The band Joe Strummer called the American Beatles
Of all the groups to arise from the UK punk scene in the 1970s, none managed to achieve the longevity and broad appeal of The Clash. The Damned’s ‘New Rose’ is often considered the starting pistol of the movement, being the first punk single to get released this side of the Atlantic. However, it was not until Joe Strummer first set foot on stage with The Clash that punk music felt like an important movement for social and cultural change.
Over the next few years, Strummer’s band of merry punks managed to transcend the fleeting new wave movement, developing their sound by incorporating rockabilly, dub reggae, ska and hip-hop. Their unquestioning dedication to their sources of inspiration set them apart from the attitudes of their punk peers, who had their hearts set on destroying all that had come before them, starting fresh in 1976.
Among that broad range of influences The Clash paid homage to throughout their career were the rock and pop groups of the 1960s. Guitarist Mick Jones repeatedly spoke about ‘the big five’ British rock groups of The Who, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Small Faces and The Beatles. While this may betray the anti-pop buzz of the punk scene, Jones explained to the Wall Street Journal, “We were fans of The Beatles, The Who and The Kinks — but we wanted to remake all of that… Our message was more urgent — that things were going to pieces.”
The influence of The Beatles, not just on The Clash but on the entirety of popular music in the 20th century, is incredibly vast and well-documented. For frontman Joe Strummer, however, the essence of the Fab Four was captured in the unlikely form of New York punks, the Ramones. Speaking in 2002, Strummer explained, “It’s as miraculous as The Beatles were – four guys laying around in Liverpool after the war. It almost seems like the hand of God had to have been in there and got them to meet each other. I think it’s similar about the Ramones.”
Rising from the sweaty cavern of CBGB in New York’s East Side, the Ramones have a habit of splitting opinions among punk fans. Some view the group as almost boyband-esque, with their matching outfits and pop music style of writing. Meanwhile, their buzzsaw delivery and unique image have made them a hugely influential group for many future generations of young rock groups. “It took a lot of intelligence to make something like that”, continues Strummer, “together they made this incredible thing that influenced everybody, there’s no doubt about it.”
“If you wanna get into someone’s head, you’ve gotta put on a show”, says Strummer, and the Ramones certainly did that. Characterised by their dark image, culminating in matching leather jackets, long hair and blue jeans, the band styled themselves as punk rock caricatures of James Dean. Although their songwriting has been accused of being formulaic and often unoriginal, their attitude, image and performance have permeated through the vast majority of punk groups ever since.
While the Ramones might have strayed from the staunch left-wing politics of Strummer and The Clash, with Johnny Ramone, a die-hard Republican, the group were still hugely influenced by New York’s leather-clad punks. The stagecraft and performance of the Ramones were things that Strummer adored and tried to carry through to his own band. In a wider sense, though, the Ramones had a profound impact in terms of espousing the joys of punk rebellion to a wider audience. As Strummer puts it, “I think the Ramones gave the youth of the world a lot of respect.”
