Rudie Can’t Fail
As someone forever indebted to The Clash for introducing me to punk, I must announce that a totally awesome, comprehensive biography of The Clash’s frontman, Joe Strummer, came out in paperback this month. Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer by Chris Salewicz, music journalist and long-time friend of Strummer’s, begins with Salewicz’s experiences at Strummer’s funeral just a few years ago, 2002 to be exact, and goes on to detail Strummer’s tumultuous childhood, the intricate relationship between Joe and his brother, and how The Clash evolved over the years. For anyone who enjoys The Clash or Joe or an in-depth bio, this book is definitely a good one.
“I don’t give a damn anymore. I’ve learned not to take it seriously - that’s what I’ve learned. And I’ve also learned that because what you do is sort of interesting, doesn’t mean you’re any better than anyone else: after all, we’re not exactly devising new forms of protein. If they say, ‘Release this record because otherwise you’re career is finished,’ and I don’t want them to, then I just won’t do it. I’m far more dangerous now because I don’t care at all.”
- Joe Strummer to Chris Salewicz
One Response to “Rudie Can’t Fail”
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18 May, 2008 at 4:20 pm
The movie “Joe Strummer - The Future is Unwritten” is also great. I don’t think it is out to rent yet, but I saw it at The Loft Theater in Tucson over the New Years break, and it was great. Highly recommended even if you are only a borderline Clash fan!
http://www.joestrummerthemovie.com/