Clash/Pistols question

Sgt Pepper said:
The Clash were a much better band imo.
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Musically the Clash developed and appealed to a greater audience. They could have gone onto bigger things collectively. Especially in the direction BAD took. Cut the Crap Clash was a band out of ideas and becoming a parody of themselves albeit without Jones.
The Pistols musically were a busted flush after NMTB. Cook and Jones just recycling the same old riffs throughout their musical careers Rotten at least moving on.
 


Longy said:
I dont worship strummer the way my mates do, but he does suffer from his dad being “successful” career wise in posts like this. He still did live in squats at Walerton Rd & stuff. Not exactly for the cameras, he was just lucky his childhood wasn’t in poverty.
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I always look at public school types and think it's not your fault where you went to school, you were a bairn. It's what you do with it afterwards that counts.

Do you float through life thinking you are above everyone else, not acknowledging your privilege thinking you did everything yourself forming nepotistic type clubs to benefit you and your mates whilst looking down at "the plebs".

Or do you rage against the injustice, acknowledge where you came from and the privileges it may have afforded you. Get angry cos that type of education should be accessible for all, get angrier cos it gave you an unique insight to what total unfeeling tossers these "toffs" are and insight into the realities of inequality and finally co write some scathing songs urging people to rally against our so called betters.

Like I said....depends what you do with it.
 
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INigle said:
Loved the Clash. A wonderful alternative to the lethargic musical dross of the time. I would posit that Strummer played to the gallery at times trying too hard to be rebellious. Very much the public schoolboy slumming it for the cameras.The Pistols were a huge catalyst to the brilliant creativity that exploded in the country. What a time to be alive.
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Totally agree re Strummer, can't deny his talent but he was desperate to be accepted.
There's a particularly cringing film clip when he talks about being justifiably robbed at the notting hill carnival.
 
CPLforever said:
I always look at public school types and think it's not your fault where you went to school, you were a bairn. It's what you do with it afterwards that counts.

Do you float through life thinking you are above everyone else, not acknowledging your privilege thinking you did everything yourself forming nepotistic type clubs to benefit you and your mates whilst looking down at "the plebs".

Or do you rage against the injustice, acknowledge where you came from and the privileges it may have afforded you. Get angry cos that type of education should be accessible for all, get angrier cos it gave you an unique insight to what total unfeeling tossers these "toffs" are and insight into the realities of inequality and finally co write some scathing songs urging people to rally against our so called betters.

Like I said....depends what you do with it.
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I don’t have an issue with where Strummer was educated. However in the early days there was an element of mythologising by Strummer.
 
INigle said:
I don’t have an issue with where Strummer was educated. However in the early days there was an element of mythologising by Strummer.
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Don't think I was talking g about him specifically (until that last paragraph about writing songs), was talking generally...and don't we all exaggerate, hide, highlight aspects of ourselves when young. Have more respect for him than say a band like Genesis..."formed at Charterhouse....cos we could afford it" should be their motto.

Not much rallying against the class system done by Genesis as far as I could see
 
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FalkirkMackem said:
More than a bit
Better music
Lyrics
Image
Message

The pistols made a big impact though, fair play to them for that but really a flash in the pan
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The Clash wouldn’t have existed if the Pistols hadn’t. That’s unarguable.
Better music? Nah. Certainly more varied and more of it. But Cook and Jones are a real force with recognisable drums and guitar sound.
Lyrics? I’d say they both had excellent lyrics, many of which have even become iconic.
Image? Dead heat. Both dressed by others. The only flaw in all eight members is Matlock’s hair which never looked quite right to me 🤣 good bloke though
Message? Dunno quite what that means. Although obviously Clash more optimistic and intellectual. Lydon’s anger is pretty impressive though in itself.

Ten interesting people if we include Malcolm and Bernie, who added to the gaiety of the world in their time.
 
BILLY BUS PASS said:
I think what we’ve got to remember is punk when it hit for the vast majority it was something brand new, so a lot of folk would be influenced by others. I think if the clash hadn’t imploded they could have been the best band in the world, as big as the stones Sandinista was a sampler for what would have come…………….. sh1t what egos drugs and bad business decisions can do.

some of the BAD stuff was bang on for the time and street core is up with one of the best for me, toppers beat on his day man
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Excellent post mate
 
Longy said:
Have a look of the picture I’ve posted above of Jordan. It was happening despite the Pistols. They were just the mannequins & had a stage & at one point the media’s attention. Either by accident or design, they became fantastic poster boys for the era.
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She looks canny but its the 50s b52 look really and it's 1 lass with a good sense of style.Its not shocking . I was there ,that look wasn't a thing .London will have had stuff bubbling under . I think you have it all the wrong way round
It's was Songs personnel then image ,no band doesn't look for that extra element at that stage . No Pistols then there's no short haired angry Strummer singing about riots
 
INigle said:
The Clash image on Bank Robber was a huge step up. Punk for the 80’s. The Pistols look was pure Westwood . Rotten has maintained his own style. Cook and Jones without the Westwood/McClaren input was 70’s naff.Matlock still maintains a vintage 50’s vibe.
Viscous was cartoon punk.
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Sid Viscous was a slippery customer too.
 
cluffy said:
The Clash wouldn’t have existed if the Pistols hadn’t. That’s unarguable.
Better music? Nah. Certainly more varied and more of it. But Cook and Jones are a real force with recognisable drums and guitar sound.
Lyrics? I’d say they both had excellent lyrics, many of which have even become iconic.
Image? Dead heat. Both dressed by others. The only flaw in all eight members is Matlock’s hair which never looked quite right to me 🤣 good bloke though
Message? Dunno quite what that means. Although obviously Clash more optimistic and intellectual. Lydon’s anger is pretty impressive though in itself.

Ten interesting people if we include Malcolm and Bernie, who added to the gaiety of the world in their time.
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Probably this for me. Agree the Clash wouldn't have existed without the Pistols, but still one of my favourite bands of all time, as much for London Calling and Combat Rock as the first 2 albums. Maybe it's because they lasted longer and moved on to other music genres, dunno. All that said, the Pistols happened at exactly the right time and were very different from anything that had gone before, at least in the public eye. Had been reading this thread a couple of days ago and stuck Never Mind The Bollocks on with the headphones going back from Cardiff game on metro yesterday. Still bloody good as ever, first time I'd played it through in ages
 
Clash City Rockers67 said:
Probably this for me. Agree the Clash wouldn't have existed without the Pistols, but still one of my favourite bands of all time, as much for London Calling and Combat Rock as the first 2 albums. Maybe it's because they lasted longer and moved on to other music genres, dunno. All that said, the Pistols happened at exactly the right time and were very different from anything that had gone before, at least in the public eye. Had been reading this thread a couple of days ago and stuck Never Mind The Bollocks on with the headphones going back from Cardiff game on metro yesterday. Still bloody good as ever, first time I'd played it through in ages
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I love the Clash but for me they were done musically after London Calling..they still had their moments after..Straight to Hell..Armagideon Time..Hitsville UK..but for me what followed wasn’t my cup of tea..I saw them twice on the Combat Rock tour and they were great but it was the punk stuff that got the crowd going..your spot on about NMTB..still my favourite album ever..no one will ever tell me its aged badly.
 

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