Junk or Bunk?
July 29, 2009 5:12 PM Subscribe
(clashfilter) Does anyone know if Joe Strummer was ever a junkie?
I am a Clash fan, me and the gf are having quite an arguement over this.... proof either way would be great!
I am a Clash fan, me and the gf are having quite an arguement over this.... proof either way would be great!
According to this interview the answer is no (about 1/2 way down).
posted by cosmac at 5:18 PM on July 29, 2009
posted by cosmac at 5:18 PM on July 29, 2009
I've read "The Last Gang in Town" and Johnny Green's book, and it's pretty clear that he wasn't. He was very upset at Topper for being smacked up, and even says in Westway to the World that heroin is a bad drug for rock musicians.
Strummer was a prolific pot smoker, and Last Gang says explicitly that Joe did acid (and Joe says this himself in the big pink "The Original Clash Book"). Last Gang also mentions Mick doing coke, but doesn't say anything about Joe. So if Joe was ever on heroin, it definitely would have found a mention.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:38 PM on July 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
Strummer was a prolific pot smoker, and Last Gang says explicitly that Joe did acid (and Joe says this himself in the big pink "The Original Clash Book"). Last Gang also mentions Mick doing coke, but doesn't say anything about Joe. So if Joe was ever on heroin, it definitely would have found a mention.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:38 PM on July 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
And it goes without saying that everybody in 70's punk was taking tons of speed (in an interview, Joe referred to snorting "cheap sulfate"). Joe's teeth were completely messed up for a while because of his speed habit (along with Paul accidentally hitting in the mouth with a mic stand).
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:42 PM on July 29, 2009
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:42 PM on July 29, 2009
"No input, no output." That was a Strummer motto apparently, although I suspect this has more to do with alcohol, marijuana, speed etc than H.
That said, I remember a fellow Vancouver college radio DJ telling me about interviewing him after their 1982 gig at Kerrisdale Arena. Joe was a great guy apparently, " ... but he sure seemed smacked out." Unlike Mick Jones who was just an asshole.
I'm thinking, even if was smacked out, one time (or a few) does not a junkie make. And Vancouver, in those days particularly, was a very smacked out town. So maybe he was just sampling some of the local wares.
Ten years later (1992, I'm pretty sure) I actually partied with Mr. Strummer for a few hours. Its a long story but I remember copious amounts of weed being consumed, and beer. No H. For the record, he was excellent company, a genuinely nice guy.
posted by philip-random at 6:11 PM on July 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
That said, I remember a fellow Vancouver college radio DJ telling me about interviewing him after their 1982 gig at Kerrisdale Arena. Joe was a great guy apparently, " ... but he sure seemed smacked out." Unlike Mick Jones who was just an asshole.
I'm thinking, even if was smacked out, one time (or a few) does not a junkie make. And Vancouver, in those days particularly, was a very smacked out town. So maybe he was just sampling some of the local wares.
Ten years later (1992, I'm pretty sure) I actually partied with Mr. Strummer for a few hours. Its a long story but I remember copious amounts of weed being consumed, and beer. No H. For the record, he was excellent company, a genuinely nice guy.
posted by philip-random at 6:11 PM on July 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
Mayor Curley: And it goes without saying that everybody in 70's punk was taking tons of speed (in an interview, Joe referred to snorting "cheap sulfate"). Joe's teeth were completely messed up for a while because of his speed habit (along with Paul accidentally hitting in the mouth with a mic stand).
It's been years since I saw it—hell, I don't even remember where my copy went—but as I recall, this is pretty clear from the Rude Boy film as well. And various and sundry double-entendre lyrics (especially in the titular song on London Calling) regarding ‘Coca Cola’ made this clear, as well.
But Joe was a solid dude. No junkie-ism there, methinks.
posted by koeselitz at 10:04 PM on July 29, 2009
It's been years since I saw it—hell, I don't even remember where my copy went—but as I recall, this is pretty clear from the Rude Boy film as well. And various and sundry double-entendre lyrics (especially in the titular song on London Calling) regarding ‘Coca Cola’ made this clear, as well.
But Joe was a solid dude. No junkie-ism there, methinks.
posted by koeselitz at 10:04 PM on July 29, 2009
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posted by scody at 5:18 PM on July 29, 2009