The Clash: London Calling | Music Documentary | Don Letts | John Robb | Pat Gilbert
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- This critical review of London Calling features rare live performances, alongside interviews with legendary filmmaker and DJ Don Letts (who toured with The Clash), and analysis from a leading team of rock journalists and critics.
London Calling is the third studio album by English rock band the Clash. It was originally released as a double album in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 by CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 by Epic Records.
The Clash recorded the album with producer Guy Stevens at Wessex Sound Studios in London during August, September and November 1979, following a change in management and a period of writer's block for songwriters Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. Bridging a traditional punk rock sound and a new wave aesthetic, London Calling reflects the band's growing interest in styles beyond their punk roots, including reggae, rockabilly, ska, New Orleans R&B, pop, lounge jazz, and hard rock. Themes include social displacement, unemployment, racial conflict, drug use, and the responsibilities of adulthood.
The album was a top ten chart success in the UK, and its lead single "London Calling" was a top 20 single. The album has sold over five million copies worldwide, and was certified platinum in the US for sales of one million. It was also met with widespread critical acclaim and has retrospectively been named one of the greatest albums of all time. On Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, London Calling ranked eighth in the 2003 and 2012 editions, and sixteenth in the 2020 edition. In 2010, it was one of ten classic album covers from British artists commemorated on a UK postage stamp issued by the Royal Mail.
London Calling has since been considered by many critics to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time, including AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who said that it sounded more purposeful than "most albums, let alone double albums". "This epic double album, from its iconic sleeve to its wildly eclectic mash-up of styles, is surely the quintessential rock album", wrote BBC Music journalist Mark Sutherland. In Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s (1990), Christgau called it the best double album since the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St. (1972) and said it expanded upon, rather than compromised, the Clash's driving guitar sound in a "warm, angry, and thoughtful, confident, melodic, and hard-rocking" showcase of their musical abilities. According to the English music writer Dave Thompson, London Calling established the Clash as more than "a simple punk band" with a "potent" album of neurotic post-punk, despite its amalgam of disparate and occasionally disjointed musical influences. Don McLeese from the Chicago Sun-Times regarded it as their best album and "punk's finest hour", as it found the band broadening their artistry without compromising their original vigor and immediacy. PopMatters critic Sal Ciolfi called it a "big, loud, beautiful collection of hurt, anger, restless thought, and above all hope" that still sounds "relevant and vibrant". In a review of its 25th anniversary reissue, Uncut wrote that the songs and characters in the lyrics cross-referenced each other because of the album's exceptional sequencing, adding that "The Vanilla Tapes" bonus disc enhanced what was already a "masterpiece".
Director: The Creative Picture Company
Stars: Don Letts, John Robb, Pat Gilbert
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#music #documentary #rockandroll #theclash #thestreammovies
the Clash was the most powerful, dynamic band I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of great bands.
You took the words right out of my mouth
Saw them in 1980, best concert I've ever seen.
The variety of The Clash is unmatched! From Punk, Rock, Pop, Ska, Reggae, Dub to Funk and even Jazz. Unbelievable!
Thus perpetuating the natural variety early UK76 sound was made of. One couldn't beat the Stranglers' cynicism and bass sound, and i couldn't definitely beat the stooge-like, black-humoured speed-Punk cabaret of the Damned, neither Rotten's Irish-Finsbury-ish vitriol and the whole impact of the Pistols' sound. And so on with the Jam, Buzzcocks, 999, Vibrators... it's exactly what it meant at the time, every band trying to sound differently, within and around the basical (yet still vague) Punk canon. The 2nd wave's apex, symbolically set in 1982, was way more uniformed, making UKHCP82 become half of the mould for worldwide HC. The Clash? Well, they should have quit on Sandinista where they reflect exactly what you said...
@@karllux-d6g Sorry, what?! Combat Rock is a masterpiece. If they had followed you're advice we wouldn't have know you're rights or rock the casbah??
@@Theboxingobserver That, sir , is your opinion and I naturally respect it - to those 2 emblematic tracks you quote, you should also add Overpowered by Funk and Ghetto Defendant - and I'm not even being cynical (now). I have always been one in favour of The Clash's unique vein of exploring other musical languages, apart from strict Londinium Punk - that's why I enjoy Sandinista like Hell! But the question is, do you really find on the ''C.R.'' lp, enough variety, solidity, veracity, and to a certain extent, the old nerve that almost immediately spurs a bond between you and the band like, say, in the first 3 records? Do you remember ''Give em enough Rope''? Ain't China taking over? That's where they were absolutely on the level, methinks. But I'm kind of a Sandy Pearlmania aficionado, too, so...
Thank you Don Letts for lucidly connecting so many dots. Blessings.
I would love to talk to him. He has so much experience from that time👍
His Punk Rock docs are the best, and that's because he was there through all of it
@@andiestewart7423 He would probably want to tell you he personally invented Punk Rock himself,he`s an awful egomaniac poseur🤣
Letts huge pain in the backside, clinging on to scene as the token rasta man yawn. He can't form a paragraph without mentioning race. Really, really boring.
And all these bloated lefty journalists trying to look edgy and rad.
Let the music tell the story, this doc is bad.
The only band that matters!!! So true words have never been spoken. As I have gotten older, I have came to the realization that they were way ahead of their time. They would seque from punk rock to reggae to rockabilly without missing a beat. God blessed me with the opportunity to be able to see them from the ground floor to what we would call optimum success
That phrase came from a record company promotion campaign. It's meaningless.
@@JoeBlow-fp5ngThat would depend on who you are. Meaningless? I think not. ☮️
@@JoeBlow-fp5ngsometimes even marketer hit on essential truths.
One of the best frontmen/lyricist (Joe Stummer), one of the best melodists/arranger (Mick Jones), one of the best drummers (Topper Headon), and one of the coolest dudes (Paul Simonon) and you have one of the greatest bands of all-time.
You are correct sir
The only band that matters
100% nailed it
Agree 100. I saw Joe perform a month after 9/11 at the 930 Club in Washington DC. He was my favorite artist of all time. 🍻☮️
Don't forget the best looking bassist in Punk history.
I was eleven when Combat Rock came out, and it knocked my socks clean off. Over the next few years I eventually got my paws on all their other records, The wide range of their offerings, the realization that I wasn't the only one who noticed things were all fucked up, and among the rage the sheer joy I heard in their music, all made life a LOT more bearable for a broke dorky kid in small town Reagan-era America.
We’re the same age, have the same story and both could relate to The Clash’s relevance regarding the declining American industrial “promise”. You and I are soul brothers!
@@johns3106 I'm glad you felt better from the music too :)
Best thing about the clash was ...they were sooo much fun!
Mick jones is an underrated musical genius. What a band in general
Unfortunately same birthday, 10 years later😶
I made him happy and laugh once while he patted me on the back. He rules
Not at all underrated. Very daft thing to say. Red Card.
Meh. Overrated in general.
@@vonslagle Gave him your pudding, did you?
"If you don't know what's going on ask the person next to you..." Joe Strummer during Shea Stadium concert. What a brilliant man! So glad he left us such material, interviews & albums w/ The Clash. God bless The Clash 🫡 cheers!🎉
The late 70s/early 80s were indeed the golden age of music! The Clash, The Jam, Devo, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Joe Jackson,...
Sandinista is my fave Clash elpee. Thanks for this documentary upload!
I had the good fortune to speak to Joe when The Clash was supporting an unfairly forgotten group called Rooglater, in the autumn of 1976.
Joe and Mick Jones were at the bar, and I very nervously approached and asked him when the group was going to bring out their first single?
He simply laughed and replied, "When we're good enough!" He was very polite and good-natured.
They played a blistering set. During their performance, a drunk shouted "Play Stairway To Heaven."
As quick as a flash, Joe remarked: "Why don't you go out and collect some stamps!" The drunk fell silent, and everybody laughed at him.
A brilliant put-down. The Clash was utterly fabulous live, and "London's Calling" still remains a stone-cold classic, after four decades.
Don Letts is an amazing story teller.
Isn't he! So eloquent.
This band were my childhood, youth and adult soundtrack. The ultimate Rock n Roll band, amazing frontman, great songwriters, awesome drummer and the coolest looking bass player ever!! I saw them in Stoke in 1982, I was so excited. They spoke to a 14 year old kid and educated me politically early on. RIP Joe Strummer Legend ❤
First album I ever bought and first concert me and my buddy Mike went too....they invited fans up at the end... Providence Civic center... greatest chaos when your 12 years old!!! I'M Dawning the Joe Strummer mohawk today...40th anniversary!!!
Clash FOREVER!!!!
when they opened for "the Who"..??
I still miss going to see the Clash live .
I couldn’t afford it
You lucky you got to experience it live :)
I only got to see them once. But it was awesome . They were the opening act for the Who..!!
When I first heard White Riot I was 17.Was my mind blown?Yes.
The clash were real, they played Erics Liverpool 77 and came to the swinging apple which was where the punks who were barred out of Erics pogoed all night, my mate nesy brought them over and they stayed all night and we ended up in a house by penny lane with them, sound fellas, wish I would've kept in touch, absolutely relevant to this day.
Awesome!
Minha banda favorita de todos os tempos, London calling é o maior disco de todos! Até Bob Marley cita o The Clash em uma de suas letras!
I’m a massive Dub Reggae fan. I have about 300 records in my reggae collection and to this day some of my favorite reggae songs are by the Clash. They weren’t stealing they were massively inspired.
I saw them in Toronto, September 1982, they had Black Uhuru as their opening act.
I LOVE THE CLASH, I ALSO LIKE THE PISTOLS, BUT THEN AGAIN I ALSO LOVE ADAM AND THE ANTS, THE DAMNED, GENERATION X, ALL OF THEM, 77/78 WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, A REAL KICK UP THE ARSE THAT WE ALL NEEDED. IT CHANGED MY LIFE, TRULY.
The most exiting time ever. I loved the bands and the attitude. The style was the best ever. The Clash were so cool. Loved that American James Dean style , loved the Ramones and the ripped jeans. Oh I saw wish I could relive my youth
They were just amazing!
Joe Strummer actually had something in common with me. His father was a diplomat, well my father is a diplomat and that's why my family and I lived in various countries. Backround speaks for itself
Thats surely make you fantastic guy too and don't forget that you can add to your list of people who are great because theyr fathers are diplomats geat little fellow called Damian.
From the contributing folks in this film, in seems like "the clash" is a place of mixtures, cultural ideas and cultural voices, that included politics, protest, and defiance. Their great work seems to be the ability to manage this with creativity rather than destruction. What a great force, this band.
So bummed I never got to see them live. I didn’t know about them until the early 80s on MTV and have loved them since
I got to see them in July 82, here in the UK. Joe came on with his Davey Crockett hat and launched into London calling. After the gig we were walking back to the car, the car park was behind the venue. Roadies were bringing equipment out and putting it in the lorry but some fans were going in. We did and ended up in a room. A band member was in each corner, signing album covers and posters. I just had a screwed up ticket. They all signed it. A few years later my mum found it, thought it was rubbish and threw it away. 1982, I was 14.
I saw them on Oct 20, 1982 at the Kingdome in Seattle. They opened for The Who. I was 17 I think. Great show.
@@cyclnvancouver8060 My cousin was at that concert 👍
Guy Stevens and Bill Price were a dynamic duo
“The Pistols would wanna make you smash your head against the wall, but The Clash would give you a reason to do it” - Just love that line
It’s sometimes forgotten how good Strummer was with the 101-ers, he used to almost foam at the mouth on stage. He was actually earning a living with them and walked away for a group of much younger kids, it was a gamble but then that was punk.
Great docco, but of a shame that most of the live footage has Terry Chimes playing rather than Topper.
**Tory Crimes
Vidi i Clash a Milano nell'estate del 1984, al Palasport di San Siro. Un'avventura e un cammeo. Indimenticabile avventura, per me umbro. Ed europeo.
I was at the U.S. Festival 83’ show! Mick Jones’s final show with The Clash. He was kicked out of the band 3 days after this show. So in literal terms, I saw the last show of The Clash EVER.
Shane MacGowan of the Pogues (in union jack jacket) dancing at 10:58
I Fought The Law is not a Bobby Fuller song. It was written by Sony Curtis who was the drummer in The Crickets.
Sonny Curtis wasn't the drummer in The Crickets, Jerry Allison was.
It's quite significant that some of the most extremely accurate depictions of what went on from scratch on UKPk76, are made by Don Letts. He should be made Chief-Guardian of the True Punk Memory, before it goes AI.
No mention of the 1983 Tour of America with the Who and Santana. This tour finally "broke" the band in the states.
I saw them in Seattle on Oct 20, 1982 when they opened for The Who. Great show.
Cheers!
Every cover they did....Was F’n Ace
Its amazing how well the Clash stand the test of time. I remember how punks were saying that the Clash 'sold out ' with Combat Rock. I wasn't one of them but its amazing to remember how fast they broke up after that and Joe Strummer giving out flyers for a Mescaleros show at Atlantic City Boardwalk a FEW YEARS later. Bands, if theyre good will evolve and change over the years. I didn't like Sandanista cause it was such a departure from The Clash The Clash. It wasn't their fault that Sandanista got bad revuews or that Combat Rock was monetarily successful. They were growing and experimenting as a bsnd. Theres only so far you can go ss an angry young man band. Don't get me wrong i LOVED the early Clash with songs like White Riot and London's burning. But London Calling showed that the Clash had grown up.
37:34 Too much exaggeration really, The Stranglers, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Fall, PIL, The Pop Group, Gang of Four, etc, were all doing their post punk stuff... that's the way the music and movement was shifting. So naturally the Clash followed, but by imitating what had been, by using all the old as the new... not as the forementioned bands had done!
Loved the clash ,but unfortunately when I started watching this , felt like I’ve seen it all before , probably because I was such a fan I’ve exhausted every bit of footage , information about them already.
Thanks for save my life!
1:06:23 - great concept
When I was 13 to 14 years old, I made a big mistake of thinking that these were complete amateurs. It was so different than what we were hearing on the radio in the USA at the time. People used to laugh with me for listening to that noise. I’m talking about other kids! Back then there was no Internet and we got our records a little bit late, so by the time I heard about the punk movement, it was pretty much over . the new wave was taking its place. Rap had been around for a couple years but it wasn’t. It’s own thing yet. . After watching this documentary which looks like it was made in the late 80s early 90s, I see this completely different now. You had two good musicians in the band and you had two amateurs as talented as Joe and Paul were, they were kind of living in the past trying to relive the glory days of punk
Paul Simonon didn't learn bass until he joined the band, but after a bunch of concerts, a few albums, and a lot of time practicing the bass, he became a very competent and fantastic bass player. Some of the bass lines he came up with Topper are really advanced and pretty tough to play. He also co-wrote and sang quite a few songs.
Back in those good old days, rock radio in the states played the same songs by a few bands over and over again. If you wanted to hear something new and different you had to listen to a college radio station. Or have a short wave radio in order to listen to John Peel's weekly 30 minute show.
@@pressureworks It was fortunate that a lot of major cities like LA, NYC, and SF had progressive new wave stations that played the latest music, including hard to get imports throughout the 80's.
@@WS102 yep and new jersey too. Also Within range of nyc & philly stations.
Shane MacGowan wearing a Union Jack jacket during White Riot!
Imagine if was wearing the Tri colour, 😅,
No-one would have cared yawn 🥱
My life before Killing Joke!❤
It's amazing how the Producer of this Documentary doesn't even make one mention of Mick Jones's AMAZING follow-up Band, BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE and the producer himself is actually IN THE BAND. 😑
I know geez.
I love the fact that mick got kicked out of the band he put together to turn around and create big audio. Genius!
The Clash made me.
Classic Clash
His mother, Anna Mackenzie (1915-1986), was the daughter of a crofter and was born and raised in Bonar Bridge; she later became a nurse.
Close to Bonar Bridge you have ClashMore , ClashBan, ClashCoig and ClashNessie so Joe must of created The Clash close to his Mother Life very good
It was Paul who came up with the name for the band. Maybe Joe agreed because it made him think of his ancestors?
I like the band that came after
Big Audio Dynamite
nothing wrong with an old punk band scoring a decent pop song
they sacked topper rather than getting him help, they abandoned him, such a shame. The clash died the day they sacked topper
Strummer admitted it later.
He was heroin addict
Anyone know how they got those cool sounds on Bankrobber e.g. the clattering sound after 'so we came to jazz it up'. Is that guitar? Always been curious.
Just guitar and echo, standard dub technique.
@@johnthies1150 thanks. Not heard it sounding that effective with other groups. Cheers.
I wore my clas teeshirt london calling, one guy in a pistols teeshirts made a comment i told him listen im a huge sex pistols fan, but i do respect the clash most recently saw ten pole tudor uk subs and buzzcocks,chelsea as well great tour, like anti nowere league, and dead kennadys as well.
The best!
What's your favorite Clash doc that actually talks to members of the band? Is there one that I've missed?
Check out Westway to the World
@@16humor seconded . . . Westway to the World is to be recommended.
Have you seen Rude boy, not a doc, but a sort of fiction - insertion in the 1978 Clash tour…
@@benguela999 Thanks!
“The only band that ever mattered”
....to you...
Damn right
No Pistols= No Clash 👍
I haven’t watched the whole thing but bringing in Toper Headon made this band. Pushed them forward. No offense at all to the the great Terry Chimes on the first record. It is a classic. But Topper broadened them.
My opinion only
💯🔥
Rest in peace joe strummer 🙏🙏🙏
A little Mark Burgess from The Chameleons at about 4.35 mins 🤔 ( with John Robb).
Like deployed 👍
Why are there so many different interviews beside drum kits?
The rythem mate
when topper went so did the Clash.
I bought Combat Rock and loved it. Last one with Topper. That is still my favorite album. ❤
Ive been a huge sex pistols fan and collector seen them 6 times met glen and john, but do respect these guys ive got a bit of collection one lovely item, my ex boss did a tour with them 1979.
Posh Boy Public School dropout Joseph Mellor slumming it with the riff-raff.
The second beat band all the time.
The only band that matters
Who is the drummer on most of these clips. That's not Topper
Pete Howard
Someone else. Sad.😮
Tory Crimes
Five minutes on London Calling is certainly a choice.
I loved "Sandinista." I convinced me that I was right to never EVER vote for a Republican.
You don't need Sandinista to figure THAT one out😂
Topper! Someone talk about Topper!!!!
That part.
Nothing compares to Joes lyrics not a thing nothing NADA no. ☮️ End of story. Out.
"My Daddy was a Spanish Diplomat " Bank Robber Dub
Joe Strummer
the ultimate warning to not sell out or you might just end up as another "classic rock" band with their MTV songs played alongside Stevie Nix and AHA - the public basically thinks they are no different than Aerosmith at this point - what a shame!
but that's just it . . . who cares what the public (doesn't) know . . . the real fans know what the Clash is.
I like Aerosmith 😮
It's pink! It's green! It's the ultimate preppie record!
The Clash took themselves way to serious.
Yes, they had some good tunes but not everything is life or death.
But to these guys, particularly Strummer, it was like that.
Rock and Roll was suppose to be kinda fun y'know?
What the hell is going on with those weirdly set up drum kits behind everyone? Someone was overthinking and failed
Well…that didn’t suck at all!!!
Too much NON ORIGINAL MEMBER LIVE STUFF, during commentary about pre LC!🤦🏼♂️🤬🤬🤬
Wonder whatever came of don letts
He done awRite . Check his film / B.A.D career
I LOVE DON LETTS, MET HIM ON THE B.A.D FIRST TOUR, REALLY NICE GUY, THEY WERE ALL GREAT. IT WAS WHEN THEY PLAYED THE STATE IN LIVERPOOL AROUND 86.
He's on BBC Radio 6, writing books, doing live shows and lots of other things.
The idea of calling heroin addiction "rock decadence" is insane but go off I guess
Shane McGowan @10:56
keep your money in your pocket.. excellent 😊
Should I stay or should I go is hands down there worst song ever, I’m sure they hated playing that song live over and over again
Yes it isn't one of their better ones. Only made famous because of the Levi jeans advert.
Stay Free is a close 2nd
Stay Free is brilliant, one of their best!
The Clash & DK'S t h e first 2 bands got introduced to.Not fucking bad.....
Smoking pot and watching the video
I'm just here to smoke weed and wear sunglasses
A shame most North Americans know them for 'Should I stay...', 'Rock the CAsbah,; 'Train in Vain." Oh well, even THe Smiths wrote a few shite songs.
It was 48 hours Joe got to think about joining, he said yes the next day, so guy at around almost 8 minutes is miss informed
The youngest generation is starting to wear a ton of bad 70s CA post-hippie Fleetwood Mac garb. Terrible. I think the Clash's clothes still look awesome and totally contemporary, but I am biased. Sorry to talk about the clothes, of course, I know all of their songs backwards and forwards.
Rat patrol from fort bragg est, largement, meilleur que combat rock !
☎️📞
CUT THE CRAP was truly horrible
Clash oops
5:25 Paul Simonon parotting the words straight of of the Barmy Bernie Rhodes manifesto.
Sae them open open up for the sex pistols and had to fight a skin head gang so the band could go on stage and play
v i r g i n
Ramones nothingness?
If they set out to sound like a garage band in a garage they succeeded,imo they suck
Manufactured agitpop from a boarding school boy whose father was a diplomat and had a MBE.
you're not foolin' anyone, we know you're a fan.😀
So was Tony Benn......means he haw
The biggest bunch of fakes whose musical legacy is negligible
The drummer Topper later played for Black Sabbath in apartheid South Africa.......ROCN nROLL!