Everything is show business

Punk emerged as a revolutionary movement in rock, in business, not in society. Later it will be understood that the whole thing was just a trend, a fashion of the time, a storm that comes and goes, causing damage (small or big), but without changing many things... This article was published in the Albanian Political Weekly - "Voice", in December 2002, on the occasion of the death of the leader of the band The Clash, Joe Strummer.

From: Blerim Shala

When The Clash and The Sex Pistols signed contracts with major record companies for the release of their first albums, many of their early fans started cursing and screaming. They were convinced that the two leading groups of Punk had betrayed, abandoned their ideals and sold out for a fistful of money, forgetting the fists of rebellion.

Of course, it wasn't a handful of money.

One hundred percent denial

This was a big misunderstanding, which was clarified later. Punk did not and could not revolutionize British society, which was entering the period of the long-term rule of the "Iron Lady", Margaret Thatcher. In continental Europe, "Red Brigades" of all kinds wreaked havoc in West Germany and Italy, led by those who no longer believed that the world could be changed by flowers in the hair, by "flower-power", or by demonstrations of the kind of those of 1968. Of course, it was this other misunderstanding, which, unlike this one of Punk, cost dearly.

As in many similar cases in history, leftist revolutionism strengthened conservatism in Western Europe which was still threatened by the Soviet Union and the East. Reorganization in politics, Pershing missiles in security and Ramboism in cinematography will dominate the eighties.

In those years before the appearance of punk, but also during it, hedonism was the basic concept of show business. Rock had come up with a hundred problems since the sixties, when it was treated as the worldview of the young generation of the West who was dissatisfied with everything, but was in no mood to cling to Marxism-Leninism as a savior ideology.

Music, new clothes, hair, appearance, noise, smoke, conflict with older generations and with parents made up that "dough" of rock in the years that made The Beatles the most popular English production.

In the seventies everything in rock was glitter, dance, business, joy.

Pink Floyd were, arguably, the ultimate rock band last night. But, until 1978-1979, Roger Waters never thought of trying to change the world with Pink Floyd. On the epic double-album "The Wall" (from 1979), Waters will show his views, which, however, were not the point of view of a hero, of a revolutionary, but of a martyr, a man who through terror the inner (spiritual) realizes how false the lights of the rock-business are.

Through punk came to the surface the people who were beaten, humiliated from all possible sides. They had nothing but the awareness that there is nothing around them. It was not the order to look for a way out neither in the cinema, nor on television, nor in parties and dancing. At the beginning of punk, they were one hundred percent in denial. They were reluctant to elaborate or justify why they do not believe in anything. The only means of expression they chose was the guitar, magnifiers, spit and screams. They behaved like marginal people, even though they were under the spotlight and in front of the public. Their worshipers had the same behavior, the same approach. They did not gather to enjoy themselves, but to prove their belonging to a generation of complete losers.

These did not recognize kings and authorities neither in the state nor in rock music.

"God save the Queen and her fascist regime," cried The Sex Pistols.

With sex and guns to their name, they'll find themselves at the top of the English charts. The Clash, The Stranglers and many other punk bands will go their way.

Rebellion, whatever it was, turned out to be a good source for the revival of show business.

Songs as political manifestos

Punk emerged as a revolutionary movement in rock, in business, not in society.

Later, it will be understood that the whole thing was a trend, a fashion of the time, a storm that comes and goes, doing damage (small or big), but without changing much.

Those who remained in the rock scene, such as The Clash and The Stranglers, in their careers in the eighties, would change their music and lyrics a lot.

Joe Strummer, the frontman of The Clash, will die in December 2002, the jubilee for Queen Elisabeth, who managed to gather the world's most famous rock stars in the festive concert last summer.

Strummer was 50 years old. They say he died of a heart attack and not of drugs.

Strummer's real name was John Graham Mellor. He was born in Turkey, in 1952, because his father, a British diplomat, served there.

Together with Mick Jones, Topper Headon and Paul Simon, Strummer formed The Clash.

The Clash, in that first phase, recorded many songs and albums, where the double-album "London Calling" stands out. "Sandinista" was a triple album. In case you forgot, the Sandinistas were the revolutionaries who took power in Nicaragua in the early eighties.

Strummer made no secret of his leftist affinities. Songs like "White Riot", "I Fought the Law" (and the Law won)", "The Magnificent Seven", "(Daddy Was) A Bankrobber", were political manifestos.

And, Strummer here was honest.

The most successful album of Strummer and The Clash will be "Combat Rock", with the big hits, such as: "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I go".

By now, Strummer was quieter than in the seventies. Lydoni/Rotten (of The Sex Pistols), had created Public Image Limited and was doing rock.

These two are arguably the biggest figures in punk.

In 1989, "The Clash" will be released. In addition to music, Strummer will also deal with films. He will act in a spaghetti-western "Straight to Hell" by Alex Cox as well as in "Mystery Train" by Jarmuschet.

With the group "The Miscaleros", Joe Strummer will record two albums.

Rock stars come and go. The Queen remains.