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Clash Book Dispatches

To find older entries, simply click the "Archive" button, and follow the links from there. Also, please note: in light of the Clash II book announcement (see "Communiques"), the author reserves the option to hold back entries for different projects.
Latest Archive RSS
MY NEW ENTRY GOES HERE
May 8, 2023
This space will serve as a placeholder, so I can move content around more easily.
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MY NEW ENTRY GOES HERE.
May 8, 2023
This space will serve as a placeholder, so I can move content around more easily.
Permalink
Here&#39;s what the bonus LP will look like -- if you get your hands on a copy this weekend! <br /> <br />(Photo: Crooked Beat Records)
CHAIRMAN RALPH APPEARS ON CROOKED BEAT LP RELEASE (4/16/18)
May 8, 2023
"I often think of how differently my life would have turned out, in a country several time zones away.." Get the lowdown on the Chairman's forthcoming appearance on THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN LP (Crooked Beat Records), which is coming out Saturday (Record Store Day).
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(Courtesy of Anthony Davie) (Courtesy: Joe Strummer Foundation) Straight from page 27! (Courtesy of Mike Stax) (Courtesy: Mark Andersen)
WE ARE THE CLASH: REVIEWS & UPDATES (5/07/19)
Jul 7, 2020
"This warm, even-tempered book snatches the Clash’s final act from the shame that even Strummer felt before his death. They were still The Only Band That Mattered." All the major recent reviews that mattered...for We Are The Clash.
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I found this on a blog that appears to be dormant, as is so often the case these days -- but it gives an interesting flavor of how the college press treated the spring 1984 US tour (overall, with a great deal more depth than the is-it-or-isn&#39;t-it-the-Clash trope that played out among the mainstream and music press).  <br /> <br />In this case, the clipping comes from Duke University&#39;s student newspaper (The Chronicle). Note Paul SImonon&#39;s proto-Mohican hairdo; even he wasn&#39;t immune, it seems, from that particular fever (given the &#34;Mohawk&#39;s Revenge&#34; graphics and T-shirts that became the new lineup&#39;s calling card, image-wise). Anyway, enjoy -- there&#39;s plenty more where that came from, which may end up on the website for the book.
WE ARE THE CLASH: POST-PRODUCTION WORK CONTINUES (1/28/18)
May 7, 2019
"For those who haven't undergone the publishing process, it's one of the most intense steps involved, because you've literally got to trawl through your creation, page by bloody page ..." Chairman Ralph details the intricacies of completing post-production work on WE ARE THE CLASH: THE LAST STAND OF A BAND THAT MATTERED.
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"STANDING AT A SILENT TELEPHONE..." (LYRIC SHEET)  ...THE SLITS TAKE FIVE DURING REHEARSAL... PAUL SIMONON GIVES THAT RICKENBACKER A GOOD WHACKING "FIVE MINUTES, THEN?" PAUL SIMONON, DRESSING ROOM, EARLY DAYS "YAAAAAAARGH!" (OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT): JOE (RIGHT) TAKES THE MIKE, EARLY DAYS, WHILE MICK LOOKS ON SAME GIG, LEFT TO RIGHT: MICK, JOE, TERRY CHIMES, PAUL
A PERMANENT RECORD (TAKE TWO): JULIAN YEWDALL LOOKS BACK ON THE 101'ERS (4/22/13)
by Words+Interview: Ralph Heibutzki/Replies+Photos: Julian L. Yewdall
Oct 21, 2013
"...when I first saw them perform live they came very much 'fully formed', the sound, the look, the words, the way they stood on stage..." Julian Yewdall, author of A PERMANENT RECORD, discusses Joe Strummer's transition from the 101'ers to the Clash...among many other topics in part two of our epic email chat!
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An unreleased image that didn&#39;t make it into the book. SUMMER '75: NOTEBOOKS, POSTER DESIGN & ACCOUNT BOOK  CAUGHT IN A LIGHTER MOMENT... I love the effect here, but I also figured this would be a good way to see a few photos at once...so you can gauge the book&#39;s &#34;treasure trove&#34; factor for yourself. BUSKING ON THE BRIDGE, PERHAPS? As noted on Julian&#39;s Facebook page: &#34;Here&#39;s another unseen shot recently discovered and brought to life by neg-scan, having been previously missed/lost on the contact sheet.&#34; Behind Joe is the band&#39;s late bassist, Marwood &#34;Mole&#34; Chesterton. JULIAN'S ORIGINAL BOOK: FRONT COVER SHOT
A PERMANENT RECORD (TAKE ONE): JULIAN YEWDALL LOOKS BACK ON THE 101'ERS (3/10/13)
by Words+Interview: Ralph Heibutzki/Replies+Photos: Julian L. Yewdall
Oct 21, 2013
"What The 101'ers left behind is a rough-cut diamond, forged out of blood, sweat and tears..." Julian Yewdall talks about his philosophy and intentions behind A PERMANENT RECORD, which documents Joe Strummer's life (and after) his major pre-Clash band, the 101'ers.
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"WE ARE THE CLASH" BOOK: KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN SUCCEEDS!
Jul 22, 2013
"The Clash's bold, tragic last stand, rescued from history's dustbin: at war with Thatcher, Reagan, the Top Ten, & (sometimes) itself..." With this opening salvo, co-authors Mark Andersen and Ralph Heibutzki launched the Kickstater campaign for their book, WE ARE THE CLASH: THE LAST STAND BAND OF A BAND THAT MATTERED...here's how the effort ended up.
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Here&#39;s my aging computer with its Cool Edit Pro 2.0 system that we used to record these latest songs... thanks to Don for all his hard work and raw effort in coming to grips with this system!  (Photo: Lisa Quinlan) <br /> Chairman Ralph in action during a quick run-through of &#34;Movers And Shakers,&#34; before the one -- and only -- live performance take of the song.  (Photo: Lisa Quinlan) <br />
CHAIRMAN RALPH RECORDS THREE CUT THE CRAP-ERA CLASH NUGGETS (6/9/12)
Sep 15, 2012
Chairman Ralph reports on recording three songs from the Clash's final album, CUT THE CRAP ("Movers And Shakers," ""North And South," plus the chorus from "Play To Win"), how they turned out, and how they affected his recording philosophy.
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Nick also gave me this flier, whose caption (winding around the edges) reads: &#34;SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION OFFICIAL CLASH T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE ONLY WHILE STOCKS LAST SEND POSTAL ORDER ONLY FOR £5.00 PLUS 45p P&amp;P TO: ERROLMAGIC LTD. PO BOX 87 LONDON NW1 8NF STATE SIZE REQUIRED S M L XL.&#34; Based on a promo shot of the time, and done for a bit o&#39;fun...from left to right: Paul, Vince, Joe, Nick, and Pete (plus Bernie Rhodes in the corner: &#34;I&#39;ve got plans for you boys&#34;).  Original drawing by my wife -- plus additional outlining, charcoal pencil and lettering by yours truly (The Chairman himself).
RECORDING CUT THE CRAP (REVISED & EXPANDED)
Aug 2, 2011
Chairman Ralph covers one of the most controversial periods of the Clash's career in this excerpt, which focuses on the long and winding journey that led to the recording of The Only Band That Matters's final, troubled album: Cut The Crap.
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