The Clash – London Calling – Museum Of London from 15 November 2019 to spring 2020

The Clash – London Calling – Museum Of London from 15 November 2019 to spring 2020

Everyone knows the image of Paul Simonon destroyed his Fender Precision at a gig in New York in 1979, The image was captured forever by Pennie Smith. The moment was used for the cover of the band’s third album, ‘London Calling’. Smith originally didn’t like the shot as she has said it was too blurry but the band loved it and the rest is history. Going on to be ranked the greatest rock photo of all time.

Now, the Precision will be displayed at the Museum of London as part of an exhibition of more than 100 personal items, some previously unseen, all taken from the band’s archive.

Strummer’s notebook from the period as well as the typewriter he used to note his ideas and lyrics will also be on show, Mick Jones’ contributes handwritten album sequencing notes and Topper Headon’s drumsticks will be on display.

Simonon smashed his Fender Precision bass at The Palladium in New York City on 20th September 1979, when he realised fans were not being allowed to stand up out of their seats.

“That frustrated me to the point that I destroyed this bass guitar,” he said in an interview with Fender in 2011. “Unfortunately you always sort of tend to destroy the things you love.”

 

But the musician made sure he gathered the pieces of the guitar to keep. This exhibition promises to be an amazing experience for fans of the band and music fans in general.

 

Beatrice Behlen, the senior curator of fashion and decorative arts at the Museum of London, said the venue tells “the stories of our capital through the objects and memories of the people who have lived here”.

She continued: “This display will provide a brand new, exciting and vibrant take on this, showcasing rarely seen personal objects and telling the incredible story of how London Calling was, and for many still is, the sound of a generation.”

The Clash: London Calling, a free exhibit, runs at the Museum Of London from 15 November 2019 to spring 2020.

Taurus Trakker – All Shook Up Again In W 10 (Self Release)

Taurus Trakker – All Shook Up Again In W 10 (Self Release)

Dom Daley,

Always nice to have some Taurus Trakker on the player and this their fourth long player is possibly their most accomplished piece thus far. It gets Mick Jones (yeah he of the Clash) to handle the production as they proceed to groove and shake the listener with their hypnotic bluesy punk rock ‘n’ roll.  Inextricably linked with Ladbrook Grove and the surrounding part of West LondonTaurus Trakker follow on from what Jones and his old band used to knock out from this part of the Capital.  For those joining us for the first time, a brief introduction would be this;  these cats ply a trade in blues-based rock ‘n’ roll that has a heap of groove and swing and they write songs that would get your heart pumping if you were to happen upon them in some late night bar on the wrong side of town and there is an honesty with their lyrics that tell tales from the streets that they walk upon and social and economic ideals that are honest and worthy.

 

Whilst it’s still the same loose rock ‘n’ roll vibe happening its clear they are tighter as a unit and the production is a lot sharper on this album compared to previous offerings as well.  Having had their studio taken away by property developers in their part of town and then the fire at Grenfell Tower Taurus and their sense of community came to the fore with a lot of who they are bleeds into what they do and if you’re looking for the sound of West London and Ladbrook Grove then Taurus Trakker are it.

 

I think maybe one thing Mick Jones has been able to get the band to do is shorten the songs and tighten them up and reach a climax rather than jam them out into a lot longer which helps with the impact of the tunes. ‘Vibe On Me’ is a good example of this.  Taurus has always been a band I like to hear what singer Martin is saying and regardless of what he’s saying I’m paying attention God he might be reading out the terms and conditions of his railcard but I want to know about it.

I love the raw energy and spirit of ‘Letter To Elvis’ and its a step or hip shake in the right direction even if the content saddens me because Martins right you know. Its a progression from the last ‘Death Coaching’ album and possibly contains their finest work to date (it is in my opinion anyway)

Their mashing up of the blues with punk rock attitude has them rocking with a unique vibe and songs like ‘To Much Sugar’ demonstrate this perfectly well and the heavy blues of ‘Uncool Jack’ will also underline this theory.  Having said all that if these guys were from New York or Chicago you wouldn’t bat an eyelid and would say how cool their vibes are and their gritty working-class rock n roll is in the moment and catches the spirit of community and Taurus Trakker is the sound of people who are proud of where they come from and where their roots lock them into.  Check out ‘All Shook Up Again In W10’ its got a bunch of great tunes and you’d be a fool to pass up this invitation to check em out.

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JOE STRUMMER & MICK JONES ‘U.S. NORTH’(RADIO EDIT) released

JOE STRUMMER & MICK JONES ‘U.S. NORTH’(RADIO EDIT) released
A Radio edit of the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones composition ‘U.S. North,’ is being serviced exclusively to radio for the first time as of 14th December through Ignition Records. The full ten-minute version of ‘U.S. North,’ the longest Strummer/Jones song ever recorded, is available on ‘Joe Strummer 001,’ the first compilation to span Joe Strummer’s career outside of his recordings with The Clash.
‘U.S. North’ was originally recorded, but not used in the movie, directed by Robert Frank (‘The Americans’ photographic book) and Rudy Wurlitzer, ’Candy Mountain’.
‘U.S. North’ was recorded at Redan Recorders Studios, just behind Whiteley’s in Queensway West London, in October 1986. Talking in 1987 Joe said: “Mick came forward with an amazing tune. It was funded by Canadian money, the last thing we should have done was call it ‘U.S. North.’” This was a very productive and globe-trotting four months for Joe which saw him re-unite with Mick Jones on 26th June (Mick’s birthday), co-write 5 songs, co-produce (London), mix (New York) the Big Audio Dynamite album ‘No. 10, Upping Street,’ film ‘Straight To Hell’ in Spain and work on the soundtrack to ‘Straight To Hell’ also at Redan Studios.
‘U.S. North’ features – Joe Strummer: Vocals, Guitar, Mick Jones: Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Greg Roberts: Drums, Dan Donovan: Keyboards, Felippe Gonzales: Bongos, Xavier Solano: Agogo and strings by The Radio Futura Philharmonic Orchestra, Madrid.
’Joe Strummer 001’ comprises favourites from Joe’s recordings with the 101ers, The Mescaleros, his solo albums, soundtrack work plus 12 previously unreleased songs including: ‘Czechoslovak Song/Where Is England’ an early demo of ‘This Is England,’ ‘Rose Of Erin’ from the 1993 Sara Driver film ‘When Pigs Fly’ and ‘London Is Burning’ one of the last songs Joe recorded. Reviewed on RPM Here
’Joe Strummer 001’ is available on: Ltd Edition Super Deluxe Box Set with 3 x LP, 7” and 12” Vinyl, Deluxe Double CD and Cassette (IGN53BOX), Deluxe Double CD with A4 Book (IGNCD53X), Double CD (IGNCD53), Heavyweight Vinyl Box Set (IGNLP53X) and Digital download from:Here
The archiving of this material and compiling of ‘Joe Strummer 001’ was overseen by Joe’s widow Lucinda Tait and compilation producer and art director Robert Gordon McHarg III. All tracks were restored and mastered by Grammy Award winner Peter J. Moore at the E. Room in Toronto Canada.