Music News | Music Reviews + Commentary | Christmas Gifts for Musicians | New Releases | Interviews



RSS Feed For Blog Entries

Joe Strummer – memories of a punk music icon

By Dave Tommo on Oct 23, 2007 in Music | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Joe Strummer by Milek

I became aware of Joe Strummer way back in 1977. I was about 13 years old and at the right age for a teenage rebellion.

Yeah, punk rock came along and killed any chance of educational qualifications. I was going to gigs in Portsmouth, England. The Locarno was my favorite haunt. At the age of 14 the door supervisors would turn a blind eye and let us under agers in. This is when I saw The Clash live for the first time. It is hard to explain with words the energy and positiveness and passion of that night. An explosion is the best way to describe it. The anger of Joe Strummer on stage I always thought left the cabaret of the Sex Pistols standing.

The Clash were the real deal live, even though most gigs the guitars were out of tune. “I’m just gonna tune up so it sounds like it does on the record. Who wants it to sound like the record? Me neither,” said Joe at one of the gigs.

To explain how The Clash educated me politically and musically is hard in these days of bland bands singing about love and boogying. To quote one of Joe’s lyrics from “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais”: “The new groups are not concerned with what there is to be learned. They got Burton suits, ha, you think it’s funny turning rebellion in to money.”

I bunked off school and followed The Clash with some friends. We were always on the guest list, got to hang out with Joe and Paul Simonon mainly. They gave us food and booze and shelter occasionally. This was a man who didn’t want to be a pop star (I think Mick Jones did). He would take the pi** out of you and you could take the pi** back. Joe always had time for other people.

To lose Joe Strummer (real name John Mellor) back in 2002 was probably one of the biggest losses to popular music. Joe’s spirit will always be with me.

The picture above was created by a good friend of mine Milek Jakubiec.

Joe Strummer – Strummerville Official Website

By: Dave Tommo



More Music: myspace.com/JennyMayMusic

Jenny May / Band Weblogs on Twitter

Search for music: Amazon.com | amazon.co.uk

Post a Comment





More blog entries:


« The Twang “Push The Ghosts” digital EP + watch video!
Stolen Transmission announces re-release of Innerpartysystem’s The Download EP »
Subscribe to blog entries by Email | RSS Feed
Subscribe to Band Weblogs Podcast Show by Email | RSS Feed



Trackback URL

  • --------

  • 10 things bands can do to become famous
  • 10 reasons why music blogs are great for bands
  • Bands on Twitter
  • Free online distribution for bands, musicians - music blog entries + band press releases
  • Music publicists, PR companies: READ THIS!
  • Buy Music!

  • Band Blogs/Music Blogs

    Music Blogs, Page 1
    Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6