Today marks the reissue of one of the greatest records ever pressed. In 1979 Joe Strummer and the boys unleashed a monster in the form of a double LP on the hungry English public. The record changed the face of all things punk. It pushed the boundaries of artistic expression in a scene built upon simplicity. Back in 1995 I was first introduced to the Clash by a good friend of mine. Not fully understanding the impact of the record I fell in love with tracks like the dance infused Train in Vain and Lost in the Supermarket. There was also a strong attraction to the rockabilly track Brand New Cadillac where they take a queue from the dwindling rocker scene and prove they could play it all. When speaking of their broad musical spectrum one must mention Strummer and Jones' fondness for dub and reggae which shines through on Guns of Brixton. While listening to this record throughout the years, I've noticed that it wasn't just the songs and the attitude; it was the feeling that punk rock was limitless. It was no longer reserved for snotty kids with safety pins in their noses. It took away from the fashionista aspect of the movement and reinforced the fact that this specific subculture epoch would be defined by the musical foundation it was built upon.
Today, Epic resurrects a welcomed demon from our past in the form of a three cd reissue of the classic album. It includes the "Vanilla Tapes" which are demos and studio sessions from the recording process for London Calling. They have also included a third disc DVD documentary on the making of the record. I see a purchase in your near future.
2 Comments:
that is some solid writing. it got me thinking. scat
Was surfing the net loking for some skiing jackets and I came upon your site and I was impressed by the quality of content you have. Keep up the awesome job. I will be bookmarking you right now.
Post a Comment
<< Home