Something About England: Strummer/Jones (The Clash) song-by-song

Capital Radio - 5/5 - I know this from the Black Market Clash 10". Really fantastic energy, simple, direct, great backing vocals. Another excellent one for beginning guitar players to follow along with.

I didn't know anything about Capital Radio when I first heard this song, but I could identify with the frustration being expressed, based upon the radio in my area.

 

I'm a sucker for radio songs, whether celebrating the medium or protesting the lack of quality on the airwaves.

I love the staccato guitar bursts and Capital Radio has one of the best codas of a Clash song with Mick's background vocals and an extended coda interjection from Joe.

4.25/5

 

“Capital Radio” is a good song. I had to settle for the bootleg 45 too before Black Market Clash. “II” is better (The Cost Of Living was my first Clash record) but this was a must have rarity at the time. 4/5

 

Capital Radio, Capital Radio, Capital Radio... Mick Jones singing this over the guitar riff is my favorite part
The lyrics may seem from another or for other times, but believe me it's still like that in some cities on the planet. I could tell you about the occasional would-be Dr. Goebbels on the radio stations (but It would be a long story and some politics of things that still happen)
I really like the first version (aka Capital Radio One)
A solid 5/5

 

Good not great. Cool backing vocals help it to a 4/5 rather than a 3.

 

Lots of fun, and nice to hear more pop positivity from this supposed bunch of nihilists. This group of singles all have A-sides that are more developed from a song perspective - outros, hooks, pre-choruses, production - compared to much of the first album. 5/5

 

It just makes a 4/5 for me.

That’s not putting it down. I really enjoyed hearing it today. It kind of energised me, as a lot of their songs did and still do. It has that staccato guitar style of early Who, something they will return to. Lyrically a bit of it’s time but as someone else observed true of today too.

 

I

4/5.

(nuff sed)

 

One thing I loved about the Clash was Mick Jones's guitar sound - not just the playing, which was quite distinctive, but that trebly biting 'snarling' tone that's all over the early records.
That opening riff of '1977' is a great example, as is the instrumental break halfway through 'Capital Radio' where the rest of the backing and vocals stop and you just get Mick chopping away at the chords (and very staccato chopping, too, unlike the looser playing of that same section on the 1979 EP remake)
I know he played Les Paul Juniors at this stage of the band's career, but seemed to have nothing by way of effects - maybe an overdrive pedal, as seen in some pics of the Victoria Park RAR gig. But no-one else sounds like this.
You can mimic it somewhat using a 'cocked' wah pedal, but there's no evidence he had this rigged up on stage or in the studio. There's a lot to be said for a guitarist's 'touch' and how it affects tone, but Mick's playing is really unique and I still wonder how he made it happen.
He embraced more and more effects as they moved on but even then, you can still hear his 'tone' coming through at times under all the phasing, delay and so on. But it's just all over that early Clash sound.

 

I agree; which is why this earlier post puzzled me (and still does):

I'm curious to know who is considered an influence on Mick's guitar style. If there's other music I need to explore, I want to know!

 

I hear a lot of Mick Ronson & Mott the Hoople and a little bit of Beefheart.

 

I agree with Ronson. Maybe Ralphs-era Mott too? I don't hear Beefheart...

 

Townshend maybe? Marriot perhaps? Has Mick ever commented on this? I may have read something but my memory is shot. I'd love to know more. Same with more information about his gear. He moved from Juniors to Customs and I've seen pictures of him with a Strat. There's also the hollowbody Gibson used in the London Calling video. But I know little to nothing more than that. People blab on about this and that player's "tone" but as a couple of posters here have indicated, Mick has tone in spades.

 

I get Townshend too. Didn't think about Marriott...

 

There's this...

Michael Jones was born in London in 1955, and was raised by his grandmother. He soon got into proto-punk bands such as the New York Dolls and MC5, like his contemporaries. He started learning the guitar, inspired by these groundbreaking artists and soon found his way into numerous bands. During his time in London S.S., he met Paul Simonon, and their friendship led to the formation of the Clash in 1976. They got their first gig supporting the Sex Pistols that same year, and soon released a string of albums.​

and this...

I have no idea how accurate any of the info is.

 

Capital Radio One: 4.5/5

Like many of the singles we'll be talking about over the next week, I first heard this on Black Market Clash, where it's a fantastic opener. I don't think it's underdeveloped as much as short and to the point.

 

A summary...
Guitars
-'59 Gibson LP Junior DC
-'59 Les Paul Custom
-'58 Les Paul Standard
- Fender Stratocaster '78

Amplifiers:
-Ampeg V4 and VOX AC30
-Mesa Boogie Mark I

In short this...

With effects pedals is another story. Some time ago I think I posted something about it in a thread.
With a little more time I promise to give details and order it a bit as it evolved from 1977 to Combat Rock.
I need a little time, it's very interesting because it's connected to what you hear on each album.

 

Jesus was a black man.
No, Jesus was Batman.
No no no no no, that was Bruce Wayne.

 

The Les Paul Jr. with P90 through an AC30 would explain the midrange blare evident throughout the first album.

 

I think Capital Radio (All The Hits & More On 194) must have changed their tune at some point not long after, because I always found them a lot more interesting to listen to in the daytime than BBC Radio One. They used to do a daily top ten called the Capital Hitline, where you phoned in and voted for your favourite current singles. I know for sure they were playing Tom Robinson's Glad To Be Gay on that segment, which went out about 5PM, IIRC. That was no small thing-pretty sure the BBC wasn't playing it because it was "offensive". Of course, by the time the Pistols appeared on TOTP it was all over. Tom Robinson now has two shows on BBC Six Music...

Anyway, Capital Radio-3/5. Good stuff.

 

Our votes for "Capital Radio One"
1-0
2-0
3-5
4-10
5-6
Average: 4.031

 

Today's song is "Listen", written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. Produced by Mickey Foote.


Background: "Listen" was the first song played at the very first gig that The Clash ever played, with Chimes on drums and Keith Levine on guitar. It remained in The Clash's set list until November 1976.

"Listen" was recorded on the same day as "Capital Radio One", and was released on the Capital Radio EP, most of which was made up of an interview with Joe, Mick and Paul. The version started the track and then played behind the interview at the beginning, in the background and ocasionally being mixed back up to take center stage; and the whole shebang were released again on Sound System in 2013. Note: i have never owned the Capital Radio EP so my information is based on what someone wrote here yesterday or the day before, plus my copy of Sound System. If it's incorrect, let me know.

The full-length version on "Listen", without the interview, as above, was released exclusively (I think) on Super Black Market Clash in 1993.

Line Up:
Mick Jones: guitar
Joe Strummer: guitar
Paul Simonon: bass guitar
Terry Chimes: drums

 

Listen - 2.5/5 - A fun little instrumental. I like the version without the interview superimposed better.

 

Defiitely better without the interview!!! I think that the song is fun and has a certain power. I love the way it kind of opens up with the drums subtly changing at the end, and you feel the full blast of The Clash's early punk power.

3.5/5 but then I like instrumentals more than most people, as a rule.

 

Regarding Mick Jones' influences in actual guitar playing, I don't know: I think early Kinks and Who are obvious influences. As for Mott The Hoople/Mick Ronson, which someone mentioned, it is worth relating here that Mick literally followed that band around the UK circa 1974, seeing every gig he could.