5 Great Songwriters Who Defined A Generation

4. Joe Strummer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfK-WX2pa8c Famously labelled as €˜the only band that mattered€™, The Clash took the world by storm with their fiery, often politicised music that had all the necessary hooks to catch the awareness of the globe. Joe Strummer was the apex of the four-piece, snarling his way through sets whilst belligerently chopping away at his Fender Telecaster, booming out lyrics that more often than not provided a reflection or critique on worldly affairs. Being the only middle-class member of The Clash, which prided itself on its council estate origins, Strummer was often subjected to criticism by punks and journalists who would accuse him of vanity and self gratification, viewing him as a hypocrite who could not truly relate to the hardships of poverty and oppression that the band wanted to expose. This was wholly untrue as much of what was great about The Clash was heftily indebted to Strummer, who made them more than just a band. His compatriot and original founding member, Mick Jones, provided the musical platform, along with the rocket-powered influence on drums, Topper Headon, while Strummer€™s talent with the pen ensured that the band did not simply knock on the door of the music industry, but well and truly kick it down. The Clash were spawned from spit stained furore of punk rock, their first album, The Clash (1977), was one of the single most important LP€™s to emerge from that era, though it was only the beginning of their journey. Unlike their fellow bands of that period, The Clash had far more natural ability as musicians and songwriters, able to transcend the punk stereotype with ease, moving into a whole host of genres like rockabilly, funk, and rap music. They were also able to break America with their 1982 album, Combat Rock, achieving a feat that many British bands have never managed, especially those who came from the same movement as The Clash. On the crest of the biggest wave, Strummer and co. were imperious and challenging, choc-full of anger but always liberal and human. Eventually, conflicts in the band would dissolve them, and Strummer unsuccessfully attempted to maintain The Clash after Mick Jones was fired, a decision which he would later admit to regretting for a long time before the two buried the hatchet. Pettiness aside, it is impossible to deny Strummer€™s immense abilities as a song-smith, and the part he played in The Clash exceeds all superlatives. Signature track: London Calling (1979) Tune into...: Straight to Hell (1982)