What About "CUT THE CRAP" ? 1985--The Clash--POLL:

Go for it! I'll spin this cd tonight or tomorrow. This Is England is an incredible song but somewhat sad.

 

i quite like this is england, but i was stunned at how bad this album was, even though i had heard the talk

 

I certainly will go for it..will give it a spin this weekend and maybe post my thoughts..agreed about This Is England..I seem to remember that the lyrics reflected what England was and should be again, anyway, I will spin the vinyl at the weekend for sure.

 

I can't imagine Mick Jones working on these songs... really.

 

I’m a big fan of The Clash, but I’ve never purchased or even ever listened to ‘Cut The Crap’. It’s not The Clash without Mick Jones.

 

Oh, no, I'm sure he hates everything about the record (if he ever actually listened to it). But Strummer sought out Jones while he was recording the first BAD album so there might have been a minuscule chance Jones could have been brought in as producer on CTC. In a perfect world with lollipops and butterflies.

 

None of the above. An appalling album from a once great band.

 

Well, when Joe met with Mick, after the "Cut The Crap" disaster, he really wanted to try to apologize to Mick and convince him to return to the band. It had been a while since "Cut The Crap" and the whole issue of The Clash II.
Objectively I don't think that Mick Jones can have any appreciation for an album that was recorded and produced by Bernie Rhoads, one of the main people responsible for the crisis that ended with his expulsion from the band and everything that happened later.
Remember that even "We are The Clash" was recorded with the intention to warn Mick Jones to use the name of the band when he threatened to form a band with Topper. There was a lot of bad vibes during those times between Jones and Strummer.

Another important aspect is that after the death of Joe Strummer I doubt that anyone wants to review a material that even Joe Strummer himself ended up rejecting. I understand that the master tapes of those sessions are deteriorated to the point of being useless.

 

The CTC is taking a beating on the NONE OF THE ABOVE selection.

 

And equally telling that all the best they could manage to call the LP was to regurgitate a previous massively-successful punk album title .... "Never Mind The Bollocks...".

 

"We are the Clash" reminds me (without listening back to it) of "Unlimited Edition (EMI)" by the Pistols.

Anyway, did you ever hear Sparks' cover version? You should.

 

The Clash without Steve Jones were basically Wings.

 

Was hugely underwhelmed by the album because I'd seen The Clash in March '84 in Belfast (my only ever Clash gig) and REALLY liked the new songs.

The PA announcer (was it Bernie?) opened the gig with a spoken intro which was actually the first verse of We Are The Clash. They opened with London Calling and Safe European Home, ran through about 15-16 songs before doing a long encore (about 8-9 songs) ending with a great 'Police on my back' (sung by Nick Sheppard - Joe did all the rest of the lead vocals apart from 'Guns of Brixton') and 'Garageland' . With two new guitarists in the band, Joe didn't play much guitar himself.

The new songs I remember (we didn't know the titles at the time) included We Are The Clash, Sex Mad Roar, This is England, Three Card Trick, Dictator (I think) and Are you Ready For War (which I thought was brilliant). There may have been another one that never got released (It definitely wasnt 'In the Pouring Rain' though). They used these TV screens above the stage which was pretty innovative for the time (someone mentioned it being like ZooTV earlier in the thread which isn't wrong - I recall seeing of the more graphic footage from A Clockwork Orange during it). Before 'Armagideon Time' Joe had a meltdown with some idiot who gobbed at him and jumped into the crowd to remonstrate

Was looking forward to hearing these new songs on a record and it looked for a long time like we never would. When it came out, I was bewildered. Would love to believe theres an album of those songs somewhere that doesn't sound like a bunch of football hooligans locked in an amusement arcade playing pinball machines.

This is England however was better on record than it was in concert. One of their greatest ever songs.

Despite what Bernie did to them, I still do like We are the Clash, Are You Red...Y, Cool under Heat, Life and Wild. Three Card Trick and North and South.

Wasted opportunity though - but anyway, Happy Birthday Joe. We miss you.

 

Happy Birthday Joe you are so missed.
8/21/1952--12/22/2002


Joe Strummer




Strummer performing in April 2002

 

As hilarious as this typo is, I do wonder if they ever considered Steve Jones as a replacement for Mick Jones. Or, failing that, the other Mick Jones (from Foreigner)?

 

Still mystifies me that "In The Pouring Rain" got left off--it was a real highlight of the 1984 tour.

 

Bernie Rhodes tried to make it happen in late 1978, Steve kept showing up at UK gigs and playing with them for encores. There was also talk of getting Paul in the Sex Pistols around the same time.

 

This is like picking your favorite strain of polio.

This Is England.

 

Hahahahahaha!!

 

Derp. I never could keep my Joneses straight...

That said I don't think Steve would've been a great sub for Mick. Either Mick.

 

Well, as I said, I enjoyed some of CTC.

What finally showed me that Strummer was human after all was Earthquake Weather.

Given all the imaginary post-Beatle album threads this forum has, I am surprised no one has tried to compile a final imaginary Clash album out of CTC, TIBAD and maybe the Love Kills single and No. 10 Upping Street (which Joe helped produce).

Edit: I always thought V Thirteen was the last great "Clash" song.

 

Okay this is my very rough version of the imaginary late 1985/early 1986 Clash album. In an ideal world, Joe is the vocalist on most of these songs. Mick produces. Topper rejoins after coming completely clean. The album is celebrated as a musical snapshot of Thatcher's bleak England:

This Is England

1. This is England

2. The Bottom Line

3. V. Thirteen

4. E=MC2

5. Dictator

6. Three Card Trick


1. Cmon Every Beatbox

2. In the Pouring Rain

3. Are You Ready for War

4. Beyond the Pale

5. Sightsee MC!

 

Oops. Left out Love Kills on Side Two. Maybe track 2?

 

I can easily understand why it gets so much flak, but in my opinion it's a very underrated, interesting album.

 

I think he co-wrote a few of the songs on "No.10..", too....right?