RIP Poly Styrene a true British queen, a punk inspiration, a powerful frontwoman, a beautiful soul. Love and sympathy goes out to all her family and friends.
A Strummer welcome at the gates of heaven, may she rest in peace.
Perhaps a fan on Youtube said it best: “Frank Turner is the best friend you never had.” Indeed, the folk/punk troubadour remains one of the most down-to-earth men in music and an artist whose honest and uncompromising songwriting has resonated with people from all walks of life.
Ahead of his special 1000th gig at Strummerville Spring Sessions, we caught up with him for a chat.
Reaching 1000 gigs in no mean feat by anyone’s standards, let alone by someone still in their 20s. Rewind the clock and tell us about the first one.
“The first solo show I did, I was still in Million Dead. The guys at Small Town America Records were putting on a charity all-dayer at 93 Feet East and asked me if I wanted to play a solo slot, and I said yes. I remember being nervous as hell, and the set was mostly covers because I hadn’t written too many songs of my own then (and wasn’t really planning to). It’s funny to think that it’s now become my livelihood, in a way.”
Has there been one gig that stands out over the 998 others?
“Ha! It’d be impossible to choose one! I’m lucky to say there have been many awesome shows. Things like playing Wembley Stadium stick out in the mind, obviously, but then some of my favourite shows have been in bedrooms and small bars.”
How did you first become involved with Strummerville?
“Through friends, really. Jay (Beans On Toast) is an old compadre, and was actually pretty instrumental in persuading me to pursue this course in music after my band broke up. Hanging with him and the Nambucca crew back in the day, I just crossed paths with the Strummerville camp and made friends.”
Did you ever meet Joe Strummer?
“I did not, alas, which is a shame. I’m a fan, of course.”
Who are you looking forward to checking out at Spring Sessions?
“There are a whole load of bands playing, and I’m not sure I’ve seen any of them live before (tour takes me away from the scene these days, haha). I’ve heard great things about the Barker Band.”
You could probably count the Eton College educated punk musicians on one hand. What was the tipping point for you in the early days? Did you ever feel at odds with your surroundings during your school years?
“Very much so. I was there on an academic scholarship, which meant that socially I was kind of a fish out of water right from the get-go. When I encountered punk rock, aged about 13 or 14 or so, it made a massive amount of sense to me — the rage, the defiance, the rebelliousness, it gave me a lot of help in dealing with the conflicts of my surroundings.”
‘England Keep My Bones’ is due to drop on June 6. Tell us about the album’s creation: how did the writing process go this time around? What was inspiring or affecting you that fuelled the project?
“The album was written on the road, as ever, although this time around I was generally out with the guys in my band, which was great — we had time to really work on the arrangements for the songs this time round, rather than just throwing everything together! We also got to demo the record in El Paso with my friend Jim Ward, which helped a lot. The record is kind of about England, and also about death and what to do about it — but I don’t think of themes and write towards them, they just become apparent after I’m done.”
You’ll be supporting the LP release with an 18-date UK tour throughout May. What’s on the horizon for the second half of 2011?
“I’m playing every goddamn festival in Europe (it feels like!) and then I’ll be in the USA for a while, but at the end of the year I’ll be back for a massive UK and European tour, with some very special guests as well, I can’t wait to announce it!”
New album ‘England Keep My Bones’ out 6th June on Xtra Mile Recordings
Download Frank Turner’s track ‘I Am Disappeared’ from here
And… Strummerville bands The Barker Band, Benjamin Folke Thomas, The Great Whale, La Rabla Fam, Shooting Star Poets, The Vagabonds, Bastille, Dark Moon, The Joker And The Thief, theLights, Tom And The Tides, The Welcome Committee.
Advance tickets are now sold out but will be available on the door and for those of you who like to party till the early hours entry after 1am will be just £5 with DJ sets from The Maccabees and One Love soundsystem. CLICK HERE for more info
Its the night before Good Friday, one of the best nights of the year to throw a party and when Strummerville will present the charity’s new crop of new talent sharing a stage with Frank Turner, who will celebrate his 1000th ever live show.
Our bi-annual showcases are always real highlights for us and its exciting presenting some of the broad spectrum of the talent we have been helping. Having Frank give us this support is really special for everyone involved, its artists like Frank that make us all keep believing.
Growing out of its West London base, the Strummerville Spring Sessions goes to East London to take-over Hearn Street’s Carpark on Thursday April 21st (Easter Thursday) from 8pm until 6am.
“The 1000th show is going to be a big landmark, and to be honest I was at a loss as to how to mark it – but when my good friends at Strummerville got in touch, it made perfect sense – a massive party to mark the occasion and promote some great causes. What more do you want from a night out?” - Frank Turner
Today we are happy to announce the competition winners for our upcoming Spring Sessions on April 21st – congratulations to Sean, Michelle, Ben, Kerstin and Glenda!
A special thank you to everyone who entered the competition, we hope to see you on the night.
There will be limited tickets available on the door on the night.
One love,
Strummerville x
Thanks to everyone who made this DVD possible and all proceeds coming to Strummerville.
In 2007 a Joe Strummer tribute and benefit concert was held in Los Angeles, honouring the former great frontman for The Clash, and later The Pogues and The Mescaleros, who had passed away five years earlier.
The concert featured performances from US based artists on whom the influence of Strummer was immeasurable – Love & Rockets, Zander Schloss & The Wilderness years (featuring Flea, Martyn Lenoble, Dix Denney, Jonny Polonsky, Tim Aaron, Victor Indrizzo, Emiliano Almeida, Dermot Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney, Gus Seyffert, Charlie Wadhams, Craig Jackman, Stefan Lirakis and Pete Weiss), Hellride (featuring Mike Watt, Peter Distefano and Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins), David J (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets), La Plebe and Melodee Fernandez, with the event hosted by Chris Salewicz.
The artists involved performed a mixture of songs from Joe Strummer’s diverse musical career – including David J covering ‘Death Is A Star, a wonderful rendition of ‘Spanish Bombs’ by Melodee Fernadez, a blistering rendition of ‘Rudie Can’t Fail’ by La Plebe and Zander Schloss And The Wilderness Years – an all-star cast including Flea from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers – covering songs from after Strummer’s years as The Clash frontman… ‘The wilderness’ years.
A fantastic and poignant evening for all involved, the special night has now been made available on DVD with proceeds going to Strummerville – The Joe Strummer New Music Foundation.
“When in doubt..you gotta ask yourself..what would Joe do? We still gotta get the “Bop Message” to the people.” – Zander Schloss
Special thanks goes to Marc Malakie and Kevin Haskins for oraganising the event and producing the DVD.
Featured performances:
• Hellride – 1977
• Hellride – Hate And War
• Hellride – Career Opportunities
• David J. – Death Is A Star
• David J. – Sleepwalk
• La Plebe – Revolution Rock
• La Plebe – Washington Bullets
• La Plebe – Rudie Can’t Fail
• Melodee Fernandez – Spanish Bombs
• Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years – Filibustero
• Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years – The Unknown Immortal
• Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years – Tennessee Rain
• Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years – Tropic Of No Return
• Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years – Gangsterville
• Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years – Trash City
• Love And Rockets – Should I Stay Or Should I Go
Pre-order your copy from http://hmv.com/
Five of our brilliant DIY bands – The Supernovas, The Joker and the Thief, The Riff Raff, Nimmo and the Gauntletts and Real Fur all played a series of exclusive in-store pop-up gigs at the Clarks Originals store at 101 Regents Street between February 15th-20th 2011.
Clash brought in five unique talents to the table – Pete and the Pirates, Summer Camp, Fyfe Dangerfield from the Guillemots, Cloud Control and The Pierces.
There was also an exclusive one off event featuring Guillemots, The Supernovas and The Pierces played a show on 17th of February at London’s Bath House, Liverpool St.
And here’s the reviews and photos…
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The Supernovas“They don’t make them like The Supernovas any more. The four-piece cut a Holloway swagger right through the poshest precinct in town but arrived at the shop on time, pint of Gaymers, Sherman button-downs and Fred Perry.” |
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The Joker and the ThiefView a photo gallery from The Joker And The Thief gig at Clarks Originals’ Regent Street shop for their ‘Original And Live’ gig series. Photos by Marc Sethi |
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Nimmo and the GauntlettsSometimes music moves you to look back in the past. Philip Larkin, groping his way to bed after a piss, comes across the moon through the curtains: “The hardness and the brightness and the plain / Far-reaching singleness of that wide stare.. |
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The Riff RaffView a photo gallery from The Riff Raff gig at Clarks Originals’ Regent Street shop for their ‘Original And Live’ gig series. Photos by Marc Sethi. |
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Real FurAccustomed to the soothing odour of fabric softener and gently ruminating washing machines, Real Fur seem a little startled to be playing to the thoroughfare of rush hour Piccadilly. |
Clarks Originals have teamed up with Clash and Strummerville to bring an evening gig of like-minded ‘Originals’ to London’s opulent Bath House venue this THURSDAY 17th FEBRUARY.
The Pierces and our own The Supernovas will both warm up the stage for Guillemots.
To celebrate we are giving away 10 pairs of FREE TICKETS and to grab yours all you have to do is answer the question at the bottom of this page (competition now closed).
‘Originals Live’ @ The Bath House
Thursday 17th Feb, 7.30pm
The Bath House, 8 Bishopsgate Churchyard, London, EC2M 3TJ
In association with Clash and Strummerville
Official Facebook event page
If you’re in a general gig-going mood, then remember there are numerous mini gigs all week long. Featuring artists other great Strummerville bands The Riff Raff, Nimmo and the Gauntletts, The Joker and the Thief, Real Fur – more info
Big thanks to Metropolis studios for giving us two free days in their amazing Studio! Photos of the band recording at Metropolis, London:
You can listen to The Joker & the Thief on their DIY page.
more photos from the session on stephthrasy’s flickr profile
To everyone who drops by here, thanks for all your support.
Here’s to a great new year and new decade.
Love
Strummerville x
On Sunday 19th Dec 00:00 on BBC 6 Music Don Letts will present a Joe Strummer related show filled with an hour of tunes from Joe Strummer plus songs from The Clash…
“It’s 60 minutes of all killer, no filler sounds, that cross time, space and genres. For the most part I’m gonna let the music do the talking. So, in the mean time and in between time I’ll gladly take your e-mailed thoughts and suggestions. Enjoy the ride…” Don Letts
CJAM FM in Windor / Detroit have dedicated 22 Jan 2011 to 24 hrs playing Joe Strummer music in a bid to take on the issue of poverty in the Windsor-Detroit area.
For more information please visit http://cjamlog3.cjam.ca/
Joe’s hand painted Christmas card is now available from our shop.
Thanks to everyone who has bought them already.
They are selling out fast x
This is Strummerville Sessions, a 3 part TV series, directed by Don Letts and presented by Jaime Winstone on Channel 4.
Filmed over the past few months the series focuses on six Strummerville bands captured at our festival campfire tour, our Westway Round The UK tour and at our Notting Hill Carnival Party.
Episode 1: Featuring Rum Shebeen & The Riff Raff
Episode 2: Featuring Beans On Toast & Molotov Jukebox
Episode 3: Featuring The Supernovas & Thee Deadtime Philharmonic
All the bands featured in this series are on our DIY pages. Visit the following links for more info and free downloads:
Beans On Toast
Molotov Jukebox
Rum Shebeen
The Riff Raff
The Supernovas
Thee Deadtime Philharmonic
One love,
Strummerville x
Part financed by the Strummerville charity, Chomsky Allstars’ debut album is a truly eclectic melting pot, featuring vocal cameos from Christy Moore, Drunken Balordi’s Billy King, Bob Marley biographer Chris Salewicz, controversial Scots rapper Eastborn, Noam Chomsky and even Mahatma Gandhi.
CLICK HERE TO BUY “Rhyme, Treason & Rhythm” by Chomsky Allstars
The Glasgow band’s high-octane constellation of punk, blues, dance and dub has so far seen them feature on the internationally-acclaimed ‘Shatter The Hotel’ CD, headline both the London launch of the album and the Glasgow leg of the ‘Westway Round The UK’ tour and feature in Don Letts’ ‘Strummerville’ documentary.
Guitarist and lead singer Chomsky even provides guest vocals on the opening track of breakbeat legend Cut La Roc’s current album ‘Larger Than Life’, alongside Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody. That song, ‘What Love Is’, is also included here.
All ten tracks on ‘Rhyme, Treason & Rhythm’ are infused with infectious melodies and inspiring lyrics, from the opening anti-consumerist rocker ‘Disease Of Desire’ and the Afrobeat-inflected World Cup anthem ‘The Beautiful Gain’ through to long-time live favourite ‘The Big I Am’.
Acoustic tracks are mixed seamlessly with the gritty eco-blues of ‘Bad Mood Rising’ and the sensual funk of ‘Give Us Peace’ to create a heady concoction best described as Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros meets Rick Rubin.
Released 14 November 2010
Chomsky – vocals, guitars
Frankie Coia – bass
Joshua Styx – drums
Lord Nelson – alto sax, harmonica
Chas T Frazer – trumpet
Danny Mitchell – mandolin
All tracks written & produced by Chomsky,
except 4, written by Chomsky/Potter, produced by Cut La Roc.
Beans On Toast, the gravel voiced troubadour from Braintree, wrote this track ‘Tour Blog’ whilst on the road during our recent Westway Round The UK tour. We love it!
Big love, Strummerville x
More about Beans On Toast
http://www.myspace.com/sexdrugspolitics
Exciting day here at Strummerville … moving into the office next door. An office with concrete walls!! Big thanks to Stage Three Music Publishing who kindly donated all their old office furniture to us. So much appreciated xx
This autumn we are thrilled to present the Westway Round The UK Tour with Rum Shebeen, The Supernovas and Beans on Toast. Each night will be headlined by a local band we have been working with. We’re also delighted to have Don Letts DJ-ing for us in Bristol.
In Sheffield and Manchester we will be joined by Thee Deadtime Philharmonic, in Leeds by The Yalla Yallas, in Glasgow by Chomsky Allstars and Newcastle by the Jukebox Allstars.
Our home coming show will be an all-dayer at The Flowerpot in London where we will be joined The Riff Raff, Nimmo & The Gauntletts and Sound of Rum.
Lots of love,
Strummerville x
Buy The Tickets:
| Date | Venue (linked to map) | Price | Buy | |
| 10/10/10 | The Boardwalk, Sheffield | £5 | Order Tickets | Join Event |
| 11/10/10 | The Croft, Bristol | £6 | Order Tickets | Join Event |
| 12/10/10 | Mine Venue, Leeds University | £5 | Order Tickets | Join Event |
| 13/10/10 | King Tuts, Glasgow | £5 | Order Tickets | Join Event |
| 14/10/10 | Moho Live (In the City), Manchester | £8 | - | Join Event |
| 15/10/10 | Digital (JukeBox Club night), Newcastle | £5 | - | Join Event |
| 17/10/10 | Flowerpot, London | FREE | - | Join Event |
Watch The Trailer:
Listen To The Bands:
Grab The Tour Poster & Stick it Around Online:
On Twitter? Get the latest Westway Round The UK Tour updates using #westwaytour
Sending our deepest sympathy and condolences out to the family and friends of Camden Calling member Tasha Hollywood.
We were so sad to hear about the loss of Tasha yesterday and today we hold her memory in our hearts.
Love,
Strummerville
please note: online sales have now closed
Sunday 29th August (Carnival Sunday)
Inn On The Green
3 Thorpe Close
London, W10 5XL
(link to map)
Join the Facebook Event Page
Live:
Rum Shebeen
The Supernovas
Nimmo and the Gauntletts
Beans On Toast
The Riff Raff
DJ:
Leo Greenslade (YOYO / GREENMONEY)
6pm – 11pm
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Joe Strummer Limited Edition Hand Painted Christmas CardThe card is a reprinting of Joe’s last Christmas card that he painted. Spec: |
More info: www.skyarts.co.uk/video/strummerville
Thanks again to Basil Cook for organising yet another benefit for us down under. Here’s more info about the event:
Bombshellzine.com, Drum Media and Renegades Empire presents:
Revolution Rock – A Joe Strummer Tribute Night 2010 is now an annual event for Sydney and is in its 4th successful year in bringing alive Joe’s music and spirit amongst his fans.
From front man of The Clash to his work with The Mescalero’s, Joe Strummer was, and still is a massive influence to so many bands and people’s lives worldwide.
To pay respects to the great man a night of homage happens annually in Sydney and this year the night is taking place at The Annandale Hotel, Sydney on Saturday 28th August.
Bands paying homage for 2010 are: The Domnicks (WA) featuring Nick Sheppard from The Clash, The Rumjacks, The City Lights, Madonna (VIC) and The Tearaways (VIC)
More info:
myspace.com/revolutionrock_sydney
facebook.com/revolutionrockaustralia
