The 25th anniversary edition of London Calling includes an album’s worth of previously unheard material, and most of it’s amazing! Stuart Clark talks to Mick Jones.
If being a member of The Clash is enough to ensure one’s reputation for life, then Mick Jones more than any of them – even Strummer – has refused to rest on his laurels. As well as producing The Libertines, the past four years have seen him work alongside Tony James (Generation X, er.. Sigue Sigue Sputnik) in Carbon/Silicon. The terrible, literal, cover aside, it’s pretty good punk-pop, the sound of two men in their fifties who know that youthful posturing is beneath them yet still refuse to grow old.
Weatherall covers all bases with his first eponymous release – ‘Feathers’ combines a raw riff Mick Jones would be proud of with punk/funk bassline and unexpected searing synths; ‘You Can’t Do…’ is brilliantly baffling New Wave-ish gothic disco, while ‘La Sirena’ is bassy, buzzing techno with a choice, chopped flamenco. Wottaman.
With just a few a minutes to go till the punters arrive, the Hot Press Chatroom is looking fab, and we're ready to rock 'n' roll, with times confirmed for this evening's acts.
Clash legend Mick Jones, his Carbon/Silicon and Generation X counterpart Tony James, Elbow and The Flaws are among the stars set to appear at this year's Hot Press Chatroom at the Electric Picnic
The Electric Picnic-bound Mick Jones has his youth revisited on October 3 when The Clash’s 1982 set supporting The Who in Shea Stadium is given a CD release.
From Stone Roses' stringsman to stand alone soloist, John Squire's musical journey has had both highs and lows, yet he's returned with a new album and this time he's getting vocal
Snowman FC from Cork won the Irish heat of the JD Sets, played live in the legendary Jack Daniel's Distillery in Tennessee and recorded with REM man David Barbe in Nashville.
The legacy of a punk great is scrutinised in a new documentary Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten. Filmmaker Julien Temple explains what motivated him to make a movie about his old friend.
Anglo-Swedish indie rock’n’rollers Razorlight are on the verge of releasing their debut album. A catchy attack on mediocrity with vocals that linger in the head.
Primal Scream bandmate Kevin Shields may be complaining about the neighbours, but Mani hasn’t thrown the towel in yet. He tells us why things are looking up for the Scream.
Pennie Smith, the legendary NME photographer who shot the cover of The Clash’s London Calling is about to have an exhibition in Belfast. Peter Murphy gets her to rewind the film
Steve Lillywhite, who produced U2's first three albums – and has featured on the production team of almost all of their records – looks back over the band's career and recalls the highs... and the lows
AGEING PUNK STUART 'CIDER'N'SPIT' CLARK REHEATS THE WHITE HOT CAULDRON OF 1977 IN A DISCUSSION OF TIMES PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE WITH THOSE CHARMING MEN FROM MANCHESTER, BUZZCOCKS. PIC: CATHAL DAWSON
Ian Hunter, the former voice of MOTT THE HOOPLE, is back with a 38-track Greatest Hits & Rarities double-CD, plus an all-new album, From The Knees Of My Heart, to follow later this year. Now, from where past and present collide, he explains how he once broke into Elvis Presley s Gracelands, how he produced hits for Billy Idol and what it was like to tour with Queen as your support act. He even finds time to tell tales about Marc Bolan, Mick Ronson, and, incidentally, Mott The Hoople too Andy Darlington listens in.
From the ashes of The Libertines comes Dirty Pretty Things, Carl Barat's new band. But can Pete Doherty's old sparring partner escape the legacy of his old group?
After years of pushing the self- destruct button, Pete Doherty has proved his detractors wrong with a solo album that's on a par with anything he did with the Libertines.
The star-spangled story of how Richard Melville Hall learned to relax and love sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. "Don't tell anybody but I'm actually the lead guitarist with Slipknot," he informs Stuart Clark.
They’ll never win any prizes for speaking the Queen’s English but, with a number one album under their belts, mop-topped Dundee rockers The View aren’t too bothered.
GREEN DAY have had a meteoric rise over the last 18 years, from poky Dublin dives to colossal international stadia. But despite their maturing worldview and increasing political articulacy, they’re still as exciting a kick-ass punk rock group as ever.
Or should that be The Clash? Well no, actually, cos there's no Clash, Damned or Pistols in 1999. But there s still joe strummer, who was there when Shane got his ear bitten off and, 22 years later is back for his own second bite with THE MESCALEROS. I ve seen everything that it s possible to see go down and I ve survived it, he tells STUART CLARK who finds himself shanghaied on a ferry to Stranraer.
Main pix: MICHAEL QUINN.
On a fleeting visit to Dublin the legendary Jack White sat down with Hot Press' Stuart Clark to discuss his past life as an upholsterer, jamming with Bob Dylan. Jimmy Page and The Edge and going for dinner with Loretta Lynne.
The death has occurred of Joe Strummer, one of the most important British musicians of the punk era. As lead singer and chief lyricist and ideologist with The Clash, he was central to making some of the finest music of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
Down to Earth is a welcome return from the Ozzman, and demonstrates how easy it is for him to show his vulnerable side while still rocking like an absolute mother. Fucking legend.
Tabloid fiends that you are, you’ve probably heard that Roman Abramovich has offered Amy Winehouse a million quid to play at his new model girlfriend’s birthday bash...
Friday at Electric Picnic saw Sigur Ros pull off a spellbinding main stage performance, Christy Moore lift the mood of all, and many comings and goings at the Hot Press Chatroom.
Hezbollah may be a significant part of the problem, but there is no justification whatsoever for the indiscriminate murder of civilians, of which the Israelis are guilty in Lebanon.
While the line-up may not be as strong as it has in previous years, the fact that the schedule isn’t crammed with must-sees means we have more capacity to take in everything else on offer.
