The Clash History

The Clash were an English punk rock band, active from 1976 to 1986, and part of the original wave of UK punk rock in the late 1970s. Although a punk rock band, the band experimented with reggae, funk, New Wave, dub, and rockabilly in their music. The band's music was often charged by a leftist political ideology.

The Clash were a major success in the UK from the release of their first album in 1977, and became popular in the U.S. in 1980. Their third album, the late 1979 release London Calling is an influential album in the history of rock music; it was released in the U.S. in January 1980, and a decade later Rolling Stone magazine declared it the best album of the 1980s. Rolling Stone also placed it at #8 on their list in 2003 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

The Clash's attitude and style, as much as their music, influenced many other bands from the 1980s. Epic Records A&R director dubbed them "The Only Band That Matters." In 2003 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked The Clash #30 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Formation and first years: 1976-1978

Originally composed of Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Keith Levene and Terry Chimes (credited, as a pun, on their first LP as "Tory Crimes"), the Clash formed in Ladbroke Grove, West London in 1976, during the first wave of British punk. Levene (later of Public Image Ltd.) was a friend of Mick Jones and served as guitarist and songwriter with The Clash, but never recorded with the band. According to Mick Jones in the 1999 Clash documentary Westway to the World, Levene was kicked out for never showing up to practice.

Strummer had previously played in the pub rock act The 101'ers (his stage name at this point was Woody Mellor; soon he renamed himself "Joe Strummer", a reference to his rudimentary strumming skills on the ukulele as a busker in the London Underground); Jones, Simonon, and Tony James (later of Generation X) were (briefly) in legendary proto-punk band London SS. At the behest of their manager Bernie Rhodes, Jones, Levene, and Simonon recruited the slightly older Strummer from the 101'ers. "You're great," they told him, "but your group is shite". Strummer agreed to join the group, which was named The Clash.

The Clash had their first gig on July 4, 1976, supporting the Sex Pistols. Leading up to the gig, Simonon stated that he felt the band weren't good enough to play a live show. He decided to go on with it after meeting with Johnny Ramone earlier that day, who told him, "We stink. You don't have to be good, just get out there and play".

That autumn the band was signed to CBS Records. In early September, Levene left. On September 21, 1976 the band performed at the 100 Club Punk Festival, sharing the bill with the Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Subway Sect. Chimes left in late November (briefly replaced by Rob Harper for the Anarchy Tour in December 1976) but was soon drafted back to record their debut album. The band released their first single ("White Riot/1977") and first album (The Clash) in 1977 to considerable success in the UK. However, CBS initially declined to release either in the United States, waiting until 1979 before releasing a modified version of the first album in the U.S., after the UK original had become the best-selling import album of all time in the United States.

Following the release of their first album, Chimes left amicably due to personal differences with the remaining members. In the documentary Westway to the World, Mick Jones referred to him as one of "the best drummers around". But Chimes, who had no great wish to make a career from music, said, "The point was that I wanted one kind of life - they wanted another, and why are we working together, if we want completely different things?" Chimes later joined the glam punk group Hanoi Rocks.

The band experienced a period of changing drummers. After some time with Mick Jones handling drum duties, the band finally recruited Nicholas Bowen Headon, nicknamed "Topper" by Simonon, because he resembled the famous comic's cartoon cover star, Mickey the monkey. Headon had solid timing and excellent musical skills, being able to play other instruments as bass, organ and guitar. He was originally planning to stay briefly and gain a name for himself, before finding a better band. Realizing the band's potential he changed his plans and stayed in the band.

info : wikipedia