A Crappy Cut On A Hero

Raise a toast to saint Joe Strummer

I think he might have been our only decent teacher...

--"Constructive Summer" - The Hold Steady

There's been a lot written and said this week about Joe Strummer, who would have turned 60 on Tuesday. A lot of it has been more than over-the-top about Strummer's and The Clash's impact on music and several generations of music fans.

And, that's just the way it should be. The Clash were kings of hyperbole; hyperbole they and their fans passionately believed. The Clash called themselves "the only band that matters" and they were right.

Many people this week talked about how The Clash changed their lives. I have my own story along those lines; anyone who loves The Clash can tell you the exact moment they first heard them and how it changed their life. The Clash were punk in a way that defined punk. You can't write about it, you can't wear it. You just have to listen to it to know what punk is and still is today.



Most of the paens to Strummer this week leave out the last official studio album by The Clash: Cut The Crap. This was recorded after Strummer and Paul Simonon had kicked Mick Jones out of the band; generally regarded as the end of The Clash. Strummer and Simonon recruited some young players for what is dubbed The Clash Mk II. Strummer donned an orange mohawk, made statements about returning The Clash to their punk roots, busked and toured, and recorded Cut The Crap.

The album is a mess musically. Without Jones input, the album's songs are primarily left to Strummer and manager Bernie Rhodes. The story is Strummer pretty much handed the whole project over to Rhodes (or Bernie stole it) and headed off to Spain to drown his sorrows. Critics subsequently savaged the record and The Clash soon came to a formal end.

I don't know how loud to say this, but the album isn't all that bad. It's clear that without Jones and depressed over the slow death of his band, Strummer wasn't really focused on this project. Yet, it contains a song rivaling The Clash's best: "This Is England."



After a boisterous and musically chaotic first side ("Dictator" is almost unlistenable; "We Are The Clash" has its heart in the right place but is a watered down message from "the only band that matters), "This Is England" kicks off the much better and more coherent side two. The sadness Strummer sees in England slides off the vinyl as minor chords and drum machines propel the song. Strummer's passion - something missing from the first side of Cut The Crap - makes a grand entrance; this is the Strummer we know.

What follows is a stretch of songs - "Three Card Trick," which sounds as it's from Sandinista and previews Strummer's later solo work>"Play To Win">"Fingerpoppin'">"North And South">"Life Is Wild" - that fit the tone set by "This is England." OK, maybe "Play To Win" isn't all that. Despite one misstep, the second side of Cut The Crap has some really great music.

Strummer's 60th birthday this week made me think a lot of The Clash Mk II period. It was the only time I got to see the band live. I don't care what version of The Clash it was, I was 18 years old and I was watching Joe Strummer belt out "I Fought The Law," "London Calling," "Rudie Can't Fail," and all the songs that helped me survive the muddle of those years. They still mattered.

There's a long article the current issue of Uncut about Strummer's post-Clash life and music which has a great story that sums up the hyperbole and passion of The Clash (which the band and its fans bought 100 percent).

At one point while in L.A., Strummer met up with Michael Hutchence of the then-red-hot INXS. Hutchence had girls hanging off him and Strummer said: "Wow, it must be really strange to be sex symbol."

"Well, you're Joe Strummer; you should know," Hutchence replied.

To which Strummer said: "No, I was never a sex symbol. I was just a spokesman for a generation."

Thanks for reminding us, Joe.

Summer Highatus

I'm back from my summer hiatus.

Summer hiatus after about 12 blog posts? Better than saying "I'm back from my summer being a lazy ass."

I may have mentioned previously my undying love for music festivals. There's a meme somewhere that states: "I want to live in a music festival forever."

That's me.

Music all day? I'm there.
Friends and community? Yep.
Many options of fried and unhealthy foods? You got it.
Coffee and energy drinks galore? Yes, Yes, YES!
No work? That's a pretty simple answer.
Assorted hedonistic and most likely illegal activities taking place pretty much non-stop? Ummm...is my wife reading this...?

Up to this summer, most of my music festivals have been focused in the jamband genre (still hate that term - is there a better one?). My favorite is Mountain Jam in the Catskills. I also have been going to Wanee in Florida, have hit Harvest Festival in Arkansas, and of course, NedFest in Colorado.

This summer I shook things up and attended Lollapalooza in Chicago. Not only was it the first urban (non-camping) fest I've been to in awhile, it was freakin' HUGE. I think attendance was something like 270,000 people over three days. It's a mile between the two main stages - with five stages in between. Largest fest I've been to recently was this year's Wanee (two nights of Allman Brothers Band/Furthur co-headlining) and that was probably about 30,000 people; about one-third of one day's attendance at Lollapalooza.

Did I mention no camping? My campsite was a hotel room across the street from the festival's main entrance. After years of heading back to a cold tent to sleep on the hard ground after a long day of music, I think I can get used to the urban festival.*

Most important, what I considered a pretty solid lineup ended up being a more than solid festival. This could turn into a very long and boring (if it's not already) post if I went through all the great sets I saw in Chicago.

The return of Afghan Whigs and At The Drive In? Neither has skipped a beat. Please hope the reunions stick.



Sigur Ros? Holy shit - a one hour set that deserves a War and Peace length dissertation. I may need to jump on the Denver-Reykjavik flight.

The War on Drugs and Sharon Van Etten back-to-back? Atmosphere and reverb slay the boiling sun.



Aloe Blacc? Ever seen an aging DeadHead participate in a Soul Train line dance?



Passion Pit? Their pre-fest show at the House of Blues came close to topping the entire weekend.

Black Sabbath? Powerful, earth shattering, and surprisingly emotional given Tony Iommi's battle with cancer.



FIDLAR? Punks on acid = an early afternoon mosh pit!



Red Hot Chili Peppers? 60,000 people crammed on a muddy field; 55,000 of them Bros. Who cares? The Peppers are still a tight unit with an enormous catalog.

The Shins? About as...hmmmm...ummm...boring?...as you'd expect. But those songs...!



Trampled By Turtles? Jamgrass for the corporately indie crowd.

Discovering Anamanaguchi, Kopecky Family Band, Bowerbirds, First Aid Kit, Hey Rosetta!, Michael Kiwanuka, and more? Glad I have Spotify.

Jack White? PRICELESS...



It's the Year of the Jack and his set Sunday night was the absolute best of the weekend. A taste of the energy level? Sixteen Saltines opened the show. A teeth rattlingly loud sonic exploration of his entire catalog. I don't know if anyone can touch Jack White this year (or any other year at this point).

I could go on and on. Yes, Lollapalooza is big and crowded (though it never got bad except for the Chili Peppers bro-fest). Yes there's a huge sponsor presence and it's about as indie as Goldman Sachs. Lollapalooza played a huge part in forcing alternative music into the mainstream in the early 90s back when it was a mess of a festival and a crazy good time. Except when they ran out of water the first year outside of DC during Nine Inch Nails midday set. DC summer heat + no water = scary good time.

Lollapalooza is still a crazy good time despite a much more mainstream feel. Chicago is a perfect location and I don't say that because it's my second hometown. Well, maybe I do. But check out the skyline as dusk settles while Jack White tears it up - beautiful.

Most of all, Lollapalooza was good because the music was good.

And, that's all that matters.


* Disclaimer: Yes, I know Lollapalooza is a big corporate festival. I noticed all the sponsors; I'm not blind. Though I think if I was blind I'd still know that I was in Red Bull/Google Play/Playstation/Bud Light/Toyota land. It goes with the territory of any large festival.