The Clash song Joe Strummer wrote after sacking Mick Jones
For many years, The Clash were a bulletproof band of brothers who would die for one another. However, like most groups, that goodwill was incapable of weathering the storm, and Mick Jones was relieved of his duties in 1983.
His sacking had become inevitable, and it was a deserved dismissal even by Jones’ admission. They had already sacked drummer Topper Headon a year prior because of his erratic behaviour caused by his addiction to heroin, vowing to carry on with original drummer Terry Chimes. However, their problems continued to soar, even with a new drummer.
In fact, Chimes exited the band once more because of the toxic tension between the band. Soon afterwards, Jones would also depart under a cloud, but his exit wasn’t voluntary, unlike Chimes. Although they were commercially more successful than ever, The Clash were in dire straits, and the guitarist’s departure was deemed necessary for the band to continue.
“Mick was intolerable to work with by this time,” the late Joe Strummer remembered in the Clash documentary Westway to the World. “He wouldn’t show up. When he did show up, it was like Elizabeth Taylor in a filthy mood.”
On another occasion, he elaborated: “We had to change the team because the atmosphere was too terrible. We got so much work to do that we can’t waste time begging people to play the damn guitar!”
Even Jones agreed he deserved to be shown the exit door and expressed regret about his behaviour. “I was just carried away really, I wish I had a bit more control,” he said. “You know, you wish you knew what you know now.”
Following his departure, Strummer wrote ‘We Are The Clash’ after Jones threatened to start a new version of the group under the same name with Headon. Understandably, The Clash’s leader was incensed by this notion and wrote a fiery anthem declaring his ownership of the band.
On the defiant track, Strummer chants: “We ain’t gonna be treated like trash, We got one thing: We are The Clash! We are The Clash! Let’s strike a match, you can spill the gas! – Gasoline!”
Although ‘We Are The Clash’ was designed to show unity in the face of adversity, in reality, The Clash were already dead, and the band officially called it a day shortly after its release. Following their split, Strummer admitted: “When the Clash collapsed, we were tired. There had been a lot of intense activity in five years. Secondly, I felt we’d run out of idea gasoline. And thirdly, I wanted to shut up and let someone else have a go at it.”
Listen below to ‘We Are The Clash’.
