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The Clash
London Calling
25th Anniversary Legacy Edition
(Epic/Legacy)
First Appeared in The Music Box, November 2004, Volume 11, #11
Written by John Metzger
When The Clash released London Calling, punk rock was at the end of
its rope. Bands had either collapsed under the weight of their own violent
tendencies or were snatched up by corporate America and transformed into pale
imitations. The Clash, too, had scored a deal with a major label, but the
ensemble’s artistic vision was too grand to be contained. In essence, the group
single-handedly saved punk rock from itself.
In many ways, The Clash became punk rock’s populists by reaching out to those
who otherwise might not have bothered to listen. Musically, the band employed a
broad range of styles that moved beyond the purely angry, anarchic mayhem of its
peers, and as a result, London Calling was the masterful apex of its
career. Overflowing with ideas, the songs effortlessly leapt from rockabilly to
reggae to hard rock, while folding in elements of blues, jazz, R&B, and folk,
and all of it was delivered with the pummeling fury of a tempest unleashed.
Better still, the gooey pop sheen of its incandescent melodic structures was the
ultimate subversion. Laying low beneath the clatter, the infectious grooves
sufficiently transformed the set into something that was broadly accessible.
Exuberant, urgent, passionate, and intense, this was music that demanded one’s
attention and kept it for the entirety of the hour-plus duration of the album’s
19 tracks.
Lyrically, too, The Clash allowed populist themes to pervade London
Calling as the group made dire predictions for the future and urged the
working class to rebel against its oppressors. The isolation that follows a
persistent drug abuse problem was detailed on Hateful; Lost in the
Supermarket spoke to those seeking happiness in material goods; Clampdown
railed against the fascist factory bosses and those who would become them; and
Spanish Bombs paid tribute to the revolutionaries and freedom fighters
from another era. Yet, for all its anti-establishment ranting, the group
maintained both a sense of humor and perspective, painting a broader picture of
the common man’s life in Western society by dabbling in the sexual polemics of
Lover’s Rock and relaying the tale of Broadway and Hollywood star
Montgomery Clift’s collapse on The Right Profile.
Indeed, it’s hard to imagine the face of rock ‘n’ roll without such moments
as the horn-splattered reggae of Rudie Can’t Fail, the punk sneer that
graces the Beatle-esque Spanish Bombs, the updated rendition of Stagger Lee re-christened as Wrong ’Em Boyo, the wistful Train in
Vain with its sorrow-drenched regrets, or the driving march of the title
track. It’s not surprising, then, that London Calling not only is
considered a classic, but also is cited regularly as one of the most important
and influential recordings ever made.
While that is certainly enough for many, there’s another intriguing twist to
the story of this 25-year-old masterpiece. Prior to the official sessions for
London Calling, The Clash had been experimenting with the notion of
recording the album on its own, and for years, questions continued to be raised
as to whether or not the group had captured any of the rehearsals held at
Vanilla studios. It wasn’t until March 2004, however, that the lost tapes
surfaced in Mick Jones’ house. Although there are no earth-shattering
discoveries, the 21-track collection that has been dubbed The Vanilla Tapes
offers an insightful glimpse at the early development of an extraordinary album,
while highlighting the influence that producer Guy Stevens had on the final
package. Be it a reggae-twisted cover of Bob Dylan’s The Man in Me, the
rough-and-tumble rendition of 4 Horsemen, the country-tinged swagger of
Lonesome Me, the instrumental rendition of Jimmy Jazz titled The Police Walked in 4 Jazz, or the re-visitation of Remote Control
from the group’s first album, there was an intangible, but powerful force that
prevailed over the proceedings, and it brightly shines through the din of the
rough and raw demos featured on the collection.
Delving even further into the history of London Calling is a
wonderfully produced retrospective titled The Last Testament: The Making of
London Calling. Featuring an array of interviews with Joe Strummer, Mick
Jones, Paul Simonon, and Topper Headon, among others, the documentary provides
an entertaining reflection upon a monumental moment in rock history. Rounding
out the DVD are several promotional videos as well as some home video footage of
the band recording the album with Stevens in Wessex Studios. Taken in total, the
expanded Legacy Edition of London Calling comes at just the right moment
in time, offering a tribute of sorts to the recently departed Joe Strummer as
well as a call to arms for a world that seems even more divided socially and
politically than it was when The Clash first unleashed its battle cry.
London Calling [Original Album] — 
London Calling [Bonus Materials] — ½
London Calling: 25th Anniversary Legacy Edition —
London Calling: 25th Anniversary Legacy Edition is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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London Calling (Original Recording Remastered) is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
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For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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