 | Actually, that's a lie. He wasn't the lord. Or god. And he didn't die yesterday. Yesterday was the 12 year anniversary of his death. And to make the lie even worse, his name wasn't even Joe Strummer. It was John Mellor. "Joe Strummer" was the stage name of a kid from Turkey who grew up in England, and went on to form The Clash with a bunch of his friends. The Clash? Yeah. They were pretty special. They started me down the road into punk rock, and for that I will forever be grateful. Joe has a special place in my heart. I wanted to name my first son "Strummer." My wife wisely vetoed that decision. Joe died, suddenly, unexpectedly, from a congenital heart defect at the age of 50. No one knew there was something wrong with him. Joe was alive. |
"On-stage Strummer wires himself up into an inhuman dynamo of sweaty, trembling flesh, fearful enough to have one wondering when the ambulance brigade will rush to his rescue with a straight-jacket. While he tilts his bullet head at acute angles, his agonising face screwed into an open wound, he wields his Telecaster like a chain saw. His magnetism is totally original – more like an Olympic strong man imploding all his energy into a final record-breaking lift than anything seen on a rock'n'roll stage before.
Off-stage, he's the Clash member with the lowest profile." ~Carolyn Coon
Off-stage, he's the Clash member with the lowest profile." ~Carolyn Coon
Joe was the definition of someone that lived life to the fullest. Would he have changed his life had he known about his heart? Would he have sat at home calmly? In fear? I don't think so. I think he would have lived... burned... the exact same way?.
Does his death diminish what he did with his life? Did the the flicker of his flame... the slow fade away from public life make his art any less valuable? No.
Joe Strummer fully embodied what I hope to say with this blog. I hope that if nothing else, I am able to honor his memory. I will be posting here on a semi-irregular basis. I will talk about music, art, artisans, products, people and events that I think are worth shining a light on. I am fully aware that very few, if any people will ever read it. I'm OK with that. Joe didn't give up strumming when it looked like no one would ever listen.
Punk rock is as punk rock does,
Gypsy
Does his death diminish what he did with his life? Did the the flicker of his flame... the slow fade away from public life make his art any less valuable? No.
Joe Strummer fully embodied what I hope to say with this blog. I hope that if nothing else, I am able to honor his memory. I will be posting here on a semi-irregular basis. I will talk about music, art, artisans, products, people and events that I think are worth shining a light on. I am fully aware that very few, if any people will ever read it. I'm OK with that. Joe didn't give up strumming when it looked like no one would ever listen.
Punk rock is as punk rock does,
Gypsy
