I was having an ordinary sort of Tuesday today. Nothing major happening. Just at work, staring at the old computer screen, making sure time was moving forward, and not backward. I was thinking that nothing out of the ordinary was gonna happen. Then, I made the great decision to go out for lunch. Not only was it a good idea because it broke up the work day a bit, and I had some delicious soup at Atlanta Bread Company (I wonder if Braves Star Chipper Jones has ever eaten at one such establishment?). I heard something about todays date, and how special it is to those of us kids who like the punk rock.
To Begin, The Sex Pistols played their first concert in the USA on this date back in1978. Was it in LA? Boston? Some other major metropolis like Philadelphia you may ask? Nope. It was at some joint called the Great American Music Hall of the South. It was like some shit kicker country place. Way to go Malcolm McClaren w/ booking that concert tour!!
I kid a bit, of course. That "Never Mind the Bollocks" album STILL has a big hold on me. It literally rocks as an album from beginning to end. Of course, things did not end too well for Mr. Sid Vicious, but hey; that truly is punk rock in a way, I guess. hearing that this was the anniversary of the US Tour (Until they had multiple reunion rent show tours in the 90's and 200s, it was THE Pistols Tour), really brought me back to 7th Grade, sitting in my bedroom (and this was 1983/84 mind you), and listening to a dubbed copy of that album on a cassette player.
The other big anniversary today is that "London Calling" by The Clash was released today in 1980. What a great album! I'm not gonna go through the entire track listing or anything. But from the Title Song, to "Jimmy Jazz", to Mick Jones warbling about The Crimean War in a song where he manages to encapsulate The entire fall of the British Empire from a military standpoint, to the hidden gem "Train in Vain"; this album is one of those albums that critics rightfully go crazy for.
I may come off as some old fuddy duddy, but I don't thing very many albums in the past 29 or so years have been as good. (Some Replacements stuff, GnR's debut, Arctic Monkeys debut, maybe). "London Calling" taught me that punk doesn't have to be ALL anger, there can be melody and emotion, and humor (I mean Koka Kola!!) in it as well.
So, Kudos to the late, great Joe Strummer, and the boys, as well as Johnny and Gang!!! Thanks for some great music that still holds up!!!
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