It hardly seems like 30 years since The Clash first blasted out of my radio. I had lost interest in them by London’s Calling but, without my support, Joe Strummer went on to become a rebel hero (nothing to do with Star Wars which also exploded at that time) or a “punk rock warlord” as he calls himself.
Director Julien Temple (The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle, The Filth And The Fury) has been filming The Clash since their beginning and has edited that footage together with an astonishing array of visual and audio sources to create a brilliantly assembled, life story. The production is elaborate, but it is the conversations with people who were close to Strummer throughout his life that gives this film substance.
Strummer (born John Mellor) rebelled against his comfortable upbringing to begin a life long search for identity and meaning. John became the hippy Woody before becoming Joe the rocker. He joined The Clash and found the fame he wanted, but couldn’t handle. He eventually disbanded the band and embarked on a personal odyssey that included travel, acting, music, and promoting political awareness before his premature demise.
The film suffers from being a little long and containing some unnecessary celebrity appearances. Bono hypocritically lectures us, from behind his oversized sunglasses that protect Northern Ireland from dangerous UV light, about the greatness of The Clash. And Johnny Depp, on the set of Pirates Of Caribbean, looks confused about why he is being interviewed.
I don’t doubt Strummer’s talent or commitment, but I still don’t see him as the icon others do. Maybe it’s because he never cleaned his teeth or maybe it’s because he thought hippy and punk were the same thing. Regardless of my opinion of the man, this is a biographical masterpiece and great viewing.
Director Julien Temple (The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle, The Filth And The Fury) has been filming The Clash since their beginning and has edited that footage together with an astonishing array of visual and audio sources to create a brilliantly assembled, life story. The production is elaborate, but it is the conversations with people who were close to Strummer throughout his life that gives this film substance.
Strummer (born John Mellor) rebelled against his comfortable upbringing to begin a life long search for identity and meaning. John became the hippy Woody before becoming Joe the rocker. He joined The Clash and found the fame he wanted, but couldn’t handle. He eventually disbanded the band and embarked on a personal odyssey that included travel, acting, music, and promoting political awareness before his premature demise.
The film suffers from being a little long and containing some unnecessary celebrity appearances. Bono hypocritically lectures us, from behind his oversized sunglasses that protect Northern Ireland from dangerous UV light, about the greatness of The Clash. And Johnny Depp, on the set of Pirates Of Caribbean, looks confused about why he is being interviewed.
I don’t doubt Strummer’s talent or commitment, but I still don’t see him as the icon others do. Maybe it’s because he never cleaned his teeth or maybe it’s because he thought hippy and punk were the same thing. Regardless of my opinion of the man, this is a biographical masterpiece and great viewing.
It hardly seems like 30 years since I first excited by The Clash. It has been interesting watching the singers from that time and how their lives have progressed. Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) moved seamlessly from angry young man to grumpy old man. Dave Vanian (The Damned) went from punk vampire to gothic Elvis. Poly Styrene (X Ray Spex) briefly joined the Hari Krishnas. Others never changed much, like TV Smith (The Adverts), Mark E Smith (The Fall), Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie and the Banshees), and Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks). I can only think of three that went on to big success, Billy Idol (Generation X) and Adam Ant (Adam And The Ants), neither of whom can be taken seriously, and Joe Strummer, who went on to become an icon, or a ‘punk rock warlord’ as he calls himself.
The film starts with Strummer singing White Riot and the things I like about the early Clash are obvious. Energy. Frustration. Attitude. The film is directed by Julien Temple, renowned for his Sex Pistols mockumentary The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle and 20 years later the real story in The Filth And the Fury. Temple has has gathered together people from throughout Strummer’s life, childhood friends, ex-girlfriends, band members, Hollywood associates, etc, and let them talk about their experiences and memories. I would have liked names under the faces, but the context of the conversations usually makes it clear who they are and what their relationship was with Joe (aka John, aka Woody).
Temple has created one of the most outstandingly compiled documentaries I have ever seen, by editing together home movies, personal footage (he filmed the Clash from their beginning), commercial film, feature movies, animation, audio, and new scenes. I came out knowing a lot more about Strummer, but not thinking any better of him. That sets this film apart from movies by people like Michael Moore, who have a agenda and an opinion they want you to have. Temple presents you with the facts, as they are remembered, and lets you decide.
In the early days of punk The Clash were often derided for being middle class poseurs, and this film does not challenge that opinion. Strummer (when he was John) was the son of diplomat, and he spent his early years travelling around the globe, before ending up in boarding school. He rebelled against that upbringing and spent the rest of his life looking for where he belonged, attracting, shaping, and abandoning people as he went. John became Woody and spent time as a hippy and squatter and moved in to playing rock in the 101’ers. He became Joe Strummer and then, after seeing the Sex Pistols, joined The Clash. The Clash were a thoughtfully assembled and presented group of musicians, just like the Sex Pistols.
Punk was the best outlet for Strummer’s views, and he remained politically motivated throughout his life. His childhood roaming the globe gave him an eclectic taste in music and an awareness of issues outside of Britain. It was this wider view of the world that set the Clash apart from most of their contemporaries. The working class origins of the other early punk bands led them to be preoccupied with problems in their immediate vicinity, while Strummer’s vision was broader. Eventually Joe would revert back to his hippy origins, confusingly stating that punk and hippy were the same thing. And that cigarettes were responsible for the great art, literature and music of the twentieth century.
The latter part of the film, is packed with celebrities, some with a tenuous link to the Strummer legacy. Bono, the world’s most pretentious man, was heckled by the audience when he appeared. In between telling us that he wears abnormally large sunglasses so he can protect Northern Ireland from the hole in the Ozone Layer, he went on to lecture us about the greatness of The Clash. He may have seen them when he was a teen, but he completely missed the point of them and punk in general. Bono’s presence was ludicrous and insulting, as it always is, but another celebrity generated more response, mostly laughter. No one has been able to explain to me why Johnny Depp, in full makeup on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean, was in the film, and even he looks unsure.
There is constant talk throughout the film of how clever and articulate Joe was. In the footage we see of Joe (and there is not much footage of him talking) he doesn’t leave that impression. He was talented, and committed to what ever obsessed him at that point in time, but I don’t see him as the icon others do. Topper Headon (ex-drummer, ex-drug addict) echoes the thoughts of other people in the film when he says Joe kept his real self from those around him. Joe reminds me a lot of the Clash’s third album, London’s Calling. It is often referred to as their landmark album but, besides the great title track, I feel it is overrated, much like the career of Strummer. My views on the man aside, this is an masterful production, a little long at 2 hours, but great viewing nonetheless.
The film starts with Strummer singing White Riot and the things I like about the early Clash are obvious. Energy. Frustration. Attitude. The film is directed by Julien Temple, renowned for his Sex Pistols mockumentary The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle and 20 years later the real story in The Filth And the Fury. Temple has has gathered together people from throughout Strummer’s life, childhood friends, ex-girlfriends, band members, Hollywood associates, etc, and let them talk about their experiences and memories. I would have liked names under the faces, but the context of the conversations usually makes it clear who they are and what their relationship was with Joe (aka John, aka Woody).
Temple has created one of the most outstandingly compiled documentaries I have ever seen, by editing together home movies, personal footage (he filmed the Clash from their beginning), commercial film, feature movies, animation, audio, and new scenes. I came out knowing a lot more about Strummer, but not thinking any better of him. That sets this film apart from movies by people like Michael Moore, who have a agenda and an opinion they want you to have. Temple presents you with the facts, as they are remembered, and lets you decide.
In the early days of punk The Clash were often derided for being middle class poseurs, and this film does not challenge that opinion. Strummer (when he was John) was the son of diplomat, and he spent his early years travelling around the globe, before ending up in boarding school. He rebelled against that upbringing and spent the rest of his life looking for where he belonged, attracting, shaping, and abandoning people as he went. John became Woody and spent time as a hippy and squatter and moved in to playing rock in the 101’ers. He became Joe Strummer and then, after seeing the Sex Pistols, joined The Clash. The Clash were a thoughtfully assembled and presented group of musicians, just like the Sex Pistols.
Punk was the best outlet for Strummer’s views, and he remained politically motivated throughout his life. His childhood roaming the globe gave him an eclectic taste in music and an awareness of issues outside of Britain. It was this wider view of the world that set the Clash apart from most of their contemporaries. The working class origins of the other early punk bands led them to be preoccupied with problems in their immediate vicinity, while Strummer’s vision was broader. Eventually Joe would revert back to his hippy origins, confusingly stating that punk and hippy were the same thing. And that cigarettes were responsible for the great art, literature and music of the twentieth century.
The latter part of the film, is packed with celebrities, some with a tenuous link to the Strummer legacy. Bono, the world’s most pretentious man, was heckled by the audience when he appeared. In between telling us that he wears abnormally large sunglasses so he can protect Northern Ireland from the hole in the Ozone Layer, he went on to lecture us about the greatness of The Clash. He may have seen them when he was a teen, but he completely missed the point of them and punk in general. Bono’s presence was ludicrous and insulting, as it always is, but another celebrity generated more response, mostly laughter. No one has been able to explain to me why Johnny Depp, in full makeup on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean, was in the film, and even he looks unsure.
There is constant talk throughout the film of how clever and articulate Joe was. In the footage we see of Joe (and there is not much footage of him talking) he doesn’t leave that impression. He was talented, and committed to what ever obsessed him at that point in time, but I don’t see him as the icon others do. Topper Headon (ex-drummer, ex-drug addict) echoes the thoughts of other people in the film when he says Joe kept his real self from those around him. Joe reminds me a lot of the Clash’s third album, London’s Calling. It is often referred to as their landmark album but, besides the great title track, I feel it is overrated, much like the career of Strummer. My views on the man aside, this is an masterful production, a little long at 2 hours, but great viewing nonetheless.
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