Joe Strummer’s favourite tracks by The Rolling Stones
Punk rock was born from a rejection of the complacency and self-indulgence of mainstream rock back in the 1970s. So, while groups like The Rolling Stones might have formed the voice of Britain’s rebellious youth in the 1960s, their big-budget productions and arena shows didn’t resonate in quite the same way with the disenfranchised youth of the punk generation. Nevertheless, Joe Strummer remained a staunch appreciator of The Stones throughout his life, demonstrating one of the many ways he broke away from the punk mould.
After all, it did not take very long for the DIY revolution of punk to descend into a profit-driven parody. As soon as major labels began to take an interest in the scene, punk devolved into little more than a fashion trend, and a lot of the scene’s most prominent groups ended up being fairly short-lived. The Clash, on the other hand, always recognised the importance of sonic diversity. Their 1977 debut album featured a wide range of styles, drawing upon everything from Jamaican ska and dub to old-school garage rock, earning them a lasting impact not afforded to many of their punk peers.
As The Clash progressed, their influences only seemed to expand. By the time of their infamous final album in 1985, Strummer’s band had explored a countless array of musical styles, owing to the ever-diversifying record collections of the band members themselves. Strummer, in particular, always made an effort to consume music from all genres, styles, and eras, rather than painting himself into a musical box.
“I can’t stand purists,” he once shared in an interview, reflecting his approach to music consumption. “Does it speak the truth, or is it a waste of time? That’s my criteria. I couldn’t care if it was a chorus of choir girls with tinkerbells jangling, if it spoke the truth, it would be it.” Years later, in 1999, Strummer gave the world an unparalleled insight into his musical tastes when he was given a radio show on the BBC World Service, appropriately titled London Calling.
Apparently given free rein to play whatever he wanted, his shows allowed the former Clash singer to share some of his greatest musical loves. Among the punk classics, R&B gems, and hip-hop masters, Strummer also laid bare his adoration of The Rolling Stones, selecting a handful of their tracks for broadcast on the show.
Strummer’s first Stones pick on the show was their 1964 recording of the Buddy Holly classic ‘Not Fade Away’, one of their first hit records in the UK. The recording itself is an excellent encapsulation of that early period for The Stones, typified by their unwavering dedication to old-school rockabilly and R&B – an appreciation which they certainly shared with Joe Strummer.
Elsewhere, Strummer also chose to play ‘Tumbling Dice’, one of the finest songs to arise from the Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership. A tale of a gambling addict with relationship problems, the infectious track featured on the band’s extensive 1972 record Exile On Main St. That album was actually a major influence on the development of punk rock throughout the 1970s, as it saw The Stones take on a heavier, more anarchic approach to rock and roll. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Strummer was a fan of the song.
Although ‘Tumbling Dice’ and ‘Not Fade Away’ were the only Rolling Stones tracks to be played by Strummer on the London Calling show, he also selected a deep cut connected to the band’s founder, Brian Jones. In 1968, the multi-instrumentalist recorded a live performance by the Moroccan Sufi group The Master Musicians of Joujouka, who brought the centuries-old traditions of the Jbala tribe into the 20th century through groundbreaking performances.
That recording was later published by Rolling Stones records in 1971 under the title Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka, and Strummer opted to play the track ‘Take Me With You My Darling, Take Me With You’ on his show, demonstrating the incredible breadth of his musical taste, and his deeply intimate knowledge of music history.
Ultimately, Strummer’s appreciation of The Rolling Stones was not reciprocated, at least not back in the day. During an interview in 1981, Mick Jagger declared, “I don’t feel connected with bands like The Clash, the bands that still play every night,” adding: “I can only see them as repeats of everything that happened before.” (The words ‘pot’, ‘kettle’, and ‘black’ come to mind).
Years later, however, Jagger completely changed his tune on Strummer’s outfit, claiming, “My favourite band of that [punk] period was The Clash, definitely. They definitely had a dance sensibility, as well as a rock sensibility.” So, perhaps there was a mutual respect between established rock gods The Rolling Stones and defiant young punks The Clash, after all.
