The Clash

HISTORY

The Clash were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, dub, funk, ska and rockabilly. For most of their recording career the Clash consisted of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar, lead vocals), Paul Simonon (bass guitar, vocals) and Nicky “Topper” Headon (drums, percussion). Headon left the group in 1982, and internal friction led to Jones’s departure the following year. The group continued with new members, but finally disbanded in early 1986.

The Clash achieved commercial success in the United Kingdom with the release of their self-titled debut album, The Clash, in 1977. Their third album, London Calling, released in the UK in December 1979, earned them popularity in the United States when it was released there the following month. It was declared the best album of the 1980s a decade later by Rolling Stone. In 1982 they reached new heights of success with the release of Combat Rock, which spawned the US top 10 hit “Rock the Casbah”, helping the album to achieve a 2× Platinum certification there. Their final album, Cut the Crap, was released in 1985.

The Clash’s politicised lyrics, musical experimentation, and rebellious attitude had a far-reaching influence on rock, and alternative rock in particular. They became widely referred to as “The Only Band That Matters”, originally a promotional slogan introduced by the group’s record label, CBS. In January 2003, shortly after the death of Joe Strummer, the band—including original drummer Terry Chimes—were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked the Clash number 28 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

Critic Sean Egan wrote that the Clash were exceptional because: “They were a group whose music was, and is, special to their audience because that music insisted on addressing the conditions of poverty, petty injustice, and mundane life experienced by the people who bought their records. Moreover, although their rebel stances were often no more than posturing, from the Clash’s stubborn principles came a fundamental change in the perception of what is possible in the music industry, from subject matter to authenticity to quality control to price ceilings.”

Source: http://bit.ly/2geCZcI

TOP TEN SONGS

1. London Calling
2. Should I Say or Should I Go?
3. Train In Vain
4. Rock the Casbah
5. The Guns of Brixton
6. (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais
7. Death or Glory
8. I Fought the Law
9. Lost in the Super Market
10. Career Opportunities

BOSSE LIVE
Created by Bosse School of Music, Bosse Live is the South Shore’s fasting growing contemporary music performance program for all ages and levels.

Ensembles likely to play songs by this artist include:
Kids – Rock
Teens – Rock
Adults – Rock

BOSSE LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEOS

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