Friday on My Mind: Happy International Clash Day!

It’s time again for Friday on My Mind. Our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.

This week we celebrate all that is The Clash! Friday, February 6th, is International Clash Day. Technically it's Saturday, February 7th, but it's a made up holiday, so we can call it whatever we want. For one of the most important bands in history, and still to this day one of the most played on KEXP, we take an entire day on Friday to celebrate the band, the years they played music, the side projects, covers, live takes and everything that is "The only band that matters"... "London Calling"

The Clash’s 1979 album, London Calling, dealt with various social issues such as social displacement, unemployment, and racial conflict. That being the case, it makes sense that The Clash decided to sell London Calling and the albums that followed at a cheaper price than what was standard. It was a big F-U to their record company who took from the band member’s royalties to make up for the profit loss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfK-WX2pa8c

"Should I Stay Or Should I Go"

“Should I Stay Or Should I Go” was written by Mick Jones. After Being kicked out of the Clash, Jones went on to form Big Audio Dynamite. “Rush” the title song to their 1991 release, sampled “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”. This song also used a very unusual technique, which was Spanish lyrics echoing the English words. Joe Strummer sings the these backing lyrics in Spanish, but needed a translator. The tape operator Eddie Garcia then called his mother who he read the lyrics to, and she gave him the translation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGIFublvDes

"Rock The Casbah"

When the first Gulf War broke out in 1991,“Rock the Casbah” became popular again in US, which did not go over well with Joe Strummer since. Americans interpreted the song as a rallying cry against Iraq. It’s even been said that Joe Strummer wept after finding out that “Rock the Casbah” was written on a bomb that was used in the Iraq War.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ9r8LMU9bQ

Honorable Mentions:

"Bankrobber"

Before they formed the Stone Roses, Ian Brown and Pete Garne, were in the studio during the recording session for this single.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttJBdr6eBuo