What's next? The Clash reforming minus Joe Strummer?

"Police On My Back" was by Eddy Grant? By learning that fact, I have justified the amount of time I spent on SportsJournalists.com today.

On "Sandinista!" I also like "Something About England" and "Rebel Waltz"...

Threadjack in progress. Fitting, somehow. Fans in the US always "got" The Clash more than they "got" The Jam.

 

Back to the thread for a moment...

I believe the drummer has been playing in a Jam tribute band for a while now. At least this is slightly less pathetic.

I'm a huge Jam fan, but this is just silly.

You may now return to the Clash threadjack. (As a Clash fan I feel obligated to nominate some obscurity as my favorite, but I'd be lying -- it's "Train in Vain.")

 

I'll throw out my fave Jam songs (order to change without notice):

"That's Entertainment" (live from Dig the New Breed - fucking brilliant)
"Absolute Beginners"
"Beat Surrender"
"The Bitterest Pill"
"Eton Rifles"
"Start"
"David Watts"
"In The City"
"Going Underground"
"Ghosts"
"Town Called Malice"
"All Mod Cons"
"Set the House Ablaze"

 

Just 2 points to add - Straight to Hell was the Clash's best song.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned AC/DC continuing as AC/DC without Bon Scott. It can be argued that they were equally good or better after his passing.

 

I won't make that argument. "Back in Black" was great because they had started writing the songs with Scott. Plus, the whole death-of-a-friend thing really pushed them. But only ONE ALBUM LATER they're bringing out the freakin' CANNONS -- for those about to rock, fuck you! It didn't get any better.

Actually, the Clash never got together without Strummer, but they did reunite without Mick Jones, for 1986's "Cut the Crap." Not good.

To Huggy's list, "Beat Surrender" is the best song ever written about a band's breakup. Thousands of times better than "Solsbury Hill."

 

Favorite Jam songs, in rough order...

Bitterest Pill
Absolute Beginners
Man in the Corner Shop
Town Called Malice
Precious
Start!
Strange Town
In The City
Beat Surrender

 

Sirs, Madames,

Jam concert in our 'hood (1,500-seater) circa All Mod Cons, my favorite album.

Weller sounds like a dick (especially to his Jam-mates). Could care less about seeing Wellerless Jam.

Strummer was my hero. Saw them touring behind first album and just when London Calling came out--again small venues. Marginally more interest--did like Mick Jones's stuff.

YHS, etc

 

Led Zeppelin didn't because they knew it just wouldn't be the same. John Bonham was the backbone. All their power started with him. The other three knew it wouldn't be the same without him.

 

Then again, Jimmy Page has been begging for a reunion ever since. John Paul Jones is the one most committed to never seeing it happen.

 

Best Clash songs ...

-- the entire debut album except Janie Jones and What's My Name.
-- everything on London Calling except Revolution Rock (which isn't bad).

For some reason, I love The Card Cheat from London Calling. It's one of the few Wall Of Sound-style songs I've ever really got into.

 

Sirs, Madames,

My favorite Clash was their Cost of Living EP (Groovy Times and Gates to the West, especially). Death or Glory is up there too. But as good as anything I thought was the first album that JS & the Mescaleros released.

YHS, etc

 

Best Clash cover? They did some incredible ones but my fave is "Brand New Cadillac" which narrowly gets "I Fought The Law" and "Police On My Back" at the wire.