If Music Could Talk

Any chance of a re-up of the remaster guys, I am about to dive into Joe’s early solo stuff for the first time.

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

Kory wrote: ↑

03 Sep 2021, 5:34pm

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

He's got it Kory.

Kory wrote: ↑

03 Sep 2021, 5:34pm

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

Yeah, I got it. I've got into the bad habit of asking for lots of re-ups on Beatles Forum. On there they post a ton of stuff wetransfers that only last a week, so people are constantly asking for re-ups. Because they have to have every rip, mix, set and upgrade.

Marky told me that a lot of fans were dissatisfied with the sound of the album, particularly Zander Schloss' guitar. And that the general consensus was that Joe was trying to hard. I had no idea what fans thought of it. I could imagine some British fans thinking he's gone totally American.

I loved "Trash City" and bought the Permanent Record Soundtrack just because of it. I've still never seen the film. I think I might have first heard "Gangsterville" by seeing the video on a midday Sunday music show, for young people like me who'd just woken up lol Brillliant video!

A couple of years before that i'd discovered Bruce Springsteen with his "Live 1975-1985" box set. I was especially enthusiastic about his lyrics, telling anyone who'd listen that he was rock's greatest poet. A lot of British music fans (young ones anyway) were quite snotty about him, thinking he was just a bombastic American stadium rocker. It's one of those typical prejudices/misconceptions music fans often have before they really listen to an artist's back catalogue.

I loved Joe's street poetry, it was like Springsteen in the 70s. Also a bit like Tom Waits whose Frank's Wild Years trilogy I was also listening to a lot then. Zander's guitar on "Gangsterville" is kind of like Marc Ribot's stuff for Waits.

I only knew a few Clash singles at the time, so I wasn't thinking of them when listening to Joe. They didn't have a great reputation at the time anyway. The prejudice/misconception about them was that they were earnest poseurs, the U2 of Punk. They didn't get the automatic respect the Pistols got.

Joe is certainly doing a lot on "Earthquake Weather" and the resequencing on Marky's remaster makes it a much better listen overall. I've listened to it half a dozen times recently. If I was a music critic, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "lost classic", but I would say it's "criminally overlooked". I haven't yet listened to Joe's work with the Mescaleros.

Zander's guitar on "Gangsterville" is kind of like Marc Ribot's stuff for Waits.

That's a generous comparison, man.

I haven't yet listened to Joe's work with the Mescaleros.

You'll like it. It's actually good

Kory wrote: ↑

03 Sep 2021, 5:34pm

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

I quite like some of Zanders work myself, some pretty decent guitar licks dispersed throughout the album imo.

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

04 Sep 2021, 5:09am

Kory wrote: ↑

03 Sep 2021, 5:34pm

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

I quite like some of Zanders work myself, some pretty decent guitar licks dispersed throughout the album imo.

But that guitar sound. Just plain wrong for those songs.

Marky Dread wrote: ↑

04 Sep 2021, 7:53am

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

04 Sep 2021, 5:09am

Kory wrote: ↑

03 Sep 2021, 5:34pm

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

I quite like some of Zanders work myself, some pretty decent guitar licks dispersed throughout the album imo.

But that guitar sound. Just plain wrong for those songs.

It might be alright, i dont mind it personally tbh, but maybe Zander wasn't particularly suited for the heavier tracks. I think songs like Sleepwalk, Leopardskin Limousines, Dizzys Goatee etc are perhaps more his forte, there's some great playing in those.

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

04 Sep 2021, 8:40am

Marky Dread wrote: ↑

04 Sep 2021, 7:53am

Low Down Low wrote: ↑

04 Sep 2021, 5:09am

Kory wrote: ↑

03 Sep 2021, 5:34pm

iso74 wrote: ↑

28 Aug 2021, 11:08pm

A bit cheeky to ask for a re-up on my first post, but if you don't ask you don't get. I'm surprised some people here saying they didn't like "Gangsterville". I bought the "Gangsterville" and "Trash City" singles when they first came out and loved them so much I bought the albums. And I wasn't a Clash fan at the time. I've only become one during lockdown after listening to the whole of Sound System 3 or 4 times.

I don't have a record player any more so i'd like a good digital copy. It's a bit ironic because the whole magic of them is how primitive they are. I remember reading an interview of the time where Joe said he searched for a recording studio that still had all the old technology. I was trying to learn guitar at the time, and I didn't know it, but was kind of practising in his style of just whacking away at the few chords I knew. My sister knocked on my door and said I sounded good - but i'm sure she only said that because she wanted a fag lol

My first time hearing it was after finding the LP in a bin at the local antique mall. The first time I heard side 1 track 1, it always seemed like quite a natural kind of song for the former singer of the Clash to do. I'm not as turned off by Zander like a lot of people here but the staccato nature of the song and the mood shift in the chorus always made sense to me (ditto for the rest of the album).

I never grabbed the remaster so I can't re-up it, sorry.

I quite like some of Zanders work myself, some pretty decent guitar licks dispersed throughout the album imo.

But that guitar sound. Just plain wrong for those songs.

It might be alright, i dont mind it personally tbh, but maybe Zander wasn't particularly suited for the heavier tracks. I think songs like Sleepwalk, Leopardskin Limousines, Dizzys Goatee etc are perhaps more his forte, there's some great playing in those.

I got no problem with his playing ability. But that guitar sound just kills that album for me.

If it could ever be remixed I would mix that guitar way way down.

I always felt that Gangsterville was too wordy.
Like Joe was trying too hard with his lyrical prowess.

JChampion wrote: ↑

05 Sep 2021, 12:39am

I always felt that Gangsterville was too wordy.
Like Joe was trying too hard with his lyrical prowess.

Agree. Joe needed just to be Joe who is a great lyricist. No need for him to be part Dylan or part Springsteen.

JChampion wrote: ↑05 Sep 2021, 12:39am
I always felt that Gangsterville was too wordy.
Like Joe was trying too hard with his lyrical prowess.

Agree. Joe needed just to be Joe who is a great lyricist. No need for him to be part Dylan or part Springsteen.

Other than the overall sound, That was always part of my issue with that album, as I've stated here before -- at times, Joe's trying to cram in so many lyrics, that more than a few of those songs wind up fighting for air.

Though it should be noted, as Redemption Song does, that there were apparently efforts made to nudge him in a certain direction -- I'm thinking of that anecdote where Gerry Herrington's asking him to check out "Fisherman's Blues," and Joe snaps, "The problem is saying what he feels. Bob Dylan doesn't say, 'I walked through a door.' He says, 'There was smoke in the air.'"

Which made me laugh out loud when I first read it, and love him all the more, for saying that. But if he was aiming for that "smoke in the air" vibe, I'd say something got lost, somewhere along the line -- resulting in a fair amount of hit, but also, a fair amount of miss, too.