The last of the photos I have of Joe Strummer’s 63 Thunderbird. Probably taken by Joe since his family is all in the photo. I got to meet and work with a lot of my heroes while working in music for many years. But getting to know Joe Strummer, even briefly, had to have been the highlight.
When he died his label was on break for Christmas, and honestly, we kind of botched it. We all just shut up and let every other jerk in the world talk about him. No one wanted to be perceived as exploiting him or worse, using his death to sell records. It kind of looked like we couldn’t be bothered. Nothing was further from the truth.
The man had a great life. He did what he loved. He died at home in his sleep with his family, his dog, and he knew how much his music meant to the world. Also, he had recently played a show with Mick Jones - a charity event for a union. I had been worried that the Clash’s induction to the silly and pathetic “rock n roll hall of fame” would lead to a reunion in a ballroom somewhere to be witnessed by a bunch of self-congratulating, overpaid industry fuckwits who had overseen the destruction of the music biz. (Paul Simonon for the record did NOT want the Clash to reunite for it).
Well, it never happened obviously. But that show for striking firefighters in London, just a few weeks before Joe’s death did happen. It was just three songs Joe and Mick Jones played together, but that’s enough. Here it hear.
awesome!
