89-696: The Mescaleros were the British backing band for British singer, musician and songwriter Joe Strummer , formed in 1999, which issued three albums prior to Strummer's death in 2002. Many of the band members were multi-instrumentalists. The original line up consisted of Strummer on vocals and guitar ; Antony Genn on guitar; Scott Shields on bass, guitar and drums; Martin Slattery on keyboards, guitar, occasional flute and saxophone; Pablo Cook on percussion ; Steve "Smiley" Barnard on drums; and Richard Flack on various instruments. The name "The Mescaleros" for my new group
178-405: A socialist and explained, "I believe in socialism because it seems more humanitarian, rather than every man for himself and 'I'm alright Jack' and all those arsehole businessmen with all the loot. I made up my mind from viewing society from that angle. That's where I'm from and there's where I've made my decisions from. That's why I believe in socialism." On 22 December 2002, aged 50, Strummer
267-533: A 26-minute film by Gregg McDonald and Alan Miles, were released as a unique visual record of that last London concert by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros. Following the conclusion of this tour, the band headed straight for the studio, but Strummer died of a congenital heart defect on 22 December 2002 after returning home from walking his dogs. The band's final album Streetcore was released, after Strumer's death, on 20 October 2003. The band also made appearances on
356-538: A campaign against AIDS in Africa. Strummer became a vegetarian in 1971, and remained so until his death in 2002. In 1975, Strummer accepted £120 (equivalent to £1,270 in 2023) to marry South African citizen Pamela Moolman so she could obtain British citizenship (before the British Nationality Act 1981 came into force) by doing so. He used the money to buy his signature Fender Telecaster . In 1978, he started
445-463: A drunken, short-tempered drifter named Johnny (whom most characters refer to as Elvis, much to Johnny's dismay). He made a cameo appearance in Aki Kaurismäki 's 1990 film I Hired a Contract Killer as a guitarist in a pub, performing two songs ("Burning Lights" and "Afro-Cuban Bebop"). These were released as a promotional 7-inch single limited to a few hundred copies, credited to "Joe Strummer &
534-489: A longtime friend of Joe Strummer, joined the band in 2000 playing violin and Spanish guitar . He contributed some of the tunes on Global a Go-Go , including "Mondo Bongo". Honorary Mescaleros include John Blackburn and Jimmy Hogarth , both of whom played bass in place of Scott Shields on the 2000 tour supporting the Who , which was also Tymon Dogg 's first tour with the band. Andy Boo, Strummer's guitar tech , also appeared in
623-422: A minor role. New Orleans–based rockers Cowboy Mouth released a song called "Joe Strummer" on their 2006 album Voodoo Shoppe . The Red Hot Chili Peppers also recorded a tribute song called "Joe" as part of the recording sessions for their album Stadium Arcadium , releasing the outtake as a B-side to their single Desecration Smile in 2007. A play by Paul Hodson called Meeting Joe Strummer premiered at
712-623: A one-year foundation course. During this time, he shared a flat in Palmers Green with friends Clive Timperley and Tymon Dogg . He said, "I bought a ukulele. No kidding. I saved some money, £1.99 I think, and bought it down Shaftesbury Avenue . Then the guy I was busking with taught me to play ' Johnny B. Goode '. [...] I was on my own for the first time with this ukulele and 'Johnny B. Goode'. And that's how I started." In 1973, Strummer moved to Newport, South Wales . He did not study at Newport College of Art , but met up with college musicians at
801-510: A plaza named in his honour, Placeta Joe Strummer, in the Spanish city of Granada, about 650m south of the Alhambra. In June 2013 a mural of Strummer was unveiled on the corner of Portobello Road and Blenheim Crescent and attended by a number of Strummer's former friends including Mick Jones and Ray Gange . In an October 2013 interview, Mick Jones confirmed that Strummer had intentions of reforming
890-639: A popular location with the Sex Pistols , the Pretenders and the Tom Robinson band. The single was produced by Guy Stevens and engineered by Bill Price . Continuing the theme of the retro Elvis Presley -inspired London Calling LP cover, the single sleeve (front and back) is based on old Columbia 78 rpm sleeves. The cover artwork was designed by Ray Lowry and is identical to the Columbia sleeve but with
979-474: A relationship with Gaby Salter shortly after her 17th birthday. The couple remained together for 14 years and had two daughters, Jazz and Lola, but did not marry as Strummer had been unable to locate and divorce Moolman. During his relationship with Salter, he had multiple affairs. In 1993, he began an affair with Lucinda Tait, which finally ended his relationship with Salter. He was married to Tait from 1995 until his death in 2002. Strummer described himself as
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#17328692293801068-512: A snarling vocal..." Guarisco finds that this gives the song "a hypnotic sense of drive." The song fades out with a Morse code signal spelling S-O-S, reiterating the earlier urgent sense of emergency, and further alluding to drowning in the river. "London Calling" was recorded at Wessex Studios located in a former church hall in Highbury in North London. This studio had already proved to be
1157-496: A special limited edition boxed set was released, containing three tracks, "London Calling" on side one, " Brand New Cadillac " and "Rudie Can't Fail" on side two, a poster and two badges (catalogue number: CLASH B2). Two were released by CBS Records in 1991 (catalogue number: 656946; 31-656946-22) both with "Brand New Cadillac" on the B-side, the second one has an additional track on side two "Return to Brixton (Jeremy Healy 7" Remix)" (see
1246-573: A town in Sardinia , Italy, dedicated a street to Joe Strummer. On 22 December 2010, CJAM 99.1 FM, a radio station in Windsor, Ontario , Canada, declared the anniversary of Strummer's death "Joe Strummer Day to confront poverty in Windsor-Detroit." For 24-hours, the station played nothing but Strummer-related music, wrapping the sounds around reports about poverty in the Windsor-Detroit region. CJAM (which
1335-509: A tribute song called "The General's Boombox" on their 2007 album State of Grace . New Jersey's the Gaslight Anthem recorded the song "I'da Called You Woody, Joe" on their 2008 album Sink or Swim . The Hold Steady reference Strummer's impact in the song "Constructive Summer" on their 2008 album Stay Positive , singing "Raise a toast to Saint Joe Strummer. I think he might have been our only decent teacher." In November 2009, Tonara ,
1424-539: A year. I was left on my own, and went to this school where thick rich people sent their thick rich kids. Another perk of my father's job – it was a job with a lot of perks – all the fees were paid by the Government." Strummer developed a love of rock music by listening to records by Little Richard , the Beach Boys , and Woody Guthrie . Strummer would even go by the nickname "Woody" for a few years. He would later refer to
1513-519: Is located near the banks of the Detroit River, a kilometre from downtown Detroit) has since decided to make it an annual event and hosted its 10th annual Joe Strummer Day on 22 December 2019. In January 2011 a motion was started to grant Strummer his own street in the Spanish city of Granada . On 21 August 2012, which would have been Strummer's 60th birthday, Hellcat Records released an exclusive 57-song digital download album titled Joe Strummer and
1602-607: Is my Indian summer ... I learnt that fame is an illusion and everything about it is just a joke. I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all. In 2001, the band signed with Californian punk label Hellcat Records and released their second studio album, Global a Go-Go . The album was supported with a 21-date tour of North America, Britain, and Ireland. Once again, these concerts featured Clash material (" London's Burning ", "Rudie Can't Fail", " (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais "), as well as covers of reggae and ska hits (" The Harder They Come ", "A Message to You, Rudy") and
1691-546: Is often overlooked however, in favor of citing the 15 November show at Acton Town Hall . It was this show, which was a benefit for striking fire fighters, that Mick Jones joined Strummer on stage for the first time in nearly twenty years, during the Clash song "Bankrobber". An encore followed with both " White Riot " and " London's Burning ". The Last Night London Burned , a 64-page book written by George Binette, showing never before published pictures of Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, and
1780-580: Is something I just stole from a cowboy film I was watching one night. So, um, really, doesn't have any meaning to the direction. But we're moving in a kind of roots reggae , rock thing. I mean, more or less, as if time hadn't passed. But, we're trying to move it into the future as well. Definitely don't wanna stay in the past. Gotta get out of the past! It's a quagmire of treacle . Joe Strummer , 1999, Hultsfred Festival , Sweden The Mescaleros arose from Strummer's work with Pablo Cook and Richard Norris . The three of them originally came together to write
1869-546: Is totally original – more like an Olympic strong man imploding all his energy into a final record-breaking lift than anything seen on a rock'n'roll stage before. Off-stage, he's the Clash member with the lowest profile. — Caroline Coon In conjunction with the Strummer estate, Fender released the Joe Strummer Tribute Telecaster in 2007, combining elements of Strummer's main guitars, namely an attempt at
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#17328692293801958-572: The Late Show with David Letterman , Late Night with Conan O'Brien , as well as touring on the Hootenany Festival in the summer of 2001. Various Mescaleros members have performed at numerous tribute concerts in both UK and Europe. Pablo Cook and Smiley together with Mike Peters ( the Alarm ), Derek Forbes ( Simple Minds ), Steve Harris ( Gary Numan ) are members of Los Mondo Bongo, a celebration of
2047-622: The London Calling album should be a single or double album. The lines referring to "Now don't look to us / Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust" reflects the concerns of the band over its situation after the punk rock boom in England had ended in 1977. According to a retrospective assessment by Allmusic critic Donald A. Guarisco, the song "cleverly crossbreeds anthemic hard rock with reggae by juxtaposing slashing, staccato guitar riffs with an undulating rhythm section beat as Strummer lays down
2136-506: The Paris Marathon in April 1982. He claimed his training regimen consisted of 10 pints of beer the night before the race. For this period of time, Strummer's whereabouts were a mystery not only to the public, but to the band's management as well. Strummer said later that this was a huge mistake and that you "have to have some regrets". This was in spite of the popular success of the single " Rock
2225-679: The River Thames flooded, most of central London would drown, something that led to the construction of the Thames Barrier . Strummer references police brutality in the lines "We ain't got no swing / Except for the ring of that truncheon thing" as the Metropolitan Police at the time had a truncheon as standard issued equipment. The lyrics also reflect desperation of the band's situation in 1979 struggling with high debt, without management and arguing with their record label over whether
2314-583: The occult and he used to have these deaths-heads and cross-bones all over everything. He didn't like to talk to anybody, and I think suicide was the only way out for him. What else could he have done[?]" After finishing his time at the City of London Freemen's School in 1970, Strummer moved on to the Central School of Art and Design in London, where he briefly considered becoming a professional cartoonist and completed
2403-431: The "road worn" finish of his 1966 Telecaster, which he used until his death. The neck profile was an exact duplicate of Strummer's '66 Telecaster, while the guitar's finish was an approximation of the wear. The first 1,500 guitars came with a Shepard Fairey designed "Customisation kit" with stickers and stencils, which resembled some of the designs Strummer used on his guitars. Boston punk rock band Street Dogs recorded
2492-679: The 101ers , the Latino Rockabilly War , the Mescaleros , and the Pogues , as well as solo music. His work as a musician allowed him to explore other interests such as acting, scoring television shows and films, and hosting the BBC Radio show London Calling . Strummer and the Clash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 2003. In his remembrance, Strummer's friends and family established
2581-529: The 101ers and began to write original songs for the group. One song he wrote was inspired by the Slits ' drummer Palmolive , who was his girlfriend at the time. The group liked the song "Keys to Your Heart", which they picked as their first single. On 3 April 1976, the then-unknown Sex Pistols opened for the 101ers at a venue called the Nashville Room in London, and Strummer was impressed by them. Sometime after
2670-498: The 1979 recording of "London Calling" by the Clash on Epic Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . The Clash turned down a request from British Telecom to use the song for an advertising campaign in the early 1990s. In 2002, the Clash incurred criticism from some fans of the band when they sold the rights to Jaguar for a car advertisement. The song was also used for a 2012 British Airways advertisement, picturing
2759-452: The 1986 film Sid and Nancy , including "Love Kills" and "Dum Dum Club". Strummer also later worked with Mick Jones and his band Big Audio Dynamite , contributing to the band's second studio album, No. 10, Upping St. (1986), by co-writing most of the songs as well as producing the album along with Jones. In 1987, he played a small part in the film Walker , directed by Alex Cox , as a character named "Faucet" and wrote and performed on
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2848-611: The 1995 UK hit of the Levellers , "Just the One" and appeared on the Black Grape single "England's Irie" in 1996. In 1997, while in New York City, he worked with noted producer and engineer Lee "Scratch" Perry on remixed Clash and 101ers reissue dub material. In collaboration with percussionist Pablo Cook, Strummer wrote and performed the soundtrack to Tunnel of Love (Robert Wallace 1997) that
2937-511: The 2003 box set Unearthed . Strummer and the Mescaleros were scheduled to open for Pearl Jam on the 2003 Riot Act Tour . In November 2003, a video for "Redemption Song" was released, featuring graffiti artist REVOLT painting a memorial mural of Strummer on the wall of the Niagara Bar in the East Village of New York City. In 2013, the mural was destroyed due to construction; a new mural
3026-463: The 2006 Edinburgh Festival , and toured the UK the following year. On-stage Strummer wires himself up into an inhuman dynamo of sweaty, trembling flesh, fearful enough to have one wondering when the ambulance brigade will rush to his rescue with a straitjacket. While he tilts his bullet head at acute angles, his agonising face screwed into an open wound, he wields his Telecaster like a chain saw. His magnetism
3115-466: The Astro Physicians". The "Astro Physicians" were in fact the Pogues ("Afro-Cuban Bebop" got a re-release on the Pogues' 2008 box set). During this time Strummer continued to act, write and produce soundtracks for various films, most notably the soundtrack for Grosse Pointe Blank (1997). In 1989 Strummer produced a solo record with the band the Latino Rockabilly War. The album Earthquake Weather
3204-557: The Beach Boys as "the reason [he] played music". By 1970, his brother had become estranged from the family. His suicide in July of that year profoundly affected Strummer, as did having to identify his body after it had lain undiscovered for three days. Strummer said, "[David] was a year older than me. Funnily enough, you know, he was a Nazi . He was a member of the National Front . He was into
3293-609: The Black Swan (also known as the Mucky Duck, now known as the Boardwalk ). On 25 January 1977, the band signed with CBS Records as a three-piece after Levene was fired from the band and Chimes quit. Topper Headon later became the band's full-time drummer. During his time with the Clash, Strummer, along with his bandmates, became notorious for getting into trouble with the law. On 10 June 1977, he and Headon were arrested for spray-painting
3382-493: The Casbah ". During this time, band members began to argue frequently, and with tensions high, the group began to fall apart. In September 1983, Strummer issued the infamous "Clash Communique", and fired Mick Jones. Topper Headon had earlier been kicked out of the band because of his heroin addiction, and Terry Chimes was brought back temporarily to fill his place until the permanent replacement, Pete Howard, could be found. This left
3471-560: The Clash (the exception was Nicke Borg and Dregen from Backyard Babies , who performed " I Fought the Law ", which the Clash had covered). At the end of the concert, the Swedish punk band Ebba Grön reunited for the tribute, aided by Mick Jones on guitar. On 22 December 2003, a year after his death, a tribute show/benefit was held at Irving Plaza in NYC. Bands that played were: Ari Up ; Clem Snide ;
3560-541: The Clash . It was released as a single from the band's 1979 double album of the same name . This apocalyptic , politically charged rant features the band's post-punk sound, electric guitar and vocals. The song was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones . The title alludes to the BBC World Service 's station identification : "This is London calling ...", which was used during World War II , often in broadcasts to occupied countries. The lyrics reflect
3649-422: The Clash and new music was even being written. In the months prior to Strummer's death, he and Jones got together to write new music. Jones said at the time he assumed the new songs would be used on albums with the Mescaleros. A few months following their work together, Jones ran into Strummer at an event and asked him what he intended to do with those songs. Strummer informed Jones that they were going to be used for
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3738-589: The Clash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . At the Grammy Awards in February 2003, "London Calling" was performed by Elvis Costello , Bruce Springsteen , Steven Van Zandt , Dave Grohl , Pete Thomas , and Tony Kanal in tribute to Strummer. In the same month at the rock club Debaser in Stockholm some of Sweden's better known rock musicians paid their tribute to Strummer by performing songs written by
3827-753: The Detachment Kit ; Dirty Mary; Hammel on Trial ; Jesse Malin ; New Blood Revival; the Realistics; Eugene Hütz ; Radio 4 ; Secret Army; Ted Leo ; Vic Thrill & the Saturn Missile. The Belfast punk rock group Stiff Little Fingers recorded a tribute song "Strummerville" on their 2003 album, Guitar and Drum . In 2004 Al Barr, lead singer of the Boston punk band Dropkick Murphys , named his son Strummer in honour of Strummer. German band Beatsteaks paid tribute to Strummer on their 2004 album Smack Smash with
3916-528: The Joe Strummer Foundation (initially known as Strummerville), a non-profit organisation that gives opportunities to musicians and supports projects around the world that create empowerment through music. Strummer was born John Graham Mellor in Ankara , Turkey , on 21 August 1952, the son of a Scottish mother and English father. His mother, Anna Mackenzie (1915–1986), was the daughter of a crofter and
4005-805: The Mescaleros line up in place of Pablo Cook on percussion at a gig in Finland 1999. Following the departure of Genn and Smiley, Scott Shields moved to guitar, Simon Stafford was brought on board to play bass, and Luke Bullen was recruited to play drums. Pablo Cook left in August 2001 to join Moby . Following the release of Global a Go-Go , Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros mounted a 21-date tour of North America, Britain, and Ireland. Once again, these concerts featured Clash material (" London Calling ", "Rudie Can't Fail"), as well as classic covers of reggae hits (" The Harder They Come ", " A Message to You, Rudy ") and regularly closed
4094-464: The Mescaleros, The Hellcat Years . The album features Strummer's three Hellcat albums along with various b-sides and live songs, including Strummer's 15 November 2002 concert with Mick Jones. In September 2012, Hellcat announced the re-release of remastered versions of Strummer's three Hellcat records on both CD and vinyl. Hellcat released Strummer's 15 November 2002 concert, Live at Acton Town Hall on 23 November 2012. In January 2013 Joe Strummer had
4183-613: The U.S. charts, as " Train in Vain " was released as a single and broke the band in the United States, reaching No. 23 on the pop charts. BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale made a bet with Strummer that London Calling would make the UK Top 10 without them appearing on Top of the Pops , the stake being a Cadillac (" Brand New Cadillac " being the second track on the London Calling album). When
4272-572: The UK charts. Soon after, they achieved success in the US, starting with London Calling (1979) and peaking with Combat Rock (1982), which reached No. 7 on the US charts and was certified 2× platinum there. The Clash's explosive political lyrics, musical experimentation, and rebellious attitude greatly influenced rock music in general, especially alternative rock . Their music incorporated punk with reggae , ska , dub , funk , rap , and rockabilly . Strummer's other career highlights included stints with
4361-495: The X-Ray Style album was complete and Steve Barnard, previously with Robbie Williams , was brought in to finish recording. Shields and Slattery were recruited through a number of contacts with the band. Slattery had also appeared on Williams' Life thru a Lens album, and Shields was a friend of Slattery's. Oddly enough, in the initial lineup, only Smiley was playing the instrument which he knew best. Genn reportedly did not have
4450-557: The ability to play sufficient lead guitar, so multi-instrumentalist Slattery, originally trained on horns and keyboards, was brought in. Strummer once joked that Slattery could play a hole in the windshield of the tour bus. Shields had previously been a drummer but was recruited to play bass, and later played guitar. The Mescaleros' first gig was on 5 June 1999 at the Leadmill in Antony Genn's hometown of Sheffield. They toured extensively for
4539-513: The age of nine, Strummer and his 10-year-old brother David began boarding at the City of London Freemen's School in Surrey and rarely saw their parents during the next seven years. He later said, "[A]t the age of nine I had to say good-bye to them because they went abroad to Africa or something. I went to boarding school and only saw them once a year after that – the Government paid for me to see my parents once
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#17328692293804628-533: The band playing the song on a boat (Festival Pier), next to Albert Bridge on the south side of the Thames , Battersea Park in a cold and rainy night at the beginning of December 1979. The single fell off the charts after 10 weeks, but later re-entered the chart twice, spending a total of 15 non-consecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart . Over the years, "London Calling" has become regarded by various critics as
4717-545: The band regularly closed the show by playing the Ramones ' " Blitzkrieg Bop ". He covered Bob Marley 's " Redemption Song " with Johnny Cash . On 15 November 2002, Strummer and the Mescaleros played a benefit show for striking fire fighters in London, at Acton Town Hall . Mick Jones was in the audience, and joined the band on stage during the Clash's "Bankrobber". An encore followed with Jones playing guitar and singing on "White Riot" and "London's Burning". This performance marked
4806-720: The band with only two of its original members, Strummer and Simonon. Rhodes persuaded Strummer to carry on, adding two new guitarists. Under this lineup, they released the album Cut the Crap in 1985. The album was panned by fans and critics alike and Strummer disbanded the Clash. At the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Clash was said to be "considered one of the most overtly political, explosive and exciting bands in rock and roll history". Their songs tackled social decay, unemployment, racism, police brutality , political and social repression, and militarism in detail. Strummer
4895-488: The band's finest song. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it number 15 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ; in the 2021 update, the song was re-ranked at number 143. In 2011, Paste ranked the song number two on their list of the 18 greatest songs by the Clash. In 2020, The Guardian ranked the song number five on their list of the 40 greatest songs by the Clash. It is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll . In 2007,
4984-470: The band's name on a wall in a hotel. On 20 May 1980, he was arrested for hitting a violent member of the audience with his guitar during a performance in Hamburg , Germany. This incident shocked Strummer, and had a lasting personal impact on him. Strummer said, "It was a watershed—violence had really controlled me for once". He determined never again to fight violence with violence. Before the album Combat Rock
5073-616: The band. One night of this tour was professionally recorded, and three tracks ("I Fought the Law", "London Calling", and "Turkish Song of the Damned") have seen release as b-sides and again on the Pogues' 2008 box set. On 16 April 1994, Strummer joined Czech-American band Dirty Pictures on stage in Prague at the Repre Club in Obecni Dum at "Rock for Refugees", a benefit concert for people left displaced by
5162-649: The blank 78 covers from the original changed to classic rock and punk LP sleeves. From left to right they are, the Beatles ' debut Please Please Me , Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols , The Rolling Stones ' debut, The Clash ' s debut, Bob Dylan 's Highway 61 Revisited and the Elvis Presley debut LP. The single has several issues, all with different covers. Four are from 1979 (catalogue number: 8087; S CBS 8087; 128087; S CBS 8087). In 1988,
5251-414: The concern felt by Strummer about world events with the reference to "a nuclear error" – the incident at Three Mile Island , which occurred earlier in 1979. Joe Strummer has said: "We felt that we were struggling about to slip down a slope or something, grasping with our fingernails. And there was no one there to help us." The line "London is drowning / And I live by the river" comes from concerns that if
5340-410: The film's soundtrack . He starred in another Cox film that same year called Straight to Hell , as the character Simms. Straight to Hell also featured London-Irish folk/punk band the Pogues , both as actors and contributors to the soundtrack. Strummer joined the Pogues for a tour in 1987/88, filling in for ailing guitarist Philip Chevron , who wrote (in May 2008) on the band's online forum: "When I
5429-412: The first time since 1983 that Strummer and Jones had performed together on stage. Strummer's final regular gig was at Liverpool Academy on 22 November 2002, yet his final performance, just two weeks before his death, was in a small club venue 'The Palace' in Bridgwater, Somerset, near his home. Shortly before his death, Strummer and U2 's Bono co-wrote a song, " 46664 ", for Nelson Mandela as part of
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#17328692293805518-533: The music of Joe Strummer, who together with Ray Gange (DJ) tour whenever possible, performing Mescaleros tunes. Antony Genn currently fronts the Hours , a band that he and Martin Slattery formed in 2004. In an October 2013 interview with BBC 6 Music , Mick Jones confirmed that in the months prior to Strummer's death, the two were writing new music together. At the time, Jones assumed the new songs would be on an upcoming Mescaleros album. But months later he ran into Strummer at an event, and Strummer informed him that
5607-453: The music was intended for a new Clash album. DVDs on which Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros appear : Joe Strummer John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), known professionally as Joe Strummer , was a British musician. He was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist, and lead vocalist of punk rock band the Clash , formed in 1976. The Clash's second studio album, Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978), reached No. 2 on
5696-404: The next Clash record. In 2016, actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers portrayed Strummer in the film London Town which tells the story of a Clash-obsessed teenager who crosses paths with Joe Strummer by happenstance in 1979 and finds his life changing as a result. The film was met with mostly negative reviews. London Calling (song) " London Calling " is a song by the British punk rock band
5785-469: The next six months in the US and Europe, appearing as well at the Glastonbury Festival . In 2000 the band played Big Day Out in Australia and New Zealand, as well as touring Japan. The band signed with the Californian punk label Hellcat Records , and issued three albums. Following the release of the first, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style , they toured England and North America; sets included several Clash -fan favourites. Singer-songwriter Tymon Dogg ,
5874-451: The planting of trees. In his remembrance, Strummer's friends and family have established the Strummerville Foundation for the promotion of new music, which holds an annual festival with the same name. In December 2016, a blue plaque was erected by Seymour Housing Co-operative at 33 Daventry Street near Marylebone station where he used to live when it was a squat and the Slits and Malcolm McLaren all lived nearby. In January 2003,
5963-408: The purchase of musical equipment, including time spent as a gardener in Hyde Park "to get the money for the guitar". In 1975, he stopped calling himself Woody Mellor and adopted the stage name Joe Strummer, subsequently insisting that his friends call him by that name. The surname "Strummer" apparently referred to his role as rhythm guitarist in a self-deprecating way. Strummer was the lead singer of
6052-405: The record peaked at number 11, Nightingale was saved by a listener who donated a Cadillac. The Cadillac was subsequently auctioned to raise funds for the recession-hit steel town of Corby . "London Calling" was the first Clash song to chart elsewhere in the world, reaching the top 40 in Australia. The success of the single and album was greatly helped by the music video shot by Don Letts showing
6141-469: The series provide the vocals for "Midnight Jam" on Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros' final album Streetcore . In the mid-to-late 1990s, Strummer gathered top-flight musicians into a backing band he called the Mescaleros . Strummer and the band signed with Mercury Records , and released their first album in 1999, which was co-written with Antony Genn , called Rock Art and the X-Ray Style . A tour of England, Europe, and North America soon followed. This
6230-445: The series. During this time, Strummer was engaged in a legal dispute with the Clash's record label, Epic Records . The disagreement lasted nearly eight years and ended with the label agreeing to let him record solo records with another label. If the Clash were to reunite though, they would have to record for Sony. During the nineties, Strummer was a DJ on the BBC World Service with his half-hour programme London Calling . Samples from
6319-428: The show with a nod to Joey Ramone by playing the Ramones ' "Blitzkrieg Bop". Musically, the Mescaleros continued the genre mixing that Strummer was known for during his time with the Clash . Elements of reggae , jazz , funk , hip hop , country , and of course punk rock can be found in the three Mescaleros releases. The band is also the subject of a documentary by Dick Rude titled Let's Rock Again! which
6408-559: The show, Strummer was approached by Bernie Rhodes and Mick Jones . Jones was from the band London SS and wanted Strummer to join as lead singer. Strummer agreed to leave the 101ers and join Jones, bassist Paul Simonon , drummer Terry Chimes and guitarist Keith Levene . The band was named the Clash by Simonon and made their debut on 4 July 1976 in Sheffield , opening for the Sex Pistols at
6497-527: The song "Hello Joe". In 2004, German punk band Die Toten Hosen released an EP called "Friss oder stirb", which included a tribute song for Strummer called "Goodbye Garageland"; it is a lyrical co-production with Matt Dangerfield from London's 77 punk band the Boys . Attila the Stockbroker 's Barnstormer released "Comandante Joe" on their 2004 album Zero Tolerance . In February 2005 Cotswold Rail locomotive 47828
6586-453: The soundtracks for two short films, Tunnel of Love , and Question of Honour . The song "Yalla Yalla" was originally written by this trio, and mixed by Antony Genn. Once Genn was brought on board, a new song "Techno D-Day" was recorded, at which point Strummer, at the behest of Genn, began recording a new record. The original drummer, Ged Lynch, left the band before recording on the Rock Art and
6675-737: The students' union in Stow Hill and became the vocalist for Flaming Youth before renaming the band the Vultures. The Vultures included three former members of Rip Off Park Rock & Roll Allstars, the original college band co-founded by Terry Earl Taylor. For the next year, Strummer was the band's part-time singer and rhythm guitarist. During this time, he also worked as a gravedigger in St Woolos Cemetery . While in Newport, he wrote and recorded on an old reel-to-reel tape recorder "Crumby Bum Blues", which
6764-553: The table below). In 2012, on the occasion of the International Record Store Day, a limited edition 7" was released, with a new mix of the song by Mick Jones, and an instrumental version on the B-side. "London Calling" was released as the only single from the album in the UK and reached No. 11 in the charts in January 1980, becoming at once the band's highest-charting single until " Should I Stay or Should I Go " hit No. 1 ten years later. The song did not make
6853-650: The war in Bosnia. Although the set appeared impromptu, Strummer and the band had spent the days leading up to the event rehearsing and "hanging out" in Prague. The show began with "London Calling" and without pause went into "Brand New Cadillac". In the middle of the song, the power went out. Once the power was back on, Strummer asked the audience whether or not they would mind if the band started over. They then began again with "London Calling" and continued on for another half-hour. After these self-described "wilderness years", Strummer began working with other bands; he played piano on
6942-424: Was a critical and commercial flop, and resulted in the loss of his contract with Sony Records . He also did the soundtrack to the movie Permanent Record with this band. Strummer was asked by the Pogues, who were fracturing as a band, to help them produce their next album, released in 1990 as Hell's Ditch . In 1991, he replaced Shane MacGowan as singer of the Pogues for a tour after MacGowan's departure from
7031-509: Was born and raised in Bonar Bridge ; she later became a nurse. His father, Ronald Ralph Mellor MBE (1916–1984), was born in Lucknow , India, where his father worked as a railway official and became a clerical officer who later attained the rank of second secretary in the foreign service . Through his father, Strummer had an Armenian great-grandfather and a German-Jewish great-grandmother. At
7120-497: Was featured in the Cannes Film Festival in the same year. In 1997, Strummer played the character of "Brand New Cadillac" songwriter Vince Taylor in F. J. Ossang [ fr ] 's road movie Doctor Chance [ fr ] . In 1998, he made a guest appearance on the animated television show, South Park and appeared on the album Chef Aid: The South Park Album featuring songs from and inspired by
7209-473: Was found dead by his wife at his home in Broomfield, Somerset . An autopsy showed that he died from a heart attack caused by an undiagnosed congenital heart defect . His estate was valued at just under £1 million, and he left all the money to Tait, his wife. Strummer was cremated, and his ashes were given to his family. At the time of his death, Strummer was working on another Mescaleros album, which
7298-662: Was involved with the Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism campaigns. He later also gave his support to the Rock Against the Rich series of concerts organised by the anarchist organisation Class War . The Clash's London Calling album was voted best album of the 1980s by Rolling Stone magazine (although it was released in late 1979 in the UK, it was not released until 1980 in the US). A year later, Strummer worked on several songs for
7387-686: Was later used in Julien Temple 's 2007 film Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten . In 1974, the band fell apart, and Strummer moved back to London, where he met up again with Dogg. He was a street performer for a while and then decided to form another band with his roommates called the 101ers , named after the address of their squat at 101 Walterton Road in Maida Vale . The band played many gigs in London pubs, performing covers of popular American R&B and rock and roll songs. During this period, Strummer worked several occasional temporary jobs to fund
7476-473: Was named Joe Strummer by his widow Lucinda Tait at Bristol Temple Meads railway station . On 22 July 2005 Tait unveiled a plaque on the house in Pentonville, Newport where Strummer lived from 1973 to 1974 and where his first foray into recorded music, "Crummy Bum Blues" was recorded. "That Was Clash Radio", a 2005 short story which Charles de Lint , wrote in response to Strummer's death featuring Strummer in
7565-589: Was released in 1982, Strummer went into hiding and the band's management said that he had "disappeared". Bernie Rhodes, the band's manager, pressured Strummer to do so because tickets were selling slowly for the Scottish leg of an upcoming tour. It was planned for Strummer to travel, in secret, to Texas and stay with his friend, musician Joe Ely . Uneasy with his decision, Strummer instead decided to genuinely disappear and "dicked around" in France. During this time, Strummer ran
7654-500: Was released on 27 June 2006. The band also appear on many DVDs (see full list below) and have had several of their songs appear in major films such as Black Hawk Down and Mr. & Mrs. Smith . One song, "Johnny Appleseed," was used as the theme song to the HBO series John From Cincinnati . Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros' last concert was on 22 November 2002, in Liverpool . This show
7743-556: Was released posthumously in October 2003 under the title Streetcore . The album features a tribute to Johnny Cash , "Long Shadow", which was written for Cash to sing and recorded in Rick Rubin 's garage, as well as a remembrance of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 ("Ramshackle Day Parade"), and a cover of Bob Marley 's " Redemption Song ", which Strummer had also recorded as a duet with Cash. The Cash/Strummer duet version appears on
7832-511: Was sick in late 1987, I taught Joe all the guitar parts in an afternoon and he was on tour in the US as deputy guitarist the next day. Joe wrote all the tabs in his meticulously neat hand on a long piece of paper which he taped to the top of the guitar so he could glance down occasionally when he was onstage." This tour would be the first of several collaborations with the band. In 1989, Strummer appeared in Jim Jarmusch 's film Mystery Train as
7921-473: Was unveiled that September, accompanied by a large celebration with Mick Jones in attendance. Strummer was instrumental in setting up Future Forests (since rechristened the Carbon Neutral Company), dedicated to planting trees in various parts of the world to combat global warming . Strummer was the first artist to make the recording, pressing and distribution of his records carbon neutral through
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