollars, I’d certainly think about it. I’m not saying we’d reform if such huge amount of money was offered to us, but it would be tempting.”
And subject to be approved by his bosses; Strummer has added another entry to his CV, DJ-ing for the BBC’s World Service.
“Yeah, and it is fun,” Strummer smiles. “I simply play records and keep chatting to a minimum but it makes you start thinking about the whole world at once because it’s so weird being on a radio station that can be heard all over the world at once. I find it an endlessly entertaining thought to be addressing the world audience. But, it is not playing live that is the best part of being in a band. All creativity has been sorted and all we have to do is play the songs to people. There is an instant rapport and you can see which songs are really working and which are not. There is no better validation of one’s work.”
Joe received the Q-magazine ‘Inspiration Award’ in London earlier this month. Looking pleased, he admitted ‘My first ever award!’ and went on to thank The Clash member’s individually.
(Originally published 19 Nov. 2001)
SashaS
22-12-2002
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros’ album ‘Global A Go-Go’ is out now on Hellcat/Epitaph
‘The Essential Clash’ CD and DVD compilations are out on Sony
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