The Clash | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The Sex Pistols may have been the first British punk rock band, but the Clash were the definitive British punk rockers. Where the Pistols were nihilistic, the Clash were fiery and idealistic, charged with righteousness and a leftist political ideology. From the outset, the band was more musically adventurous, expanding its hard rock & roll with reggae, dub, and rockabilly among other roots musics. Furthermore, they were blessed with two exceptional songwriters in Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, each with a distinctive voice and style. The Clash copped heavily from classic outlaw imagery, positioning themselves as rebels with a cause. As a result, they won a passionately devoted following on both sides of the Atlantic. While they became rock & roll heroes in the U.K., second only to the Jam in terms of popularity, it took the Clash several years to break into the American market, and when they finally did in 1982, they imploded several months later. Though the Clash never became the superstars they always threatened to become, they restored passion and protest to rock & roll. For a while, they really did seem like "the only band that mattered." For a band that constantly sang about revolution and the working class, the Clash had surprisingly traditional roots. Joe Strummer (born John Graham Mellor, August 21, 1952) had spent most of his childhood in boarding school. By the time he was in his early twenties, he had busked on the streets of London and had formed a pub rock band called the 101ers. Around the same time, Mick Jones (born June 26, 1955) was leading a hard rock group called the London SS. Unlike Strummer, Jones came from a working-class background in Brixton. Throughout his teens, he was fascinated with rock & roll, and he had formed the London SS with the intent of replicating the hard-driving sound of Mott the Hoople and Faces. Jones childhood friend Paul Simonon (born December 15, 1956) joined the group as a bassist in 1976 after hearing the Sex Pistols; he replaced Tony James, who would later join Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. At the time, the band also featured drummer Tory Crimes (born Terry Chimes), who had recently replaced Topper Headon (born Nicky Headon, May 30, 1955). After witnessing the Sex Pistols in concert, Joe Strummer decided to break up the 101ers in early 1976 in order to pursue a new, harder-edged musical direction. He left the band just before their first single, "Keys to Your Heart," was released. Along with fellow 101er guitarist Keith Levene, Strummer joined the revamped London SS, now renamed the Clash. The Clash performed its first concert in the summer of 1976, supporting the Sex Pistols in London. Levene left the band shortly afterward. Hiring Bernard Rhodes -- a former business associate of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren -- as their manager, the Clash set out on the Pistols notorious Anarchy Tour late in 1976. Though only three concerts were performed on the tour, it nevertheless raised the Clashs profile and the band secured a record contract in February of 1977 with British CBS. Over the course of three weekends, the group recorded their debut album. Once the sessions were completed, Terry Chimes left the group, and Headon came aboard as the bands drummer. In the spring, the Clashs first single, "White Riot," and eponymous debut album were released to great critical acclaim and sales in the U.K., peaking at number 12 on the charts. The American division of CBS decided The Clash wasnt fit for radio play, so it decided not to release the album. The import of the record became the largest-selling import of all time. Shortly after the U.K. release of The Clash, the band set out on the whirlwind White Riot tour supported by the Jam and the Buzzcocks; the tour was highlighted by a date at Londons Rainbow Theatre, where the audience tore the seats out of the venue. During the White Riot tour, CBS pulled "Remote Control" off the album as a single, and as a response, the Clash recorded "Complete Control" with reggae icon Lee "Scratch" Perry. Throughout 1977, Strummer and Jones were in and out of jail for a myriad of minor indiscretions, ranging from vandalism to stealing a pillowcase, while Simonon and Headon were arrested for shooting racing pigeons with an air gun. The Clashs outlaw image was bolstered considerably by such events, but the band also began to branch out into social activism, such as headlining a Rock Against Racism concert. Released in the summer of 1978, the single "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" demonstrated the bands growing social consciousness. Shortly after the single peaked at number 32, the Clash began working on their second album with producer Sandy Pearlman, a former member of Blue Öyster Cult. Pearlman gave Give Em Enough Rope a clean but powerful sound designed to break the American market. While that didnt happen -- the album peaked at 128 on the U.S. charts in the spring of 1979 -- the record became an enormous hit in Britain, debuting at number two on the charts. Early in 1979, the Clash began their first American tour, entitled "Pearl Harbor 79." That summer, the band released the U.K.-only EP The Cost of Living, which featured a cover of the Bobby Fuller Fours "I Fought the Law." Following the later summer release of The Clash in America, the group set out on its second U.S. tour, hiring Mickey Gallagher of Ian Durys Blockheads as a keyboardist. On both of their U.S. tours, the Clash had R&B; acts like Bo Diddley, Sam & Dave, Lee Dorsey, and Screamin Jay Hawkins support them, as well as neo-traditionalist country-rocker Joe Ely and the punk rockabilly band the Cramps. The choice of supporting acts indicated that the Clash were becoming fascinated with older rock & roll and all of its legends. That fascination became the driving force behind their breakthrough double album, London Calling. Produced by Guy Stevens, who formerly worked with Mott the Hoople, London Calling boasted an array of styles, ranging from rockabilly and New Orleans R&B; to anthemic hard rock and reggae. Retailing at the price of a single album, the record debuted at number nine on the U.K. charts in late 1979 and climbed to number 27 on the U.S. charts in the spring of 1980. The Clash successfully toured the U.S., the U.K., and Europe in early 1980, during which time the pseudo-documentary Rude Boy was released in England. During the summer, the band released the Dutch-only, dub-inflected single "Bankrobber," which they recorded with DJ Mikey Dread; by the fall, the British branch of CBS was forced to release the single due to popular demand. Shortly afterward, the band went to New York to begin the tension-filled, self-produced sessions for their follow-up to London Calling. In November, a U.S.-only EP of odds and ends entitled Black Market Clash was released. The following month, the triple-record set Sandinista! appeared in the U.K. and the U.S. The critical reaction to the album was decidedly mixed, with American critics reacting more favorably than their British counterparts. Furthermore, the bands audience in the U.K. was shrinking slightly -- Sandinista! was the first record the group released that sold more copies in the U.S. than the U.K. After spending much of 1981 touring and resting, the Clash reconvened late in the year to record their fifth album with producer Glyn Johns, a former engineer/producer for the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Led Zeppelin. Headon left the band shortly after the sessions finished; the press statement said he parted with the group due to political differences, but it was later revealed that the split was due to his heavy drug use. The band replaced Headon with their old drummer, Terry Chimes, around the spring release of Combat Rock. The album was the Clashs most commercially successful effort, entering the U.K. charts at number two and climbing into the American Top Ten in early 1983, thanks to the Top Ten hit single "Rock the Casbah." During the fall of 1982, the Clash opened for the Who on their farewell tour. Though the tour helped Combat Rock scale the U.S. charts, the Clash were routinely booed off the stage on every date of the tour. Although the Clash were at the height of their commercial powers in 1983, the band was beginning fall apart. Chimes was fired in the spring and was replaced by Pete Howard, formerly of Cold Fish. During the summer, the band headlined the U.S. Festival in California; it would be their last major appearance. In September, Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon fired Mick Jones because he "drifted apart from the original idea of the Clash." Jones formed Big Audio Dynamite the following year, while the Clash hired guitarists Vince White and Nick Sheppard to fill his vacancy. Throughout 1984, the band toured America and Europe, testing the new lineup. The revamped Clash finally released their first album, Cut the Crap, in November. The album was greeted with overwhelmingly poor reviews and sales; it would later be disowned by Strummer and Simonon. Early in 1986, Strummer and Simonon decided to permanently disband the Clash. Several years later, Simonon formed the roots rock band Havana 3 A.M., which released only one album, in 1991; following the records release, he concentrated on painting. After reuniting with Jones to write songs for Big Audio Dynamites second album, 1986s No. 10 Upping Street, Strummer drifted between a musical and film career, appearing in Alex Coxs Straight to Hell (1986) and Jim Jarmuschs Mystery Train (1989). He also scored Permanent Record (1988) and Coxs Walker (1987). Strummer released a solo album, Earthquake Weather, in 1989. Shortly afterward, he joined the Pogues as a touring rhythm guitarist and vocalist. By 1991, he had quietly drifted away from the spotlight. For the remainder of the decade, Strummer was quiet, appearing on only one other recording -- Black Grapes 1996 Top Ten hit "Englands Irie." Though Strummer and Simonon were both quiet, and Jones was busy with various incarnations of Big Audio Dynamite, rumors of a Clash reunion continued to circulate throughout the 90s. When "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" appeared in a Levis television commercial in 1992, the song was re-released in the U.K. by CBS, and it shot to number one, fueling reunion speculation. The rumors appeared again in 1995 and 1996, when the Sex Pistols decided to reunite, but the Clash remained quiet. Live: From Here to Eternity, assembling material recorded between 1978 and 1982, was released in 1999, shortly followed by the documentary film Westway to the World. The Clash were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November 2002 and the group were making plans to reunite to commemorate the event that following spring when Strummer suddenly died from a congenital heart defect on December 22, 2002. In the wake of his passing, the Clash were inducted into the Hall in March of 2003 and then quietly tabled any plans for a reunion. Over the next decade, both Jones and Simonon were musically active. Jones produced both albums by the acclaimed rock group the Libertines -- who themselves bore a distinct debt to the Clash -- and Simonon teamed with Blurs Damon Albarn for the 2007 band the Good, The Bad & The Queen. This project lead to a Jones and Simonon reunion under the auspices of Albarns group Gorillaz; the pair both performed on the 2010 album Plastic Beach and then they both appeared on the supporting tour, marking the first time they shared the stage since the Clash. In 2013, the group announced a major archival project called Sound System containing new remasters of the bands first five albums, three additional CDs of rarities, singles, and demos, plus a DVD. Along with the box set came a new compilation called The Clash Hits Back, which mimicked the sequence of their July 19, 1982 set list at the Brixton Fair Deal. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 21 Title: The Clash Released: 1977-04-08 Tracks: 14 Duration: 35:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Janie Jones (02:06) 2 Remote Control (03:02) 3 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25) 4 White Riot (01:59) 5 Hate & War (02:05) 6 What’s My Name (01:41) 7 Deny (03:06) 8 London’s Burning (02:10) 9 Career Opportunities (01:53) 10 Cheat (02:06) 11 Protex Blue (01:47) 12 Police & Thieves (06:01) 13 48 Hours (01:36) 14 Garageland (03:12) |
| The Clash : Allmusic album Review : Never Mind the Bollocks may have appeared revolutionary, but the Clashs eponymous debut album was pure, unadulterated rage and fury, fueled by passion for both rock & roll and revolution. Though the cliché about punk rock was that the bands couldnt play, the key to the Clash is that although they gave that illusion, they really could play -- hard. The charging, relentless rhythms, primitive three-chord rockers, and the poor sound quality give the album a nervy, vital energy. Joe Strummers slurred wails perfectly compliment the edgy rock, while Mick Jones clearer singing and charged guitar breaks make his numbers righteously anthemic. Even at this early stage, the Clash were experimenting with reggae, most notably on the Junior Murvin cover "Police & Thieves" and the extraordinary "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais," which was one of five tracks added to the American edition of The Clash. "Deny," "Protex Blue," "Cheat," and "48 Hours" were removed from the British edition and replaced for the U.S. release with the British-only singles "Complete Control," "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais," "Clash City Rockers," "I Fought the Law," and "Jail Guitar Doors," all of which were stronger than the items they replaced. Though the sequencing and selection were slightly different, the core of the album remained the same, and each song retained its power individually. Few punk songs expressed anger quite as bracingly as "White Riot," "Im So Bored with the U.S.A.," "Career Opportunities," and "Londons Burning," and their power is all the more incredible today. Rock & roll is rarely as edgy, invigorating, and sonically revolutionary as The Clash. [In 2000, Columbia/Legacy reissued and remastered the album to include the U.K. songs.] | ||
 | Album: 2 of 21 Title: Give ’Em Enough Rope Released: 1978-11-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Safe European Home (03:50) 2 English Civil War (02:35) 3 Tommy Gun (03:17) 4 Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad (03:03) 5 Last Gang in Town (05:14) 6 Guns on the Roof (03:15) 7 Drug‐Stabbing Time (03:43) 8 Stay Free (03:40) 9 Cheapskates (03:25) 10 All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts) (04:55) |
| Give ’Em Enough Rope : Allmusic album Review : For their second album, the Clash worked with the American hard rock producer Sandy Pearlman, best-known for his work with Blue Öyster Cult and the Dictators. The teaming was quite controversial within the punk community, and the sound of Give Em Enough Rope is considerably cleaner, yet the more direct sound hardly tamed the Clash. While the record doesnt burn with the same intense, amateurish energy of The Clash, it does have a big, forceful sound that is nearly as powerful. What keeps Give Em Enough Rope from being a classic is its slightly inconsistent material. Many of the songs are outright classics, particularly the first half of the record ("Safe European Home," "English Civil War," "Tommy Gun," "Julies Been Working for the Drug Squad") and "Stay Free," but the group loses some momentum toward the end of the record. Even with such flaws, Give Em Enough Rope ranks as one of the strongest albums of the punk era. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 21 Title: London Calling Released: 1979-12-14 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:05:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 London Calling (03:20) 2 Brand New Cadillac (02:10) 3 Jimmy Jazz (03:55) 4 Hateful (02:46) 5 Rudie Can’t Fail (03:30) 6 Spanish Bombs (03:20) 7 The Right Profile (03:57) 8 Lost in the Supermarket (03:49) 9 Clampdown (03:50) 10 The Guns of Brixton (03:12) 1 Wrong ’Em Boyo (03:13) 2 Death or Glory (03:57) 3 Koka Kola (01:49) 4 The Card Cheat (03:53) 5 Lover’s Rock (04:05) 6 Four Horsemen (02:57) 7 I’m Not Down (03:07) 8 Revolution Rock (05:37) 9 Train in Vain (03:11) |
| London Calling : Allmusic album Review : Give Em Enough Rope, for all of its many attributes, was essentially a holding pattern for the Clash, but the double-album London Calling is a remarkable leap forward, incorporating the punk aesthetic into rock & roll mythology and roots music. Before, the Clash had experimented with reggae, but that was no preparation for the dizzying array of styles on London Calling. Theres punk and reggae, but theres also rockabilly, ska, New Orleans R&B, pop, lounge jazz, and hard rock; and while the record isnt tied together by a specific theme, its eclecticism and anthemic punk function as a rallying call. While many of the songs -- particularly "London Calling," "Spanish Bombs," and "The Guns of Brixton" -- are explicitly political, by acknowledging no boundaries the music itself is political and revolutionary. But it is also invigorating, rocking harder and with more purpose than most albums, let alone double albums. Over the course of the record, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones (and Paul Simonon, who wrote "The Guns of Brixton") explore their familiar themes of working-class rebellion and antiestablishment rants, but they also tie them in to old rock & roll traditions and myths, whether its rockabilly greasers or "Stagger Lee," as well as mavericks like doomed actor Montgomery Clift. The result is a stunning statement of purpose and one of the greatest rock & roll albums ever recorded. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 21 Title: Black Market Clash Released: 1980 Tracks: 9 Duration: 34:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Capital Radio One (02:09) 2 The Prisoner (03:00) 3 Pressure Drop (03:30) 4 Cheat (02:06) 5 City of the Dead (02:25) 6 Time Is Tight (04:05) 7 Bankrobber / Robber Dub (06:18) 8 Armagideon Time (03:51) 9 Justice Tonight / Kick It Over (07:00) |
| Black Market Clash : Allmusic album Review : An odds-and-sods assortment from the Clash archives, featuring various singles and B-sides of some note. Well worth hearing, though an updated version was released later as Super Black Market Clash. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 21 Title: Sandinista! Released: 1980-12-12 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:20:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 2 Hitsville U.K. (04:21) 3 Junco Partner (04:52) 4 Ivan Meets G.I. Joe (03:05) 5 The Leader (01:42) 6 Something About England (03:42) 7 Rebel Waltz (03:25) 8 Look Here (02:45) 9 The Crooked Beat (05:28) 10 Somebody Got Murdered (03:34) 11 One More Time (03:32) 12 One More Dub (03:35) 1 Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice) (04:50) 2 Up in Heaven (Not Only Here) (04:32) 3 Corner Soul (02:42) 4 Let’s Go Crazy (04:24) 5 If Music Could Talk (04:36) 6 The Sound of Sinners (04:01) 7 Lose This Skin (05:07) 8 Charlie Don’t Surf (04:54) 9 Mensforth Hill (03:42) 10 Junkie Slip (02:48) 11 Kingston Advice (02:37) 12 The Street Parade (03:27) 1 Lose This Skin (05:07) 2 Charlie Don’t Surf (04:54) 3 Mensforth Hill (03:42) 4 Junkie Slip (02:48) 5 Kingston Advice (02:37) 6 The Street Parade (03:27) 7 Version City (04:23) 8 Living in Fame (04:52) 9 Silicone on Sapphire (04:14) 10 Version Pardner (05:23) 11 Career Opportunities (02:30) 12 Shepherds Delight (03:25) |
| Sandinista! : Allmusic album Review : The Clash sounded like they could do anything on London Calling. For its triple-album follow-up, Sandinista!, they tried to do everything, adding dub, rap, gospel, and even childrens choruses to the punk, reggae, R&B, and roots rock they already were playing. Instead of presenting a band with a far-reaching vision, like London Calling did, Sandinista! plays as a messy, confused jumble, which means that its numerous virtues are easy to ignore. Amid all the dub experiments, backward tracks, unfinished songs, and instrumentals, there are a number of classic Clash songs that rank among the bands best, including "Police on My Back," "The Call Up," "Somebody Got Murdered," "Charlie Dont Surf," "Hitsville U.K.," and "Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice)," yet its difficult for anyone but the most dedicated listeners to find them. A few of the failed ideas were worth exploring, but even more -- like the childrens choir version of "Career Opportunities" or the Tymon Dogg song "Lose This Skin" -- werent even worth pursuing. As the cliché says, theres a great single album within these three records, and those songs make Sandinista! worthwhile. Nevertheless, its sloppy attack is disheartening after the tour de force of London Calling and the focused aggression of The Clash. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 21 Title: Combat Rock Released: 1982-05-14 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Know Your Rights (03:42) 2 Car Jamming (04:01) 3 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 4 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 5 Red Angel Dragnet (03:46) 6 Straight to Hell (05:31) 7 Overpowered by Funk (04:54) 8 Atom Tan (02:31) 9 Sean Flynn (04:33) 10 Ghetto Defendant (04:44) 11 Inoculated City (02:15) 12 Death Is a Star (03:10) |
| Combat Rock : Allmusic album Review : On the surface of things, Combat Rock appears to be a retreat from the sprawling stylistic explorations of London Calling and Sandinista! The pounding arena rock of "Should I Stay or Should I Go" makes the Clash sound like an arena rock band, and much of the album boasts a muscular, heavy sound courtesy of producer Glyn Johns. But things arent quite that simple. Combat Rock contains heavy flirtations with rap, funk, and reggae, and it even has a cameo by poet Allen Ginsberg -- if this album is, as it has often been claimed, the Clashs sellout effort, its a very strange way to sell out. Even with the infectious, dance-inflected new wave pop of "Rock the Casbah" leading the way, there arent many overt attempts at crossover success, mainly because the group is tearing in two separate directions. Mick Jones wants the Clash to inherit the Whos righteous arena rock stance, and Joe Strummer wants to forge ahead into black music. The result is an album that is nearly as inconsistent as Sandinista!, even though its finest moments -- "Should I Stay or Should I Go," "Rock the Casbah," "Straight to Hell" -- illustrate why the Clash were able to reach a larger audience than ever before with the record. [In 2000 Columbia/Legacy reissued and remastered Combat Rock.] | ||
 | Album: 7 of 21 Title: Cut the Crap Released: 1985-11-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 38:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dictator (03:02) 2 Dirty Punk (03:11) 3 We Are the Clash (03:04) 4 Are You Red..y (03:02) 5 Cool Under Heat (03:24) 6 Movers and Shakers (03:03) 7 This Is England (03:53) 8 Three Card Trick (03:11) 9 Play to Win (03:09) 10 Fingerpoppin’ (03:25) 11 North and South (03:32) 12 Life Is Wild (02:39) |
| Cut the Crap : Allmusic album Review : Hoping to keep the Clash as a raw punk phenomenon, Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon kicked Mick Jones out of the band following the success of Combat Rock, hiring three unknowns (Nick Sheppard, Pete Howard, and Vince White) to replace him for Cut the Crap. As the title suggests, the group attempts to get back to its roots by sticking to short, fast, hard punk songs. Unfortunately, they sound like a parody of a classic punk band -- with the exception of the surprisingly nervy "This Is England," this is all formulaic, tired punk rock that doesnt have the aggression or purpose of early Clash records, let alone the hardcore punk that the new band was now competing with. Its a sad end to one of the greatest rock & roll bands, not even offering much of interest for the dedicated fans. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 21 Title: The Story of The Clash, Volume 1 Released: 1988-03 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:40:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Magnificent Seven (04:29) 2 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 3 This Is Radio Clash (04:11) 4 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 5 Straight to Hell (05:31) 6 Armagideon Time (03:51) 7 Clampdown (03:50) 8 Train in Vain (03:12) 9 The Guns of Brixton (03:12) 10 I Fought the Law (02:41) 11 Somebody Got Murdered (03:34) 12 Lost in the Supermarket (03:49) 13 Bankrobber (04:33) 1 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (03:59) 2 London’s Burning (02:10) 3 Janie Jones (02:06) 4 Tommy Gun (03:17) 5 Complete Control (03:14) 6 Capital Radio (05:19) 7 White Riot (01:59) 8 Career Opportunities (01:53) 9 Clash City Rockers (03:49) 10 Safe European Home (03:50) 11 Stay Free (03:40) 12 London Calling (03:20) 13 Spanish Bombs (03:20) 14 English Civil War (02:35) 15 Police & Thieves (06:01) |
| The Story of The Clash, Volume 1 : Allmusic album Review : In some ways, the double-disc, 28-track compilation The Story of the Clash, Vol. 1 does its job quite well -- if the job is indeed presenting a relatively thorough overview for casual fans. The great majority of the bands hits and signature tunes are here, including album tracks and such non-LP singles as "Bankrobber," "Armagideon Time," and "Capital Radio," albeit in nonchronological order. While there may be many worthy tunes missing, nothing here is undeserving of inclusion, and its expansive method of operation works in its favor, since it hints at the richness of the Clashs music. After all, its no great loss to have such official singles as "Hitsville U.K." missing, since there are some extraordinary album tracks included. Still, the compilation is a little problematic. Not because the music isnt great -- its so great that the rather bewildering sequencing does nothing to dilute its power -- but because its hard to tell who needs this compilation, apart from complete neophytes. Granted, in 1988 it marked the first CD release of this music, but since the appearance of The Singles, Super Black Market Clash, and the comprehensive box set Clash on Broadway, no diehard need own it, unless they need the otherwise unavailable edits of such songs as "The Magnificent Seven" that are included here in lieu of the full-length originals. For novices, its not a bad introduction at all, but its sort of like a set of training wheels on a bicycle. Still, as training wheels go, its about the best Clash compilation out there since it draws a fuller picture than The Singles and is more manageable than Clash on Broadway. Of course, jumping in with The Clash or London Calling is just as effective an introduction. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 21 Title: Crucial Music: The Clash Collection Released: 1989 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Clash City Rockers (03:54) 2 Police & Thieves (05:56) 3 Tommy Gun (03:15) 4 Stay Free (03:36) 5 Safe European Home (03:50) 6 Train in Vain (03:08) 7 Clampdown (03:49) 8 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 9 Police on My Back (03:15) 10 Straight to Hell (05:27) |
 | Album: 10 of 21 Title: 1977 Revisited Released: 1990-02-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 24:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 1977 (01:41) 2 London’s Burning (02:10) 3 Deny (03:00) 4 Cheat (02:01) 5 48 Hours (01:36) 6 Protex Blue (01:47) 7 Groovy Times (03:30) 8 Gates of the West (03:26) 9 1‐2 Crush on You (02:56) 10 Stop the World (02:32) |
| 1977 Revisited : Allmusic album Review : Save for 1980s incomplete 10" vinyl Epic Nu-Disk compilation Black Market Clash, 1977 Revisited was the first cost-efficient way for North American Clash fans to get their hands on the bands B-sides. With liner notes by veteran rock scribe Ira Robbins, this 1990 compilation -- coming six years after the demise of the only band that mattered -- gave amazing tunes like the Dylan-derived "Groovy Times" and the Mick Jones-sung anthem "Gates of the West" stateside availability. Aside from those non-LP tracks (culled from 1979s The Cost of Living EP), the sugary pop blast of "1-2 Crush on You" showed an early, accessible side of the group. Some of this material was repeated on the 1991 box set The Clash on Broadway, and the ten-song disc was ultimately deleted in favor of 1994s expanded Super Black Market Clash. This short-lived collection on the Relativity label is a concise, near-perfect assortment of the only flip sides that mattered. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 21 Title: The Singles Released: 1991 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:04:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 White Riot (02:00) 2 Remote Control (03:02) 3 Complete Control (03:14) 4 Clash City Rockers (03:49) 5 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (04:01) 6 Tommy Gun (03:17) 7 English Civil War (02:35) 8 I Fought the Law (02:41) 9 London Calling (03:20) 10 Train in Vain (03:11) 11 Bankrobber (04:33) 12 The Call Up (05:27) 13 Hitsville U.K. (04:21) 14 The Magnificent Seven (04:29) 15 This Is Radio Clash (04:11) 16 Know Your Rights (03:42) 17 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 18 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) |
| The Singles : Allmusic album Review : The Singles is exactly what the title says -- a collection of the Clashs U.K. single A-sides. This approach can hardly result in a definitive compilation, since the Clashs albums were such cohesive, important works in their own right, and even more erratic LPs like Sandinista! and Combat Rock had their share of fine album tracks. Nevertheless, the collection does have some value, particularly for more casual fans who dont want to spend the time or money sifting through those uneven albums. And because the best way to hear the Clash is on their original albums, The Singles can also be useful for fans who already own those albums and dont want to purchase the three-disc Clash on Broadway, thereby duplicating a good portion of their collection. The Singles does illustrate the progression of the Clashs music from raw, energetic punk to eclectic dabblings in rockabilly, reggae, and dance-rock (even if it doesnt do so as seamlessly as London Calling), and so far, it is the only single-disc Clash comp to feature the original version of the non-LP single "Bankrobber" (the one on Super Black Market Clash is a dub version with most of the lyrics missing). So, the utility of The Singles all depends on how deeply you want to dig into the Clash, and how much tolerance you have for duplication in the compilations necessary for supplementing the original albums (if your tolerance is high, stick with the more thorough Clash on Broadway). | ||
 | Album: 12 of 21 Title: The Collection Released: 1991 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:11:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Clash City Rockers (03:48) 2 Career Opportunities (01:51) 3 Police and Thieves (05:59) 4 White Riot (01:58) 5 Capital Radio One (05:19) 6 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (04:00) 7 The Prisoner (03:00) 8 Safe European Home (03:49) 9 Tommy Gun (03:15) 10 Garage Land (03:12) 11 This Is Radio Clash (04:09) 12 The Guns of Brixton (03:11) 13 London Calling (03:19) 14 Spanish Bombs (03:19) 15 This Is England (03:52) 16 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:07) 17 I Fought the Law (02:39) 18 Know Your Rights (03:39) 19 Rock the Casbah (03:40) 20 The Magnificent Seven (04:28) |
 | Album: 13 of 21 Title: Il grande rock: The Clash Released: 1991 Tracks: 13 Duration: 47:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 London’s Burning (02:12) 2 Police & Thieves (05:57) 3 Tommy Gun (03:16) 4 London Calling (03:20) 5 Spanish Bombs (03:19) 6 Death or Glory (03:58) 7 I Fought the Law (02:41) 8 Lover’s Rock (04:05) 9 Police on My Back (03:14) 10 Junco Partner (04:52) 11 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 12 Jimmy Jazz (03:56) 13 Rock the Casbah (03:39) |
 | Album: 14 of 21 Title: Clash on Broadway Released: 1991-11-19 Tracks: 64 Duration: 3:35:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Janie Jones (demo) (02:11) 2 Career Opportunities (demo) (01:58) 3 White Riot (01:59) 4 1977 (01:41) 5 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25) 6 Hate & War (02:05) 7 What’s My Name (01:41) 8 Deny (03:06) 9 London’s Burning (02:10) 10 Protex Blue (01:47) 11 Police & Thieves (06:01) 12 48 Hours (01:36) 13 Cheat (02:06) 14 Garageland (03:12) 15 Capital Radio One (02:09) 16 Complete Control (03:14) 17 Clash City Rockers (03:49) 18 City of the Dead (02:22) 19 Jail Guitar Doors (03:05) 20 The Prisoner (03:00) 21 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (04:01) 22 Pressure Drop (03:26) 23 1‐2 Crush on You (03:01) 24 English Civil War (live) (02:41) 25 I Fought the Law (live) (02:26) 1 Safe European Home (03:50) 2 Tommy Gun (03:17) 3 Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad (03:03) 4 Stay Free (03:40) 5 One Emotion (04:41) 6 Groovy Times (03:30) 7 Gates of the West (03:27) 8 Armagideon Time (03:51) 9 London Calling (03:20) 10 Brand New Cadillac (02:10) 11 Rudie Can’t Fail (03:30) 12 The Guns of Brixton (03:12) 13 Spanish Bombs (03:20) 14 Lost in the Supermarket (03:49) 15 The Right Profile (03:57) 16 The Card Cheat (03:53) 17 Death or Glory (03:57) 18 Clampdown (03:50) 19 Train in Vain (03:11) 20 Bankrobber (04:33) 1 Police on My Back (03:16) 2 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 3 The Leader (01:42) 4 The Call Up (05:27) 5 Somebody Got Murdered (03:34) 6 Washington Bullets (03:51) 7 Broadway (04:57) 8 Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice) (live) (03:38) 9 Every Little Bit Hurts (04:36) 10 Stop the World (02:32) 11 Midnight to Stevens (04:39) 12 This Is Radio Clash (04:11) 13 Cool Confusion (03:15) 14 Red Angel Dragnet (edited version) (03:25) 15 Ghetto Defendant (edited version) (04:16) 16 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 17 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 18 Straight to Hell (unedited version) (06:56) 19 The Street Parade (03:18) |
| Clash on Broadway : Allmusic album Review : Clash on Broadway is a fine triple-disc, 63-song box set covering the Clashs entire career. Although there are very few rarities, it does include all of the bands important songs, including cuts that were only available on EPs, singles, and B-sides. As a result, its a useful box set even for dedicated fans, presenting the bands evolution in a logical fashion. Nevertheless, compilations dont always suit the Clash well because The Clash and London Calling were powerful individual works in their own right, and hearing them cut up in this fashion alters their impact. Even so, for anyone looking for one set illustrating why the Clash were a great, important, and influential band, Clash on Broadway explains exactly why. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 21 Title: Super Black Market Clash Released: 1993 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:17:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 1977 (01:41) 2 Listen (02:42) 3 Jail Guitar Doors (03:05) 4 City of the Dead (02:22) 5 The Prisoner (03:00) 6 Pressure Drop (03:26) 7 1‐2 Crush on You (02:56) 8 Groovy Times (03:30) 9 Gates of the West (03:27) 10 Capital Radio Two (03:19) 11 Time Is Tight (04:05) 12 Justice Tonight / Kick It Over (08:53) 13 Robber Dub (04:39) 14 The Cool Out (03:53) 15 Stop the World (02:32) 16 The Magnificent Dance (05:36) 17 Radio Clash (04:10) 18 First Night Back in London (02:59) 19 Long Time Jerk (02:56) 20 Cool Confusion (03:15) 21 Mustapha Dance (04:25) |
| Super Black Market Clash : Allmusic album Review : An expanded version of the Black Market Clash EP, Super Black Market Clash adds assorted singles and remixes to the original recording but actually omits several that were on the original EP ("Capital Radio One," "Cheat," "Bank Robber," and "Armagideon Time"). A couple of tracks arent that interesting, but the majority of the disc is splendid, featuring some of the bands best but unfortunately overlooked tracks, including "The Prisoner," "Gates of the West," and "Capital Radio." | ||
 | Album: 16 of 21 Title: The Essential Clash Released: 2003-03-10 Tracks: 41 Duration: 2:19:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 White Riot (02:00) 2 1977 (01:41) 3 London’s Burning (02:10) 4 Complete Control (03:14) 5 Clash City Rockers (03:49) 6 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25) 7 Career Opportunities (01:53) 8 Hate & War (02:05) 9 Cheat (02:06) 10 Police & Thieves (06:01) 11 Janie Jones (02:06) 12 Garageland (03:12) 13 Capital Radio One (02:09) 14 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (04:01) 15 English Civil War (02:35) 16 Tommy Gun (03:17) 17 Safe European Home (03:50) 18 Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad (03:03) 19 Stay Free (03:40) 20 Groovy Times (03:30) 21 I Fought the Law (02:41) 1 London Calling (03:20) 2 The Guns of Brixton (03:10) 3 Clampdown (03:49) 4 Rudie Can’t Fail (03:28) 5 Lost in the Supermarket (03:47) 6 Jimmy Jazz (03:55) 7 Train in Vain (03:10) 8 Bankrobber (04:33) 9 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 10 Ivan Meets G.I Joe (03:11) 11 Stop the World (02:32) 12 Somebody Got Murdered (03:35) 13 The Street Parade (03:28) 14 Broadway (04:56) 15 This Is Radio Clash (04:10) 16 Ghetto Defendant (04:44) 17 Rock the Casbah (03:41) 18 Straight to Hell (05:30) 19 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 20 This Is England (03:51) |
| The Essential Clash : Allmusic album Review : Some would argue that if you only wanted two Clash discs in your collection, you should skip this 40-track overview and pick up The Clash and London Calling instead. No matter how transcendent those two albums are -- and they are among the very greatest popular music of the 20th century -- that overlooks the fact that the group had many, many great songs not on either album, including "Safe European Home," "Stay Free," "Bankrobber," "Rock the Casbah," "Straight to Hell," "This Is Radio Clash," and "Should I Stay or Should I Go," to begin with. Thats where this 2003 compilation comes in. It fills in many of the gaps between those two records, while summarizing The Clash and London Calling well, providing a first-rate overview of the greatest punk band. Its not quite perfect, however: some great singles and B-sides fall through the cracks (notably "Gates of the West," "Jail Guitar Doors," "The Call Up," "Armagedion Time," "The Prisoner," "Protex Blue") and the Sandinista! selections feel nearly as haphazard as the album itself. Nevertheless, this does provide the best, most extensive and logical overview of the band yet assembled, and its worthwhile not just as an introduction, but as a terrific listen. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 21 Title: The Clash / Give ’Em Enough Rope Released: 2007-10-01 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:20:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Clash City Rockers (03:49) 2 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25) 3 Remote Control (03:02) 4 Complete Control (03:14) 5 White Riot (02:00) 6 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (04:01) 7 London’s Burning (02:10) 8 I Fought the Law (02:41) 9 Janie Jones (02:06) 10 Career Opportunities (01:53) 11 What’s My Name (01:41) 12 Hate & War (02:05) 13 Police & Thieves (06:01) 14 Jail Guitar Doors (03:05) 15 Garageland (03:12) 1 Safe European Home (03:50) 2 English Civil War (02:35) 3 Tommy Gun (03:17) 4 Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad (03:03) 5 Last Gang in Town (05:14) 6 Guns on the Roof (03:15) 7 Drug‐Stabbing Time (03:43) 8 Stay Free (03:40) 9 Cheapskates (03:25) 10 All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts) (04:55) |
 | Album: 18 of 21 Title: London Calling / Combat Rock Released: 2010-10-30 Tracks: 31 Duration: 1:52:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 London Calling (03:20) 2 Brand New Cadillac (02:10) 3 Jimmy Jazz (03:55) 4 Hateful (02:46) 5 Rudie Can’t Fail (03:30) 6 Spanish Bombs (03:20) 7 The Right Profile (03:57) 8 Lost in the Supermarket (03:49) 9 Clampdown (03:50) 10 The Guns of Brixton (03:12) 11 Wrong ’Em Boyo (03:13) 12 Death or Glory (03:57) 13 Koka Kola (01:49) 14 The Card Cheat (03:53) 15 Lover’s Rock (04:05) 16 Four Horsemen (02:57) 17 I’m Not Down (03:07) 18 Revolution Rock (05:37) 19 Train in Vain (03:11) 1 Know Your Rights (03:41) 2 Car Jamming (04:00) 3 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 4 Rock the Casbah (03:43) 5 Red Angel Dragnet (03:45) 6 Straight to Hell (05:32) 7 Overpowered by Funk (04:53) 8 Atom Tan (02:30) 9 Sean Flynn (04:32) 10 Ghetto Defendant (04:44) 11 Inoculated City (02:41) 12 Death Is a Star (03:14) |
| London Calling / Combat Rock : Allmusic album Review : What are you gonna say about these two albums? London Calling is worth the price alone, but Combat Rocks got some of the biggest hits the band ever laid down. They make a nice pair these two, and certainly fit well together in a slipcased two-fer version. The question is then, dont you have these already in at least two previous incarnations? Unless you are just discovering the Clash for the first time because you are a young person or have meant to replace your vinyl for ages, there is little to recommend these to anyone who has them already. The records are as solid as they get, though. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 21 Title: Sound System Released: 2013-09-06 Tracks: 143 Duration: 8:35:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Janie Jones (02:06) 2 Remote Control (03:02) 3 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25) 4 White Riot (01:59) 5 Hate & War (02:05) 6 What’s My Name (01:41) 7 Deny (03:06) 8 London’s Burning (02:10) 9 Career Opportunities (01:53) 10 Cheat (02:06) 11 Protex Blue (01:47) 12 Police & Thieves (06:01) 13 48 Hours (01:36) 14 Garageland (03:12) 1 Safe European Home (03:50) 2 English Civil War (02:35) 3 Tommy Gun (03:17) 4 Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad (03:03) 5 Last Gang in Town (05:14) 6 Guns on the Roof (03:15) 7 Drug‐Stabbing Time (03:43) 8 Stay Free (03:40) 9 Cheapskates (03:25) 10 All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts) (04:55) 1 London Calling (03:20) 2 Brand New Cadillac (02:10) 3 Jimmy Jazz (03:55) 4 Hateful (02:46) 5 Rudie Can’t Fail (03:30) 6 Spanish Bombs (03:20) 7 The Right Profile (03:57) 8 Lost in the Supermarket (03:49) 9 Clampdown (03:50) 10 The Guns of Brixton (03:12) 1 Wrong ’Em Boyo (03:13) 2 Death or Glory (03:57) 3 Koka Kola (01:49) 4 The Card Cheat (03:53) 5 Lover’s Rock (04:05) 6 Four Horsemen (02:57) 7 I’m Not Down (03:07) 8 Revolution Rock (05:37) 9 Train in Vain (03:11) 1 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 2 Hitsville U.K. (04:21) 3 Junco Partner (04:52) 4 Ivan Meets G.I. Joe (03:05) 5 The Leader (01:42) 6 Something About England (03:42) 7 Rebel Waltz (03:25) 8 Look Here (02:45) 9 The Crooked Beat (05:28) 10 Somebody Got Murdered (03:34) 11 One More Time (03:32) 12 One More Dub (03:35) 1 Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice) (04:50) 2 Up in Heaven (Not Only Here) (04:32) 3 Corner Soul (02:42) 4 Let’s Go Crazy (04:24) 5 If Music Could Talk (04:36) 6 The Sound of Sinners (04:01) 7 Police on My Back (03:16) 8 Midnight Log (02:09) 9 The Equaliser (05:47) 10 The Call Up (05:27) 11 Washington Bullets (03:51) 12 Broadway (05:47) 1 Lose This Skin (05:07) 2 Charlie Don’t Surf (04:54) 3 Mensforth Hill (03:42) 4 Junkie Slip (02:48) 5 Kingston Advice (02:37) 6 The Street Parade (03:27) 7 Version City (04:23) 8 Living in Fame (04:52) 9 Silicone on Sapphire (04:14) 10 Version Pardner (05:23) 11 Career Opportunities (02:30) 12 Shepherds Delight (03:25) 1 Know Your Rights (03:42) 2 Car Jamming (04:01) 3 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 4 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 5 Red Angel Dragnet (03:46) 6 Straight to Hell (05:31) 7 Overpowered by Funk (04:54) 8 Atom Tan (02:31) 9 Sean Flynn (04:33) 10 Ghetto Defendant (04:44) 11 Inoculated City (02:42) 12 Death Is a Star (03:10) 1 White Riot (02:00) 2 1977 (01:40) 3 Listen / Interviews (11:08) 4 Capital Radio (02:08) 5 London’s Burning (02:11) 6 Complete Control (single version) (03:13) 7 City of the Dead (02:22) 8 Clash City Rockers (original single version) (03:57) 9 Jail Guitar Doors (03:04) 10 (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (04:01) 11 The Prisoner (03:03) 12 1‐2 Crush on You (02:59) 13 Time Is Tight (Black Market Clash) (04:04) 14 Pressure Drop (03:25) 15 I Fought the Law (02:43) 16 Groovy Times (03:26) 17 Gates of the West (03:25) 18 Capital Radio (03:20) 19 Armagideon Time (03:52) 20 Bankrobber (04:33) 21 Rockers Galore on a UK Tour (04:42) 1 The Magnificent Dance (12″) (05:37) 2 Midnight to Stevens (outtake) (04:36) 3 Radio One (06:17) 4 Stop the World (02:32) 5 The Cool Out (U.S. 12″ B‐Side) (03:53) 6 This Is Radio Clash (04:11) 7 This Is Radio Clash (7″ with different Lyrics) (04:12) 8 First Night Back in London (02:59) 9 Rock the Casbah (Bob Clearmountain 12″ mix) (03:42) 10 Long Time Jerk (05:08) 11 The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too (outtake) (03:46) 12 Idle in Kangaroo Court (outtake) (05:04) 13 Ghetto Defendant (extended unedited version) (06:13) 14 Cool Confusion (03:12) 15 Sean Flynn (extended ‘Marcus Music’ version) (07:22) 16 Straight to Hell (extended unedited version) (06:54) 1 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (Beaconsfield Film School session) (02:23) 2 London’s Burning (Beaconsfield Film School session) (01:57) 3 White Riot (Beaconsfield Film School session) (01:53) 4 1977 (Beaconsfield Film School session) (01:50) 5 Janie Jones (Polydor demos) (02:05) 6 Career Opportunities (Polydor demos) (01:53) 7 London’s Burning (Polydor demos) (01:58) 8 1977 (Polydor demos) (01:40) 9 White Riot (Polydor demos) (01:58) 10 City of the Dead (live at the Lyceum) (02:55) 11 Jail Guitar Doors (live at the Lyceum) (03:04) 12 English Civil War (live at the Lyceum) (02:30) 13 Stay Free (live at the Lyceum) (03:26) 14 Cheapskates (live at the Lyceum) (03:14) 15 I Fought the Law (live at the Lyceum) (02:24) |
| Sound System : Allmusic album Review : Most box sets are designed to enshrine an artist in the amber of posterity. The idea is that the artist has transcended their time, that they can now be appreciated outside of the context of their era. The digital age, where recordings from the past sit comfortably with tunes from the present, accelerates this trend, suggesting that all the classic artists exist upon their own continuum, that their development was almost a product of self-divination. What is interesting about Sound System is that it throws this notion out the window and celebrates the era that produced the Clash as much as it celebrates the band itself. As designed by Clash bassist Paul Simonon, Sound System looks like an old-school ghetto blaster, and its filled with replicas of fanzines, stickers, badges, press photos, posters, dog tags -- all manner of period-specific tchotchkes that walk the line between nostalgia and commercial art. This aesthetic trickles down to the presentation of the music itself, with London Calling split over two CDs where it could easily fit onto one and Sandinista! taking up a full three discs. Such details slightly impede playability if Sound System is listened to as a series of CDs, but once the set is ripped and listened to digitally, the divided discs are simply another design flourish, one of many little things to appreciate. But Sound System is also attractive in delivering what effectively is the Complete Clash in one sitting. Apart from the disowned Cut the Crap, all the albums are here -- the U.K. version of The Clash, Give Em Enough Rope, London Calling, Sandinista!, Combat Rock -- along with three discs of extras that include all the non-LP singles (i.e., the singles that were added to the U.S. pressing of the debut, plus everything that wound up on the clearinghouse Super Black Market Clash, such as the Cost of Living EP), oddities that appeared on the first Clash box Clash on Broadway in 1991, and B-sides; then, most attractively for collectors, previously unreleased mixes, outtakes from Combat Rock, "extracts" from the bands first recording session in 1976, Polydor demos from that same year produced by Guy Stevens, and six live cuts from the Lyceum in 1979. Then, theres the DVD which contains all the bands promo videos, the Clash on Broadway video, the White Promo Film, footage from Sussex University in 1977, and individual selections from Clash compatriots Don Letts and Julian Temple. Perhaps there are still some stray tracks in the vaults -- this seems to excavate all the unheard songs from Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg, aka the original version of Combat Rock and some cuts may be left behind -- but this is as complete as well get and if it doesnt present any fresh revelations, it brings the Clashs era back to life, both sonically and visually. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 21 Title: 5 Studio Album CD Set Released: 2013-09-06 Tracks: 91 Duration: 5:28:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Janie Jones (02:06) 2 Remote Control (03:02) 3 I’m So Bored With the U.S.A. (02:25) 4 White Riot (01:59) 5 Hate & War (02:05) 6 What’s My Name (01:41) 7 Deny (03:06) 8 London’s Burning (02:10) 9 Career Opportunities (01:53) 10 Cheat (02:06) 11 Protex Blue (01:47) 12 Police & Thieves (06:01) 13 48 Hours (01:36) 14 Garageland (03:12) 1 Safe European Home (03:50) 2 English Civil War (02:35) 3 Tommy Gun (03:17) 4 Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad (03:03) 5 Last Gang in Town (05:14) 6 Guns on the Roof (03:15) 7 Drug‐Stabbing Time (03:43) 8 Stay Free (03:40) 9 Cheapskates (03:25) 10 All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts) (04:55) 1 London Calling (03:20) 2 Brand New Cadillac (02:10) 3 Jimmy Jazz (03:55) 4 Hateful (02:46) 5 Rudie Can’t Fail (03:30) 6 Spanish Bombs (03:20) 7 The Right Profile (03:57) 8 Lost in the Supermarket (03:49) 9 Clampdown (03:50) 10 The Guns of Brixton (03:12) 1 Wrong ’Em Boyo (03:13) 2 Death or Glory (03:57) 3 Koka Kola (01:49) 4 The Card Cheat (03:53) 5 Lover’s Rock (04:05) 6 Four Horsemen (02:57) 7 I’m Not Down (03:07) 8 Revolution Rock (05:37) 9 Train in Vain (03:11) 1 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 2 Hitsville U.K. (04:21) 3 Junco Partner (04:52) 4 Ivan Meets G.I. Joe (03:05) 5 The Leader (01:42) 6 Something About England (03:42) 7 Rebel Waltz (03:25) 8 Look Here (02:45) 9 The Crooked Beat (05:28) 10 Somebody Got Murdered (03:34) 11 One More Time (03:32) 12 One More Dub (03:35) 1 Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice) (04:50) 2 Up in Heaven (Not Only Here) (04:32) 3 Corner Soul (02:42) 4 Let’s Go Crazy (04:24) 5 If Music Could Talk (04:36) 6 The Sound of Sinners (04:01) 7 Police on My Back (03:16) 8 Midnight Log (02:09) 9 The Equaliser (05:47) 10 The Call Up (05:27) 11 Washington Bullets (03:51) 12 Broadway (05:47) 1 Lose This Skin (05:07) 2 Charlie Don’t Surf (04:54) 3 Mensforth Hill (03:42) 4 Junkie Slip (02:48) 5 Kingston Advice (02:37) 6 The Street Parade (03:27) 7 Version City (04:23) 8 Living in Fame (04:35) 9 Silicone on Sapphire (04:31) 10 Version Pardner (05:23) 11 Career Opportunities (02:30) 12 Shepherds Delight (03:25) 1 Know Your Rights (03:42) 2 Car Jamming (04:01) 3 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 4 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 5 Red Angel Dragnet (03:46) 6 Straight to Hell (05:31) 7 Overpowered by Funk (04:54) 8 Atom Tan (02:31) 9 Sean Flynn (04:33) 10 Ghetto Defendant (04:44) 11 Inoculated City (02:15) 12 Death Is a Star (03:10) |
 | Album: 21 of 21 Title: Hits Back Released: 2013-09-09 Tracks: 32 Duration: 1:56:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 London Calling (03:19) 2 Safe European Home (03:49) 3 Know Your Rights (03:40) 4 (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais (04:00) 5 Janie Jones (02:05) 6 The Guns of Brixton (03:09) 7 Train in Vain (03:09) 8 Bankrobber (04:34) 9 Wrong ’Em Boyo (03:10) 10 The Magnificent Seven (05:32) 11 Police on My Back (03:15) 12 Rock the Casbah (03:42) 13 Career Opportunities (01:53) 14 Police & Thieves (05:59) 15 Somebody Got Murdered (03:34) 16 Brand New Cadillac (02:08) 17 Clampdown (03:50) 1 Ghetto Defendant (04:42) 2 Armagideon Time (03:51) 3 Stay Free (03:38) 4 I Fought the Law (02:43) 5 Straight to Hell (05:28) 6 Should I Stay or Should I Go (03:08) 7 Garageland (03:14) 8 White Riot (02:13) 9 Complete Control (03:12) 10 Clash City Rockers (03:56) 11 Tommy Gun (03:14) 12 English Civil War (02:35) 13 The Call Up (05:25) 14 Hitsville UK (04:20) 15 Radio Clash (04:12) |
| Hits Back : Allmusic album Review : A tie-in to the exhaustive 2013 box set Sound System, the 2013 compilation The Clash Hits Back is a novel approach to a career retrospective: it mirrors the 24-song set list for the bands July 19, 1982 concert at Brixton Fairdeal, then adds eight bonus hits at the end. The Clash Hits Back slightly tweaks the running order of the original set -- "Bankrobber" arrived five songs into the concert but appears eighth here -- but that doesnt matter much, as this swap doesnt alter the impact of the original set. The Clash were plugging Combat Rock so songs from that LP -- the singles "Rock the Casbah," "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" and "Straight to Hell," plus "Ghetto Defendant" and "Know Your Rights," adding up to just under half the album -- sit alongside a heavy chunk of London Calling and early hits, plus a few stabs at Sandinista!. Whats added at the end is a mix of their high-octane early material ("White Riot," "Complete Control," "Clash City Rockers," Tommy Gun," "English Civil War") and their more adventurous studio recordings ("The Call Up," "Hitsville UK," "This Is Radio Clash"), adding up to a strong overview of all the band could do. | ||