Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Hero Joe Strummer Gets Biopic Treatment He Deserves



Clash frontman Joe Strummer has long been a hero of mine. The only band to write political songs that I ever really loved (band, not artist, thus disqualifying Bob Dylan) The Clash were the end of an era.

Now it seems that Strummer is about to get the full biopic. Rock biopics can generally be divided into three categories:

The Good - Control (fantastic film about Ian Curtis), The Doors (I love it for all the reasons people hate it - long, indulgent, over the top. Also Val Kilmer's Jim Morrison is the single best rock performance ever.), Walk The Line (Johnny Cash), La Bamba (Richie Valens), Velvet Goldmine (David Bowie and Iggy Pop).

The Decent - BackBeat (early Beatles), Sid & Nancy (solely for Gary Oldman's brilliant Sid Vicious).

The Awful - What We Do Is Secret (butchered editing style ruined a great performance by Shane West as Germs leader Darby Crash), Great Balls of Fire (silly Jerry Lee Lewis impression).

Anyway, here is more about the upcoming Strummer pic.

From Spinner.com:
In what was only a matter of time, International Screen Daily (via the Playlist) has revealed that Clash leader and rock legend Joe Strummer's life will soon be adapted for the silver screen. British movie company Film4 will lead the charge on the flick, which has been given the rather mundane working title of 'Joe Publich.' Paul Viragh, the scribe who penned the Ian Dury movie 'Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll,' is working as the lead screenwriter. Strummer was involved with the film world during his lifetime, starring in projects from indie auteur Jim Jarmusch and Finnish mastermind Aki Kaurismaki, and he's also been a popular subject of documentaries. His life as a musician and activisit has been recounted in both 'Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten' and 'Strummerville,' which was directed by Don Letts and received a partial premiere at the 2010 SXSW festival. So far, Damian Jones ('Millions') and Simon Halfon ('Sleuth') are both currently signed on as producers. No actor has been rumored for the lead role as of yet. Depending on his acting chops, Glasvegas frontman James Allan and his uncanny resemblance to Strummer could be an interesting choice.

Detroit City Map Poster Is Awesome


This killer poster of Detroit is predictably cool, but their is lots more great stuff over at Peaceful Traveler.

Enjoy his stuff here.

Listening To: The Cramps


SPINNING: Songs the Lord Taught Us, by The Cramps
FAV TRACKS: TV Set, Mad Daddy, I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Tear It Up

Alright, so I'm binging on the criminally underrated band The Cramps at present. This is straight up rock and roll like nobody seems to play anymore - well, anyone other than Jack White. I defy anyone to write a cooler riff than the one for I Was A Teenage Werewolf. Killer stuff. Did I mention they had a girl lead guitar player, and that her name was Poison Ivy? No, really, what a raretie in rock and roll.

If I were to start a new band right now (other than Victory Formation, which is at present moving quite slow...) I would want to sound just like this. Or maybe just play Cramps covers.