10 Most Influential British Acts On American Rock
7. The Clash
Living up to their name, the Clash made one hell of a clamour when they broke the scene during the mid '70s. No other group encapsulated the raw and vicious side of punk like the Sex Pistols, but no one captured the creative potential of punk like the Clash.
Although the Pistols' Never Mind the !*$% is a fantastic record, without all the excitement generated by their unhinged frontman and their f**k-the-system bass player, it would never have had the same impact. The Clash's music happily stands on its own, however. Their first few records informed just how political punk rock could be. It wasn't merely about telling everyone you were pissed off, it was about shining a light on what pissed you off.
When many punk groups floundered under the fast changing musical climate of the '70s, the Clash flourished. Indeed, they led the musical change, adopting funk, ska and classic rock into their own from of post-punk and new wave. They didn't have the narrow blinkers on, that many punk rockers were impaired by. The Clash were respectful of what came before, aware of what was happening in the present, and concerned for the future. Having this kind of social insight gave them a depth that many of their contemporaries lacked.