Joe Strummer

[HMVNipper]

I was very sad to hear this news -- I was (and am) a big fan of The Clash... graemlins/cry2.gif

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBIT_STRUMMER?SITE=1010WINS&SECTION=ENTERTAINMENT

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Dec 23, 6:04 AM EST

Punk Legend Joe Strummer Dies at 50

LONDON (AP) -- Punk legend Joe Strummer of "The Clash" has died, his record company said Monday. He was 50.

Strummer, who was the band's guitarist, vocalist and songwriter alongside Mick Jones, died on Sunday. The cause of his death was not announced.

Hein van der Rey, managing director of Epitaph Records, which had produced two albums for Strummer's latest band, The Mescaleros, said he learned of the death Monday morning.

"We do not know the circumstances. It is pretty devastating news," he said.

He said Strummer, who was born John Mellor, had been working on a third album with The Mescaleros.

Strummer's death was announced on his official Web site. "Joe Strummer died yesterday," said the simple statement. "Our condolences to Luce and the kids, family and friends."

"The Clash" were known for injecting left wing politics into punk. Their album "London Calling" was named the best album of the 1980s by Rolling Stone magazine, despite being released in 1979.

Between 1977 and 1982 Strummer and Jones composed, performed and recorded dozens of songs, using musical ideas from reggae and rockabilly as well as punk. With Jones's crisp guitar playing and Strummer's staccato, Cockney voice, the band, which also included Keith Levene, Paul Simonon, Terry Chimes Nicky "Topper" Headon, was hugely popular.

The band split in the early 1980s after a dispute between Strummer and Jones, who subsequently formed the group Big Audio Dynamite (BAD).

Strummer, who was born in Ankara, Turkey, was married with children and lived in Somerset, southern England.

No further details were immediately available.

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On the Net:

Joe Strummer site: www.strummersite.com (http://www.strummersite.com)

[Danoota64]

I did NOT know about this till i read it here this morning....i am shocked. Born 8/21/52....from the few things i've read, something seems, to me, very mysterious about his death. I hope we find out a lot more. But it's so hard to believe.
I was a HUGE Clash fan, even quoted them last week in the Your Mother Should Know forum....i saw them three times, in 1980, '81, and '82. In 1981 i was at Bonds in NYC, the second night of their two weeks there, and i was right up front and threw Joe my towel to use, which he did, wiping the sweat off his face, and i yelled i wanted it back - but he kept it! i have pictures!
And in 1982, in Boston at the Orpheum, i was right up front (seats had been removed) and during "Armageddon Time," i tied his left bootlace cuz it was untied. He was a huge influence on me and eventually brought me back to listening to country music, believe it or not. he admired Texas artist Joe Ely, so when Joe Ely came to Boston five months after John died, i made it my duty to go see him. I got to meet him and the rest is history. In one song on "Sandinista," can't remember which one, Joe S mentions: "Well, there ain't no better blend/than Joe Ely and his Texas men."

I am very saddened to hear about Joe's death. May he rest in peace.
Fave Clash song: "Groovy Tmes."

graemlins/peace.gif

[HMVNipper]

This is the information from his official site. they say he "died peacefully," which is nice to hear but just adds to the mystery about what exactly happened...if he was ill, certainly it was not publicized.

Danoota, I too was/am a huge Clash fan -- I only saw them once, and that was opening for The Who at Shea Stadium in 1982...but at the time, aside from the Beatles, they were my two favorite bands, so needless to say it was very exciting for me!

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23 DECEMBER 2002

Joe Strummer died yesterday.

Our condolences to Luce and the kids, family and friends.

Anthony and Rob


Joe Strummer, founder and lead singer of one of England's greatest rock bands, The Clash, died peacefully at his home in Somerset yesterday, Sunday 22nd December 2002. He was 50 years old.

Strummer, together with Mick Jones (guitar), Paul Simonon (bass) and Terry Chimes (drums), formed The Clash in 1976, releasing their first records the following year. The Clash quickly established themselves as one of the seminal bands in the UK punk explosion, combining raw political passion with a vitriolic energy.

The Clash's power and influence stretched far beyond the confines of the punk years, outlasting all their contemporaries to provide an extraordinary legacy of unique and committed music. The band made five albums - The Clash (1977); Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978); London Calling (1979); Sandinista! (1980) and Combat Rock (1982) - with Topper Headon replacing Chimes on drums after the debut LP. The Clash also had 16 Top 40 hit singles in the UK.

The Clash finally disbanded in 1985, with Strummer embarking on a solo career that included the soundtrack to director Alex Cox's movie, Walker, in 1988. Strummer also acted in Mystery Train, the 1989 film by American director Jim Jarmusch.

Strummer then briefly became the lead singer of The Pogues after Shane MacGowan departed from the band in September 1991. He remained with the band until June the following year.

Strummer returned to the limelight with his new band, the Mescaleros, three years ago. The Mescaleros, whose music vividly encompassed Strummer's fascination with global genres, released Rock Art & The X-Ray Style in October 1999. It was followed by a second Mescaleros album, Global A Go-Go, released on the Hellcat label in June 2001.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros toured the UK in November this year. Strummer also played a benefit show for the firefighters' union on 15th November. The show, at London's Acton Town Hall, reunited Strummer with guitarist Mick Jones - the first time the two had appeared together since the demise of The Clash nearly two decades ago. Joe was currently working on a track - co-written with Bono and Dave Stewart - for Nelson Mandela's AIDS Awareness in Africa.

Joe is survived by his wife Lucinda, two daughters and one stepdaughter. They request privacy at this harrowing time.

[Jerry]

Not a huge fan, but I do like their popular songs. It's too bad he couldn't hold on just a bit longer, because the entire band was supposed to play together next year at their R 'n R Hall Of Fame induction.

[beatlewho01-02]

graemlins/angry11.gif *Darn. It was also before Christmas Eve. RIP, Strummer.

[HMVNipper]

Just a quick update -- the latest news story I read said it was a heart attack...sigh...

[bobdude]

Sad to hear about the passing of Joe Strummer. What a great band the Clash were and they are deserving of the Hall Of Fame status. By all means if you havent heard London Calling or Sandinista run out and get yourselves a copy. I saw the Clash in 1982 also on the Who tour. How many people besides me own a copy of the Clash movie Rude Boy? Thanks for the great tunes Joe!!!!

[Danoota64]

Originally Posted By bobdude:
Sad to hear about the passing of Joe Strummer.

How many people besides me own a copy of the Clash movie Rude Boy? Thanks for the great tunes Joe!!!!<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">bobdude, i saw this movie 27 times in 3 weeks when it came out here in 1980. Many years later i was able to find the video and watched it again last year. I read two books on the Clash last year and it said that the live music for the movie did not sound good, so they re-recorded all the music in the studio while watching themselves up on the screen. The music is what always stood out for me.
RIP, Joe.

graemlins/peace.gif