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Story of the Clash, Vol. 1

The Clash - Story of the Clash, Vol. 1 Audio CD

A fair review of the The Clash "Story of the Clash, Vol. 1" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Clash reviews here, or go back to the The Clash tabs.

Band: The Clash
Title: Story of the Clash, Vol. 1
Rating:

Release Date: 2000-01-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Magnificent Seven 2: Rock the Casbah 3: This Is Radio Clash 4: Should I Stay or Should I Go 5: Straight to Hell 6: Armagideon Time 7: Clampdown 8: Train in Vain 9: Guns of Brixton 10: I Fought the Law 11: Somebody Got Murdered 12: Lost in the Supermarket 13: Bankrobber 14: (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais 15: London's Burning 16: Janie Jones 17: Tommy Gun 18: Complete Control 19: Capital Radio 20: White Riot 21: Career Opportunities 22: Clash City Rockers 23: Safe European Home 24: Stay Free 25: London Calling 26: Spanish Bombs 27: English Civil War 28: Police & Thieves

Best of the Best
And I bet I was not the only one who thought they were singing F**k the Casbah. The first song I heard of the Clash was Rock the Casbah. I think that may be the reason I paid so much attention to the Clash.
They are such a "fun" band. Seeing them in concert, it always looks like they are having fun. It has to be fun singing "Lost in the Supermarket". This album is full of classics, and drips nostalgia with songs like "Straight to Hell", "Capital Radio", and "Somebody Got Married". Go buy it!.

A Pleasing Introduction to a Critical Band
One thing that will be instantly obvious is that each CD doesn't take advantage of the running time that each disc has (there's roughly 50 minutes of music on each disc). This collection was initially released in 1988 and has been subsequently remastered along with the rest of The Clash's catalogue. However, in terms of serving as an introduction to The Clash, this record does a fine job despite only presenting an hour and forty minutes of music.

Despite a total disregard for chronology, this collection does give you a vague indication of the band's eclectic nature. The first disk is more interested with the band's forays into genres that extend beyond "punk. " The second disk, meanwhile, focuses more on the unfettered aggression of their early days. When both discs are taken into a count, they tell the tale of a band who dared to extend the reach of their musical frontier.

For begginers who have heard a scant few songs and wish to delve into the band, this set will suffice (unless they fancy purchasing the band's entire discography). It's not as skimpy as the singles collection, but its not as pricey as "The Essential Clash. " As such, if you want to get into The Clash, this collection will give you a hint of what they could acheive at their greatest moments.

out o' date

Get thee to _The Essential Clash_. The existence of this compilation is no longer justified.
Or better: _Clash on Broadway_. That and _London Calling_ might be all you ever need.
This is not on the list.

The dirty truth about the Clash
The dirty truth is this: Underneath the exterior image and the left-leaning politics, The Clash are really, at heart, a great pop/rock band (albeit an "edgy" one). If you have visions of spittle-spewing, tattoed and pierced, odd-haired miscreants who have as much facility on their instruments as the average zoo monkey when you hear the phrase "punk music", this collection will likely be quite a surprise. Listen to "Stay Free" and you'll hear echoes of Merseybeat bands. The faux disco beat underlying "This is Radio Clash" and "The Magnificent Seven" dare you not to dance. The handclaps slathered throughout "Rock the Casbah" are straight out of bubblegum. Reggae also pops up in "Straight to Hell" and "Armagideon Time" among others. Most of the stereotypical "punk" numbers are found on Disc 2, but there's quite a bit here if you aren't necessarily a fan of scream/shout raveups.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"Rock the Casbah" makes the case that Middle Eastern rockers are revolutionaries and took it to the charts while doing so with its irrestible "Shariff don't like it!" chorus. "This is Radio Clash" is "aural ammunition" against the status quo, while "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" poses that eternal question of troubled relationships. "Train in Vain" recounts the aftermath: once she's decided to "go". ("All the times/When we were close/I'll remember these things the most/I see all my dreams come tumbling down/I won't be happy without you around. . ")Despite the dark subject, it rides a brisk harmonica/guitar rhythm. "I Fought the Law" is a nifty remake of the 60s rabblerouser, while "White Riot" is their own anthem of unrest. "Career Opportunities" are hard to find for the working class of England. "Stay Free" is their "Glory Days", a reminiscence of their days of youth and not-so-innocence. "London Calling" is a punk "The Times they are A-Changing". ("Engines stop running but I have no fear/Cos London is drowning and I live by the river. . ") "English Civil War" appropriates the ancient military ballad "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", turning it into an anthem for the angry English underclass young.

LOW SPOT:
"Capital Radio" suffers from a roughly 3 minute long (and not particularly interesting) "interview" with the band prior to getting into the song. The song itself is only average, making it completely anti-climactic.

BOTTOM LINE:
You don't have to be a "punk" fan to like the Clash. Give 'em a try if you like basic bare bones rock and roll. .

OK But They Screwed Up Capitol Radio Track
Like others have said the songs are all mish mashed
out of order, so thats why the 4 stars, but also they put an interview on the same track with Capitol Radio. The Clash, on retrospect for me were very cool, and I still
listen to this set now, being 41 (although not everyday, once in a while). Why? The interview is on the front of the track and it's longer than the song! Plus the interview sucks! The audio is horrible and its like the guys rambling on while on a train. I like the song Capitol Radio a lot too because I think they are refering to a pirate radio station that broadcast off a ship in the waters off New York when I was living there late 70'sh. That station was awesome playing punk and early new wave rock while stations like WPLJ played Led Zep and Pink Floyd ad nausem (the whole scene was moving real fast and it disappeared way before you were ready for it to). Oh well, I stayed with BAD a little and the first two cd's are cool driving music. This collection is the Clash so if you want the Clash here it is, just packaged like crap. .

You can see a complete list of all The Clash discography, or go back to the The Clash tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.