No surrender for Joe Strummer

My interest in music withered when the original Clash broke up. I wanted to like the new Clash and Cut the Crap, but the music had no guts except for a few cuts. Why oh why, I wondered.

With We Are The Clash: Reagan, Thatcher, and the Last Stand of a Band That Mattered, authors Mark Anderson and Ralph Heibutzki answer why the band crashed and why the new version never had a chance. Manager problems, apathy, stardom, inability to change, and burnout doom many bands, and the Clash was no exception. The original Clash burned white hot and then melted. Maybe the band should have died then.

But dear Joe Strummer--a true believer--soldiered on, trying to keep the spirit of punk alive. But it was too much for one man to carry, and Mark Anderson and Ralph Heibutzki give critical insight into the reason for the slow bleed of both versions of the Clash.

It's a painful but fascinating journey that will interest Clash fans and music lovers who like to read about the workings of a rock 'n' roll band.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the new Clash's busking tour before the band's demise. The members took to street corners, storefronts, and subways to keep the music alive and connect with fans. With this, we see how special Joe Strummer was. He did believe that music could indeed change the world. For a brief, shining moment, he was right.