Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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IkarisOne
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Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by IkarisOne »

Seeing we're coming up on 20 years, I put together my personal Joe solo Best Of. I have to say that as critical as I was as to Joe's maddening inconsistency and lack of perspective of his true musical strengths, this is as solid a set of top-tier rock n' roll as anything you can name. Joe could hit 'em straight out of the park when the stars were aligned. A worthy companion to The Essential Clash IMO



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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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I did a best of Joe's solo/Meskies stuff in like 2008 and there's a lot of overlap with this. His solo stuff isn't consistent, but when it's good, it's great.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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matedog wrote:
19 Jul 2022, 1:06pm
I did a best of Joe's solo/Meskies stuff in like 2008 and there's a lot of overlap with this. His solo stuff isn't consistent, but when it's good, it's great.
Sure is. I was hoping to add some live cuts from Let's Rock Again, but sadly it's not on Spotify.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by Flex »

That's a great list, CK. Agreed all around - when he wanted to rock, he could still really rock. There's a revisionist history project to be made of trimming Joe's Wilderness Years and Meskies material (which is uniformly better anyways) to the best, (mostly) most rock and roll stuff and pretending he'd always had a a clear visionary through-line (001 tried a bit of that). I like that Streetcore really felt like he was getting ready to play some serious rock and roll.
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IkarisOne
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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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Flex wrote:
19 Jul 2022, 1:40pm
That's a great list, CK. Agreed all around - when he wanted to rock, he could still really rock. There's a revisionist history project to be made of trimming Joe's Wilderness Years and Meskies material (which is uniformly better anyways) to the best, (mostly) most rock and roll stuff and pretending he'd always had a a clear visionary through-line (001 tried a bit of that). I like that Streetcore really felt like he was getting ready to play some serious rock and roll.
He rocked harder than men half his age at Saint Anne's. I felt like he'd rediscovered his true self. But when all is said and done there's a couple dozen very enjoyable songs as his solo legacy, and that's more than anyone could ask for.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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It's a great list of Joe songs but then I like most of Joe's solo output anyway so any list always likely to have my instant approval. Only nitpick I'd offer is Ride Your Donkey, a track I like and that is fun, but best of material? Not for me but just minor quibble really.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by Wolter »

I think I basically have made at least a dozen best of solo Joe driving mixes over the last decade with minor tweaks, and most of those tracks usually showed up on them. Echoing everyone else who says he was maddeningly inconsistent, but when he was on fire, he could really deliver the goods.
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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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I think Dum Dum Club is the most underrated rocker in Joe's catalogue. Always like it better than its fairly excellent flip side.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by gkbill »

Heston wrote:
20 Jul 2022, 8:18pm
I think Dum Dum Club is the most underrated rocker in Joe's catalogue. Always like it better than its fairly excellent flip side.
Hello,

My favorite Joe collection is the Permanent Record tracks (including outtakes).

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by Wolter »

gkbill wrote:
20 Jul 2022, 9:46pm
Heston wrote:
20 Jul 2022, 8:18pm
I think Dum Dum Club is the most underrated rocker in Joe's catalogue. Always like it better than its fairly excellent flip side.
Hello,

My favorite Joe collection is the Permanent Record tracks (including outtakes).
The Joe tracks on that soundtrack would be a killer ep.
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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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No Tennessee Rain or Long Shadow or X-Ray Style :naughty:

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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Mark^Bastard wrote:
22 Jul 2022, 3:47am
No Tennessee Rain or Long Shadow or X-Ray Style :naughty:
All great though I'm assuming the emphasis is on "rocks" here so i wouldn't expect them to be included. I think Forbidden City is an unassuming little rocker that does tend to get overlooked a bit.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

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Low Down Low wrote:
20 Jul 2022, 5:57pm
It's a great list of Joe songs but then I like most of Joe's solo output anyway so any list always likely to have my instant approval. Only nitpick I'd offer is Ride Your Donkey, a track I like and that is fun, but best of material? Not for me but just minor quibble really.
I love it! Joe having fun.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by IkarisOne »

Wolter wrote:
20 Jul 2022, 6:15pm
I think I basically have made at least a dozen best of solo Joe driving mixes over the last decade with minor tweaks, and most of those tracks usually showed up on them. Echoing everyone else who says he was maddeningly inconsistent, but when he was on fire, he could really deliver the goods.
Indeed. Joe was the Dave Kingman of Rock n Roll.

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Re: Joe Strummer Rocks Again

Post by IkarisOne »

Low Down Low wrote:
22 Jul 2022, 11:00am
Mark^Bastard wrote:
22 Jul 2022, 3:47am
No Tennessee Rain or Long Shadow or X-Ray Style :naughty:
All great though I'm assuming the emphasis is on "rocks" here so i wouldn't expect them to be included. I think Forbidden City is an unassuming little rocker that does tend to get overlooked a bit.
Yep, Joe had two modes: manic and depressive. I wanted a bit of manic Joe. FC is a good track- maybe I'll add it.

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