Clash fans

[Norm]

For those more familiar with The Clash's catalog, I'm wondering if you would say that the band underwent a significant transition during a relatively short period.

You see, I'm only familiar with them through two "greatest hits" double-albums -- The Story of the Clash (1990) and The Essential Clash (2003) -- plus the regular release, London Calling.

The sound on my just-acquired copy of The Essential Clash is fantastic, and I'm noticing all kinds of cools stuff that did not register after years of listening to The Story of the Clash (I mean there's so much more there it gives me the impression of being remixed, not just remastered). But Essential also gives a much broader representation of their work than Story. So, here's my question. The very earliest songs on Essential seem to have a real punk punch to them, but by the time you get to disc 2 with songs like "The Magnificent Seven" and "This is Radio Clash" things really schwing; I mean it just seems like such a break from the stuff which couldn't have been more than 3 years earlier. So, I'm wondering if what I've heard is an anomaly or if they really underwent a major transition over a relatively abbreviated stretch of time.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Norm

[Spontooneous]

LOTS of evolution over a short period. This band moved fast.

The change in the drum chair, from Terry Chimes to Topper Headon, provided some fuel for the rocket's brief flight. Topper schwings, indeed.

[Quincy]

Let's see, looking at the Essential Clash song list...

Oh yeah, songs like "Lost In The Supermarket" and "Jimmy Jazz" and they're not a punk band anymore. The triple LP Sandinista! has even a greater diversity of styles that's barely hinted at on Essential. A child singing "Career Opportunities", tape manipulation, a violin dominated song, it's hard to believe it's mostly the same band as on the debut a few years earlier. A triple album allows experimentation or all out wankery, and they did plenty of both.