Joe Strummer - Redemption Song

[rochefort]

The thing I wanted most for Christmas was Redemption Song, the new Joe Strummer biography. 660 pages, with pics I hadn't seen before, lots of them of Mick Jones when he still had hair. I'd been looking forward to it since it came out in October

Comments

[miraminx]

Oh, man. That disappoints and saddens me too. I don't actively avoid finding out things about artists (musicians, writers) whose work I admire, but I don't necessarily seek it out, either, for this reason. This information about Joe Strummer is the most extreme example I can think of, of someone whose work I respect and even love turning out to be, well, a shit. That shouldn't affect how I feel about his music, but it's hard not to let it creep (sorry) in there.

Something music-related that has made me happy, on the other hand, is the 10th anniversary edition of Everything Must Go, which I bought for myself a couple of months ago. Just hearing Nicky Wire say 'slutty' was worth the $30.

[rochefort]

I thought of you while I was reading it, and how disappointed you would be, too

[miraminx]

I have mixed feelings because in some cases it's fun and entertaining to find out more about the people behind the art/music. So, for example, I got a book about Big Star -- ironically enough, published only in the UK-- that I thoroughly enjoyed. But then, I already knew that Alex Chilton was basically an unpleasant person; and what I really liked about the book was that it was the story of the band, not a biography of Chilton, although it did tell the life story of the band members.

Is there a good book about The Clash that would be the equivalent-- something that would give some analysis (and in 600+ pages, how did the author resist the urge to tell you What It All Meant? Amazing)?

I'd rather be called someone's casual fuck than be called their 'lady'.The way that some British men refer to their partners as "my missus", even when they're not actually bound in wedlock, rubs me the same, wrong way-- I think because it evokes "the little lady" a little too strongly for my taste

[miraminx]

Not to spam you or anything, but I finally managed to put into words why it bothers me so much that Joe Strummer in particular was such a misogynist, whereas I wouldn't have been nearly as crushed to hear that, say, Billy Idol held the same beliefs. Okay, bad example-- I'll say Alex Chilton again, he can be my default. In fact Alex has some rather creepy tendencies towards much younger women, but that doesn't put me off Big Star. Back on track, and I know you've already realized this much earlier than I did, but it bothers me with Joe because his social justice agenda was so upfront and such a part of his public and artistic persona. So does this mean that he only really believed in social justice for half the human race?

Now I really will stop commenting, I promise. mwah!

[rochefort]

Well of course I agree with everything you've said. Joe Strummer would not have wanted women to be excluded from that agenda; yet when he came into contact with any individual woman he seemed utterly incapable of treating her as though she were deserving of that respect and not of harassment. Maybe it's a question of, don't do as I do, do as I say. Which would, as you suggest, make him a hypocrite.

And yet lots of people liked him. I really don't understand that and possibly it's due to the easy-going nature of the people he knew. Or maybe just because many of them were complete potheads and his behaviour didn't seem like such a big deal. Or maybe he had a personal charm that made you overlook his creepiness. It's a big mystery to me.

Anyway, this doesn't put me off the Clash, who are bigger than JS. Mick Jones was always my favourite and he comes out of this book well. By the end I was even better disposed to Topper Headon, whom I'd always been a bit contemptuous of.

The way that some British men refer to their partners as "my