The Clash "Cut the Crap" (1985)

Cut the Crap
release date: Nov. 1985
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Jose Unidos (aka Bernie Rhodes)
label: Epic Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Are You Red..Y" - 7. "This Is England" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Three Card Trick" (4 / 5) - 11. "North and South" (4 / 5)

6th and final studio album by The Clash. Yes, this is officially the last studio album by the British punk rock pioneers, The Clash, but to fans and with all due respect to the original line-up, the last 'real' release was Combat Rock (1982). After that, things completely fell apart for the band. The band's drummer, Topper Headon, was expelled from the band as he failed to stop his (heroin) drug addiction, and in 1983 Strummer and Mick Jones (fellow-founder, co-writer, guitarist, vocalist) failed to work with one another (Strummer / Jones signature is one regarded on par with Lennon / McCartney), and bassist Paul Simonon and Strummer ended their co-work with Jones by writing and sending a notice to the press informing that Mick Jones was no longer part of The Clash. With three brand new band members, Cut the Crap was an attempt to return to their original punk-rock roots that brought them fame. However, the heavy production sound, the simple chorus chants, and the bold use of drum machines and synthesizers (allegedly, added to Strummer's scarse demos) could not obscure the fact that good songs were missing. The album has three, including one exceptional, fine Strummer tracks (co-written with Bernard Rhodes, manager), but all in all, it's not a very good album. Before the release, I remember hearing the track "This Is England", and I thought "Wow, this sounds great!!", and I was really looking forward to the new album, but the four highlights (from a 13 track album), are all you get on this one. The reception was not good. The press criticised the music, and fans ignored it, and in early 1986, less than half a year after the release of what had been intended as "a return to basics", The Clash officially disbanded.
Mich Jones had already embarked on the Big Audio Dynamite project founded in '84, Paul Simonon joined Havana 3.A.M., and Joe Strummer found work as an actor before finally initiating a fine solo career.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Blender 1 / 5 stars ]

The Clash "Combat Rock" (1982)

Combat Rock
release date: May 14, 1982
format: vinyl (CBS 85570) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Glyn Johns, The Clash
label CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Know Your Rights" - 2. "Car Jamming" (4 / 5) - 3. "Should I Stay or Should I Go" (4 / 5) - 4. "Rock the Casbah" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Red Angel Dragnet" - 6. "Straight to Hell" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Atom Tan" - 9. "Sean Flynn" - 10. "Ghetto Defendant" (feat. Allen Ginsberg) - 11. "Inoculated City" (4 / 5)

5th and final 'real' The Clash studio album, as two of the original members left the band after this. This was the first of their albums that I bought immediately upon its release. I found it good but not great. In hindsight, I believe it's better than then, but at the time everyone just wanted something like London Calling again, and not all that reggae or rock & roll inspired stuff that they had been engaged with. Yes, punk rock had been declared dead shortly after I came to know of its existence, which was around 1980. I loved the catchy and energetic punk and garage rock of the late 1970s and at the same time found that the funky synth rock of "Rock the Casbah" was the best song, although it's far from what you'd normally associate with The Clash. The song became the band's biggest commercial success. Today, I still think it's a great song but frankly, find that "Straight to Hell" is the best song of the album. The album has a strong rebellious attitude and many of the lyrics underline the band's unique status with something meaningful on their mind, like self-appointed spokesmen of the poor, the homeless, and everyone else who'd be struggling to get by in a world occupied by the capitalist plague. It's also a band you'd always find 'politicising' almost everything, which in this case, I only mean in the most positive way. The album is not their strongest and neither their worst, but as is the case with The Clash: when they're bad, they're still better than most.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5, Rolling Stone, Blender 4 / 5 stars ]

The Clash "Radio Clash" (1981) (single)

Radio Clash, 12'' single
release date: Nov. 20, 1981
format: vinyl (CBSA 12.1797)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: The Clash
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "This Is a Radio Clash") - 2. "Radio Clash" - - B) 1. "Outside Broadcast" - 2. "Radio 5"
[ all tracks ]

Single release by The Clash. Despite the different track names, all tracks are actually remixes of the same track. The A-side of the 12'' are identical versions of the two tracks found on the 7'' single issue. Nationally, the single didn't perform too well, topping at number #47 on the singles chart list. Highest position was at number #9 on the Swedish chart list.

Ellen Foley "Spirit of St. Louis" (1981)

Spirit of St. Louis
release date: Mar. 1981
format: vinyl
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Mick Jones
label: Epic / Cleveland International - nationality: USA

2nd studio album by American singer an actress Ellen Foley. The album is produced by Mick Jones of The Clash, who was her then romantic affair. Foley had participated as background vocalist on the triple album Sandinista! (1980) by The Clash, and for Foley, Mick Jones and Joe Strummer have composed half of the album's twelve tracks and together with the two remaining members of The Clash, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon, they are all featuring musicians on all tracks.

The Clash "Sandinista!" (1980)

Sandinista!
release date: Dec. 12, 1980
format: vinyl 3 lp (CBS 66363) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,74]
producer: Mickey Dread, The Clash
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "The Magnificent Seven" (4 / 5) - 3. "Junco Partner" - 4. "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" - 5. "The Leader" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Rebel Waltz" - 3. "The Crooked Beat" - 4. "Somebody Got Murdered" (4 / 5) - 5. "One More Time" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "One More Dub" - - C) 1. "Lighting Strikes (Not Once But Twice)" - 2. "Up in Heaven (Not Only Here)" (4 / 5) - 3. "Corner Soul" (4 / 5) - 4. "Let's Go Crazy" (4,5 / 5) - - D) 1. "Police on My Back" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "The Equaliser" - 4. "The Call Up" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Washington Bullets" - - E) 1. "Lose This Skin" - 2. "Charlie Don't Surf" (4 / 5) - 4. "Junkie Slip" - 5. "Kingston Advice" - - F) 1. "Version City" - 3. "Silicone on Sapphire" - 4. "Version Pardner"
[ full album playlist ]

4th studio album by The Clash is a triple vinyl album introducing the band's perhaps most radical work of art. If London Calling is acclaimed for its daring huge blend of styles, then this should simply be the best album of all times, if ever that was enough to make great music. With this, The Clash has composed music in punk rock, rockabilly, jazz rock, reggae, dub, post-punk, rock & roll, experimental rock and several tracks with no familiar style to label it with. It was tremendously daring to release an album of this sort - at this point of time. My initial feelings towards the album undoubtedly were shaped by disappointment and delusion. "Where were the great punk songs? What was wrong with punk rock?", I thought. I had only just discovered punk rock - loved it, and then this! From one of my absolute favourite bands! For the first 5 years, I felt they could have released a great regular album using 10-15 tracks from this abundance of... 36 [!]. But it's an album, I have only come to like and enjoy more and more over the years. Today, I'm close to handing it 4 / 5 stars, and then, back in '81, I would probably have handed it 2 / 5 - maybe 2,5 'cause it is The Clash after all. Yes, they could have scraped everything away, all the experiments with styles and genres and released a hell of an album, but this is so... much fun. I think, in the future this could be on par with the works of Mozart, Stravinsky or other major classical composers' work 'cause it's really unlike anything else, and not just that. There are so many layers here that once you find into the substance / the essence, it will keep you entertained for years and perhaps decades. Critics have also been divided on this - and they still are. I think, the album fits perfectly on any best of lists comprising the most valuable, most important albums of all time. Because 'best' is such a defining label. How about the importance of an album instead of just 'best'? This would be nominated for exactly such a prize.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

The Clash "Black Market Clash" (1980)

Black Market Clash (compilation)
release date: Nov. 1980
format: vinyl (12EXP-304) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,07]
producer: Mickey Foote; The Clash; Mickey Dread
label: Epic Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Capital Radio One" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Prisoner" (4 / 5) - 3. "Pressure Drop" (5 / 5) (alt. version) - 4. "Cheat" (4 / 5) - 5. "City of the Dead" (5 / 5) - 6. "Time Is Tight" (3 / 5) - - B) 1. "Bankrobber / Robber Dub" (4 / 5) - 2. "Armagideon Time" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Justice Tonight / Kick It Over" (4 / 5)

Compilation album by The Clash only for the North American market issued by Epic Records (sub-label of CBS Records). Most of the tracks had been issued as B-sides to single releases for the UK and European market only. The decision to release it only one month before the band's third studio album, the triple lp Sandinista!, may seem a bit strange, but that release was postponed until Jan. 1981 on the American continent, and Black Market Clash wasn't released in Europe until 1991. I found the 12'' vinyl at my local record store (the first US issues were 10'' vinyl), as an import item back in 1983 or '84. At first, I thought of it as a non-official release, as no-one really new of it. Back then, The Clash was huge, although Sandinista! was a bit of a peculiar experience / development in sound. I remember that I was quite fond of this one, and primarily saw it as an album that linked the epic London Calling (1979) and Sandinista! rather nicely.
Over the years, I have come to appreciate it even more. In the early '80s, I had some difficulty in getting along with reggae and many punk rock and ska revival artists' honouring and trying out the genre. A lot of punk and new wave artists had to do some reggae track sooner or later, and often with little success. But The Clash didn't just try it, they combined, mixed, and altered the original Jamaican style into a new blend. Actually, many of the new ska revival bands played a British version that was close to rocksteady and Jamaican ska, but The Clash was more reggae-minded in a more experimental way using dub in nearly all their reggae inspired tracks. "Pressure Drop" is originally by Toots & The Maytals but The Clash completely changed the track into a more energetic punk rock AND reggae song, which is amazing. The original song IS really great, and it's only a mystery how Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert never was hailed as much as Bob Marley. Joe Strummer's vocal is characteristically crisp as ever, and the harmonic Strummer / Jones backing vocals are just top-notch together with tight but also reggae styled guitar, bass and drums. Half of the tracks are in the reggae dub category, and the other half is punk rock as in 'Best The Clash way possible'. The album was reissued as "Super Black Market Clash" (1993) with 21 tracks but that issue seems way to uneven, and some of the best tracks from the original release are strangely omitted.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

[ collectors' item ]

The Clash "London Calling" (1979)

London Calling
release date: Dec. 14, 1979
format: vinyl 2 lp (CBS 88478) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,68]
producer: Guy Stevens, Mick Jones
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "London Calling" (5 / 5) (live) - 4. "Hateful" (5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Spanish Bombs" (5 / 5) - 3. "Lost in the Supermarket" (5 / 5) - 5. "The Guns of Brixton" (4,5 / 5) - - C) 2. "Death or Glory" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "The Card Cheat" (4,5 / 5) - - D) 1. "Lover's Rock" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Four Horseman" (4 / 5) - 3. "I'm Not Down" (4 / 5) - 4. "Revolution Rock" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Train in Vain" (5 / 5) (live)

3rd studio album by The Clash is a double vinyl album regarded as the band's best album. The style has evolved to a more quiet, subdued punk rock combined with ska, reggae, rockabilly / rock & roll, and jazz. Almost all tracks are co-written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, commonly known with Strummer as the lyricist and Jones as the musical composer - sometimes vice-versa. I recall, buying the album one or perhaps two years after its release, and the album was for a period of time, my most beloved album, although, this was at a time with so much new music coming to my attention that it was hard to keep an album as favourite for more than a few weeks. I really loved the energy of the punk rock era, and was of the impression that this was not entirely as great as Give 'Em Enough Rope, which I till this day still feel. The album was, and still is, considered a milestone of modern rock. Some claim that it's the first real post-punk album in the sense that a genuine punk rock band explores and incorporates other styles and genres from a punk rock perspective. The album is enlisted at the very top of numerous best of lists comprising the best albums of all time, and naturally, it's also in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
btw.: The front cover design is inspired by the debut album (1956) by Elvis Presley.
[ allmusic.com, Sputnikmusic, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

1979 Favourite releases: 1. Joy Division Unknown Pleasures - 2. The Jam Setting Sons - 3. The Clash London Calling

"Collector's item".
[ from €30,- ]

BEST OF 1978:The Clash "Give 'Em Enough Rope" (1978)

Give 'Em Enough Rope
release date: Nov. 10, 1978
format: vinyl (reissue - CBS 82431) / cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,87]
producer: Sandy Pearlman
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Safe European Home" (5 / 5) - 2. "English Civil War" (4 / 5) - 3. "Tommy Gun" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Last Gang in Town" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Guns on the Roof" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Drug-Stabbing Time" (4 / 5) - 3. "Stay Free" (5 / 5) - 4. "Cheapskates" (4 / 5) - 5. "All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts)" (4,5 / 5)
[ full album ]

2nd studio album release by The Clash, who went through a change of line-up after releasing its debut album as drummer Terry Chimes left and was replaced by Topper Headon (aka Nicholas Bowen Headon).
Somehow this was never credited as much as the debut album (1977) or as the highly praised successor, London Calling (1979). This is however, my favourite The Clash album, and I‘m very very close to rate the other two just as high as this one but here’s why. The debut album of '77 has of course a special status in punk rock and popular music history. The songs were raw, intense, and energetic but [... trying to say something negative about it] also much alike [whoo... careful now!], and then there’s the production aspect. Some would argue and say: “It’s punk rock you daft e-diot! Not friggin’ George Miiikel!!” Right, eh I get the point, but... even so, I think the debut has a (shallow) poor production sound compared to this one. And it’s a bit funny mentioning the production side because at the time this one was all brand new, people claimed that the production was too heavy, and way too 'polished', meaning too traditional rock related, and simply not punk rock enough. At that time that meant: not ugly enough, and not contrary to what else is around, which of course was a HUGE part of being correct 'punk'. The only pit fall about this argument is a focus on form and style instead of sound, lyrics and music - in essence what making music is all about! Anyway, compared to the punk rock iconic London Calling, my only negative remark about that is that it’s a little... weak [listen, I just said 'weak' about one of my favourite albums]. 'WEAK!???' Sorry, now don’t sue me. I love this band and that album is on my desert islands' list, I’m just trying to make a tiny little point here as to why I prefer Enough Rope, Okay?! Easy, for heaven's and Joe's sake - bless his soul wherever he enlightens everything. What I mean about 'weak' is that London Calling is not really a pure punk rock album altogether but more of a great pop / rock and rock album with some really fine pop / rock songs. It's songs like “The Right Profile”, “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”, “Koka Kola”, “Lover’s Rock”, “I’m Not Down” - all of which are just a wee bit too nice and sweet [stylistically, not lyrically, mind you!] and I end up skipping them in the (considerably) long run.
In my mind, Give 'Em Enough Rope has no weak spots - so that’s why... there you have it - it’s simply G R E A T. < period >
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

1978 Favourite releases: 1. The Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope - 2. The Jam All Mod Cons - 3. Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town

The Clash "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" (1978) (single)

"Black" cover

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais, 7'' single
release date: Jun. 17, 1978
format: vinyl (CBS 6384)
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,33]
producer: The Clash
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" (4,5 / 5) - - B) "The Prisoner" (4 / 5)

Single release by The Clash. A great single with two tracks that are not on either the debut album nor the '78 studio album. The A-side track however appears on the US version of the debut album, which wasn't released until 1979 (with a very different track list but almost identical cover) after their actual second album Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978). The B-side track also appears on the compilation ep Black Market Clash (1980). Both tracks show how reggae was a major source of inspiration for The Clash and songwriter Joe Strummer.

       

"Yellow"    
alt cover     

"Green"
alt cover 

"Blue"
alt cover 

The Clash "Complete Control" (1977) (single)

Complete Control, 7'' single
release date: Sep. 23, 1977
format: vinyl (CBS 5664)
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,45]
producer: Lee Perry and Mickey Foote
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Complete Control" (4,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "City of the Dead" (4,5 / 5)

Single release by The Clash, who has now changed to their most famous line-up as Tory Chimes from May '77 has been replaced by Topper Headon. The A-side track is not released on any of the official studio albums except for the '79 US version of the debut album (the track "Remote Control" is a different track from the debut). The B-side appears on the reggae and ska revival-styled compilation ep Black Market Clash (1980).

The Clash "The Clash" (1977)

The Clash [debut]
release date: Apr. 8, 1977
format: vinyl (CBS 82000) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,32]
producer: Mickey Foote
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Janie Jones" (4 / 5) - 2. "Remote Control" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "I'm so Bored With the USA" - 4. "White Riot" - 5. "Hate & War" (4 / 5) - 6. "What's My Name?" - 7. "Deny" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "London's Burning" (live) - 9. "Career Opportunities" (live) - 10. "Cheat" - 11. "Protex Blue" - 12. "Police & Thieves" (4,5 / 5) - 13. "48 Hours" (4 / 5) - 14. "Garageland" (4 / 5) (live)

Studio debut album by British punk rock quartet The Clash consisting of Joe Strummer (aka John Graham Mellor) and Mick Jones (aka Michael Geoffrey Jones) both on vocals and guitars, Paul Simonon (aka Paul Gustave Simonon) on bass and with Tory Crimes (aka Terry Chimes) on drums. Actually, drummer Chimes had left the band in Nov. '76 before the band signing with CBS (Jan. '77), but he was brought back to the recording sessions but eventually replaced by Topper Headon.

This album has a special status in the history of punk rock. Unfortunately, I only listened to this around 1980, after discovering London Calling (1979), which was the first album, I purchased and listened to by The Clash. At the time, I thought, this was great, it still is, but the production is poor and the songs are much alike [Gee, I never thought I'd hear myself say that.]. I know punk rock is very much like similar, but still.... I think, Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978) just offers more than poor sound and 3-chords kicking away. Having said that, this is one of the best and most important of the original punk rock albums ever made. Imho, Sex Pistols never made it to this level of musical creativity or skills.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

1977 Favourite releases: 1. Ramones Rocket to Russia - 2. The Clash The Clash - 3. The Jam In the City