About thirty years ago, a young John Graham Mellor, later known as Joe Strummer, attended a concert that would change his life forever. The year was 1976 and the band was the Sex Pistols, who were opening for Strummer's band The 101'ers. Strummer was so moved by the message of the band and their onstage antics that he formed his own group and called them The Clash.
The Beginning
Original band members included guitarists Mick Jones and Keith Levine, drummer Terry Chimes and bassist Paul Simonon, with Strummer acting as frontman. Their self-titled debut album was a huge hit in England , but wasn't quite so well received in America . People were shocked by the blatancy of the lyrics; songs about police brutality and racism were unexpected and even taboo in a time when disco was popular and politics were considered evil.
The Clash Soldier On
Despite the unenthusiastic response, Strummer and company continued releasing albums in the U.S. as well as the U.K. Soon they built up following, mostly consisting of kids who were fed up with the blind eye policies of the era and who wanted to actually do something about the terrible things that were happening at the time. The Rodney King beatings among other events helped fuel the youth of America away from disco and towards music that meant something a little bit more to them, such as folk and punk . They wanted to listen to music that expressed how they felt.
The U.S. Isn´t Ready
However, most of America was not ready for the politically charged anger of the band. Although they had never condoned violence or promoted anarchy, many people believed punk music was brainwashing the youth. The Clash did all they could to dispel this idea; they played benefit concerts, marched in demonnstrations and the collective members of the band were involved in many organizations, ranging from environmentalist to political to animal rights.
Strummer Creates a Lasting Impression
Of course, the heart and soul of the band was Joe Strummer himself. He was the most politically and environmentally active and he loved his fans with all his heart. After playing a show, Joe would stay behind to sign every autograph and chat personally with every fan who had stuck around in hopes of meeting him. It's easy to see why he was greatly loved and adored by millions all over the world.
The Death of the Band
Much of the band's fame was posthumous. Following Strummer's death in 2002, the remaining members of the Clash disbanded and went on to form other bands and focus on their families. However, the legacy of the band lives on as long as people continue to buy and sell Clash records, and their music is still relevant in this day and age.
