The Clash - from garage band in garageland to neo-colonialist jamband...?

Feeling uneasy about the general reverence for mid-period (i.e. London Calling) Clash, and maybe even something of a reappraisal of Sandista. My (reluctant) take: great punk band for one and maybe a half albums (The Clash, both versions, and some of Give 'Em Enough Rope) devolves into bloated over-reaching cultural appropriation (Sandinista and, yes, London Calling). I remember when London Calling came out to general acclaim - it was warmly received, but not because The Clash had succeeded in their crusade. Instead, their message had been diluted and conventionalized to a degree that the hoi polloi found acceptable and non-threatening. They were safe to like. They traded their rebel stance for fake reggae and rock'n'roll pastiche.

 

Don’t understand your take at all, OP. “Cultural appropriation’! Give me a break!

 

Cultural appropriation?

Oh God...

 

I think you're over-analizing. I love those records and that's fine with me. Listen and enjoy

 

The important thing to me is "are the songs good?"

Crass have a lot of integrity blah blah but their music is bad. And worst of all, boring.

Give me "sell outs" like The Clash who can compose great music, thank you

 

Edited that to the way I would say it.

 

Edited to the way I would say it:

London Calling 3:19 Spanish Bombs 3:18 Clampdown 3:49 Guns Of Brixton 3:10 Death Or Glory 3:55 Train In Vain 3:12 TT:20:43

 

All great tracks. What's your point?

 

also: elvis costello is a racist

 

I see no retreat from their so-called "rebel stance" at all. Sandanista and Combat Rock are loaded with songs of rebellion and social justice. They just happened to improve as musicians along the way.

 

That's my point - the ones I listed are great tracks. But 6 out of 19 is a little puny. I read that they showed up to begin the sessions with no new songs - and I think you can tell. Of course there's bound to be some filler, but that's quite a bit of weak, sloppy or indulgent material for #8 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list.

If you edited it down to a single record, you would have a strong album that looked a lot like Give 'Em Enough Rope, but the sprawl of a double album kinda hyped it up IMO. In fact, if they made a double of Rope by including all the outtakes, they would have had their 'masterpiece' that much sooner: "Other songs recorded during the [Give 'Em Enough Rope] sessions included the single "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais", as well as B-sides "Pressure Drop", "1-2 Crush on You" and "The Prisoner". Four more songs were recorded: "One Emotion", "Groovy Times", "Ooh Baby Ooh (It's Not Over)" (AKA "Rusted Chrome", later reworked and released as "Gates of the West") and "RAF 1810." (wiki)

 

The thing about the Clash was that every album was different from what came before, with the possible exception of Combat Rock, which in retrospect seems like a more accessible continuation of Sandinista!.
Issuing something like the Clash II with songs that sounded just like the 77 debut would have diminished the power of their first album.

I have never, ever gotten the impression the Clash were "neo-colonialist." Where do they espouse restoring the British Empire?

 

I won't say this post is everything I hate about contemporary artistic discussions, but it's a lot of 'em

 

I was using the term neo-colonialist in reference to blithe annexation of other musical cultures, not their politics. Too sensitive?

And I don't begrudge them moving on from album to album - I just question their skill in doing so, and think London Calling is...overrated. After I wrote my previous comment, I took my own advice and made a Deluxe Give 'Em Enough Rope Playlist, including the album plus all those other tunes recorded in the same period. It's great! Fresher and less muddled than London Calling. Give it a try!

 

Why is being interested in other forms of music 'blithe annexation'?

 

Those imperialist Beatles and Stones with their blithe annexation of blues and rock n roll eh? And don't start me on that Elvis fellow. Oh, and every other musical act ever. Daftest thing I ever heard.

 

I never liked The Clash. But I will give them credit at least for being musically adventurous.

And I think it came from a genuine appreciation of other cultures that they experienced, not only on their travels but also in the multiracial milieu of West London. Nothing neo colonial about it.

 

Cut the Crap, mate! (Now if you'd said that one was bad I might have agreed with you). Anyway, the Clash grew up in an area of London steeped in the music that came from Jamaica and many other cultures. Absorb that every day of your life and it becomes part of your musical culture. Blithe annexation my a**! They weren't doing a Paul Simon.

 

Neo-colonialist ? Cultural appropriation ? Fake ?

WTF

 

Paul Simon? That bloke who found music he loved in another country, went there and worked with local musicians, produced some great music and help raise the profile of African music generally and the careers of South African musicians specifically? What a blithe, appropriating bastard.

 

That's the one.

 

Tasty worm. Shame about that sharp hook.

 

Its probably more pastiche than cultural appropriation.

 

After "Rope", they put out six full studio LPs across three titles before Jones' departure.

Speaking strictly for myself, I do not want to hear six albums of the Clash as produced by Sandy Pearlman.

Just curious, do you know anything of Strummer's upbringing and background? His professional musical history?