Albums that Changed Music: The Clash - London Calling

“The persistent paradox of the Clash has been that their punk standards demand defiance of the requirements and rewards of the music business, while their artistic standards demand that they work in that neighbourhood.” John Picarella declared in his 1980 Village Voice review of the Clash’s latest album, London Calling. He continued, “The persistent wonder of the Clash is how every release is a fresh attack on the complications, compromises, and frustrations of their impossible project, how they charge into rock mythology with their integrity intact.” In the more forty years since the album’s release, the legacy of the London Calling has reinforced Picarella’s assessment of the band.

London Calling has proven to be one of the most highly acclaimed albums of all time, created in a defining moment of rock history. The meteoric speed with which punk had emerged into mainstream consciousness in the late seventies was interrupted as its force seemed to self implode at the decade’s end. A leading figure in punk’s revolutionary wave from its onset, the Clash emerged from its fiery wake by charting their own path. With London Calling, the Clash challenged listeners to reimagine punk’s spirit, negotiating rock’s past and future through an aggressive and unapologetic spotlight on their present.

To many fans and critics in 1979, despite the movement away from a pure punk rock sound in their second album, Give ‘Em Enough Rope, the Clash were undoubtedly a punk band. So when they released London Calling, a massive double album incorporating a wide range of influences (including reggae, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, and pop) before the year was over, not everyone knew what to make of it. “Give ‘em enough rope…and they’ll turn into the Rolling Stones” Garry Bushnell lamented in his review of the album for Sounds magazine. He continued…”When we needed them most, after the Pistols had split and the disintegration really set in, THEY blew it.” Certainly the breakup of the Sex Pistols in 1978 and Sid Vicious’s death in February of 1979 had put additional pressure on the band to continue the punk legacy. Bassist Paul Simonon reflected to Esquire in 2004: “Suddenly the mantle of English punk rock was handed to us”.

But the Clash were never really a punk band in the same way as the Sex Pistols. They came to punk, not as revolutionaries, but as musicians – Joe Strummer had steeped himself in the music Little Richard, the Beach Boys and Woody Guthrie, and had fronted a Rhythm and Blues band in his pre-Clash years, while Mick Jones had spent the early seventies in a glam rock band. The pair, along with Simonon, had all attended art school before creating the band. The last to join the group, Topper Headon, had even more musical experience, playing jazz, psychedelic rock and rhythm and blues (even performing in a band that opened for the Motown icons, The Temptations) before playing with the Clash. The Clash had forged their group identity in the fires of punk’s revolutionary spirit, but they had never lost their focus on the music and their enthusiasm for discovery.

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[Producelikeapro]

Which other albums would you like us to cover in this series?

[pfmrokman]

Rolling Stone: "Joe. 'London Calling' was just voted the 'Most Influential Record of the 1980's' can you give us a comment?"
Joe: "It was released in '79."

[Squeezum]

There will never be another Joe Strummer.

[Galumpa]

Topper is absolutely one of the most underrated drummers of all time. It’s his technical chops that gave the band the foundation to experiment and expand their sonic palette.

[Viepeo]

1979 is becoming my favorite music year. It has London Calling, The Wall, Highway to Hell, Breakfast In America, Off The Wall... Damn, what a good year for music 🤩

[Gibboncore]

London Calling is a timeless song. The way that they used so few notes to create such an iconic track is incredible.

[margotlacroix-cornez]

One of the best bands in the entire music history. That's it.

[tscotts]

Proof that 'Punk' is a state of mind.

[ZeldaFitz]

The autumn of 1979 in the U.K. we had all these seminal albums in the charts at the same time:
The Clash London Calling
The Jam Setting Sons
The Specials Specials
The Police Regatta De Blanc
Madness One Step Beyound
Pink Floyd The Wall
Gary Numan Pleasure Principle

[maskedmotorsdiy]

"Train In Vain" has been my official drinking song for decades.

[lespaulbcn]

Nowadays London Calling sounds fresh like the time did not passed by...(41 Years)

[auspilot]

Strummer was left handed but played right handed guitars. Just another little reason why they sounded so unique. One of the best albums of all time, changed my life - and I first listened to it 25 years after it came out!

[spitfiremusic]

One of the greatest albums of all time!!

[Johnnybananass-_]

I got to hang out with Joe when he was on tour in nz with the mescaleros at a big festival we had here, Being in charge of the bands riders I wasn't meant to interact too much with the artists but being he got me into playing guitar and then the music industry I had to take a minute to tank him, I asked him if he minded telling me about his gear etc, and he was genuinely blown away, he said " no one ever wants to talk to me about guitars - just politics, " so he said grabbed his famous tele and we chatted about how he played the reggae upstroke on the down -which I found cool being a ska band player at the time, then we talked about strings and his amp choices and even which gauge pick, he handed me his tele and he grabbed his backup and he gave me a quick lesson in trying to play the reggae downstroke, some one came to interview him and he told them to go interview the band and he was busy with me, he introduced his wife and kids, we chatted about music and how amazing it is and I got to thank him and tell him -taking a copy of combat rock without knowing it or the band set me on a life course and passion, . he was a true gentleman and so giving . he signed a picture I had been carrying in my pocket folded up in the hope I could maybe get someone to ask him to sign it, he gave me a hug and he went to play his set. he dedicated safe European homes to me during the set and I think I almost cried, a year and a bit later the news came he had died. that day I did cry, through joes influence even at a distance via his music I followed a path in music and went from playing in my own bands to being a touring production manger and backline tech and stage manager and went on to tour the globe myself. never ever forgetting that first cassette I stole from my brother-i was aged 11- and listened to and started a love affair with music and the power it holds.,

[hughescr]

When I was growing up my dad played this album on repeat every time he drove the car, I thought for many years that this was a greatest hits album until I was much older and I dove deeper into The Clash when I found out this was just one great album out of so many.

[mht]

Train in vain. A pop punk masterpiece. The Clash were the best band I have seen live. 🤘✌️🇦🇺🏴☠️

[professorskye]

Great video as always. Love this series. I gave this album to my nephew for Christmas in 2013 when I was charged with finding "the next album after American Idiot." He didn't say a word about it until 5 years later when he told me that it is his favorite album and formed his taste in music.

[pascalecormier]

This album is in my top ten of all times.

[NathanWind]

Let's Rock Again is beautiful and touching, I'm glad to hear you had a hand in it. The scenes where Joe is handing out flyers, trying to get disinterested hipsters to come to his show has always haunted me. The man was a legend but these shallow people didn't know or care. Celebrity is fleeting but true genius and authenticity live forever. 40+ years on and we're still talking about and listening to The Clash and the Mescaleros.

[TheBlackHelicopterRevue]

Topper Headon is a terrific drummer. The song, London Calling, turned my head the first time it was on the radio.