Obit: Joe Strummer (1952-2002)

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 22 Dec 14 - 06:33 PM

12 years since the great man left us. his big heart just gave up. particularly on his later stuff , there is so much stuff going on - he is open to everyone and everything. full of a love for humanity ( and stimulants) a folk singer in the true sense of the world. i still often ask 'what would joe do?'

he would do more - peace, love and revolution.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: BusbitterfraeScotland
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 08:31 PM

I wasn't a fan of Punk rock, however It's still sad that Joe Strummer is dead.
Mind you I liked the songs I fought the law and should I stay or should I go.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: SDShad
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 09:46 AM

Derrymacash, never mind the bollocks. :-) 'Shamed to say, I still have fond memories of the Jam, Psychedelic Furs, the Cure, the Blasters, etc., etc. Don't listen to 'em much any more, though. Heresy in punk circles, but I never liked the Pistols except out of respect for the doors they opened for *good* punk bands. And it was because I was already into the Clash that when this little, unknown Irish band appeared on Tom Snyder (who, strangely, had a lot of really good (or at least attention-getting) punk and new wave bands on his show during its last year or two) one night, singing a song called "I Will Follow," my jaw dropped. Been listening to U2 ever since. Bono said that the Clash "wrote the rulebook" for a band like U2. Seen Billy Bragg's eulogy to Strummer at the Beeb web site? I'll try to post a link later. Off to the mines. Happy Christmas, y'all.

Not workin' for the Clampdown,

Chris

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: IanN
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 04:40 AM

Does anyone else get really frustrated with the lack of "British" folk music & Jools' "Later" programme? There is plenty of so-called world music (at least one band a week) but as far as I can remember the most we've had recently from was one song from Linda Thompson.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: GUEST,derrymacash
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 04:30 AM

By the way ... when I said above that "our tastes may have matured ..." I didn't mean to deride the Clash's music. A lot of it still stands the test of time. It's just that at the same time being young and not very discerning I was listening to a lot of other bollocks which doesn't bear scrutiny from my current vantage point.

Whereas I still get a kick out of songs such as Garageland, White Man In Hammersmith Palais, Jimmy Jazz, Guns of Brixton, Pressure Drop, I Fought The Law, ...

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Brían
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 05:26 PM

My wife broke the news to me this afternoon. I am not ashamed to say I have The Clash on CD, cassette and vinyl. I think the message he was making was the same type I look for in a good folk song.

Brían

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 05:16 PM

Yeah!! to all of the above. Personally I liked his version of "I fought the law" I reckon he made it his own. RIP Joe.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Max
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 04:36 PM

I am deeply saddened. Joe was very important to music and me. The Clash was an important band that gave musical credibility to punk as a genre. It is truly tragic because I think Joe had a lot more music in him. I've been waiting since the 80's for him to put more music out. Leopard Skin Limousine was a great solo song, very folksy. Goodbye Joe, and thank you for helping me vent the angst and energy of my youth.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: alanabit
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 03:00 PM

I think he cared a lot about his principles and rather less about how much applause he got. So I think Tim and Dave are talking about different things there.
Shane McGowan said that he wanted to get the energy of the Clash into folk music. Indirectly Strummer helped to get people into folk music. It is also worth noting that as well as singing with the Pogues, he also produced them.
Hamish Immlach, Alan Hull and now Joe Strummer all departed at around the age of fifty. I wonder why this is a dangerous age for British folkies.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: SDShad
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 02:49 PM

"In the intervening years our tastes may have matured for the better"

Hey, I'm still known on occasion to put my cassette of London Calling into the tape deck in the van and crank the volume up as high as my rickety old speakers will take. It's amazing how little that album has aged. Still sounds fresh and relevant, and it's the one where the Clash really started to spread their wings and become even more than just a punk band. So very many good songs.

RIP Joe. We'll miss ye.

Chris

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Big Tim
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 01:48 PM

That Pogues video was of course 1988. I think you're wrong Dave, I think he cared too much and that's maybe what killed him.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 01:38 PM

Well, I guess we'll know if he will stay or will he go now...

I always thought the Clash were one of the better punk bands. I guess he wil have told us he couldn't give a !"£$ though!

Dave teh Gnome

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Big Tim
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 01:38 PM

Very sad indeed and at such a young age. I only came to his music via the Pogues video "Live at the Town & Country" (St Pats Night 1998.) He introduced all the boys, then got on stage and gave a rousing performance of "London Calling". A few years later I saw him onstage in Edinburgh deputising for Shane, an a ghra for Irish music all right. Sympathies to his family.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 01:12 PM

I loved the Clash and some of his solo work was amazing -I'm truly shocked.

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 12:11 PM

Sad news. I love all the Clash songs. This is a tragic loss - and a real shock.
I'll be listening to some Clash CDs tonight...

Subject: RE: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: Kim C
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 12:00 PM

Well I'll be damned. I saw the Clash when I was in high school, back in the bad old 80s. I wasn't ever a huge fan, but appreciated that same do-it-yourself attitude.

Subject: Obit: Joe Strummer
From: GUEST,derrymacash
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 10:47 AM

Aged 50. Died of a suspected heart attack.

Some folkies will raise an eyebrow at Joe's passing getting a mention here. But there are those of us of a certain vintage who will have been very saddened to hear of his death this morning. The do-it-yourself ethos which Joe and his fellow members of The Clash personified turned a lot of people - myself included - on to making music. (I since found that that very do-it-yourself ethic is at the heart of a lot of great trad and folk music ...) In the intervening years our tastes may have matured for the better, but without that spark I for one wouldn't have considered that I had the potential for making music ...

Let's not forget that alongside his other world music influences, Joe had a gra for Irish music ... hence his regular apearances with The Pogues including a brief stint as frontman when Shane lost the plot.

Rest in peace.