The Clash: London Calling (1979)

It's difficult choosing a favourite singer or favourite band or song or album. But, if I were forced to choose, London Calling would make the list of my favourite albums of all time. Thirty Five years later, this record still sounds amazing. This record has always been in my top 5, mostly sitting comfortably at #1. It also happens to be the first Clash record I ever bought.

London Calling has a truly fantastic cover, featuring what has to be one of the best rock and roll photos ever taken. The graphic for the album name recalls Elvis Presley's debut record. I think this has to be one of the greatest covers ever made. The power of the cover is diminished on the compact disc version, which I also have. It needs to be seen as intended.

Initially, I was drawn to this album on the strength of Train in Vain and the title track, but I quickly realized that the record is packed with excellent songs, an amazing feat for a double album. I mentioned this album previously, when this used to be a real blog. I wrote:

This here music mash up the nation
This here music cause a sensation

The Legacy Edition - 25 Years after London Calling (instead of a Juno rant)

I bought London Calling in 1979, which was a good year for music, at least for me. I know, dear readers, that some of you were too young to remember much of 1979, but that was the year I found XTC, The Clash, Pink Floyd, and a host of others, some of whom have not aged well (but I won't mention those). London Calling, I believe, was the best album to come out that year (followed closely by Leonard Cohen's Recent Songs). After all of these years, I would rank London Calling as one of the top five rock records of all time. It is, beyond any doubt, a rock and roll masterpiece.

The cover picture screams punk - Paul Simonon about to smash his Fender bass. But even on first listen, most Clash fans could recognize the astonishing musical maturation that this album represented. The album opens with the apocalyptic pop title track, London Calling, and moves quickly into reggae, rockabilly, folk rock, more straight up pop and even a hint of the blues. The Clash had moved on to the new territory of postpunk, and they did it fantastically well.

Here's a good quote from Amanda Petrusich:

"The Clash are a rock band, and 1979's London Calling is their creative apex, a booming, infallible tribute to throbbing guitars and spacious ideology. " link

And another, from Adrien Begrand:

"The influence of London Calling on rock music is immeasurable. Not only did it break down barriers for punk rock, achieving mainstream success, in both the UK and North America, but it also proved that it was okay for a punk band to be great musicians, adventurous even." link


So, maybe I should stop rambling and get to some music.