Today is Joe Strummer’s birthday – the frontman of The Clash would have been 60 years old today. Strummer died in 2002 of an undiagnosed heart problem.
Here’s New York rocker Jesse Malin, joined by former Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, for a version of The Clash’s “Death or Glory.”
When the Clash toured the United States in 1982, they were pretty much on top of the world. Their fifth album Combat Rock, which came out in June, was a hit – produced by Glyn Johns (who’d worked with the Beatles, among others), it spawned hit singles “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” and “Rock The Casbah.” The Clash were considered the best band of its time; formed in 1976, they managed to survive the self destruction suffered by so many other punk bands of the era.
The Clash came out of the London punk scene of the late 70s that featured, among others, Elvis Costello and the Sex Pistols. Many times the punk bands were good in the studio (Costello), but sucked on stage (Sex Pistols, although they were funny). But that was the idea: they were supposed to suck, Costello couldn’t help but be good. Everything was played at breakneck speed usually sung off key. However, Live at Shea Stadium has neither of these negative elements. It kicks ass from start to finish.
Actually punk was long dead when Live at Shea Stadium was recorded in 1982. The Clash -featuring Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Terry Chimes (replacing drummer Topper Headon who was kicked out because of his need for heroin) and Paul Simonon – opened for The Who on their first of many farewell tours. They ripped through “Train in Vain,” “Rock the Casbah,” “Spanish Bombs,” and “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” They also dug into the catalog for gems like “London Calling,” “The Magnificent Seven,” the ska-inflected B-side “Armagideon Time” and a rocking “Clampdown.”
Live at Shea Stadium was one of the last great recordings that featured Strummer and Jones together. Jones was fired the following year and went on to form Big Audio Dynamite. Strummer continued on with some other guys, but it was never the same. There have been many great nights at the soon-to-be torn down Shea Stadium. This collection captures one of them.
30 Days Out 