Most of my interview with Joe Strummer originally appeared in While You Were Sleeping magazine and pieces of it are quoted in the book Let Fury Have the Hour by Antonino D’Ambrosio (left). Enjoy!
Joe Strummer, the voice and rhythm of the Clash, died in his home on December 22, 2002—about one year after this interview. He was 50. I was just one of thousands who had interviewed him over the years, and probably one of many, even, on this particular day, yet he was extremely warm, acting as if no one had ever asked him these questions in his twenty-five years of performing. The conversation went on for a few minutes after the tape stopped, about the possibility of him writing his memoirs, and more about fiddling. He was all about giving props to his musician-friends, and I could see why, after he and the talented Mescaleros rocked LA’s the Troubador that night. Strummer sang and moved with the energy of someone half his age, without a trace of bitter “been-there/invented-that” sentiment common to many of rebel-music’s forefathers (though he’d certainly be more entitled than most.) The set included cuts from Rock Art and The X-Ray Style, their first release, as well as the newer Global-A-Go-Go record—a booty-shakin’ spicy musical mix of Latin, Caribbean, Celtic and Cajun-inspired numbers all fronted by that voice. Of course Strummer sprinkled in a few crowd-pleasing Clash hits, then topped the night off with a nod to the passing of Joey Ramone in a rousing rendition of Blitzkrieg Bop. So moved was one gal during the encore that she threw her big white lacy bra onstage. It zinged by the singer’s head and he laughed and said “thank you” mid-song, never missing a beat.
Continue reading ‘Joe Strummer, revived’
