Happy Birthday The Clash

[weller259]

Living in suburbia USA back then, this was the second Clash album we heard. Rope was first. By the time the first album made it to us here, it came with a 45 from the Cost Of Living EP. Its a great album, love most of it, the sheer power of the songs musically was incredible. Wish we would have heard it before Rope, Columbia decided otherwise however.

[Marky Dread]

Living in suburbia USA back then, this was the second Clash album we heard. Rope was first. By the time the first album made it to us here, it came with a 45 from the Cost Of Living EP. Its a great album, love most of it, the sheer power of the songs musically was incredible. Wish we would have heard it before Rope, Columbia decided otherwise however.

2 track 7" Gates of the West/Groovy Times. However the album you are referring to is not the self titled debut. It's a compilation album with tracks such as "I Fought the Law" and other single cuts added. Also worth mentioning is the US compilation debut has the varispeeded version of "Clash City Rockers".

[weller259]

Living in suburbia USA back then, this was the second Clash album we heard. Rope was first. By the time the first album made it to us here, it came with a 45 from the Cost Of Living EP. Its a great album, love most of it, the sheer power of the songs musically was incredible. Wish we would have heard it before Rope, Columbia decided otherwise however.

2 track 7" Gates of the West/Groovy Times. However the album you are referring to is not the self titled debut. It's a compilation album with tracks such as "I Fought the Law" and other single cuts added. Also worth mentioning is the US compilation debut has the varispeeded version of "Clash City Rockers".

Yes, of course you are correct, it is that compilation, that was the only other choice we had at the time. I will say that at that time I was not savvy enough to look for "imports", I relied on my local record store to get the newest releases, there was little word-of-mouth around my world then, everyone was too busy regurgitating Styx and the Outlaws to have even heard of The Clash.
Thing is, I didn't know that wasn't truly the first album as it was constructed, all I knew was it was more The Clash that I hadn't heard so I was very happy to get it.
I still have that 7" as well, it still sounds sooooo goood lol.

[Marky Dread]

Living in suburbia USA back then, this was the second Clash album we heard. Rope was first. By the time the first album made it to us here, it came with a 45 from the Cost Of Living EP. Its a great album, love most of it, the sheer power of the songs musically was incredible. Wish we would have heard it before Rope, Columbia decided otherwise however.

2 track 7" Gates of the West/Groovy Times. However the album you are referring to is not the self titled debut. It's a compilation album with tracks such as "I Fought the Law" and other single cuts added. Also worth mentioning is the US compilation debut has the varispeeded version of "Clash City Rockers".

Yes, of course you are correct, it is that compilation, that was the only other choice we had at the time. I will say that at that time I was not savvy enough to look for "imports", I relied on my local record store to get the newest releases, there was little word-of-mouth around my world then, everyone was too busy regurgitating Styx and the Outlaws to have even heard of The Clash.
Thing is, I didn't know that wasn't truly the first album as it was constructed, all I knew was it was more The Clash that I hadn't heard so I was very happy to get it.
I still have that 7" as well, it still sounds sooooo goood lol.

I don't think anyone could argue that the compilation is great. But it's important to remember what was their true statement.

I had the debut and then in '79 bought that comp (blue cover) with the two track 7". That was my most played vinyl for years and I virtually wore it out.

[Sparky]

Being in the States, I purchased an import copy of their debut album, then years later purchased a CD of the US release even though I already had the other tracks on it as singles or EP. The CD was nice to have so I could play it in my car (years before you could burn your own on a computer).