the clash
 The Clash formed in London in 1976. After a riotous tour
supporting The Sex Pistols, their manager Bernie Rhodes obtained
them a deal with major label big boys, CBS.
The band subsequently
unleashed the two minute classic White Riot - a chant-along
stomp that smashed into the Top 40 and announced the arrival of a
band whose impact was second only to the Pistols.
In contrast to
Mr Rotten and Co, The Clash manipulated the energy of punk as a
vehicle for political protest and musical experimentation.
The Clash (released in 1977) was a blinding statement of
intent. I'm So Bored With The USA and Career Opportunities
rallied against inertia, while a cover of Police And Thieves
was the first of many sporadic forays into dub reggae.
 The album went Top 20, lauded by many critics as the definitive
punk set, while a further two classic singles (not on the album), Clash
City Rockers and White Man In Hammersmith Palais made
the Top 40 (the latter addressing the issue of racism - a subject
never far from the band's agenda).
CBS (and no doubt the band themselves) were keen to break in
America, subsequently enlisting the production services of Blue
Öyster Cult guru Sandy Perlman for their follow-up set, Give 'Em
Enough Rope (1978).
The album's less frenetic approach met
with criticism and despite the best efforts of the label, the
record failed to crack the US Top 100. It had, however,
made Number 2 in Britain and spawned the band's first Top 20 hit
in Tommy Gun.
 The Clash then set out to tour the States, while British fans
lapped up The Cost Of Living EP and it's incredible cover
version of Sonny Curtis' I Fought The Law. Finally, in late
1979, The Clash delivered their marathon master work, London
Calling. Overseen by seasoned producer Guy Stevens, the double
album showed The Clash at an assured creative peak, from the
anthemic echo of the title track to the brooding Guns Of
Brixton. A UK Top 10 hit, the LP finally cracked the US where
it hit the Top 30.
The Bankrobber and The Call Up singles followed
before the band issued the sprawling, album Sandinista in
December 1980. The triple album (that would have made a brilliant
single album) was of a highly experimental nature and earned a
critical pasting with the bulk of the tracks failing to withstand
repeated listening. Its relatively poor sales forced a back to
basics re-think for Combat Rock (1982).
Although this album was a healthy seller, it sounded laboured -
Ironically it became the band's biggest selling album in America,
where the Rock The Casbah single made the Top 10. Drummer
Topper Headon was already long gone by this point and was replaced
by Terry Chimes (who dubbed himself Tory Crimes) who had left
after the 1977 debut.
 Mick Jones was kicked out the following year
(for political reasons they said at the time, although Strummer
soon blamed the sacking on manager Bernie Rhodes and
unsuccessfully begged Jones to return).
The band hired some kid off the street (we could look it up,
but his name isn't really important) because he looked and sounded
a bit like Jones. Needless to say, the band stumbled on for only
one further album, Cut The Crap, in 1985 (it was absolute
dogshit) before finally calling it a day the following month.
While Jones enjoyed mid-80's success with Big Audio
Dynamite, Joe
Strummer embarked on a low key solo career before working with his
pal Shane McGowan in The Pogues.
Clash fever gripped the UK once more in 1991 when Should I
Stay Or Should I Go? (a Top 20 hit in 1983) hit the charts
again after being used in an advert for Levi jeans. A "Best
Of " double album, The Story Of The Clash Vol 1, flew
off the shelves and rumours were rife of a Clash reunion. The
rumours were unceremoniously quashed by Joe Strummer.
January 2003 brought the tragic news that Joe Strummer had died
in London.
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