Musicians - Joe Strummer

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	Musicians - Joe Strummer

John Graham Mellor (August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002) better known as Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist and lead singer of British punk rock band The Clash, and later The Mescaleros.

The early years 1952-1976

Strummer was born as John Mellor in Ankara, Turkey on August 21, 1952. His father was a foreign-service diplomat and spent much of his time moving from place to place, which meant that Strummer spent his childhood in a variety of different countries. At the age of 10, Strummer and his older brother David began attending private boys' schools in London. During this time Strummer rarely saw his parents. To pass the time he would listen to records by The Beatles and The Beach Boys, as well as American folk-singer Woody Guthrie (Strummer would even go by the name "Woody" for a few years, until changing his name to "Joe Strummer" around the same time that the Clash was formed). After finishing his time in private school, in 1970 Strummer moved on to London's Central School of Art & Design, where he briefly flirted with the idea of becoming a professional cartoonist. Allegedly, he was expelled from the school for using LSD. During this time, Strummer shared a flat in the London suburb of Palmers Green with friends Clive Timperley and Tymon Dogg.

In 1973 Strummer moved to Newport, Wales to attend the Newport College Of Art, but he soon dropped out. While there he joined up with some friends who were forming a band called The Vultures. For the next year he was the band's part-time singer and rhythm guitarist. During this time Strummer also worked as a gravedigger. In 1974 the band fell apart and he moved back to London where he met up again with Tymon Dogg. He busked on the streets for a while and then decided to form another band with his West London roommates. The band was called The 101'ers, named for the address of their squat (101 Walterton Road, in Westminster). The band played many gigs in London pubs playing covers of popular American R&B and blues songs. In 1975 he changed his name from "Woody" Mellor to Joe Strummer, and insisted that his friends call him by that name. The name "Strummer" obviously refers to his role as guitarist, but in a self-deprecating way. Though left-handed, he was taught to play right-handed by his friend Tymon Dogg. This hampered his abilities (which were lackluster to begin with) and confined him to strumming chords. Strummer was the lead singer of the 101'ers and began to write original songs for the group. The first song he ever wrote was inspired by his girlfriend at the time, Slits drummer Palmolive. The song, "Keys to Your Heart" was liked by the group and was picked as their first single.

The Clash 1976-1985

On April 3, 1976, a then-unknown band called The Sex Pistols opened for The 101'ers at a venue called "The Nashville Rooms" in London, and at this show Strummer saw the future of music. He saw that the music that the Sex Pistols were performing was dangerous and exciting and realized that The 101'ers were going nowhere. Sometime after this show, Strummer was approached by Bernie Rhodes and Mick Jones. Jones was from the band London SS and wanted Strummer to join as the band's lead singer. Strummer agreed to join just as the group was breaking up, but he decided to stick around and formed a new band with Jones, bassist Paul Simonon, drummer Terry Chimes and guitarist Keith Levene. The band was named The Clash by Simonon and made their debut on August 29, 1976, opening for The Sex Pistols in Sheffield, England. On January 25, 1977 the band signed with CBS Records and was now a three-piece after both Levene and Chimes were booted from the band. Drummer Topper Headon would later become the band's full-time drummer.

The Clash was the most musically diverse and overtly political of the original English punk bands. Their songs all had meanings and discussed social decay, unemployment, racism, police brutality, political and social repression, military history and, occasionally, heroism. It was all very idealistic, but The Clash was deadly serious about everything they did. Strummer was involved with the Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism campaigns. He later also gave his support to the Rock Against the Rich series of concerts organised by the anarchist organisation Class War. The Clash's London Calling album was voted best album of the 1980s by Rolling Stone magazine (although it was released in late 1979 in the UK it was released in 1980 in the USA). The Clash's influence can be clearly felt in the bands U2, Billy Idol and Generation X, Manic Street Preachers, Rancid, Green Day, Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, The Libertines, The Red Hot Chili Peppers (especially John Frusciante and Flea). Potentially even Tom Delonge of Blink-182, Boxcar Racer, and Angels and Airwaves. Even hip-hop revolutionaries Public Enemy cite the Clash as a major influence. The Clash are also almost certainly responsible for the explosion of garage bands in the 1980s and 1990s.

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Musicians - Joe Strummer

The early years 1952-1976

The Clash 1976-1985

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