Mick Jones gets kicked out of THE CLASH - best or worst thing?

Music Stories 64
Mick Jones is best known as the lead guitarist, occasional lead vocalist and the musical brains behind The Clash and the leader of bands Big Audio Dynamite (BAD) and Carbon/ Sylicon. He’s worked with artists such as The Gorlilaz, The Libertines, like The Wallflowers, The Flaming Lips, and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs to name a few.
That is only scratching the surface of a busy, highly productive and creative career in music.
IMPORTANT CORRECTION- Mick Jones was born on June 26th ( NOT June 22nd - as mentioned in the video by mistake ).
Are you a fan of Mick Jone’s music. Have you ever seen any of his bands live OR listened to his recordings. Share YOUR Mick Jones story in the comments. Thanks so much.

[@davidnoakes1434]

Saw them on the Give em Enough Rope tour in 78,I was 14. They were awesome, the Slits were supporting. 78 was a really good year for live music, saw the Ramones as well among others.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@davidnoakes1434 I would have loved to have seen them then - and the Ramones too. That sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your story and welcome to tne channel.

[@walesdad]

Him leaving the Clash was the end of the band.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@walesdad I totally agree. I think the Clash and most fans agree too. Thanks so much for your comment.

[@BanjoLuke1]

I was very lucky to see The Clash a couple of times at the Electric Ballroom in (?) 1980 or '81... maybe both. They were an extraordinary unit. Full of energy. Full of music. Very tight. Pretty raw. I was there to be entertained and I was entertained. Jones was a core and key part of the band and of the sound.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@BanjoLuke1 Thanks 🙏 so much for sharing your story. I always felt the same way about his playing and his involvement with the band. In many ways he was a driving force and definitely the musical heart of that band. It must have been great to see them then.

[@tattyshoesshigure5731]

When Mick left it was ‘The Death of The Clash’. I know Joe regretted it… he’s often said ‘if you’ve got a good band, don’t mess with it’ - or words to that effect!

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@tattyshoesshigure5731 Yes, I’ve seen that footage. It’s heartbreaking. It’s totally true. I’m glad Joe saw that clearly over time. Thanks so much for your comment. Welcome to the channel. Remember to Subscribe to see more videos Thanks for sharing your story.

[@daniellebcooper7160]

He also played guitar in Sid Vicious's band on the 'sid sings' album.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@daniellebcooper7160 Thanks so much for sharing that but info. I never knew that about Mick Jones. Thank you Danielle.

[@snowmancometh3847]

He was kicked out, and the Clash (if they must be called that) replaced him with two more guitarists and put out an awful album. Toured and broke up. I could have gotten free tickets for the final tour, and after seeing them once, turned them down. Meanwhile, Mick formed BAD and released many excellent albums. Carbon/Silicon with Tony James were excellent. I saw The Clash about a dozen times. BAD at least a dozen times, and Carbon Silicon three times. Jones and company never fail to entertain. He's one of my few guitar heroes.

[@larryg5698]

Super Simple… kickin Jones out of the Clash was a disaster.

[@johnholmes629]

Nice story Ben 👌 thank you I saw mick jones play with Big audio dynamite back in 1988 in sir Henry's which was a popular rock venue back then in Cork my home city. They were brilliant live and getting the meet the man himself after the show was very exciting for me . He was really cool and so nice . Also saw them back in 2011 when they performed in Roseland nyc .

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@johnholmes629 Wow. Great to hear. I had a feeling that he’d be great to meet. You just totally confirmed that. Thanks for sharing your story John.

[@thomasandersen6719]

The Clash were finished the day Mick left. Cut the Crap is possibly the worst album of all time. The songwriting was atrocious. Try listen to "Dictator" the first track on the album. It sounds like 3 different songs playing at the same time. I'm glad joe and Mick made up later and wrote some good songs together for No. 10 Upping street

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@thomasandersen6719 Needles to say, I totally agree with you. I will check out ‘Dictator’ on your advice. Yeah, Mick was a BIG part of what made them great. No Mick … no Clash. Joe KNEW when he was wrong - after a while. It didn’t take long for them to make up, be friends and work together again. From some reports they were even planning on re-uniting towards the end of Joe’s life. I’m not sure what to believe there… But sounds real. Thanks so much for your thoughts and comments. Welcome to the channel.

[@thomasandersen6719]

@@BenjaminsMusicStories I think I remember that they were discussing getting back together around the time they were inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2003 but sadly Joe passed in 2002 so it didn't happen obviously. Maybe it was for the best. Not that Joe passed away but that they never got to taint what they really were...maybe they would have been amazing and maybe they would have been awefull...who knows?

[@levvellene570]

I have no idea what the truth was, even as I was hearing Joe Strummer telling why. The Clash were in Norway to play a concert, and there was an interview on Norway's NRK (the state broadcasting service/corporation). Strummer said that Mick Jones didn't want to go to rainy Oslo/Norway (?) to play, so he was now out of the band...

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@levvellene570 I don’t think THAT was the reason. But I know there was a lot of tension in the band. Mick wrote ‘Should I Stay or Should I go.’ about his situation. The tension came to a head. I have heard that their manager Bernie instigated the firing, but I’d have to hear a more sober account from Paul Simmonon to really believe / know exactly what happened. Welcome to the channel. Subscribe if you haven’t already and thanks so much for sharing your story. 🙏

[@bertsbooks2505]

Saw that tour in '84 and I really needn't have bothered... luckily I'd been able to catch them in '82, post Topper, but Mick still very much in place. It was clunky and over-blokey without him. Nice try lads.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@bertsbooks2505 Welcome to the channel. You summed what I had suspected in your comment . Thanks so much for sharing you story.

[@Andynauga]

Firing Mick Jones is tied with Mick Taylor leaving the Stones for the biggest disasters rock music history.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@Andynauga I love this comment and I totally agree. Thank you Andy.

[@user-oi8rc4bh5u]

Brutal

[@theprogrammerrolandmc3039]

Why did they let him join if they where going to kick him out anyway one of them was a fake punk and a rich kid who promoted rock against the rich quite strange for a son of a British diplomat.

[@BenjaminsMusicStories]

@@theprogrammerrolandmc3039 I think you’re talking about Joe Strummer. It’s true he was the son of a diplomat. He went to boarding school too. It’s worth pointing out that lots of his colleagues like members of the Sex Pistols for example, who came from working class backgrounds did not think Joe was a fake. His background, like anyone’s, didn’t dictate or determine the kind of person he was going to be. I believe he was genuine - the real deal. Those are my feelings.

[@user-pl9jb6xs6e]

Clash were a shitty sell out fake punk band!! No real punk likes the clash