The Clash observations thread.

[Marky Dread]

Observation: they really should have put the song-only version of "Listen" on 'Sound System'. The original interview track is fun to hear once or twice, but it gets old. And it's such a fun little track it merited its own remaster (the original is pretty lo-fi musically).

Piggybacked observation: I can't see with a box this size why they couldn't have just included everything.

Absolutely, and how it was promoted as having "everything" was maddening. All those junk do-dads and a book with blank pages and the stupid "users manual" were a waste. There was plenty of room for everything, and probably more. And yeah, I love the box and the remastering is fabulous, but it was a wasted opportunity to tie up loose ends, especially if this is, as Mick has said, the final Clash release.

Their idea of "everything" is on the box. Their curation. Paul and Mick. They weren't really planning to put the two Rat Patrol outtakes on there but there was pressure from the record company and fans. Note how the live stuff from the Lyceum is only what they had mixed earlier, and not a remixed Live at the Lyceum album. As for the "doo-dads" and the like, that was as important to them to the box as the music. That's was Paul's work. It's their musical and artwork autobiography.

I'm sure Mick and Paul understand our fanboy/girl nature at wanting stuff we don't already have. It's a cool box but it's mostly stuff all of us have bought over and over. Of course that's the way of things with media and big record companies these days. We've been blessed with some great boots and Mick and Paul's attitude to the sharing community.

[muppet hi fi]

Observation: they really should have put the song-only version of "Listen" on 'Sound System'. The original interview track is fun to hear once or twice, but it gets old. And it's such a fun little track it merited its own remaster (the original is pretty lo-fi musically).

Piggybacked observation: I can't see with a box this size why they couldn't have just included everything.

Absolutely, and how it was promoted as having "everything" was maddening. All those junk do-dads and a book with blank pages and the stupid "users manual" were a waste. There was plenty of room for everything, and probably more. And yeah, I love the box and the remastering is fabulous, but it was a wasted opportunity to tie up loose ends, especially if this is, as Mick has said, the final Clash release.

Their idea of "everything" is on the box. Their curation. Paul and Mick. They weren't really planning to put the two Rat Patrol outtakes on there but there was pressure from the record company and fans. Note how the live stuff from the Lyceum is only what they had mixed earlier, and not a remixed Live at the Lyceum album. As for the "doo-dads" and the like, that was as important to them to the box as the music. That's was Paul's work. It's their musical and artwork autobiography.

I'm sure Mick and Paul understand our fanboy/girl nature at wanting stuff we don't already have. It's a cool box but it's mostly stuff all of us have bought over and over. Of course that's the way of things with media and big record companies these days. We've been blessed with some great boots and Mick and Paul's attitude to the sharing community.

For me, it's not even so much unreleased stuff. It was great to get the two Rat Patrol songs etc., but it's stuff that was already officially released being omitted for whatever reasons. I'm pretty confident the CoL advert was on the original master reels. That may seem a minor bit, but it's part of a great statement and work of art (the CoL EP); so it's sort of the opposite of 'painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa': it's like air-brushing out something from the original painting. What could their reasoning have been?
And never mind "Every Little Bit Hurts", "One Emotion", the original 45 mix of "Cool Confusion", etc...again - why? Did Mick or Paul come to hate these tracks or what?

[drowninghere]

Finally got Soundsytem a week or two ago for $100 off of Amazon (new). I do think its a wonderful package and I've got to say that the box and the extras inside are what make it particularly special - those "doo-dads" (and the packaging as a whole) were obviously put together with great care and attention to detail.

I don't agree that it should have included everything - where do you stop? The extras from COB, the Vanilla Tapes, Shea Stadium, the Hell W10 demos, Cut the Crap, Outside Broadcast, Bankrobber and Arm Time extended versions, 3 -4 different versions of Cool Confusion, both versions of Long Time Jerk - all of which we likely already have in one format or another elsewhere - to me, would just water down and cheapen the whole package. That being said, I agree entirely that I would have swapped the shorter, instrumental version of Listen for the long, interview version. The long version just kills the flow of that CD.

I also have to say that, while I've purchased a lot of Clash product over the years, Soundsystem contains my first, purchased copy of the UK debut album, the first time I've had a complete lyric sheet for all of the songs on the first album (although most were include with the COB lyrics), the first time I've had a complete lyric sheet for GEER (for whatever reason both the vinyl and CD versions I had previously did not have lyric sheets), and the first time I've had any sort of official version of the live London's Burning (b-side to Remote Control), Rockers Galore on a UK Tour, Radio One, the 4 Rat Patrol songs and, presumably, most of the stuff on the Disc 3 extras (unless those songs were already on COB or From Here to Eternity). So, for me at least, this purchase definitely filled some holes.

On a go forward basis, I will still hope for a complete, quality version of Rat Patrol and the No. 10 Upping Street extras (US North, Dog in a Satellite, etc.) Other than that, I'm pretty much satisfied - until then, let's keep holding their feet to the fire.

[Marky Dread]

Finally got Soundsytem a week or two ago for $100 off of Amazon (new). I do think its a wonderful package and I've got to say that the box and the extras inside are what make it particularly special - those "doo-dads" (and the packaging as a whole) were obviously put together with great care and attention to detail.

I don't agree that it should have included everything - where do you stop? The extras from COB, the Vanilla Tapes, Shea Stadium, the Hell W10 demos, Cut the Crap, Outside Broadcast, Bankrobber and Arm Time extended versions, 3 -4 different versions of Cool Confusion, both versions of Long Time Jerk - all of which we likely already have in one format or another elsewhere - to me, would just water down and cheapen the whole package. That being said, I agree entirely that I would have swapped the shorter, instrumental version of Listen for the long, interview version. The long version just kills the flow of that CD.

I also have to say that, while I've purchased a lot of Clash product over the years, Soundsystem contains my first, purchased copy of the UK debut album, the first time I've had a complete lyric sheet for all of the songs on the first album (although most were include with the COB lyrics), the first time I've had a complete lyric sheet for GEER (for whatever reason both the vinyl and CD versions I had previously did not have lyric sheets), and the first time I've had any sort of official version of the live London's Burning (b-side to Remote Control), Rockers Galore on a UK Tour, Radio One, the 4 Rat Patrol songs and, presumably, most of the stuff on the Disc 3 extras (unless those songs were already on COB or From Here to Eternity). So, for me at least, this purchase definitely filled some holes.

On a go forward basis, I will still hope for a complete, quality version of Rat Patrol and the No. 10 Upping Street extras (US North, Dog in a Satellite, etc.) Other than that, I'm pretty much satisfied - until then, let's keep holding their feet to the fire.

I doubt there are many Clash fans who don't already own the debut so I'll put you down as a rarity. The majority of Clash fans I know would've had virtually everything included in the box. The Rat Patrol tracks were a great addition. It's great it's all remastered and the tapes have now been presrved. I agree it's not essential to be complete but would've loved further rarities like the Sandinista! tracks that were mooted for the reissue that never happened.

[TeddyB Not Logged In]

Mick said there was like one Sandinista track, which is why they nixed the re-release. It would rested on a soundboard live show, which would have been cool, but we basically have the three they were to pick from on bootlegs. As for Every Little Bit and One Emotion, those are unfinished outtakes. They didn't include other Basing Street demos either. The edited version of Listen is still available, as are those other tracks. They just didn't make the First Folio!

[Marky Dread]

Mick said there was like one Sandinista track, which is why they nixed the re-release. It would rested on a soundboard live show, which would have been cool, but we basically have the three they were to pick from on bootlegs. As for Every Little Bit and One Emotion, those are unfinished outtakes. They didn't include other Basing Street demos either. The edited version of Listen is still available, as are those other tracks. They just didn't make the First Folio!

Still if only one S! outtake the SS box would've been the ideal place to release it?

I'm happy with Every Little Bit Hurts and One Emotion from Broadway box. Also there are two different lengths of ELBH from the different issues of Broadway if memory serves.

[bazarboy75]

Still if only one S! outtake the SS box would've been the ideal place to release it?

100% agree

[TeddyB Not Logged In]

If I recall, it isn't even really a track. More like a dub or the like. Also, again, not the sort of thing that makes the First Folio.

[Flex]

I think the SS box is awesome as it is. When complete discographies are available at the click of a button, and it's easier than ever to circulate high quality bootlegs of unreleased material, what stands out is thoughtful curation. I didn't buy SS because I wanted to buy second/third/fourth/etc. copies of music I already have, I bought it because it's an Art Object on its own.

Being annoyed that they didn't include One Emotion (or whatever) sort of sidesteps the more interesting question of why did they include some stuff and not others. What does it mean for what Mick and Paul think of the legacy of the band (or the First Folio, in TeddyB's words)?

[Marky Dread]

I think the SS box is awesome as it is. When complete discographies are available at the click of a button, and it's easier than ever to circulate high quality bootlegs of unreleased material, what stands out is thoughtful curation. I didn't buy SS because I wanted to buy second/third/fourth/etc. copies of music I already have, I bought it because it's an Art Object on its own.

Being annoyed that they didn't include One Emotion (or whatever) sort of sidesteps the more interesting question of why did they include some stuff and not others. What does it mean for what Mick and Paul think of the legacy of the band (or the First Folio, in TeddyB's words)?

I didn't buy it for any other reason than great music being remastered. The idea of an Art Object had no appeal to me. The discs in their hardback books are great but the box and the other stuff I find to be completely useless. Stckers/Badges/that cigarette thing ...no thanks. Lyric books and info yes but the other I find superferlous. Any unreleased stuff being the icing on the cake.

[JennyB]

I think the SS box is awesome as it is. When complete discographies are available at the click of a button, and it's easier than ever to circulate high quality bootlegs of unreleased material, what stands out is thoughtful curation. I didn't buy SS because I wanted to buy second/third/fourth/etc. copies of music I already have, I bought it because it's an Art Object on its own.

Being annoyed that they didn't include One Emotion (or whatever) sort of sidesteps the more interesting question of why did they include some stuff and not others. What does it mean for what Mick and Paul think of the legacy of the band (or the First Folio, in TeddyB's words)?

I didn't buy it for any other reason than great music being remastered. The idea of an Art Object had no appeal to me. The discs in their hardback books are great but the box and the other stuff I find to be completely useless. Stckers/Badges/that cigarette thing ...no thanks. Lyric books and info yes but the other I find superferlous. Any unreleased stuff being the icing on the cake.

I enjoyed the trinkets, but other than that, I agree with this post.

[Inder]

Hmmmm.....

[Marky Dread]

Hmmmm.....

Radio Clash intro right? Otherwise a cover of Hall of the Mountain King.

[101Walterton]

Hmmmm.....

Radio Clash intro right? Otherwise a cover of Hall of the Mountain King.

Isn't that intro the tune they play in cartoons when someone is sneaking up on someone?

[Marky Dread]

Yes but it dates back further to old black and white movie villains. I'm not certain of it's origin but it's well old. Maybe even further back to theatre shows.