History Music / TheClash

** "Say, where did I see this guy? In ''RedRiver''. Or ''APlaceInTheSun''. Maybe ''Film/TheMisfits''. Or ''[[FromHereToEternity Here to Eternity]]''."

The Clash, AKA "the only band that matters" were a member of the original British PunkRock movement of the '70s known as the "Class of 77". The band stand with the likes of TheRamones and TheSexPistols in the pantheon of definitive punk rock bands. Unlike their peers at the time, however, the Clash were no firm believer of the pure ThreeChordsAndTheTruth ideology: they were not afraid of experimenting with a diverse range of musical styles, and as such were critically acclaimed musically. In addition to no-nonsense stripped-down punk rock, the Clash were known for their eclectic tastes and experimental approach, besides punk being influenced by and performing reggae, dub, ska, funk, pop-rock, New Wave and soul, among others. They were also simultaneously the second [[RapRock rock band to release a rap]] track, "The Magnificent Seven" in 1981 (a few months after {{Music/Blondie}}'s "Rapture"), and the first British group to perform rap music.

* AffectionateParody: The typographic design for the now-legendary cover to ''London Calling'' is practically a ShoutOut to ElvisPresley's debut album.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: "Hitsville U.K.", a sweet love-letter to the then new independent label music scene which name checks a couple of the big players (Rough Trade, Factory, Small Wonder and Fast Product) and features lead vocals by Mick and his then-girlfriend, American actress Ellen Folley. The song's style is completely different to their other work and is often considered to be a forebearer to the twee pop genre.

* TakeThat: Original drummer Terry Chimes was credited in the liner notes for ''The Clash'' as "Tory Crimes."[[note]]Also a shot at [[{{BritishPoliticalSystem}} the Conservative Party in Britain]], who are also known as the "Tories."[[/note]]

* TakeThat: Original drummer Terry Chimes was credited in the liner notes for ''The Clash'' as "Tory Crimes."[[note]][[{{GeniusBonus}} Also a shot at [[{{BritishPoliticalSystem}} the Conservative Party in Britain]], who are also known as the "Tories."[[/note]]

* GreatestHitsAlbum: ''The Essential Clash''

The Clash, AKA "the only band that matters" were a member of the original British PunkRock movement of the '70s known as the "Class of 77". The band stand with the likes of TheRamones and TheSexPistols in the pantheon of definitive punk rock bands. Unlike their peers at the time, however, the Clash were no firm believer of the pure ThreeChordsAndTheTruth ideology: they were not afraid of experimenting with a diverse range of musical styles, and as such were critically acclaimed musically. In addition to no-nonsense stripped-down punk rock, the Clash were known for their eclectic tastes and experimental approach, besides punk being influenced by and performing reggae, dub, ska, funk, pop-rock, New Wave and soul, among others. They were also simultaneously the second [[RapRock rock band to release a rap]] track, "The Magnificent Seven" in 1981 (a few months after {{Blondie}}'s "Rapture"), and the first British group to perform rap music.

* RapRock: [[TropeMaker Trope Maker]] Along with Blondie.

* CreatorBacklash: Even Joe Strummer himself regretted recording ''Cut the Crap''.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Upon hearing their debut self-titled album, the suits at their American record label decided it had too much filler, and decided to remove 5 songs and replace them with some of the band's British singles like "Remote Control" and "White Man in Hammersmith Palias". It is almost universally agreed by critics that this actually vastly improved the album, though some also note that adding in the mostly mid-tempo and more polished singles dilutes the UK version's ThreeChordsAndTheTruth feel a bit.

* HeAlsoDid: After Mick Jones left the band, he joined the band General Public (but left shortly after they recorded their first album) and then formed Big Audio Dynamite, one of the more notable early AlternativeRock artists.

* ThePeteBest: Terry Chimes, [[Music/PublicImageLtd Keith Levene]].

* ThrowItIn: The GratuitousSpanish in "Should I Stay or Should I Go".
-->'''Strummer''': On the spur of the moment I said 'I'm going to do the backing vocals in Spanish,'...We needed a translator so Eddie Garcia, the tape operator, called his mother in Brooklyn Heights and read her the lyrics over the phone and she translated them. But Eddie and his mum are Ecuadorian, so it's Ecuadorian Spanish that me and Joe Ely are singing on the backing vocals.
** This is why a watch alarm can be heard in the second verse of "Rock The Casbah". Topper Headon's ''DukesOfHazzard'' watch had accidentally went off, but the digitized version of the General Lee's horn matched the beat nicely, so they kept it in.

* EpicRiff: The famous "London Calling" bassline.

* BlackSheepHit: "Rock the Casbah," which sounds ''nothing'' like their other material. At least "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" sounded like a punk song.
** Their other material? From ''London Calling'' and forward they had such a varied sound and wasn't very punk at all. Just listen to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkpRtqJwbw ''The Magnificent Seven'']] and say that ''Rock The Casbah'' sounds like nothing they made before...
*** Which is understandable, as the band wanted to play more musical genres instead of being restricted to the punk rock limitedness.

* {{Jerkass}}/JerkassFacade: Surprisingly averted for an early punk rock band, usually seen as more authentic and violent in their rebeliousness. A good example would be to compare [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OirTyITUJ1Y their Tom Snyder appearance]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVygiX0KEEw John Lydon's]].

* GenreRoulette: ''Sandanista!'': Reggae, PunkRap, proto-Twee Pop, Alternative Dance, Rockabilly...

With politicised songs and committed lifestyles ensuring their fame amongst punk rockers, the Clash were unique for their relative musical sophistication, and thus are often thought as "a punk band with a rock-n-roll sound." The band's 1979 album ''London Calling'' serves as their MagnumOpus, often hailed as one of the finest punk rock records (and rock/popular music in general) ever recorded -- it is the highest rated punk album of all time in Rolling Stone's list, i.e. the popular yardstick. The band's reputation of not being [[JerkassFacade total assholes]] in interviews and their strong respect for their audience only adds to the vast amount of richly deserved respect directed at the group.

* {{Jerkass}}/JerkassFacade: Surprisingly averted for an early punk rock band, usually seen as more authentic and violent in their rebeliousness. A good example would be to compare [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OirTyITUJ1Y their Tom Synder appearance]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVygiX0KEEw John Lydon's]].

** In the very beginning of their cover of "Police And Thieves", Joe Strummer can be heard shouting [[TheRamones "Goin' through a tight wind!"]]. Interestingly, this was only a year after "Blitzkrieg Bop" itself came out.
** "Say, where did I see this guy? In ''RedRiver''. Or ''A Place in the Sun''. Maybe ''The Misfits''. Or ''[[FromHereToEternity Here to Eternity]]''."

* ThePeteBest: Terry Chimes, [[PublicImageLtd Keith Levene]].

* ShoutOut: at about 2:37 in "Remote Control", you can hear Strummer saying "I am a [[Series/DoctorWho Dalek]]!", followed by "I am a robot!" and "I O-BEY!", all in the Dalek's usual speech patterns.

* ShoutOut: at about 2:37 in "Remote Control", you can hear someone in the background, either Strummer or Jones, saying something along the lines of "I will be a [[Series/DoctorWho Dalek]]!", followed by "I am a robot!" and "I O-BEY!", all in the Dalek's usual speech patterns.

** This is why a watch alarm can be heard in the second verse of "Rock The Casbah". Topper Headon's DukesofHazzard watch accidentally went off, but it matched the beat nicely, so they kept it in.

** This is why an alarm clock can be heard in the final stanza of "Rock The Casbah". It was a watch alarm going off, but it matched the beat nicely, so they kept it in.

* ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome London Calling]]'' (1979)

* ''[[DisContinuity Cut the Crap]]'' (1985)

* DisContinuity: ''Cut the Crap''. Except for "This is England".

* FaceOfTheBand: Strummer, and to a lesser extent Jones. Except if you're a groupie, then you'd want to go after Simonon. Topper is... less fortunate, despite having an excellent reputation on his drumming abilities.

* ToughActToFollow: ''London Calling''