musicNEWS:
Artists Reflect on Joe Strummer.
12-26-02
Keavin
.
For music fans and musicians a dark cloud
hung over Christmas this year with the news that one of the greats had
been lost.
Joe Strummer the legendary frontman of
The Clash passed away Sunday night (12-22) from a heart attack. He was
50 years old.
I first heard the news from Greenmuse,
one of our writers here at antiMUSIC. The heading of his email simply said,
the cold cold December just got colder. Strummer was one of the
most influential artists of the past quarter century. His music continues
to influence new generations of music fans and musicians. The Clash were
one of the first punk bands to show that the genre could draw from diverse
influences and their body of work took punk rock to a whole new level.
Since the news of Strummers death various
musicians have paid tribute to the man and his legacy. His influence truly
crossed over musical boundries and he inspired musicians from across the
whole musical spectrum. What follows are some comments from various
musicians. On Tuesday we sent out an email asking some musicians if they
could share their thoughts about Joe Strummer. The responses we received
back are posted below, along with various statements from a variety of
other sources.
From Brian Coakley (WAXAPPLES, Cadillac
Tramps & Rule 62) Via an email to antiMUSIC:
First of all I would like to say how
very sad it is that Joe has left us at such a young age and with so much
more great music to share. I just had the opportunity to meet
him this summer when The Cadillac Tramps played The Hootenanny with his
band The Mescaleros. I am usually a bit apprehensive to meet people
I have idolized, and since the whole goal of The Cadillac Tramps was to
be the "American Clash", Joe was pretty high up on the idol list.
But he, like the greatest of all great people, was nothing but kind, humble,
and so worthy of my respect. It was truly a highlight of my music
career to shake his hand and talk with him. Thanks Joe. For
the inspiration and for never letting me down. You'll be missed.
From Joe Elliot (Def Leppard) Via
an email to antiMUSIC:
I remember seeing The Clash at Sheffield
Top Rank in 1977 & thinking ... Wow!!! ...compared to what was usually
on at the Top Rank they couldnt really play (in the sense of what was
the norm back then) but the excitement that came off the stage was phenomenal
!!! ...I went in a totally different direction music wise, but nevertheless,
The Clash left a lasting impression on me to the point that every time
I'm on tour I end up buying "The Clash" & "London Calling" over &
over again because I left them at home !!!! What a shame we won't get to
see the reunion that might just have happened next March when The Clash
are inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame. Condolences to ALL his
family, friends & fans .......RIP
From Dan Saifer (Motorsoule) Via
an email to antiMUSIC:
Joe Strummer is dead. So are Joey and
Dee Dee Ramone. These were major musical icons of my generation.
I was too young to really miss John Lennon and already in bands by the
time I had heard of Kurt Cobain. Today I feel old. The Clash was
one of the first bands to define the attitude that would be called punk
rock. It was about the music and the message, not the money. When
you see what corporations are forcing down our throats on MTV today, calling
it punk rock, bands like The Clash and artists like Joe Strummer become
all that much more important. Let's remember Joe for what he was,
a pioneer that paved the way for many of us. Let's honor him in our
thoughts and music. He will be missed.
From Mick Jones (The Clash, Big
Audio Dynamite) Via The Big Audio Dynamite Website:
Our friend and compadre is gone . .
. God bless you, Joe
From The Damned via Official Website
Posting:
It is with great sadness that we heard
the news about Joe Strummer's death today. The Damned wish to offer sincere
condolences to his wife and family at this sad time. The Damned
From Bono (U2) in a statement:
The Clash was the greatest rock band.
They wrote the rulebook for U2. Though I was always too much of a fan to
get to know him well, we were due to meet in January to finish our Mandela
song with Dave Stewart. It's such a shock
From Moby Via Official Website Posting:
The last time that I saw Joe was in
Los Angeles we were dancing together in a nightclub, and I kept rambling
on about how important his music was to me. He had such a big heart and
was without question one of the most important musicians of the last 50
years. Can you even imagine a world in which the Clash hadn't existed?
The Clash were one of those bands who were so amazing and so wonderful
that people are often tempted to take them for granted. But it's worth
remembering that Joe and the Clash made music that was emotional, and political
and challenging and experimental and exciting and wonderful.
If I were to write his epitaph it would
read: Here lies Joe Strummer. He was a compassionate and wonderful man.
He wrote some of the most important music of the 20th century, and his
presence here made the world a better place. Thank you, Joe, you will
be sorely missed by all who knew you.
From Bob Geldof (Boomtown Rats,
Live Aid) via an interview with the BBC:
He was a clear contemporary, and we
were rivals. I believed we had to get inside the pop culture. He believed
you should always stay outside and hurl things at it. We had endless arguments
about it. As we all got older I realized what a nice person he was. He
was a very important musician. The Clash will be endlessly influential.
From Tom Morello (Audioslave, Rage
Against The Machine) via a statement:
He was a brilliant lyricist and the
electric focal point of the greatest live band of all time. He played as
if the world could be changed by a three-minute song, and when I saw the
Clash play, my world was changed forever. His idealism and conviction instilled
in me the courage to pick up a guitar and the courage to try to make a
difference. Joe Strummer was my greatest inspiration, my favorite singer
of all time and my hero. I already miss him so much.
From Johnny Ramone in a press quote:
They were unique because, here they
are, breaking up at the peak of their popularity and having plenty of offers
to come back, and not doing it. While other bands always come back for
the money, they had a belief in what they were doing, and even though they
could have used it, they never really cared about the money."
From Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) in
a press quote.
He wasn't some phony. He was a big part
of the whole punk movement.
From Pete Townsend (The Who) in
a press quote:
That heart of his always worked too
hard. I will really miss him.
From Stephan Jenkins (Third Eye
Blind):
For another generation, Bob Dylan awoke
some sense that you can sing songs that weren't just about crying in your
beer. For us, it was Sandinista! A song like Straight to Hell remains
totally ingrained of how you can create a whole other world, but another
world that wasn't necessarily escapist. For me, he brought ferocity and
relevance to music.
From Billy Bragg in a Press Quote:
The Clash were the greatest rebel rock
band of all time. Their commitment to making political pop culture was
the defining mark of the British punk movement. One of the hardest things
to do in rock & roll is walk it like you talk it. Joe Strummer epitomized
that ideal and I will miss him greatly.
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on Joe Strummer and
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