Biography and career Joe Strummer

1 biography , career

1.1 years (1952–1976)
1.2 clash (1976–86)
1.3 solo career , soundtrack work (1986–1999)
1.4 mescaleros , other work (1999–2002)
1.5 death , legacy (2002–present)

biography , career
the years (1952–1976)

joe strummer born john graham mellor in ankara, turkey, on 21 august 1952. mother, anna mackenzie, crofter s daughter born , raised in bonar bridge in scottish highlands, nurse. father, ronald mellor, british foreign service diplomat born in lucknow, india. ronald mellor had armenian maternal grandfather , german jewish paternal grandmother. family spent time moving place place, , strummer spent parts of childhood in cairo, mexico city , bonn. @ age of 9, strummer , older brother david, 10, began boarding @ city of london freemen s school in surrey. strummer saw parents during next 7 years.

[a]t age of 9 had good-bye them because went abroad africa or something. went boarding school , saw them once year after – government paid me see parents once year. left on own, , went school thick rich people sent thick rich kids. perk of father s job – job lot of perks – fees paid government.

he developed love of rock music listening records little richard , beach boys american folk-singer woody guthrie. (strummer go nickname woody few years). strummer later reason [he] played music beach boys .

—joe strummer

by 1970 brother david had become estranged family , had joined national front. suicide in july profoundly affected strummer, did having identify body after had lain undiscovered 3 days. after finishing time @ city of london freemen s school, ashtead park, surrey, in 1970, strummer moved on central school of art , design in london, briefly flirted idea of becoming professional cartoonist , completed one-year foundation course. during time, mellor shared flat in north london suburb of palmers green friends clive timperley , tymon dogg. in 1971 strummer became vegetarian , remained 1 until death.

—joe strummer

in 1973 strummer moved newport, wales. did not study @ newport college of art met college musicians in students union in stow hill , became vocalist flaming youth, renaming band vultures. vultures included 3 former members of rip off park rock & roll allstars, original college band co-founded terry earl taylor. next year band s part-time singer , rhythm guitarist. during time strummer worked gravedigger in st woolos cemetery. in 1974, band fell apart , moved london met again tymon dogg. did street performance while , decided form band west london roommates. band called 101ers, named after address of squat (101 walterton road, in maida vale).

the band played many gigs in london pubs, playing covers of popular american r&b , blues songs. in 1975 stopped calling himself woody mellor , adopted stage name of joe strummer, , insisted friends call him name. name strummer apparently referred role rhythm guitarist, in rather self-deprecating way. strummer lead singer of 101ers , began write original songs group. 1 song wrote inspired girlfriend @ time, slits drummer palmolive. group liked song keys heart , , picked first single.

the clash (1976–86)

on 3 april 1976, then-unknown sex pistols opened 101ers @ venue called nashville rooms in london, , strummer impressed them. sometime after show, strummer approached bernie rhodes , mick jones. jones band london ss , wanted strummer join lead singer. strummer agreed leave 101ers , join jones, bassist paul simonon, drummer terry chimes , guitarist keith levene. band named clash simonon , made debut on 4 july 1976 in sheffield, opening sex pistols @ black swan (a.k.a. mucky duck, known boardwalk). on 25 january 1977, band signed cbs records three-piece after levene fired band , chimes quit. drummer topper headon later became band s full-time drummer.

during time clash, strummer, along bandmates, became notorious getting in trouble law. on 10 june 1977, , headon arrested spray-painting clash on wall in hotel. on 20 may 1980, arrested hitting violent member of audience guitar during performance in hamburg, germany. incident shocked strummer, , had lasting personal impact on him. strummer said, watershed—violence had controlled me once . determined never again fight violence violence.

before album combat rock released in 1982, strummer wilfully went hiding , band management represented had disappeared . bernie rhodes, band s manager, pressured joe because tickets selling scottish leg of upcoming tour. planned strummer travel, in secret, texas , stay friend, musician joe ely. uneasy decision, strummer instead decided genuinely disappear , dicked around in france. during time, strummer ran paris marathon in april 1982. claimed training regime consisted of 10 pints of beer night before race. period of time, joe s whereabouts not mystery public, band s management well. joe later said huge mistake , have have regrets . in spite of popular success of single rock casbah . during time band members began argue lot, , tensions high, group began fall apart.

in september 1983, strummer issued infamous clash communique , , fired mick jones. topper headon had earlier been kicked out of band because of heroin addiction, , terry chimes brought temporarily fill place until permanent replacement, pete howard, found. left band 2 of original members, strummer , simonon. rhodes persuaded strummer carry on, adding 2 new guitarists. under lineup, clash mark 2 , released album cut crap in 1985. album panned fans , critics alike , strummer disbanded clash. disintegration of band , reasons behind subject of danny garcia s 2012/3 book , documentary, rise , fall of clash.

at band s induction rock , roll hall of fame, clash said considered 1 of overtly political, explosive , exciting bands in rock , roll history . songs tackled social decay, unemployment, racism, police brutality, political , social repression, , militarism in detail. strummer involved anti-nazi league , rock against racism campaigns. later gave support rock against rich series of concerts organised anarchist organisation class war. clash s london calling album voted best album of 1980s rolling stone magazine (although released in late 1979 in uk; released in 1980 in usa).

solo career , soundtrack work (1986–1999)

strummer, backing pogues in japan. photo: masao nakagami

a year later, strummer worked on several songs 1986 film sid , nancy, including love kills , dum dum club . strummer later worked mick jones , band big audio dynamite, contributing band s second studio album co-writing of songs producing album along jones.

in 1987, played small part in film walker, directed alex cox, character named faucet , wrote , performed on film s soundtrack. starred in cox film same year called straight hell, character simms. straight hell featured london-irish folk/punk band pogues, both actors , contributors soundtrack. strummer joined pogues tour in 1987/88, filling in ailing guitarist philip chevron, wrote (in may 2008) on band s online forum: when sick in late 1987, taught joe guitar parts in afternoon , on tour in usa deputy guitarist next day. joe wrote tabs in meticulously neat hand on long piece of paper taped top of guitar glance down when onstage. tour first of several collaborations band.

in 1989, strummer appeared in jim jarmusch s film mystery train drunken, short-tempered drifter named johnny (whom characters refer elvis, johnny s dismay). made cameo appearance in aki kaurismäki s 1990 film hired contract killer guitarist in pub, performing 2 songs ( burning lights , afro-cuban bebop ). these released promotional 7-inch single limited few hundred copies, credited joe strummer & astro physicians . astro physicians in fact pogues ( afro-cuban bebop got re-release on pogues 2008 box set). during time strummer continued act, write , produce soundtracks various films, notably soundtrack grosse pointe blank (1997).

in 1989 strummer produced solo record band latino rockabilly war in 1989. album earthquake weather critical , commercial flop, , resulted in loss of contract sony records. did soundtrack movie permanent record band.

strummer asked pogues, fracturing band, them produce next album, released in 1990 hell s ditch. in 1991, replaced shane macgowan singer of pogues tour after macgowan s departure band. 1 night of tour professionally recorded, , 3 tracks ( fought law , london calling , , turkish song of damned ) have seen release b-sides , again on pogues 2008 box set.

on 16 april 1994, strummer joined czech-american band dirty pictures on stage in prague @ repre club in obecni dum @ rock refugees , benefit concert people left displaced war in bosnia. although set appeared impromptu, strummer , band had spent days leading event rehearsing , hanging out in prague. show began london calling , without pause went brand new cadillac . in middle of song, power went out. once power on, strummer asked audience whether or not mind if band started over. began again london calling , continued on half-hour.

after these self-described wilderness years , strummer began working other bands; played piano on 1995 uk hit of levellers, 1 , appeared on black grape single england s irie in 1996. in 1997, while in new york city, worked noted producer , engineer lee perry on remixed clash , 101ers reissue dub material. in collaboration percussionist pablo cook, strummer wrote , performed soundtrack tunnel of love (robert wallace 1997) featured in cannes film festival in same year.

in 1998, made guest appearance on animated television show, south park , appeared on album chef aid: south park album featuring songs , inspired series.

during time, strummer engaged in legal dispute clash s record label, epic records. disagreement lasted 8 years , ended label agreeing let him record solo records label. if clash reunite though, have record sony. during nineties, strummer dj on bbc world service half-hour programme london calling. samples series provide vocals midnight jam on joe strummer , mescaleros final album streetcore.

the mescaleros , other work (1999–2002)

in mid-to-late 1990s, strummer gathered top-flight musicians backing band called mescaleros. strummer , band signed mercury records, , released first album in 1999, co-written antony genn, called rock art , x-ray style. tour of england, europe, , north america followed; sets included several clash fan favourites.

this indian summer ... learnt fame illusion , joke. m far more dangerous now, because don t care @ all.

in 2001, band signed californian punk label hellcat records , released second studio album, global go-go. album supported 21-date tour of north america, britain, , ireland. once again, these concerts featured clash material ( london s burning , rudie can t fail , (white man) in hammersmith palais ), covers of reggae , ska hits ( harder come , message you, rudy ) , band regularly closed show playing ramones blitzkrieg bop . covered bob marley s redemption song johnny cash. in same year, strummer , mescaleros performed song minstrel boy film black hawk down, haunting , emotive celtic tune played during evacuation of pfc todd blackburn during battle of mogadishu , again on end credits.

strummer performing in brooklyn, april 2002

on 15 november 2002, strummer , mescaleros played benefit show striking fire fighters in london, @ acton town hall. mick jones in audience, , joined band on stage during clash s bankrobber . encore followed jones playing guitar , singing on white riot , london s burning . performance marked first time since 1983 strummer , jones had performed on stage. jones later remarked totally unplanned , felt compelled join strummer on stage.

strummer s final regular gig @ liverpool academy on 22 november 2002, yet final performance, 2 weeks before death, in small club venue palace in bridgwater, somerset, near home. shortly before death, strummer , u2 s bono co-wrote song, 46664 , nelson mandela part of campaign against aids in africa. strummer had been scheduled play @ mandela s sos fundraising concert in february 2003 on robben island. mick jones later recorded version of song in studio, performing both vocals , guitar work, has yet formally released.

death , legacy (2002–present)


—caroline coon

strummer died on 22 december 2002 in home @ broomfield in somerset, victim of undiagnosed congenital heart defect. estate valued @ under £1 million, , left money wife lucinda. strummer cremated, , ashes given family.

strummer instrumental in setting future forests (since rechristened carbon neutral company), dedicated planting trees in various parts of world combat global warming. strummer first artist make recording, pressing , distribution of records carbon neutral through planting of trees. in remembrance, strummer s friends , family have established strummerville foundation promotion of new music. foundation holds annual festival same name.

in january 2003, clash inducted rock , roll hall of fame. @ grammy awards in february 2003, london calling performed elvis costello, bruce springsteen, steven van zandt, dave grohl, pete thomas, , tony kanal in tribute strummer. tribute strummer occurred in same month @ rock club debaser in stockholm, when of sweden s famous rock musicians paid tribute strummer performing songs written clash (the exception nicke borg , dregen backyard babies, performed fought law , clash had covered). @ end of concert, swedish punk band ebba grön reunited tribute, aided mick jones on guitar.

at time of death, strummer working on mescaleros album, released posthumously in october 2003 under title streetcore. album features tribute johnny cash, long shadow , written cash sing , recorded in rick rubin s garage, remembrance of terrorist attacks on 11 september 2001 ( ramshackle day parade ), , cover of bob marley s redemption song , strummer had recorded duet cash. cash/strummer duet version appears on 2003 box set unearthed. strummer , mescaleros scheduled open pearl jam on 2003 riot act tour. following strummer s death, pearl jam added cover of know rights setlist on tour, , had straight hell play coda @ end of shows.

november 2003 saw release of video redemption song , directed josh cheuse. video features painting of memorial mural, graffiti artist revolt, on wall of niagara bar in east village of new york city.

on 22 december 2003, year after death, tribute show/benefit held @ irving plaza in nyc. bands played were: ari up; clem snide; detachment kit; dirty mary; hammel on trial; jesse malin; new blood revival; realistics; eugene hütz; radio 4; secret army; ted leo; vic thrill & saturn missile. show videotaped punkcast.com yet unreleased.

the belfast punk rock group stiff little fingers recorded tribute song strummerville on album, guitar , drum. al barr, lead singer of boston punk band dropkick murphys, named son strummer in honour of joe. german band beatsteaks pay tribute strummer on album smack smash song hello joe . in 2004, german punk band die toten hosen released ep called friss oder stirb , included tribute song strummer called goodbye garageland , lyrical co-production matt dangerfield london s 77 punk band boys.

boston punk rock band street dogs recorded tribute song called general s boombox on album state of grace, , new jersey s gaslight anthem recorded song da called woody, joe on album sink or swim. attila stockbroker s barnstormer released comandante joe on album 0 tolerance.

on 12 february 2005, class 47 locomotive 47828 named joe strummer . nameplates unveiled widow lucinda tait in ceremony @ bristol temple meads railway station. on 22 july 2005 tait unveiled plaque on house in pentonville, newport strummer lived 1973 1974 , first foray recorded music, crummy bum blues recorded.

clash radio , short story charles de lint, written in response strummer s death , features strummer in minor role.

new orleans-based rockers cowboy mouth released song called joe strummer on album voodoo shoppe. song tells story of man had break girlfriend because ...she didn t know who/joe strummer was. popular track tongue-in-cheek salute strummer , clash received significant radio play in 2006. in addition, joe pernice-penned high kite , included on pernice brothers 2006 album live little, was, in part tribute joe strummer. lyrics included, heavy downbeat of 1 , show began/london calling, strike contraband , memorable opening chorus, wore pictures of strummer. play paul hodson called meeting joe strummer premiered @ edinburgh festival in 2006, , toured uk following year.

in conjunction strummer estate, fender released joe strummer tribute telecaster, combining elements of joe s main guitars, namely attempt @ road worn finish of 1966 telecaster, used until death. first 1,500 guitars come shepard fairey designed customisation kit stickers , stencils, resemble of designs strummer used on guitars. joe strummer s impact referenced hold steady in song constructive summer , song featured on 2008 album stay positive. in song band sings raise toast saint joe strummer. think might have been our decent teacher. in november 2009, tonara, town in sardinia, italy, dedicated street joe strummer.

on 22 december 2010, cjam 99.1 fm, radio station in windsor, ontario, canada, declared eighth anniversary of death joe strummer day confront poverty in windsor-detroit. 24-hours, station played nothing strummer-related music, wrapping sounds around reports poverty north america s hardest hit economic region—windsor-detroit. cjam (which located near banks of detroit river, kilometre downtown detroit) , board of directors have since officially decided make yearly event, , hosting 7th annual joe strummer day on 22 december 2016.

in january 2011 motion started grant strummer own street in spanish city of granada.

on 21 august 2012 , have been strummer s 60th birthday, hellcat records released exclusive 57 song digital download album titled joe strummer , mescaleros, hellcat years. album features strummer s 3 hellcat albums along various b-sides , live songs including strummer s 15 november 2002 concert featured mick jones. hellcat announced on 25 september 2012 re-release remastered versions of strummer s 3 records recorded hellcat on both cd , vinyl. , strummer s 15 nov. 2002 concert, live @ acton town hall released through hellcat on 23 november 2012 exclusive limited 2200 copies 2 lp vinyl record store day. in january 2013, joe strummer had plaza named in honour in spanish city of granada. placeta joe strummer @ n37.16892 w3.58771 (722m) on junction between 3 narrow roads calle vistillas de los angeles, cuesta escoriaza , calle paseo palmas. 650m south of alhambra.

in june 2013 mural of strummer unveiled on corner of portobello road , blenheim crescent. unveiling attended number of strummer s former friends including mick jones , ray gange.

in october 2013 interview, mick jones confirmed strummer indeed had intentions of reforming clash , new music being written. in months prior strummer s death, , jones got write new music. jones said @ time assumed new songs used on albums mescaleros. few months following work together, jones ran strummer @ event , asked him intended songs. strummer informed jones going used next clash record.

in 2016, actor jonathan rhys meyers portrayed strummer in film london town tells story of clash-obsessed teenager crosses paths joe strummer happenstance in 1979 , finds life changing result.the film met negative reviews.