Joe Strummer a short tribute

22^nd December 2011 was the 9^th anniversary of the passing of the great Joe Strummer, one of my all time heroes and someone who is still as relevant to me now as he ever was. I still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I was working in East London and whilst walking down East Ham High Street I started getting texts from friends who were also Clash fans, so I knew it was no bizarre wind up but still an incredulous moment when belief is suspended! I got incredibly drunk that night.

I first saw Joe with his band Latino Rockabilly War at the Milton Keynes Bowl in 1988 at an Amnesty International gig. One of my friends had passed out through too much beer and weed (it was only about 3 in the afternoon) and I remember spending the first 5 minutes of Joe’s set trying to revive him as he had said he didn’t want to miss Joe! Well neither did I so I left him to it and moved down to the front. Never saw the Clash live much to my disappointment but Joe always played as much Clash material with whatever band he was playing as he did the new album he was promoting. He didn’t disappoint on this occasion either and Mick joined him on stage at the end!

I saw the Mescaleros on several occasions and never saw a gig that didn't leave me feeling exhilerated and 10ft tall! Joe had that effect on people especially when he was projecting it from the stage! They say you should never meet your heroes for fear of disappointment. I agree, except with Joe, he was a man that one wanted to meet and I never did. My brother met him when he attended Suggs’ daughter’s 18^th birthday party a good few years ago. I am and always will be very envious!

As we approach 2012 the UK is decimated by recession, rising unemployment the worst it has been in a generation, not seen since the mid 70’s and the fucking Tories are back in No. 10. This is a time that is crying out for someone like Joe Strummer but he was unique! Fortunately his work still resonates 35 years on, we were lucky to have had him!

Reunions good or bad?

After the furore of the recent announcement of the Stone Roses reforming it got me thinking about the motivation of bands that have attained an almost mythical status due to their (sometimes) brief existance as a touring/recording band to do this! In many cases it is only for the money and why not! The record industry has changed radically in recent years and the only real money these days is in touring! However it can be a tad irritating when its dressed up as something else!!

I've nothing against the Stone Roses, I saw them in 1989 (I think) in Tonbridge of all places and they were good! I think their first album is excellent and like many when Second Coming was finally released after years of waiting I was a little disappointed. I've enjoyed Ian Brown's solo work and fondly remember the 90's prog rock of Squire's Seahorses. However this is the band that said they would never reform  but apparently a chance meeting at a funeral allowed various feuding members to bury the hatchet, complete some unfinished business and even plan to release songs written between both their albums (or so I'm told). I hope everyone who see's them next summer thoroughly enjoys the experience but its not really for me this time around!

Other recent examples were the Led Zeppelin one off at the O2 a couple of years ago unlikely to be repeated and of course Pink Floyd, now I can't stand Pink Floyd but I think there is a distinct risk of them deciding to tour again especially with the entire back catalogue being rereleased yet again ove rthe past couple of months!

I'm pleased the Clash never got round to it but I think it is possible it may have happened if Joe was still with us, I guess we'll never know but that is what was part of their legend the fact that it could have happened many times over the subsequent years but never did, although they joined each other on stage a number of times during various members solo outings!

The Smiths is the one that everyone would go absolutely crazy for! One of my all time favourite bands reforming after more than 20 years! Would I be happy? No I fucking would not!! I need not fear though, there is as much chance of that happeneing as there is of Torres finishing top scorer in the league! Morrissey and Marr simply don't like each other!

The one I would find amusing is the slightly absurd but much touted Abba reunion! They have allegedly been offered $1billion buy some oligarch or other on more than one occasion and yet Benny and Bjorn continue to resist! How much money does someone really need though and Agnetha is apparenlty an island dwelling recluse so don't hold your breath Euro Popsters!

For me though I'm holding out for the return of Bowie. What are the chances of The Thin White Duke dazzling us with one more album and maybe a short tour? Absolutely no chance in my opinion but at least he would escape the dreaded 'reunion' tag if he did.....

Drug dealing on the Starship Enterprise

I first came across the award winning writer Harlan Ellison some time in the 1980’s when a friend recommended him.  At the time I thought his genre was sci fi but it’s now termed ‘speculative fiction’ and takes in horror, fantasy etc.  He is not exactly a household name but his influence is far reaching and, as a short story writer, I consider him second to none.  He is also one of the most controversial figures in US popular writing in the last 50 years.

Born in 1934 Ellison, who lost his father at an early age, grew up in Ohio.  Always fancying himself as a writer he enrolled at Ohio State University at the age of 17.  He lasted little over a year before being kicked out for twatting a professor who had slagged off his ability to write.  After this he apparently joined a New York street gang in order to research and write about gang life. Then going to Hollywood he became a renowned screenwriter (credits include The Outer Limits and Man from U.N.C.L.E) and even managed to get into an altercation with Frank Sinatra who, for some reason, took offence to a pair of boots Ellison wore during a game of billiards.  All the while he was writing some truly amazing short stories that were being published in a variety of US magazines.  Check out ‘Repent Harlequin said the TickTock Man’ set in a future where being late for something has become a crime and the penalty for which is the lost amount of time is deducted from your lifespan.  Or ‘I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream’ the story of a group of survivors from a world war tormented by the supercomputer that destroyed the human race.  For me it’s not just the story, it’s the way he writes and the titles are intriguing.  I’m no expert but it seems so unconventional.  I heard a story that back in the 1960’s a teacher at a school in Texas added one of his books to the curriculum which so incensed the parents and the school authorities that she was run out of town.

His work as a screenwriter was also a mixture of genius and controversy.  He apparently submitted a script to Gene Roddenberry for an episode of the original Star Trek which involved drug dealing on the Enterprise.  Imagine how brilliantly bizarre that episode would have been had they made it.  The eventual submission was City on the Edge of Forever, a time travel classic which also starred a young Joan Collins.  I’m told Star Trek aficionados  universally regard this as the best episode ever made.  A number of his stories were dramatised for the new version of the Twilight Zone in the 1980’s and he even managed to get himself sacked as a screenwriter for Disney on his first day after being overheard (jokingly) saying that he intended to write an animated pornographic film featuring their best loved characters.

His unconventional style was also demonstrated when he temporarily hosted a US radio show during which he decided to write a short story on air complete with his trademark typewriter.  He invited listeners to telephone in and put forward suggestions which he incorporated into the story while they were on air.  That story when eventually published under the title ‘Hitler Painted Roses’ was the first Harlan Ellison story I read and it immediately got me hooked.

I’ve certainly not done Harlan Ellison any real justice in this piece as his body of work is so much bigger than my feeble attempt at an introduction.  He is however a genius and although regarded by some who know him as abrasive and argumentative, I am so very pleased to have discovered and been able to read his work. He even recently voiced his own character in an episode of Scooby Doo. How cool is that?

Gigs then and now or how my habits and rituals are moving towards middle age!

Back in the 80’s and 90’s I saw so many bands I’ve lost count and at many great venues in London, some better than others. Anyone remember the Ambulance Station in Old Kent Road? We would in the very early days make a point of arriving at the venue several hours before the doors opened and sit outside drinking dodgy cider and smoking cheap fags.

There would always be groups of fans milling around the venue at the same time and someone always had one of those large naval kit bags that looked like it was full of laundry or something. Normally they were the hardcore fans who were following the band around the country. I loved that commitment, travelling from city to city and hoping to find somewhere to crash after the gig. Only did this once myself many years ago after travelling to Blackpool with novelty punks Splodgenessabounds. Max asked the audience if there was anywhere the band could stay after the gig which actually meant him, his cousin, me and someone else also not in the band. We got several offers and ended up in a needle strewn high rise flat in which the bath seemed to double up as a second toilet. It was truly horrific!

I also remember going to Camden or Kensington market a few days later to buy a barely audible C90 cassette recording of the gig I'd attended, normally including a badly photocopied yellow cardboard inlay depicting an image of the band and the wrong set list. Still got a few of them knocking about probably in a shoebox in the loft!

The years passed and I started attending gigs less fequently but I saw the Stranglers in Brighton a few months ago and the nostalgia of the situation got the better of me. I ventured 'down the front' for the first time in about 17 years where a group of grey haired old punks were mixing it with their younger, fitter counterparts. I lasted about 20 minutes before I lost my balance and fucked my knee up. As I was pulled up from the floor by concerned audience members I thought this is akin to an elderly gentleman slipping on a patch of ice outside the post office.

My next gig will be Polly Harvey at the Albert Hall, a glass of wine or two, comfortable seats, maybe a taxi home and why not! Still great music but the experience is now somewhat more refined than accidently sitting in a pile of vomit at a Nick Cave gig in 1988.

Debut Posting

Well I've been wanting to do this for a while, and by 'this' I mean writing a blog! Since I've been using Twitter I've come across a number of wonderfuly written blogs which have not only entertained me but also served as my inspiration! I read mostly Arsenal blogs and those related to music I'm interested in, there seem to be plenty knocking about, too many maybe but I don't care about that, for me its as much about getting a thought put into words and hopefully getting it out there! If someone reads it, I'm grateful.

Anyway just a thought about the football this weekend, specifically the EPL and the frustration of being a Gooner at the moment. We look like a club in crisis and maybe we are but with what could be a season defining 7 days ahead (Jesus the season is one week old) we get a result in Italy on Wednesday 0-0 will do and we take something from OT next Sunday things may ease! Arsene might even 'spend some fucking money' on a CB, DM, Striker etc in the same time frame, rumours abound that nothing will happen until our fate is decided on Wednesday! Who knows, the club aren't saying anything as usual!!

Finally please forgive my amateurish efforts, I designed this thing myself and I (clearly) have not got a clue what I'm doing but all things in time will improve...