Friday, April 27, 2007

REAL STUFF - THE CLASH


"THE PERFECT
ANECTDOTE TO DISCO -
AND SHITTY 1970'S
SOUTHERN ROCK MUSIC"


What would my youth be without the friggen Clash? I adore the Clash. The same cannot be said for Murray Head and the Village People... dat be fo sho.

It has been said that when CBS signed the CLash the entire Punk Movement... what little there was of it had died. But then re-issues were only two decades away and that magical period of music was extended so other future generations could enjoy it.

I know what your thinking.. "Where is Elvis Costello when you don't need him... " I almost drowned in the hot tub when I heard him and Bruce Springsteen doing, "London Calling" at the music awards for Joe Strummers salute.

This is how the song should have been done -- the first time -- rude and crude on the docks. The place where this was filmed was near Mick Jones flat at the time he later said. That area now is a heavy hotbed for a lot of AIDS in England -- or at least it was a few years ago.

.... I hate to be a pop culture snob but is this where Americans get the line, "GO IT ALONE" from? I mean seriously. Did anyone use that statement a few years ago? Since when did that phrase have to be inserted into every scenario?

* Single Parent? (what are you nuts? are you going to go it alone?)
* Single Entrepreneur? ( what are you insane? are you going to go it alone?)
* Doing your taxes alone? ( are you nutzoid? are you going to go it alone? )
Get the picture? Sick of it already?

I don't get into Ellen, Oprah and Rosie-speak. Its enough to gag a maggot.

But this line... I believe came from this song to some extent. This was never a popular phrase in the 80's. I should know, I was in the 80's and I actually remember seeing this video when it was on telelvision in 1979.

Good crikey.

This band started to emerge its own sound by the time this came out. It hardly sounded like the early Clash from the original UK release. There are a couple of CRAPPY tunes on the first one at first glance. But it pays to listen to it again a few times. That entire album really makes good sense. In fact, there really isn't a bad song on it. The timing of the songs are very revolutionary for its time. Keep in mind that these guys went head to head with Andy Gibb on the radio.

By the time London Calling came out it was a classic. These albums didn't exactly fly off the record shelves at Karl Grafs like rock critics would have you believe. In fact the double albums sort of sat there and collected dust FOR YEARS.... seriously. And do you know why?
BECAUSE THE CLASH DIDN'T HAVE ANY FRIGGEN AIRPLAY IN NEW YORK RADIO IN 1979. Thanks to ABC network and that idiot announcer on Good Morning America he had kids and parents terrified of Punk Rock..... YOu know that guy .. David Hartman.

It worked on me. I was sort of afraid to listen to these guys. As a kid I had to cut lawns so investing in something like a double album from the Clash was like.. A BIG DEAL. Especially when all I had to go on was the news media and skeptical parents. All I had to go on was the albums artwork pretty much.

But it was worth it. ITS AN INSTANT CLASSIC.

I may not win a lot of friends here by saying that i thought the rendition with Elvis Costello blew chunks. But I think it did. Seriously.
This is the way it should be done. DO IT.

Cantu 2007, posted by ProfitSecrets at April 28, 10:30 pm in walled lake, MI

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