1955 London Sessions, The [DVD Audio] - 'Big' Bill Broonzy

Advantages: Image, songs
Disadvantages: The paradoxes

...guitar, born in London on 26 June 1955), Paul Simonon (bass and vocals, born in London on 15 December 1956) and Topper Headon (drums, born in Bromley on 30 May 1955). They came into being when Mick Jones and Paul Simonon were fooling around in a pick up band called London SS, who also featured names like Brian James of The Damned and Tony James of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Joe Strummer was guitarist with London r'n'b band The 101'ers, but became infatuated with the possibilities of the new punk movement and jumped ship, partnering up with Jones and Simonon to form The Clash. Future Public Image guitarist Keith Levene was an early additional guitarist before he got booted (and pilloried in the aggressive Deny track), while Terry Chimes (aka Tory Crimes) handled drums on the debut album, before Topper Headon completed the classic... Read review

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Advantages: The Clash
Disadvantages: Shut Up It is The Clash

...from these session and two songs not features on the final album “Lonesome Me" and a cover of Dylan's "The Man in Me". To a Clash fan this is absolute dynamite, here you hear the songs in their raw unfinished form and you can spot the differences between the embryonic versions of the songs and the final arrangements on the album. The booklet describes it as London Calling without the Horns and Keyboards. For someone who is not a Clash fan then you will be lucky if you listen to it once all the way through, as the quality of the recordings is variable. The DVD includes 32 min doc, directed by Don Letts, on the recording of the album. This is interesting but it is just a typical low budget documentary which is a disappointment. Though the interviews with Joe, Mick, Paul and Topper Heaton are good and well edited. It also includes previously... Read review

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Advantages: Some really good songs
Disadvantages: A lot of it sounds very similar

...’, originally written by someone credited as ‘mc.daniel’. I’ve no idea who he is, sorry. The song takes a wry look at attempting to reconcile a relationship and should raise a smile. Following on is another blues cover of ‘Hey Hey’, originally by ‘Big Bill Broonzy’ – you just have to smile don’t you! It’s a laid back piece with a nice little sliding guitar riff (Though not actually done with a slide). Now we have a Clapton Classic (TM), ‘Tears in Heaven’ – written about his son who fell out of a sky scraper. It’s a very emotional song that benefits the striped down approach it gains from being part of an unplugged session. There’s more song to it than the original. There’s not really much that could top that, but one track still to come... Read review

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