I have no regrets, I swear. But one thing that sometimes bums me out is I never got to see Joe Strummer perform live. This sticks in my craw because there was this one Sunday about eight years ago on which Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros played a free instore at Amoeba at 2pm, and then Jonathan Richman played at Bottom of the Hill later that evening. I lived in Sacramento at the time, and I had this big plan to drive to the city for the day, see Joe Strummer, hang out, and then go see Jonathan Richman. What a memorable day it would have been!
Unfortunately, I got a late start and skipped Amoeba altogether, thinking, “They play all the time, I’ll see them some day.” Joe Strummer died a year or so later I think, and I never got that chance. So all I have is this clip from Letterman of them performing “Johnny Appleseed.” It’s a great clip though.
Anyway, I told this story the other day, looked up the video, watched it multiple times today, and wanted to share.
thanks for that. had never seen it. made my day.
Yep. I got to see him sing with The Pogues when Shane McGowan was going through a bout of “sick” back in ’89 or ’90. It was brilliant because they did both Pogues and Clash songs.
dating myself:
in 81 Clash played 3 weeks of shows at bond’s in NY, i got to see a few of them. it was hard to sneak out / cut out of class / show fake ID to get in (i was in 10th grade i think) but we fucking did it anyways, again & again. my old man beat the crap out of me. other acts included dead kennedys, bush tetras, slits, lee perry. life changer / eye opener for me.
also saw 2 shows for combat rock. pier 84 and then shea stadium later in the year with the who. i think 82 or 83. last hurrah for the Clash, really. though nce to see them appreciated.
ah, memory lane…
i never did see the pogues though.
i don’t usually get too broken up by celeb deaths, but strummer’s passing hit me hard. especially since it was so unexpected.
i saw the clash a couple of times, but not in the heyday. didn’t get to see strummer with the mescaleros (whoa, and how crazy is this, but as god is my witness, my ipod shuffled to “coma girl” as i was writing this). the julien temple documentary, “the future is unwritten”, is well worth the rental.
saw the Clash of course but saw Joe Strummer down at the amphitheater in Mt View the summer before the winter of his death. He was in great form and stole the show from X, and Horton Heat. The Blasters played too, and get this, while Joe Strummer was my sentimental favorite (would he accept such a thing?) the Blasters were the best. They were so professional like guys who loved what they were doing and had been doing for nearly 30 years.