'London Calling' by THE CLASH | Re-evaluated

[@richard127gm]

Sometimes, Andy, it's not how competent or ground-breaking or innovative an album is. It just comes down to do I love it? And yes I do love this album. I love it because it makes me nostalgic and makes me smile. It makes me happy, for a little while. And that's all one can ever ask of music. Your channel affects me in a similar way. Happy New Year mate.

[@paulgordon6949]

I love this album. Absolutely love it! If you are expecting it to be as musically complex as miles davis or yes then you're gonna be disappointed. I love it. Catchy songwriting, great drumming and love the bass playing all over this record.

[@simonvaughan6017]

But do you _love_ it?

[@PaulMiller-mn3me]

So many gems on there. “Right Profile” is superb, amongst many others

[@GlennSmith-m2e]

@@PaulMiller-mn3me Fantastic track, Monty Clift. I love a story song.

[@Acthungbaby]

I love they called out famous actor being a drunken slob. I love it myself I must admit I don't see quite as amazing as in the day

[@Joel-ml5bg]

It's crap. There, I said it.

[@bukowski20]

So, the sins of "London Calling" are: Overambition (never attempt to play musical genres you love if you aren't a virtuoso); forgetting in which class you were born (in England, if you're "middle class" you mustn't sing about "Revolution", or your listening public will call you a fraud); being too popular (and by the way, who gives a shit what "Rolling Stone" magazine or anyone else thinks?) It's just as dumb to like something for being popular, as it is to dislike it for the same reason. It's either great music or it isn't, and regardless of "class", it's what's in your heart that matters. Sure, the Clash were entertainers, but anyone who doubts their guts or their commitment or their sincerity ought to go listen to a note-perfect, bloodless album by Yes. So, my assessment of "London Calling": it's a great record and bears repeat listening. Anyone who doubts the contemporary relevance of the lyrical content (rampant consumerism; drug addiction; a crumbling society; political corruption; threat of nuclear devastation, etc) has their head so far up their own fundament, it's doubtful they can truly hear anything.

[@GlennSmith-m2e]

The only people who really waffle on about class in Britain are the " educated" middle classes. They tend to change their definition according to the the thrust of their argument. The American Blue collar v White Collar works better. Brickies, plumbers, and factory workers are plainly not middle-class in the virtual caste system of Britain. Some earn far more than teachers or office workers. Musicians are bohemian misfits, really.

[@rougecoquin7296]

@GlennSmith-m2e The class isn't about how much money you make, but HOW you make this money.

[@GlennSmith-m2e]

@@rougecoquin7296 That's pretty much what I was saying. Britain's (England's really) idea of class is closer to a caste system. Hence, you get all these ridiculous arguments put forward usually by the "educated" middle-classes who insist on defining the class of everyone else for rhetorical purposes. John Lydon is as much an Art School dropout as most of the members of the Clash. He just happens to be from a low income Irish family as opposed to being a Jewish lad, like Mick Jones, living in a council flat with with his Gran. Musicians are bohemian at heart. They come from all sorts of backgrounds.

[@benshafer5198]

Intent is important here. I've always respected Mick for the songwriting and instrumental talent that he brought to the band but he was always a slight bit of a poser. Joe wrote the lyrics to most of these songs and although he was middle class it was painfully evident that he actually cared for and had a deep empathy for those who struggled anywhere, anytime. He especially had contempt for those who expoited and caused suffering for greed and the usual selfish motives. Just because he didn't grow up in poverty or create an actual revolution (same w/ RATM) doesn't mean he didn't inspire activism among his fans that eventually made a difference on one level or another; which is all you can really expect from art. Joe was the real deal and as authentic as they come. His life was testiment, and what made this LP and most of their catalogue stand out above the rest in my eyes

[@DrWrapperband]

Happy New Year to Andy and all the Andy-acolytes!

[@freedom_monkey]

Brand new Cadillac is a cover - Vince Taylor.

[@markdevenport384]

Was gonna say that

[@IndySnowman]

Andy not knowing Vince Taylor tells you everything you need to know.

[@harrygrosomanidis9699]

Surprised Andy doesn't know Cadillac is a Vince Taylor cover

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@freedom_monkey the similarities between Vince Taylor and the clash are noteworthy. There is a good video on him called Vince Taylor acid casualty or something like that. It’s good though.

[@GlennSmith-m2e]

@@IndySnowman He doesn't seem to understand the difference between a pastiche and a cover. Candy Store Rock and to an extent Bohemian Rhapsody are pastiche.

[@paulh6673]

My take on this album - I bought it in a post-Xmas sale at Woolworth's in the late 80s. £2.99. I was mainly into heavy rock and metal at the time, but starting to branch out. I couldn't tell you what the critics were saying at the time, but I think one of the most notable things was Rolling Stone voting it as their best album of the 80s. (It came out early '80 over there). It plays into the 'mythology of rock' thing that Rolling Stone are all about. Over time I grew to love this album. Maybe I'm falling for the mythology too, but I dunno, the songs do add up to something greater than the individual parts. One of my faves wasnt even mentioned - The Card Cheat. Possibly the most underrated Clash song of all. Rather than the real 'plugged onto the mains' viseral energy that punk is supposed to have, the whole thing just has an easy zip and liveliness as it hops all over these various styles. It just puts a smile on my dour face. I understand being suspicious of critical consensus, but for me being anti-critic as a default setting is just as pointless and boring as being, say, "anti-woke". i.e. believing that you and the world are being forced to think and consume things in a certain way and reacting against it, heroically. It's snobbery either way. I'll just pick and choose on a case by case basis and many times I'll agree with the critics and sometimes I just....won't.

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

I was there when that photograph on the cover was taken. Loudest concert I’ve ever been to. Even louderthan The Who. There was a kind of whistling sound as the Marshall amps were edged right up to melting down that I will never forget. It gave the guitar, a kind of vibrating warble that was amazing. I ended up going to the very back of the Palladium, to have a drink, because it was so loud, and even there, my lungs were trying to vibrate right out of my chest. It really was too loud for me. But I still think it was a fantastic concert.

[@GastonBulbous]

That sound you describe was the nerve endings in your ears dying. I saw this band live twice, once a few months before the release of London Calling amd again just after. I remember that sound well.

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

Nope. I was wearing earplugs. It was the sound of amps dying. Back in those days I was in punk bands In New York City. And when I played places like CBGBs, I was roundly ridiculed by all of the other musicians because of the foam earplugs that I wore. I am now 65 years old and my hearing is still well within the normal range.

[@seekah1]

On the buy it/burn it/trash it scale, it's definitely a burn...London Calling, Spanish Bombs, Lost in the Supermarket, The Guns of Brixton, I'm Not Down, Train in vain are all undeniable Clash classics.

[@keithgallagher3471]

My dude! You left out Death or Glory, Clampdown and their cover of Brand New Cadillac. While I don't know if this is a top 10 album overall with all considerations, it is in my personal top 10 all time favorite albums. The first Clash album I bought as a new release, and I have easily listened to it 100 times.

[@JimDooley]

Andy, you're spot on! I had the exact same feeling when I bought the album. Good thing I bought Combat Rock first 😊

[@runtsmeadow6797]

I bought this album when it came out, and listened to it quite a lot between the ages of 14 and 16 before admitting to myself that it was boring and that the only reason I listened to it was because everyone said how great it was.

[@eightrodway]

Next time: Andy re-evaluates Astral Weeks...and loves it!

[@gspianoguitar4369]

No that's not gonna happen because it IS incredibly overrated............imho

[@johnandrew8610]

I think the brilliant album cover and the opening track carry this record . I remember sitting looking at that cover and blasting out Londons Calling and I was in the Clash . I don't remember getting past track one . Happy New Year

[@nigelelliott4901]

The Citizen Smith of rock. 😆 'Ooh hello, Foxy. Are you still playing your plump rock?'

[@randaldavis8976]

Bought it the day it came out. Radio DJ played 20 seconds of each track. I was in the car, drove to Tower Records within minutes

[@keithgallagher3471]

This was my first Clash album bought as a new release. I had previously picked up The Clash and Rope earlier the same year. Got mine at Musicland.

[@gavaniacono]

I heard Lemmy slagging the Clash, and Stones' working class affectations, which was great, as it accorded with my own hitherto unarticulated feelings, to which I assumed noone else shared. So now, it seems there are 3 of us! Let's start a movement!

[@GlennSmith-m2e]

The only middle class members of the Stones were Jones and Jagger. The others were were sons of factory workers, lorry drivers and brickies.

[@roberttower8059]

Art often works on different levels, sometimes in conflict with each other. I don't remember which documentary it was (the Don Letts one maybe?) but there's a great clip where someone says with a sense of wry irony that the revolution couldn't start until The Clash had found the right hair styling gel first. That made me laugh out loud. Took the piss out of them and basically said the revolutionary talking points and image was all just a pose for them. I do love The Clash though, however they often made my eyes roll a bit. "London Calling" has moments of greatness but it is VERY uneven in quality as you well explained.

[@drbgood4138]

I've never needed a critic to tell me what sounds good to my ears, stimulates my mind, or moves my soul. London Calling did all three for me. I'm 54, and still feel completely lost in the supermarket.

[@gabe2869]

The reason Train In Vain was last is quite different of what you might think. Mick Jones had just broken up with his girlfriend, who was in The Slits at the time. The Slits first album had just come out and there was a song about their relationship on that record. London Calling was almost done and the sleeve had already gone to the printers. Train In Vain was written as a response song and was added to the end, but not listed on the original track list on the album.

[@aliensporebomb]

I wondered based on the lyrics if they were written for a specific person. Thanks for cluing me in!

[@simonvaughan6017]

You are referring to Viv Albertine.

[@tysonbrinacombe]

The Slits won that battle by a mile.

[@ianpope6133]

Train in Vain was originally going to be a free flexi disc with the NME, but that fell through - so they put it on the end of the Album.

[@simonvaughan6017]

@@ianpope6133 That accounts for the disparity in the lengths of sides 3 and 4.

[@flavormod]

Skill, indeed, makes great art, Andy!

[@VastKrutEmpire]

Some critics are married to sacred narratives. Great analysis. You are right, of course.

[@aaronhayman8558]

Though I end up playing the debut more often, I still feel that London Calling is a great album. Sure, it's kind of a pastiche of different styles, but I feel that the band puts their own stamp on all of them and even with all of these different sounds, the album feels very cohesive to me... very much of a piece. I like the fact that so much of it is about very real things. I don't live in the UK, so I have no firsthand experience, but the whole Thatcher era seemed to be a really sad era for the country, much like Regan's reign was in the US. As much as I dig prog rock with all of the alegorical, fantasy and abstract/incomprehensible themes that it has, I like to hear music that's more born of struggle, like this album or like so much reggae music, which of course, the Clash borrowed from. I like the way the music is produced, too, which has a real cohesiveness and power, but still has a bit of looseness around the edges to make it seem more human and not overly airtight... I think they got it just right with the sound of the one. The melodies of these songs often run through my head months after the last time I put on the album and lots of the lyrics I find to be really poetic and poignant. It's this kind of memorable quality that I feel separates the great from the merely good...

[@jenton70]

"It's the music that comes out of these experimentations" I agree. That's a great point. As for London Calling, it's like a bad laxative. It just don't move me. To quote a proper punk song.

[@Maltloaflegrande]

Lots of valid points but: "Brand New Cadillac" wasn't a Peter Gunn pastiche, it was a cover of a 50s Vince Taylor hit. Joe Strummer was middle class for sure, but Jones and Simonon weren't.

[@MysticOblong]

Yes ha ha. Come on Andy do some research. Even I knew Brand New Cadillac is a Vince Taylor cover when the Clash covered it. Bowie fashioned Ziggy partly on Vince's character and even Benny from ABBA played on a Swedish version called "Cadillac" in 1965 - link below. A band in my hometown in South Australia released a cover of it in 1967. Basically this song was plastered all over the planet. Interestingly both Peter Gunn and Brand New Cadillac were recorded in 1959. I might add I can't stand pastiche either which is a reason why I find Frank Zappa unlistenable. But Spanish Bombs and Lost in the Supermarket are great songs. I did listen to London Calling once and found it deadly dull generally apart from a few tracks.

[@MysticOblong]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnqUYaGKjqp-fJo

[@Cloudbusting31]

I love London Calling. That record helped me quit my shitty job when I was 17.

[@comfyft]

Excellent. Was never convinced by the Clash, and in fact they probably inspired the dumbing down of the real revolutionary aspects of punk.

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

possibly unbeknownst to the guys themselves.. and unintentionally by them.. we saw large numbers of common people, listeners , the man in the street 👉take to heroin. or coke.. influenced by the music and artists.. sometimes guys that are talentless.. we see unaturally, springboarded to fame, and legionary status. 😳 nick cave, and these types of druggies..lou reed... some researchers claim that the cia and various international mafias make a lot of money out of drugs.

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

compare the transportation of poor people from England off to Australia in the 17 and 18 hundreds... with a generation of punk rockers dying on the streets on drugs.. 😳 it has the same end result.. ☝️ they are putting drugs in everyone's faces.. say no to drugs 🙏 maybe a choof at christmas and a pint on the weekend. 🙏

[@AndrewjWilson]

The Clash London Calling tour Jan 1980 ,was 1st gig I ever went to. I love the production on London Calling and Topper drumming always great. Fantastic drum sound to

[@Ronalti65]

@AndrewjWilson Blackburn 30th(ish) Jan 1980 is the greatest gig I've attended (so far). Like Andy but he likes jazz🐕💩

[@trevorhoward2254]

I must say, Andy, that your barnet is magnificent at the moment. And the barnet/beard/glasses combination has a Roger Whittaker meets Colonel Sanders feel which suits you.

[@dwaynesbadchemicals]

London Calling got me through the last six months of my enlistment.

[@frankthorne11]

Thank you.

[@klomptphuh]

I loved this album as a kid in the 80s for reasons I can't remember. I believe I haven't voluntarily listened to this album in 40 years.

[@mauricerevelle8451]

The Jam “Setting Sons” and “Sound Affects” are better.

[@StratsRUs]

The Jam were brilliant !

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I agree

[@Kalikrates_the_witch_1]

@@mauricerevelle8451 definitely! There were loads of albums better than London calling but it doesnt take anything away from it..quality album!

[@TimReilly-f9q]

@Kalikrates_the_witch_1Very true and fair. Loved the Jam "When you y're young" is my favourite single, I was 21 when it cam out and the lyrics really cut through

[@mrsherwood2599]

Well...yeah!

[@OliSpleen]

Brand New Cadillac is a Vince Taylor cover.

[@asnark7115]

If you don't understand that what The Clash criticized in their day is MORE RELEVANT and PREVALENT today, then you missed a few turns.

[@winstonsmith8240]

Was thinking the same thing.

[@karlramberg]

The political aspect aside, is it good musically? I agree with Andy here, the album is not that great

[@GaZonk100]

The Clash also saw 'racism' everywhere: that was not so then and quite untrue now

[@guidoroemer81]

Totally agree, ultra right is bigger than ever in Europe!

[@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266]

​@@GaZonk100I disagree there. Britain (as most of Europe) is a very racist society. That has diminished, but it still holds some truth nowadays.

[@manjay49]

Hi Andy. I am a long-term subscriber. Love your work. I am 75 and live in the UK. A contexual preface: I saw Cream 1967, The Who 3x, Jimi 5x Led Zep 5x was at Woodstock all by 1969. etc. Saw Mahavushu July 1972 and June 1975. They are my favourite band. Saw Tony Williams Lifetime 3x 1970. And saw them early 1976 with Mr Holdsworth. So you can see why I am subscribed. We "agree". All this is to set up my response to your excellent revaluation of London Calling. My question is as follows: What if all the *lyrical content* had not been generated from the middle classist point of view? What if the lyrics were all from a more "credible" source; however one might define that? Name the alternative source. Whatever you like. Would that improve the score? I think most listeners either had no clue about Joe's or Mick's background. But you are well-informed unlike the vast majority of listeners, especially US listeners who think Bruce is about as "revolutionary" as it gets. Train in Vain did very well in the US pop charts at the time. As a final point, I think Rock the Casbah is their best track. Written by Topper and he played most of the instruments. And I feel Topper is a great drummer and the best musician in the band. Anyway. Love the channel. Cheers!

[@BelaLugosie]

An album that maybe should be lauded but is not is 'Stations of the Crass' by Crass. A hugely influential band that eventually got a mention at a Wembley gig by the comedian Rob Newman. Their song 'White Punks on Hope' singles out the Clash for criticism, it came out a few months before London Calling. It's worth remarking at this point that the guitarist Phil Free refused to learn one single guitar chord in all the years he was with the band, when the band split, he refused all interviews and to dwell on his time with the band in public. What could be more 'punk' than that?

[@erikbartlam7377]

Crass, Flux of Pink Indians and that crowd nukes the clash from outer space. It’s weird to hear the clash described as the darlings of the elite because in my own circles…circle?…they’re just a new wave band in berets. I don’t hate them but…

[@drummer78]

I always liked “Give ‘Em Enough Rope”. That album was slagged off by some at the time because it has a “slick” American rock production. Who cares…the album rocks and it is tight and to the point.

[@Justin_Kipper]

I never considered Sandy Pearlman to be a "slick" producer, but I understand why some might say that.

[@peterdixon7734]

John Peel lamented that it "veered dangerously toward heavy metal".

[@geoffreycanie4609]

Interesting commentary, thanks Andy

[@lupcokotevski2907]

I paid AUD$100 for this album last year, bought on reputation. Put me to sleep. Its now for sale at my local flea market. I wore a Che t- shirt in 1979 until I discovered what a horrific person he was. The only good thing my socialist sociology lecturer could say about Cuba was the education system. Ah, the memories.

[@DiamandiL]

$100 was it a limited edition version?

[@lupcokotevski2907]

@DiamandiL No, in an antique store, where most things are overpriced. At least I got to inspect it and no postage. A rarely seen record where I live. People must hang on to their copy.

[@DiamandiL]

@@lupcokotevski2907 I've not gone vinyl shopping for probably 20 years, not since the price of CDs went down. Prices must have gone crazy, I didn't pay anywhere near that for my copy, but that would have been 25+ years ago. I don't think Clash albums popped up all that often even back then here in Perth.

[@lupcokotevski2907]

@DiamandiL It's the only one I've ever seen here in Newcastle. I've been shopping regularly here for 10 years now.

[@harrygrosomanidis9699]

Their Health care system goes ok as well

[@mazieways]

Clampdown is a great song, ha get along get along!

[@DukGef]

Sgt. Pepper's of Punk? That must be Pink Flag by Wire.

[@guidoroemer81]

154

[@TimReilly-f9q]

@@guidoroemer81 154 is one of my top 10 albums - sublime

[@mrsherwood2599]

WIRE is the Sgt Pepper's of punk.

[@nathanlowry3764]

How do you feel about Big Audio Dynamite II?

[@h.m.7218]

Love the elastic groove of e=mc2. Check this song by the Rondo Brothers, great elastic groove as well : kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIXJp354hKarmKc

[@JungleTelegraph]

The London Calling album is brilliant. Quirky, varied, and powerful. There is nothing like it.

[@ElfinMan]

It has a mythology because of the iconic cover snd the title track. The Clash never convinced me.

[@Asdwer1]

The iconic cover of a hunchback smashing a guitar...

[@jimmccloskey4254]

@@Asdwer1 Pete Townsend and Jimi Hendrix must make you cringe with their instrument destruction.

[@Asdwer1]

@@jimmccloskey4254 They aren't hunchbacks, last time I checked...

[@personanongrata1308]

Strummer was a posh public schoolboy whose real name was Graham.

[@edwardyazinski3858]

Who are you that needs convincing then?

[@blindpink]

The first Clash album is the only one you need.

[@Pcrimson1]

Why was this such an important record? Well, as a young white kid in the suburbs in the New York area, it was a breath of fresh air. We were just getting our earliest awareness of ska and reggae (other than Bob Marley and Clapton's crappy version of I Shot the Sheriff). Also, helped us appreciate our rock & roll past, it was ok to like those forms. Plus, all of London Calling was catchy as Hell, ALL of it. And we knew punk rock was limited. The initial shock was over. To hear this band stretch out, whether you like it or not, let us know there was more to come. I'd love to see Andy sit down with Mick Jones and talk about it. I don't think Mick was so Posh. Plus that first Big Audio Dynomite album was awesome!

[@nigelleaney8266]

Great review. I remember buying this a few years following its release, after being seduced by the hype. I agree with your first analysis. Great title track, down hill after that. In Uncut’s recently ranked ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ this comes in at 58 - so it’s slipped somewhat but still pretty high. The whole list is pretty bizarre. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is a lowly 411 while Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks is at… number 11! 🤣

[@Talent_Spotter]

I love this album and The Clash, but I appreciate your analysis Andy. Especially concerning the music critics...

[@stufen11]

This has been the best psycho-therapy session I have never paid for. You have opened my eyes. It turns out, I have been elitist, pompous and pretentious, most of my life. Thanks man.

[@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266]

Nope, you have been fooled by the elitist, pompous and pretentious critics. Or at least that's what he meant. And there is some truth in that. This album is decent, but all the overrating it comes from the progressive left thinking groups impersonated in music critics.

[@andrewdevine3920]

I love 'Clampdown'

[@RickB-vg2lz]

Agreed. After the first track I fall asleep.

[@misterunderbridge2351]

Andy's back to tear off another scab😂

[@kgrant67]

I'm your age Andy, but from the midwest US. I love London Calling, but upon hearing your analysis I totally get why you do not. I do not look at it from a political or cultural influence perspective at all. Not only am I removed from the angst that was going on in Britain in the 70's that gave birth to punk, but I didn't hear this album until the late 90's when I was about 30 years old. Therefore I don't see it as a bunch of posh boys being pseudo revolutionaries. I can see how if that was my perspective it would make the album pretty irritating. I just like the songs.

[@nilsknospe4976]

Wonderful! Happy New Year!

[@vladdrakul7851]

As I often say here on Andy's videos, music IS indeed VERY subjective, nevertheless I find myself agreeing with Andy's premise here. He DOES appreciate the really great songs (London's Calling and Guns of Brixton being two of their very best.) I also loved the Police and still remember living in Bristol and walking around listening to 'Walking on the Moon' as a revelation but if I had to choose MY favorite of the Clash LPs it is the SPRAWLING 'Sandinista'. While it also has some near misses and filler, it has a meandering charm and is a GREAT Progressive moody experimental and inspired Rock LP as a whole and their High Point IMHO. Like the White Album by the Beatles, it 'might' have been better if it lost one of the three LPs but it is cohesive anyway and choosing which songs to lose would lose some good stuff, even IF there IS filler there. Nevertheless I completely agree that 'London's Calling' is NOT one of the best 10 Rock LPs ever but it is also NOT crap! Of all Andy's opinions, that which bugs me the most, is his complete lack of understanding of the greatness of the uneven Grateful Dead. Which is a typical British thing and quite sad really. Janis Joplin, Duane Allman and Bob Dylan loved and jammed with them and they pioneered true jamming gigs while their jazz rock Masterpiece 'Blues for Allah' (1975) like Parliament Funkadelic are VERY underrated. Interestingly both Pete Pardo, Rick Beato and others now love them, after having dismissed them in their earlier 'metal only days'. The last time I saw the Dead it was with Soundgarden who opened for them in Madison Square Garden in 1992/1? For me they lost it after the George Lowell produced 'Shakedown Street', a very underrated LP IMHO and then they later on had Winston Marsalis playing sax with them. They were the originators in San Francisco, helping the Jefferson Airplane and others (Sly Stone) get started. Mea Culpa, as I don't get the love for what is for me turgid, tedious Prog Rock that is for me, music about NOTHING at all. Psychedelic music yes, Prog NO (other than 'Meddle' to 'Animals' Pink Floyd). Loved the Beatles, Zeppelin, Television, Reggae (Marley, Tosh, Tapper Zuki+) the Stranglers, Eno, the Psychedelic Furs, Siousxie, Lene Lovich, earlier Pil and mid era Depeche Mode though! A good thoughtful video anyway Andy!

[@nonnayoubuzinnes1669]

It's funny I did the same thing 3 or 4 months ago, hadn't listened to that album for a while but 'Train in Vain' came up in my feed so I got the album out. Absolutely love it. 'Clampdown' is probably my favourite and have always loved 'Train in Vain', 'London Calling' and 'Guns of Brixton' in particular. I like pretty much every track.

[@kencoakley8366]

London Calling was my first album I bought by The Clash. In October of 1989, I heard on the radio that the music critics voted the album as the best of the 80s (it was released here in the US in 1980). It was my favorite album that I bought during that summer. At the time, I was 13 - 14 and trying to decide which youth culture I was going to be part of. That summer, I discovered The Clash, The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, but I also discovered Judas Priest, Motorhead, AC/DC, Blackfoot. After The Clash released Combat Rock, they lost me. So I became a Metalhead and became part of Boston's Thrash Metal scene until 1989.

[@MrMojoRisin]

One of the best albums I’ve heard by anyone. The Clash never did another album as good as this in my opinion.

[@andrewkline5611]

Yeah, but no one else did either.

[@h.m.7218]

Weird... So you think it's better than, say, Machine Gun Etiquette by the Damned ?

[@andrewkline5611]

@@h.m.7218 I think it’s better than Marquee Moon. Better than Patti Smith Horses. Better than all Stooges albums. Better than Never Mind the Bollocks. Better than the Dead Boys album. Better than the first Ramone’s album. Better than Richard Hell. Oh yeah, better than the damned too.

[@andrewkline5611]

@@h.m.7218 Also better than dead Kennedy’s, Black Flag, Fear, Circle Jerks, New York Dolls…

[@andrewkline5611]

Better than the Jam, Stiff Little Fingers, Blondie, Wayne County, the Pluggs, the Vibrators, the Slits…

[@FormulaProg]

Amazing album. Death or glory. Say no more.

[@philipmccann2358]

I was a teenager during the punk era but I was a rockabilly (got beaten up by punks quite a bit) Hated punk at the time but now , I love it , and The Clash are my favourite band from that era, speaking as a serious musician . They are the musicians punk band !

[@tomtrana3449]

Drummer Topper Headen was probably the only one in the band who mastered his instrument ;-) and later surprised everyone with his love of Big Band sound with his debut solo album "Waking Up".

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

A good band is a good drummer! Might do a video on this

[@tomtrana3449]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer btw Just an idea: maybe certain drummers should be recognized, even posthumously, such as Clive Colin Brooks played for Uriel, Egg, Groundhogs, Liar and later drum technician for Pink Floyd. Such people deserve it.

[@Gbass66]

Damn! Left me gobsmacked (LOL) I do remember as a teenager not appreciating sides 3/4 (Train in Vain not withstanding) thinking they were boring at the time. I later on came to enjoy sides 3/4. I do LOVE the Clash and especially this album which I used to teach me how to play bass. For me Topper Headon (influenced by Buddy Rich and Billy Cobham) takes this band seamlessly to the next level. Punk was pretty much over by 1979 and I think this album was the Clash trying to prove they were more than a three-chord punk band and having the balls to try to and break the rules and move on. Very PROG! How about a reevaluation of Pet Sounds? Love the channel!

[@geoffewbank9775]

Great video but I still love this album.

[@GastonBulbous]

A fair review that makes legitimate complaints but leaves out the feelings of love and loyalty this band generated with its fans at the time. I bought this album the day it came out in January 1980, when the Clash's lefty sincerity had earned them the moniker of "the only band that matters". The album was only about a dollar more expensive than the usual double album, so it put you into the mindset that some of the filler, the stylistic pastiches which were pretty decent as mere filler, were essentially free extra material, gifted to you by the band. Even Train in Vain was a gift, a secret, unlisted bonus track at the end of the record that became a huge radio hit in America. If you kept only the most outstanding tracks on London Calling and combined them onto a single-disc LP, you would have had an undeniable punk-pop classic. Sandinista repeated this formula, giving the fans a three-record set for the price of two. A fantastic double album could have been edited out of that triple album as well. The fans failed to embrace that record (their greatest, imo) because of the deep dive into reggae, but if you were a fan of that Lee Scratch Perry style of dub, that material was legit and really nicely done as well. Sandinista is a great double album with what amounts to a free bonus record of dub mixes, but they made the mistake of distributing the dub mixes throughout the record. Like the great prog albums, however, Sandinista repays a longer attention span and craves a bit of indulgence. It's the same story on London Calling.

[@cbolt4492]

How about some Madness LPs they're flippen awesome 😎

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Yes I agree...

[@TimReilly-f9q]

Good on ya Andy for giving it a deep listen The Clash have always been a target of both overstatement and understatement by the so called purveyors and arbiters of " good" taste. However London Calling is a very fine record, - that should be enough. LISTS - down with this sort of thing! :)

[@lazarus533]

Sandinista is my favorite album by The Clash!!!

[@Pureevilhotsauce]

It's all about Topper

[@jvpresnall]

What do you think of Big Audio Dynamite with sampling and hip hop influences. Ennio Morricone. The revolution the Clash talked about turned out to just be a movie.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I heard the BAD album the day it came out. My friends bought and we went back to listen to it. I had no memory of having any response to it.

[@b2tall239]

Other than this album I don't really listen to much by The Clash. But this album is amazing. Perfect IMO. I'm 60 yrs old and I remember when this album came out and heard the singles on the radio, but I didn't listen to it in its entirety until about 10 yrs later in the late '80s. I was immediately hooked. Nothing else by the band struck me as being more than a decent song or an OK album....but "London Calling" would be on my short list when determining my top-10 albums of all time. It still sounds great. I think you're spot on with many "fans" of this album being virtue-signalers, but I doubt if most of them could name more than 2 tracks on it. I'm a knuckle-dragger and the whole "revolution" thing is lost on me, so I love this album for it's sound...its melodies....its hooks and riffs. Thanks, Andy. P.S. I paused Pardo to watch this video first. 😁

[@BobCoalWater]

I keep repeating to myself "Robert, unless it's an album that was just a little to long to squeeze on a single record, do not buy double albums" and I still bought this one. I could not make it through the whole thing. It's good for the ego, I'll think of this experience, among so many others, before calling someone else dumb.

[@Mongodaze234]

I hear every word you are saying Andy & you have made some valid points but this is a strong rock album regardless. In saying that this is my Clash album ranking: Sandinista The clash Combat rock London calling Give em enough rope

[@harrygrosomanidis9699]

Andy, have you heard a song called "Sand" by a band called Clear Light out of 1968. The first 20 seconds are London calling. Someome might have already pointed this out.

[@markperry9427]

You have summed up exactly how I've been feeling about this album, great openers, great conclusion, just mediocre middle, 5/5 is a fair score for me also. I don't think it would enter my top five of that year, however, it is not a bad album, I can listen to it however I prefer their debut. I think this is another case of a double album that could have been a really good single album. A good album, but not a masterpiece by a long shot. Maybe the critics who had pinned their colours to the mast that punk was the next big thing were seeking to justify themselves now that punk was floundering, it's impetus lost and didn't like the fact that bands like ABC and Haircut 100 were now becoming the big thing. You talking about the revolutionary aspect made me suddenly realise how big an influence the Clash were on the Manic Street Preachers ( you probably don't like them either 😅)

[@goldspeedstudio]

love this, going song by song to grade the album

[@seansezz]

This one absolutely pulled me in

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

👍 Andy Edwards

[@sjs622]

Thanks for your perceptive and entertaining content, Andy. I agree with you: I can't help wondering if "London Calling" was a victim of the double-album curse - one album's worth of okay-to-good material padded out with dross (e.g. the White Album and many others.)

[@slumdogjay]

Love the singles collection of The Clash. Always found their albums a bit patchy though.

[@johnrogers2826]

Bingo! Well put.

[@nickwrxsti]

A fun review. Yes. Those “posh-boys” who sat around in a warm common-room listening to this stuff, musing socialist thoughts, right up until leaving school and becoming tools of fascist empire. And yet, 45 years down the line, the actual sound of this album is still nice and round. And with only one member attending a “Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference” school, The Clash ain’t gonna win a game of poshness Top Trumps. They were light years away from “five boys from Charterhouse” (aka Genesis). And London Calling still parallels the tensions in my hometown, Luton, which spilt over into riots in 81. What was Kidderminster like at that time? And what were the musical alternatives? Unlistenable trebly and inconsequential pop-trite, dished up by three thoroughly annoying characters as Regatta de Blanc? Does a free grammar school in Newcastle trump a low-ranking private school? Copeland’s Millfield school is surely a 10? It even has an extra wiki page for alumni, his dad was an actual founder of the CIA, and his mum was also an intelligence asset. Can we have a top ten of posh bands? ;-)) Yes, I enjoyed your review. Thanks.

[@robertjary2470]

I was relief manager at Sands when that was going on . Star our parent company made us open as usual , driving through Bury Park on my way in to work almost all the shops had boarded up their windows. I was listening to the Ruts , Atmosfear and Brass construction.

[@nickwrxsti]

@@robertjary2470 :-)) Wow. I was a weedy teenage member of the Luton Arrow Bicycle club attending club-night at Bury Park Hall. Some of the older (crazy) lads went out "armed" with bike tools. Fortunately, it seemed to pass, but it was nevertheless a somewhat unsettling experience. I was still playing musical-catch-up with Stranglers + PIL records borrowed from the older lads.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Andy I completely agree with everything you said and only add that they had the best band name. Idea for video topic, “how Prog ruined rock” or for more views “Did Britain ruin Rock and Roll?” Or the top ten reasons etc. You could go at it a few different ways. I do enjoy your spontaneous thought experiments.

[@noodlehat3250]

I agree with Andy. London Calling is a great song, but the rest of the album is meh

[@Bruce-w5i9o]

Andy, you are a fearless contrarian! I love London Calling, however, there is a bit a filler. If you liked “A Brand New Cadillac, how could you not like the Blistering rocker, “Clampdown” a rip snorting Mick Jones Guitar solo! I love your well crafted arguments of Rock Criticisms of the last 50 years. My guess would be someone like Robert Christgau, or maybe Griel Marcus…at least here in the U.S. I still love London Calling, is it a perfect LP…no. BTW, I was wondering if you would give a serious dive into one of my favorite Stones records, Exile on Main Street that you mentioned in your earlier episode. Your thought provoking comments are always appreciated. Thanks for turning me on to Billy Cobham’s Spectrum and Return to Forever. Keep up the great work. P.S. one of the most political albiet from “posh boy” University students, was The Gang of Four’s “That’s Entertainment” A Marxist treatise done to a Chic back beat and Hendrix feedback…a true post punk masterpiece!

[@gabe2869]

Anyone is free to like or dislike whatever they choose, obviously, I respect that you are an original thinker and don't give a shit what other people think. That being said, by your own admission, you haven't even listened to some of the albums you hate. You dislike (or claim to anyway) bands based on reasons that you are just assuming, like the musicians backgrounds or personal life. But hey, what you are doing is working, so what the hell do I know? Also, to say that if you like London Calling you are a virtue signaling is ridiculous. People are drawn to music for a variety of reasons. I love London Calling, but I am simply not really a lyrics guy. I like the music. I love your channel by the way. Every video you make that I dislike, you also have video that I truly love and share with others. Keep up the good work Andy.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I have listened to these rubbish albums, a lot of that shtick is for comedy purposes

[@445supermag]

I remember as a kid watching Saturday Night Live, and the Clash were the musical guests. They came on and started jumping around like they were really rocking, when in reality the guitar was making these little "ploink", "twang" and "boing" noises. Me and afriend looked at each other and just started laughing.

[@soulbrother5435]

I used to be into punk rock but didn't appreciate the Clash diversity of sounds until getting matured.

[@kgrant67]

I like how you say "getting matured", like it's something that happened to you externally without your consent lol!

[@soulbrother5435]

@@kgrant67 yeah maturing as a person comes with maturing physically at the same time

[@freedom_monkey]

I feel 1979 was important as it was coming out of punk and growing into something more mature. Regatta de blanc, machine gun etiquette, the raven. It was about who has the talent to take things to the next stage. Who in the punk scene really has any chops or new ideas beyond the the three chord trick. London calling was chosen by the critics to represent this crossover I feel. It is an important album and gets the accolades because of this. It is experimental and a hodge podge but really needs to be put in context of the year it was produced. I'd take the damned or police over it personally but it has some great tracks on it. Guns of Brixton is a killer.

[@h.m.7218]

Please read the comment I wrote more or less at the same time as yours. Here it is : I was reading the comments of all the people who love this album and it reminded about the music mystery... So, according to them it's kind of the Sgt Pepper's of punk. OK. I get the diverse aspect of it. But still, I don't like it. Never been into punk, to say the truth. So I don't like this album and I don't like Never Mind the Bollocks either. Don't like punk as a musical genre. BUT... there's one punk album I love. One and only one. I even rank it as one of my 15 alltime favorite albums. Along with albums like A Wizard/A True Star? by Todd Rundgren or Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan or Innervisions by Stevie Wonder. It's Machine Gun Etiquette by the Damned. Which happens to be sonistically much more genuinely punk than London Calling... It's as punk as Bollocks will ever be ! So how come I love MGE and couldn''t care less about London Calling, the so called Sgt Peppers of punk ? Or Bollocks for that matter... The answer, in one word, is hooks. The only good enough hooks to my ears on London Calling are those of the title track and Train in Vain. I hear plenty of hooks as good or even better than those on Machine Gun Etiquette. In fact, I would give the whole Clash discography for Smash it Up ( part I and II )... MGE is pop punk of the highest order. When the hooks are that good, the punk aspect becomes secondary. I love the Damned and the Stranglers. Both were tagged "punk" back then. Neither are really, though. The Damned were for their three first albums and then became much more sophisticated and middle of the road ( kind of ) with Strawberries, another alltime favorite of mine. And the Stranglers were right from the start far too much musically sophisticated to fit in the punk movement. They only were in spirit. Not in music. I'd like to read an answer to this comment by someone who loves both London Calling and Machine Gun Etiquette equally because I don't get it... Best Clash song if you asked me would be Rock the Casbah. Elastic groove and very good hook. Like e=mc2 by BAD. Or In the Valley, another track with great elastic groove, by the Rondo Brothers : kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIXJp354hKarmKc

[@freedom_monkey]

​​@@h.m.7218 Absolutely. I could not agree more. mge is the SP of punk but the Damned were on an independent label (Chiswick) like a true punk band should be. The clash were on a major. The Damned are criminally overlooked. Their thuggish pantomime image didn't help. MGE is a masterpiece of course. Amazed someone else had the same opinion. Good to hear. Sensible is and was a master of melody combined with energy and an underrated guitarist too. Hooks galore. The black album and Strawberries are are mix of punk prog, goth and pop and excellent musicianship. Everything London calling tries to be. The damned and the stranglers were top musicians unlike the limited clash players. London calling is good but it's not great though i like it's experimental feel. It was actually recorded in the same studio at the same time as MGE. Thanks for sharing, I feel a little better now. 😅

[@richardsmith1487]

“We need skill to be put back on the attributes that make great art” As someone who has worked 28 years in HE art education I cannot agree more. In an increasingly Ai infested world we must champion and value the well made and that includes the humanity of error and mistakes

[@hallhenry6135]

I thought what Andy thinks the first time I heard London Calling. Maybe if I had spent enough time listening to it over and over with devoted determination, I would have come to a different opinion. But I didn't. And I don't regret it for a minute.

[@JimBagby74]

You're damn right Regatta de Blanc is the superior album.

[@b1daly1]

I appreciate you taking the time for a reappraisal of London Calling. As a champion of the album here’s my response: - pastiche: this is a fair criticism, ‘Jimmy Jazz’ ‘Brand New Cadillac’ announce the approach in their title, these songs are weaker for it - ‘Hateful’ this is not pastiche, I’ve never heard anything quite like it, and it has what I love, great hook, slippery groove, lyrics are pointed and not pretentious - political posturing, as a Yank and young person I never cared about the ‘message’ aspect of the clash and imagery/signifying of Sandinista/Combat Rock seemed absurd, I just liked catchy rock music and the topics on London Calling seem(ed) as good as any for a pop song - there’s no accounting for taste? I find ‘Clampdown’ to be sublime, tough, energetic, hooky, imaginative - my taste only overlaps modestly with yours-while can appreciate the more complex musics like Jazz you love from an intellectual perspective, the actual listening to it verges on unbearable to me (with some exceptions like Keith Jarret, or Bitches Brew) - you’ve teased around this with your supremely calibrated Superi-o-meter, but all this points to the complexity of how music actually works in mind of listener, combining objective and subjective, and relying on a set of culturally contextual symbols in both musician and listener to communicate anything of meaning - a fascinating aspect of music is the fixation of taste in one’s youth, which gives more weight to the subjective aspects of musical value Thanks Andy👍

[@danu6718]

Brilliant show.

[@aliensporebomb]

My prog band used to play "Brand New Cadillac" at gigs and it went over awesomely. But none of us had this record, we were all where we could hear something and figure out out and play it. We had a few songs that if the gig wasn't going well we could play and would usually work if our usual stuff wasn't working.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

A great tune...

[@aliensporebomb]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer And it actually was fun to play and I'd bark out the lyrics like a hooligan. Good fun.

[@grahamnunn8998]

Also a cover of a Vince Taylor song from 1959. I have played this is a Rock and Roll covers band I sometimes played with. His lyrics are a little tamer.

[@Justin_Kipper]

When my son was learning to play guitar, I showed him how to play the song. It was a fun song to jam along with, especially for beginners.

[@TimothyJBerry]

Great argument! I remember London Calling was listed as the BEST album of the 1980’s I think by Rolling Stone magazine at the end of the 1980’s. Thanks for putting this album in its proper place.

[@michaelwills1926]

Rolling stone turned out to be such an obviously bias political rag that it really makes sense the stuff they championed and the stuff they didn’t. It sucks to learn how phony a lot of the scene really was.

[@mrinalkundu1521]

Completely agree. Thought exactly the same at the time. How about a review of the Stranglers B&W?

[@h.m.7218]

Not my favorite by the Stranglers. I would go for Rattus or Raven. And I love the Gospel. What a great band !

[@mrinalkundu1521]

@ Agree. I rotate on which is my fave. B&W and Gospel are often overlooked (?). Rattus over Raven for me.

[@be1150-c7u]

Excellent in depth analysis, Andy. I particularly like the way you use the “influence vs pastiche” framework, which isn’t something I’ve thought about a lot. Also interesting are your thoughts on the virtue signaling elements intended and inferred with “Spanish Bombs.” I’m always more in tune with melody and rhythm and much less with vocals so I don’t normally react much to the words. I have to say that on balance I rate “London Calling” much more highly than you do. But your analysis also strikes me as right on. The bass parts and tone are masterful and even if the varying styles are more tribute than transformation I dig the songs. I do wonder if like almost all double albums it suffers from, well … just being too long!! Much as I adore “Tusk,” “Sign o’ the Times,” and “Mellon Collie …” at some point I’m thinking, “Did we really need ‘Not that Funny,’ ‘Slow Love,’ or ‘Tales of a Scorched Earth??’” Keep up the great work!!

[@AstroZombie1138]

It's the influence of it innit and why punk legends like Rancid say almost 25 years later "I'm dancing now to a whole different drummer, And I'll keep listening to the great Joe Strummer." Tim was thinking about London Calling rather than Combat Rock, though this influenced Manic Street Preachers, and Rudie Can't Fail went onto start the ska punk genre as those early ska punk bands like Operation Ivy, Social Distortion's Mike Ness and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones's Dicky Barrett have been open about their influence even through to bands like Green Day but they also influenced hardcore punk bands like Black Flag and in particular Henry Rollins and also bands like The Pogues, Billy Bragg, The Specials and much later bands like Anti-Flag. Carl Barat from The Libertines was a major fan as he met Joe as a kid and even country singer Jesse Dayton has confessed to being influenced by The Clash so their influence runs far and wide through many genres and most of that starts with London Calling and why it is a 10 rather than 4.666666 😁

[@roystonsbailey]

Andy could you do a video comparing Freakout to Sgt Peppers? As you probably know Paul said "it was our Freakout". Also an opportunity to compare and contrast them as artists.

[@clappersox]

Andy, i'm fairly sure 'your public' wanted you to re evaluate Pet Sounds sir:)

[@ChrisUK5150]

Nail on the head here Andy. 20+ years ago I had to learn the track London Calling for a covers band so I borrowed the CD from the local library. I'd never heard the LP but eagerly awaited to hear how wonderful it was...I loved the title track and as the critics held the LP so high esteem it had to be a classic right?... nope most of it was dull as dishwater to my ears. I'll take the 1979 releases from The Damned, XTC, Skids, Police & Stranglers over it any day.

[@adude9882]

Reggae and Rastas were pretty ubiquitous in the 70s. Funny tnough, can't remember the last time I saw a Rasta in real life. I miss them.