The ClashCritiques

Originally published in 1978. The words and music of 20 of The Clash's songs, with full lyrics and group auto-biographies.

I was severely tempted to buy this booo when I saw it at the British Library pop-up ship that went alongside their exhibition on the history of punk, but the hefty price tag and airline luggage restrictions put a quick damper on my need to purchase. Thankfully, I have excellent shopping karma and I scooped the neon-pink tome for a mere $6.00 from Value Village over the summer. Lugging it home down the hill may have been a trial, but it was so worth it. Like the Clash themselves, the book is a haphazard yet particularly arranged collection of insights, wit, and memories that recall their history from the beginnings in London to the eventual breakup from “creative differences.” I’m still only a burgeoning Clash fan (owning a mere 2 albums and constantly forgetting exactly which punk anthems are in their wheelhouse), but the more of them I seem to get the more I definitely want. Long live punk and long live the Clash!

Selected interviews by the band chosen as memoir text for this large format photo book. Starts with the band members and then proceeds to the albums and tour legs. Strummer was born in Turkey and lived a few early years in Mexico, so he knows some Spanish. The Clash are direct descendants of the Sex Pistols and Peter Hook of Joy Division says that he copied Simonon's long bass strap for playing onstage. Book covers the genesis of the Sandinista album which happens to be my personal favorite.

If you love the Clash, get this.

Worth it just for the pix. A lot of the info is covered in the Joe Strummer doc, "The Future is Unwritten."

Excellent coffee-table style book with "The Clash in their own words" through collections of interviews and contemporary articles.

Product Details

* Audio CD (February 8, 2000)
* Original Release Date: 1991
* Number of Discs: 3
* Format: Box set, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
* Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
* Label: Sony
* Catalog Number: 63521
* ASIN: B00004BYZ0
* Average Customer Review: based on 24 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,396 in Music (See Top Sellers in Music)
Yesterday: #81,681 in Music

Listen to Samples
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Disc: 1
1. Janie Jones (Demo)
2. Career Opportunities (Demo)
3. White Riot
4. 1977
5. I'm So Bored With The USA
6. Hate & War
See all 25 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. Safe European Home
2. Tommy Gun
3. Julies Been Working For The Drug Squad
4. Stay Free
5. One Emotion
6. Groovy Times
See all 20 tracks on this disc
Disc: 3
1. Police On My Back
2. The Magnificent Seven
3. The Leader
4. The Call Up
5. Somebody's Got Murdered
6. Weashington Bullets
See all 19 tracks on this disc
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
They were one the Only Band That Matters! Of course, that was when punk rock had to raise a ruckus to get noticed and restless youth turned to pop stars for political perspective. In retrospect, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and Topper Headon (the latter occasionally supplanted at the drum kit by Terry Chimes) didn't have all the answers. But they posed apt questions and had the grand sense of scale that their punk pathfinder rivals lacked--save accidental nihilists the Sex Pistols. Clash on Broadway encases 63 tracks on three discs and comes with an instructive booklet. From the charge-the-gates early sides ("Career Opportunities," "Hate and War," "White Riot") through their later more-textured efforts ("Straight to Hell"), with some nifty odds and ends thrown in for good measure ("1-2 Crush on You," a previously unreleased cover of "Every Little Bit Hurts" that shows the heart behind their dogma), this box puts the band in perspective. --Steven Stolder
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34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
Almost All the Clash You Need ..., December 24, 2002
Reviewer: Blackberry Tea (Kansas) - See all my reviews
I am a huge Clash fan ... and the normal line would be to say that you have to own each album. But, not so with the Clash, courtesy of this box set. Why? First, it includes 18 of the 19 unique songs from the US/UK versions of "The Clash", so you don't need that one. Second, it includes all the best tracks from "Give 'Em Enough Rope" and "Sandinista". The "Sandinista" tracks are the real coup. The best songs there are nearly as good as the best from "London Calling", but they get lost among three lps of otherwise questionable material. Third, it inlcudes the best from "Black Market Clash" and "Combat Rock", plus a few other odds and ends.

The only album that gets shorted is ... "London Calling", which you pretty much need to own outright. So ... if you get this box and "London", you have nailed 99% of the greatest stuff they ever did.

Product Details

* Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
* Original Release Date: 2000
* Number of Discs: 1
* Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
* Label: Sony
* Catalog Number: 63882
* ASIN: B00004BZ04
* Average Customer Review: based on 75 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,302 in Music (See Top Sellers in Music)
Yesterday: #6,691 in Music

Listen to Samples
To hear a song sample, click on "Listen" by that sample. Visit our audio help page for more information.

1. Janie Jones Listen Listen
2. Remote Control Listen Listen
3. I'm So Bored With The U.S.A. Listen Listen
4. White Riot Listen Listen
5. Hate & War Listen Listen
6. What's My Name Listen
7. Deny Listen
8. London's Burning Listen
9. Career Opportunities Listen
10. Cheat Listen
11. Protex Blue Listen
12. Police & Thieves Listen
13. 48 Hours Listen
14. Garageland Listen
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Clash's label didn't believe this debut would sell in the United States. By the time CBS got around to releasing a stateside version of the U.K. album, the British original had become an import hit. While the U.S. release contains outstanding tracks such as "Complete Control" and "Clash City Rockers," it's still missing "Cheat," "Protex Blue," "48 Hours," and "Deny." No matter which version you prefer, The Clash is a fearsome listen. Joe Strummer reviles the system at every turn, while Mick Jones wields his guitar like a switchblade. Yet even on their debut there are hints of future musical adventures. Junior Murvin's "Police & Thieves" is solid reggae, while "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" expertly interpolates the reggae groove into their punk attack. --Rob O'Connor
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Clash paints a picture of 70's working class Britain, March 20, 2004
Reviewer: Daniel J. Hamlow (Farmington, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
If not the most popular of the wave of classic British punk, then certainly the most politically radical. The quartet consisted of Mick Jones, Joe Strummer, (ex-101ers), bassist Paul Simonon, and drummer Nicky Headon. The group's name came from a word found in London tabloid describing British class and race riots in the 1970's Britain. Songs from their classic debut album do just that. Highlights follow.

The visceral hard-edged guitar and drums and in-your-face vocals, is demonstrated with "Clash City Rockers." "I'm So Bored With The USA" takes on the US military and political establishment, US foreign policy, and political corruption, with a Sex Pistols-like guitar from "Pretty Vacant." But despite being bored with the USA, "what can I do?" underlies helplessness of overpowering US hegemonism.

Punk power was demonstrated in two ways in "Remote Control." The song denounces the power of government and big business. However, CBS Records released this song without their permission. While this song isn't as hard-driving as others, it does have some worthy guitar riffs.

The group lashed back at CBS with the hard "Complete Control." The issue about control of single releases is evident here, but the song's also about how the fan-band interraction is hampered by security throwing the fans out. At the end, Strummer screams out "Total C-o-n control-that means you!" meaning his fans.

After a police siren, a grinding, fast-paced guitar sets the pace for "White Riot," calling for the white working class to stand up for their rights just like the blacks had at Notting Hill Gate. School is a place "where they teach you how to be thick" (true!) and the rich have all the power.

One of the best songs they put out is the reggae-influenced "White Man In Hammersmith Palais," which is a nod to black culture and people, who fight for something instead of among themselves like punkers, but also details the harassment they get from the police and army: "The British army is waiting out there/An' it weighs fifteen hundred tons." The solution to their poverty: some wealth distribution from some Robin Hood.

"London's burning! london's burning!" Anthemic guitars, but no, it's not about a riot but how London is burning with boredom, burned out with traffic jams and the usual subway ride and becoming vegged out on the tube.

This reading of the Crickets' "I Fought The Law" (no, Bobby Fuller did NOT originally do it!) is the best rendition I've heard, with the power guitar and galloping and thundering drums.
Breakin' rocks in the hot sun. Very apropros for the anti-copper attitude of the time.

The first of two job songs. The boyfriend of "Janie Jones" hates his boring job, with a neverending in-tray and a jerk of a boss, leading to a confrontation: "This time he's gonna really tell the boss/Gonna really let him know exactly how he feels." And one of my favourite songs, "Career Opportunities" is about economic dead ends, with words growled at breakneck pace: "They offered me the office, offered me the Shop/They said i'd better take anything they'd got." Indeed, "Career opportunities are the ones that never knock/Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock."

The condemnation on racism of "Police And Thieves" has reggae-influenced guitar riffs and vocals and predicts a cataclysmic result from the police and thieves who are scaring and fighting "the nation with their guns and ammunition."

Youth identity and feeling alienated and not belonging is the theme behind "What's My Name," be it at home, being in trouble with the law, leading to burglary.

An all-out assault of unleashed energy, the Clash's debut album demonstrates their taking social and socialist realism to artistic and political levels.

Product Details

* Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
* Original Release Date: 1982
* Number of Discs: 1
* Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
* Label: Sony
* Catalog Number: 63896
* ASIN: B00004C4L3
* Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette
* Average Customer Review: based on 96 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,611 in Music (See Top Sellers in Music)
Yesterday: #1,811 in Music

Listen to Samples
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1. Know Your Rights Listen Listen
2. Car Jamming Listen Listen
3. Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Listen Listen
4. Rock The Casbah Listen Listen
5. Red Angel Dragnet Listen Listen
6. Straight To Hell Listen Listen
7. Overpowered By Funk Listen Listen
8. Atom Tan Listen Listen
9. Sean Flynn Listen Listen
10. Ghetto Defendant Listen Listen
11. Inoculated City Listen Listen
12. Death Is A Star Listen Listen
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The final album by the Clash's original Strummer/Jones incarnation is also their most inconsistent. There were musical and ideological rifts developing within the band, and it shows: the experimentation is almost as wild as Sandanista!'s (and the biggest experiment is heading away from their punk shiftiness and into a commercial rock sound), but they seem to be enjoying it less. The band's stabs at funk and poetry aren't terribly successful, but it all came together for two massive hits: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" has the biggest, stupidest, most perfect riff this side of "Louie Louie," and "Rock the Casbah" pulls the band's politics, fine-honed sarcasm, and saw-toothed guitar sound into the service of a dance-floor beat. --Douglas Wolk

Product Description
Digitally remastered from the original production master tapes, this a reissue of the 1982 & fifth album by 'the only band that matters'. Features the original artwork and all 12 of the original tracks, including the top 50 hit 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go' and the top 10 smash 'Rock The Casbah'. 'Combat Rock' was the English new/ punk rock group's biggest album in the U.S., reaching #7 at the time. The booklet folds out with the lyrics on one side & the full color poster of the group drinking Asian bottle of Coca-Cola that was included with --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
amazing, July 20, 2005
Reviewer: race_of_doom (USA) - See all my reviews
I usually hate it when people cry "underrated!!" like it's going to do anything, but I feel that "Combat Rock" (as well as "Sandinista") deserve the complaint.

The first Clash record I seriously fell in love with was "Sandinista." It was wildly experimental, fun, and almost always consistently interesting. It was after that album that I started listening to their more appreciated work (the two albums -- you know which ones).

What stopped me from listening to this album was the surplus of negative reviews and opinions attached to it. People seem to like it even less than "Sandinista," and there are a lot of people who find that triple album repulsive.

But I finally gave it a listen. "Know Your Rights" sounds like a tossed off one-note experiment at first. I was a bit disappointed. But by "Car Jamming," something happened.

I really, really liked it! It's so catchy and weird at the same time. In fact, that goes for the entire album, minus the more "normal" hits -- catchy and absolutely weird. (Sell out? Pfft.) Take the last track for example. "Death Is a Star." Does that even sound like the Clash?

No, not really. In fact, not at all. But for what it is, it's not half bad! That's the beauty of The Clash circa "Sandinista!" and "Combat Rock" -- they tried so many genres and almost always succeeded in some various way. And if they didn't, it was at least an interesting failure.

This one is like "Sandinista!" edited down to a single disc, making it an extremely cohesive album. In fact, it's probably their most cohesive album. Even more so than the perfection of "London Calling."

Hell, even the hits ("Should I Stay or Should I Go" and "Rock the Casbah") are great. They're not as overplayed as some on here make them out to be.

Every single song has something to offer. "Inoculated City" is perfect pop, "Overpowered by Funk" is The Clash doing (good) disco, "Ghetto Defendant" is an interesting mess of tense drumming, seemingly computerized voices and tight rhythms.

And last but certainly not least, we get "Straight to Hell" on here. What's not to like?

As promised, here's the complete 9/21/79 Clash set, Guns of Brixton. I don't have a set list or any art for this, though I suspect it's on the web somewhere. I received this in trade sometime in late 90's. Vinyl>cdr>eac(secure mode)>wav>FLAC(level 8) enjoy deborah

# Setlist for The Clash - 03/08/80

Venue Capitol Theater
City Passaic
State NJ
Set 1 Clash City Rockers, Brand New Cadillac, Safe European Home, Jimmy Jazz, London Calling, The Guns Of Brixton, Train In Vain, White Man In Hammersmith Palais, Koka Kola, I Fought the Law, Spanish Bombs, Police and Thieves, Stay Free, Julie's In the Drug Squad, Wrong'Em Boyo, Tommy Gun, Clampdown, Janie Jones, Complete Control, Armagideon Time, English Civil War, Garage Land, Bankrobber
Last Changed By Mark Goldey

Product Details

* Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
* Original Release Date: 2000
* Number of Discs: 1
* Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
* Label: Sony
* Catalog Number: 63885
* ASIN: B00004BZ0N
* Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | LP Record
* Average Customer Review: based on 391 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #438 in Music (See Top Sellers in Music)
Yesterday: #739 in Music

Listen to Samples
To hear a song sample, click on "Listen" by that sample. Visit our audio help page for more information.

1. London Calling Listen Listen
2. Brand New Cadillac Listen Listen
3. Jimmy Jazz Listen Listen
4. Hateful Listen Listen
5. Rudie Can't Fail Listen Listen
6. Spanish Bombs Listen Listen
7. The Right Profile Listen Listen
8. Lost In The Supermarket Listen Listen
9. Clampdown Listen Listen
10. The Guns Of Brixton Listen Listen
11. Wrong 'Em Boyo Listen Listen
12. Death Or Glory Listen Listen
13. Koka Kola Listen Listen
14. The Card Cheat Listen Listen
15. Lover's Rock Listen Listen
16. Four Horsemen Listen Listen
17. I'm Not Down Listen Listen
18. Revolution Rock Listen Listen
19. Train In Vain Listen Listen
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Bursting at the seams with creative energy, the Clash's stunning 1979 double album more than made up for the artistic and commercial disappointment of its predecessor, 1978's tried-too-hard Give 'Em Enough Rope. With ex-Mott the Hoople producer Guy Stevens harnessing their sound as never before, the band yielded what proved to be the best work of their career. Bouncing from hard rock (the apocalyptic vision of the title track) to rockabilly ("Brand New Cadillac") to reggae ("Rudy Can't Fail") to pop (the Top 40 hit "Train in Vain"), the Clash knocked down all musical walls and, in the process, ended the argument over punk's viability in the U.S. --Billy Altman

Product Description
Digitally remastered from the original production master tapes, this a reissue of the 1979 & third album by 'the only band that matters'. Features the original artwork and all 19 of the original tracks, including the hidden hit 'Train In Vain (Stand By Me)', their first U.S. single to chart (it reached #23 at the time). Also contains reproductions of the original LP sleeves, including the lyrics. 1999 release. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
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72 of 77 people found the following review helpful:
Easily one of the masterworks of rock and roll, February 28, 2004
Reviewer: Robert W. Moore (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This is one of the few rock albums ever released that is almost impossible to over praise. One can heap on the superlatives, pile on a few more, and still have room for even more laurels. It is probably by any standard one of the five greatest albums released in the rock era, unquestionably the greatest album released by a band with its roots in punk, the greatest explicitly political album ever released by someone who was not Bob Dylan, and one of those rare albums that doesn't seem to age at all. There isn't a weak cut on the album. In fact, the songs are not merely good but great.

Although The Clash started off as a punk band, they were never adequately defined by that phenomenon. Although rooted in the attitudes and political sympathies of the punk movement (and above all else, English Punk, as opposed to the earlier American Punk, was highly political; originator Malcolm McLaren was deeply influenced by Guy Debord and the Situationist International, and included many political ideas in promoting the Sex Pistols and his punk fashions), The Clash quickly outgrew the punk aesthetic. While most of the original punks were merely two-chords-and-a-cloud-of-dust bands, the Clash almost immediately began effortlessly and seamlessly assimilating a host of musical influenced. They were the first rock band, for instance, to use reggae rhythms and not make them sound like a gimmick (compare The Clash's extraordinary "The Guns of Brixton" with Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Maker," which while good sounds a bit like a novelty song, while The Clash sound like they ripped the song off some Jamaicans). The songs are remarkably sophisticated and polished, even when they sound casually. For instance, check out the almost haphazard way "Jimmy Jazz" starts, as if the band can't decide whether to allow the opening riff develop into a full fledged song. Even when it gets fully underway, there is an effortless looseness to the song that persists throughout the impeccably orchestrated song. It is a masterpiece of nonchalant virtuosity.

Most of the songs are so brilliantly original to seem almost impossible. It isn't just that the songs are original; nothing else even remotely like many of them had ever been done before. Where is the predecessor of "Hateful"? Who cooked up "Lost in the Supermarket," with its amazing conglomeration of political and social ideas? Before hearing "The Right Profile," could anyone have imagined it possible to write a classic about Montgomery Cliff's car wreck? Even songs that remind one vaguely of previous songs manage to sound underivative. For instance, there is more than a little Phil Spector's wall of sound in "The Card Cheat," but where do those horns come from?

A mark of the genius of this album can be seen in the fact that although it is one of the great leftist albums of all time, the most reactionary rock fan could still love every song. It is unquestionably great political rock, but more than that it is just flat out awesome rock. It is almost as if The Clash recreated on this album all the rebelliousness contained in the first rockers of the 1950s.

These days, when every other album seems to be getting special expanded versions, this one truly could benefit from such treatment. The liner notes on the current U.S. edition are nonexistent. Hopefully this will be corrected at some point in the relatively near future.