Live: Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, 1999
I. Am. A. Slow. Reader.
I’ve always enjoyed reading books. But damned if it doesn’t take me an eternity to read one. Especially over the last decade, as the internet has consumed any free time I previously devoted to books. And maybe it has something to do with reading immediately before bedtime. Four, five pages and I’m too tired to go on.
So my intent is to do my first book review, since I was just sent Chris Salewicz’s new book, Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer. But since it may take me while to get through it, I wanted to at least make you good people aware that this book is out there. Chris Salewicz was a music journalist in the seventies, covering the exploding punk scene for several publications, and befriending many of the bands, including the Clash – so he has a unique insider’s perspective on Joe Strummer.
Joe’s been gone for more than four years now. He left us too early at the age of 50. Shitty thing is, he was just hitting his stride again with the Mescaleros. After a long hiatus, he had formed the band in the late 90’s, and released Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, their debut album, in 1999. A tour followed, and as you’ll hear, Joe was back in prime form. With healthy doses of Clash favorites, old reggae songs, and new Mescaleros tunes, the live shows were great.
Interspersed between the songs is the classic Strummer stage banter. Before launching into Toots & the Maytalls’ “Pressure Drop”, he introduces it this way:
“We’re doing it by a Clash arrangement where we fuck the whole song up completely. But what can you do? I’m a great believer in tradition.”
Enjoy the show. I should have a quality book review to you by, oh – let’s say, Christmas.
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
Theater of the Living Arts
Philadelphia, PA
November 24, 1999Download ZIP (mp3)
Intro
Shouting Street
Diggin’ The New
X-Ray Style
Rock The Casbah
Ishen > Brand New Cadillac
Tony Adams
Trash City
Nitcomb
The Road To Rock n’ Roll
White Man In Hammersmith Palais
Safe European Home
Yalla Yalla
Rudie Can’t Fail
London Calling
Pressure Drop
Tommy Gun
Island Hopping
Forbidden City
Junco Partner
Straight To Hell
I Fought The Law
Bankrobber
White RiotThey’re Not Down in London Town
This one goes out to all our brothers and sisters across the pond in London town. Other than some visits as a young child, I visited England twice in my twenties when my folks lived in Surrey. I was enamored of the place. The charm, the scenery, the history, the class, not to mention – ah yes – THE PUBS. How many pints of bitter were downed? No idea. I got from place to place like so many others: riding the tube. God Bless the poor souls affected by last week’s terror. To those on the other side, enjoy Hell, won’t you?
From Willesden to Cricklewood
I tell you the town looked good
Walking lonely avenues,
Where rhinestone cowboys find the blues
There’s people in, doing their thing
Gettin’ all the mozzarella in
And the passing time and passing moons
Words flying in cloudy rooms
Plastic bags, milk and eggs
The poor old crone’s got aching legs
How I would love to speak
To everybody on the street
Just for once to break the rules
I know it would be so coolFrom Willesden to Cricklewood
From Willesden to Cricklewood
From Willesden to Cricklewood
Come with me and be no goodBe a mad man on the street
Sing something out like reet petite
Let’s hip-hop at traffic lights
Ten thumbs up and smilin’ bright
Crossing all the great divides
Colour,age,and heavy vibesFrom Willesden to Cricklewood…
Oh let’s go down to Al Rashid’s
All the Aussie lagers are on me
Now you’ve got the absinthe out
Your old mother-she wants a stout..From Willesden to Cricklewood
As I went it all looked good
Thought about my babies grown
Thought abour going home
Thought about what’s done is done
We’re alive and that’s the one
From Willesden to CricklewoodJoe Strummer & the Mescaleros: Willesden to Cricklewood from Rock Art & the X Ray Style
I Miss Joe Strummer
Right. So over 3 years after his untimely passing at the age of 50, I still get bummed out that the world is without Joe Strummer. Luckily for all of us, he left behind a wealth of music from his time with the Clash, and with the Mescaleros in later years. The last Mescaleros album came out the year after his death (2003), and, as the reviewer on all music puts it,
Like Muddy Waters, whose final albums were among the best in his catalog, Streetcore by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros (Martin Slattery, Tymon Dogg, Simon Stanford, and Scott Shields) sends Strummer into rock & roll heaven a roaring, laughing, snarling lion.
Listen to this opener of the album. I remember inserting this into my CD player in the parking lot of Zia Records, and I sat there there transfixed for the entire song. From Joe’s powerful pipes, to the reggae, rock, and punk stylings going on in this tune, I was (and am) blown away.
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros: Coma Girl
Do yourself a favor, buy Streetcore (and the entire Clash and Mescaleros catalog while you’re at it!).
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