London Calling

[B_Buster]

After reminiscing about the The Clash's London Calling album tonight, I gave it a spin when I got home from the show. Thirty years later, it's still kicking! Listen to it again. You'll be happy you did.

[Smelodies]

I didn't know they played that Big Lebowski tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x4JbW6L8BM

[B_Buster]

Neither did I. Great find!

[dave from knoxville]

Yeah buddy, this is a great one from start to finish. AFK's intro to punk music, though they made it easy on him by kicking in about 12 different styles.

[buffcoat]

"The Card Cheat" is the lost gem of that record.

[Christina]

After reminiscing about the The Clash's London Calling album tonight, I gave it a spin when I got home from the show. Thirty years later, it's still kicking! Listen to it again. You'll be happy you did.

One of the best albums ever.

[Steeley Chris]

I love this album and the band more and more with every listen.

"There’s that old cheese greater
Rubbing me down"

minus 100 points from Henry from Chucklet for this tweet:
"There is no punk band more overrated than The Clash. If they weren't on Sony, they'd have aged as well as any given bar band. FACT."

[masterofsparks]

I could never get into The Clash. For some reason, their stuff reminds of Springsteen (who I don't really like either).

It's been awhile since I've listened to them, and I'm always game to give stuff another chance, especially when it's obviously well-respected like The Clash. Would London Calling be a good starting place for someone seeking entrance into their catalog? Or should I start with the debut?

[B_Buster]

If you want straight ahead punk, go with the debut. If you want to hear a band that's not going to be confined by the punk label, go with London Calling.

[Stupornaut]

I could never get into The Clash. For some reason, their stuff reminds of Springsteen (who I don't really like either).

It's been awhile since I've listened to them, and I'm always game to give stuff another chance, especially when it's obviously well-respected like The Clash. Would London Calling be a good starting place for someone seeking entrance into their catalog? Or should I start with the debut?

I figure that if you don't like the Clash for being trad-bar-rock and/or Springsteeny to go with Sandinista!, which is their big "it's the future-world of 1980 so let's dink around with everything that is interesting and international and cutting-edge" album. It's big and sprawling and a lot of it is just completely baffling, but at least it's not predictable.

[Christina]

I love this album and the band more and more with every listen.

"There’s that old cheese greater
Rubbing me down"

minus 100 points from Henry from Chucklet for this tweet:
"There is no punk band more overrated than The Clash. If they weren't on Sony, they'd have aged as well as any given bar band. FACT."

"I can no longer shop happily"

Also, Henry Chunklet thinks The Jesus Lizard are geniuses despite piles of evidence to the contrary. So factor that in.

[masterofsparks]

I could never get into The Clash. For some reason, their stuff reminds of Springsteen (who I don't really like either).

It's been awhile since I've listened to them, and I'm always game to give stuff another chance, especially when it's obviously well-respected like The Clash. Would London Calling be a good starting place for someone seeking entrance into their catalog? Or should I start with the debut?

I figure that if you don't like the Clash for being trad-bar-rock and/or Springsteeny to go with Sandinista!, which is their big "it's the future-world of 1980 so let's dink around with everything that is interesting and international and cutting-edge" album. It's big and sprawling and a lot of it is just completely baffling, but at least it's not predictable.

I should also mention that I really don't like it when they (or, really, any punk band besides The Ruts) tries their hand at reggae, so an album with a minimum of that sort of thing would be a plus.

Thanks for the recommendations!

[nec13]

Overrated, but good album.

BTW, does anyone know how many times London Calling has been reissued since 1979?

[masterofsparks]

Overrated, but good album.

BTW, does anyone know how many times London Callling has been reissued since 1979?

More times than the Bowie catalog but less than the Elvis Costello.

[Steeley Chris]

I could never get into The Clash. For some reason, their stuff reminds of Springsteen (who I don't really like either).

It's been awhile since I've listened to them, and I'm always game to give stuff another chance, especially when it's obviously well-respected like The Clash. Would London Calling be a good starting place for someone seeking entrance into their catalog? Or should I start with the debut?

I'd start with the debut, but don't discount "Give 'em Enough Rope". And don't discount "Police and Thieves" if you get the UK version of the debut (which better than the US version).