The Clash, along with the Sex Pistols, emerged as pioneering punk bands in London in the mid-1970s, creating a snappy, rebellious sound that left an indelible mark on the British music landscape. The Clash has particular sound grew beyond typical punk borders during the decade, including elements of reggae, funk, and rockabilly, but the anarchic atmosphere remained constant.
The Clash’s music often reflected themes and lives close to home. For example, in 1978’s ‘Stay Free‘, Mick Jones penned, “I practiced daily in my room, you were in the crown planning your next move” and “If you’re in the Crown tonight, have a drink on me”. The “Crown” mentioned was the Crown and Sceptre tavern in Streatham Hill, south London, which is still open today.
Similarly, the 1980 song ‘Bankrobber‘ by The Clash was based on genuine occurrences. The ska-inspired song portrays the narrative of a youngster whose father robs banks while refusing to harm anyone. Many people took the song literally when it first came out. Critics quickly pointed out that vocalist Joe Strummer’s father was a foreign office diplomat, not an outlaw bank robber.
While several fans mocked the song’s lack of realism about Strummer, it was based on Jones‘ father. “‘Bankrobber‘ is an interesting one,” Jones once said to Daniel Rachel, author of The Art of Noise: Conversations with Great Songwriters. “I believe my father was a bank robber’s assistant. There was mention of his driving getaway vehicles. He was a taxi driver, but he worked for others.”
“Joe wrote the words,” he explained. “The songs resemble folk tunes. They’ve become like traditional songs. Much of it was based on truth. We made sure that everyone could relate to it. It wasn’t entirely accurate; for example, in ‘Lost in the Supermarket‘, I didn’t have a hedge in the suburb. I lived in a council flat. Often, it became mythologized.”
The band’s bad-boy punk image was also strengthened by a 1978 incident. Bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon were arrested for terrorism. On March 30, 1978, the pair gathered with a group of friends on the roof of Chalk Farm Studios in London, shooting pigeons with an air rifle.
The mischievous lot quickly realized these weren’t just any old pigeons; they were valued racing pigeons whose owner didn’t like avicide and threatened them with a pipe wrench. Meanwhile, British Transport Police officers spotted the ruckus from a nearby train station. They mistook the air weapons for actual guns, posing an immediate threat to passing passengers.
Within 30 minutes, armed police units, Secret Service agents, and a search chopper were on the scene. Authorities detained Simonon and Headon on terrorism charges but quickly freed them with a £30 fine per head, and an additional £30 in legal fees. They also received a court order to pay the pigeon owner £700 in damages.
