The Clash-The Clash (1979)

 

Artist: The Clash

Title The Clash

Label: Epic

Format: CD

Cat: EK 36060

Year of Release: 1979

Country and Year of Edition: US 1988ish

Sell Price: $2.99 9/6/22

Discogs Last Sold:8/6/22 NM/VG+ $9.99

Low: $1.99

Median: $3.00

Average: $3.80

High: $9.99

Current low price: $4.31

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 16

Have/Want: 889/302

Where Sold:  North Beach, MD

Time it took to sell: 10 years

Where and When Purchase: Worcester Center Mal record store when first issued on CD in longbox

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A+

Sad To See It Go: No

C-O-N...

Control

You never forget your first "Punk" album.  For me it was the US version of The Clash-The Clash.  This was not my first Clash album, I had London Calling found used after taking it out of the library in the early 80's and Combat Rock new around the first year of release,  but not with the commercial in the middle of "Inoculated City."  So this outs me as an AOR/Metal kid in 1984  or maybe late 1983 when I bought this.  Ramones, Pistols and all the rest were close behind and the floodgates were opened fast to that genre.  

It got 5 stars in the Rolling Stone Record Guide so I snapped up a used vinyl copy for $2.49.  I distinctly remember that price as it was slightly degraded to be $2.99.  I can't believe I was this late as an active music listener, but even this was fringe stuff then.  Not so easy to be exposed to compared to London Calling.  The "I Fought The Law" Bobby Fuller Four  cover was a commercial radio regular and I expect "Police On My Back" to segue way after that from a radio tape either I, or my friend next door had.

The first version of this album that came out in the UK in 1977 and I caught up with that by the mid-80's.  I loved the tracks that were left off, but for some reason the track order of the US Version had a greater impact overall for me.  More than Give 'Em Enough Rope also, Pearlman be damned.

Since I know every track intimately and think every song on this is perfect, there isn't any point to "review" it.  I will give personal nuanced highlights and experiences.

The last experience to stand out is hearing "White Riot" bass cranked in a DJ club in the later 90's.  Since I'm a treble up/bass down guitar brain, I never realized how great the bass is on that song.  I'm almost wondering if the late 90's remaster bumped the bass that was cranking through the PA.  I'm not hearing it on the rip on my computer in flat headphones and this early issue CD that sold I didn't notice.

Nuance highlights?  The spelling part of "Complete Control."  The guitar riff after the opening of "Clash City Rockers."  Mick’s vocals leading into "Hate and War."  Mick again guessing his race has run.   The last word in the chorus of "What's My Name."  The opening of "Jail Guitar Doors."  If you know it, you get it.  This isn't to say this isn't Joe's band or that I don't prefer the purer pub rocker overall between the two, but Mick's pretty Clash is what makes the band.  But only Joe could have a bullshit detector.  

Perhaps the truth IS only known by gutter snipes.