Paul Simonon on the origins of The Clash-
After a year's foundation course my attention started to wander. A month before I left, I went with a friend from art college to an audition for a drummer just to back him up. We got to Praed Street in Paddington and entered what looked like a dungeon. These three blokes with really long hair and guitars asked if I was a singer. “No, I'm a painter.” They ignored my answer, or maybe they couldn't hear cause of the long hair. Anyway, I was encouraged to have a go at singing songs I'd never heard of. It was a disaster.
A week or two later I ran into the guitarist from the audition. His name he told me was Mick Jones, and he was attending Hammersmith School of Art. We became chatty and met a few times in the local pubs. One night he asked if I played an instrument. “No, but I'd like to.”
1 comment:
Basically Bernie Rhodes was managing Mick's band and they held that audition. Paul's friend was trying out and they just convinced Paul to give it a go too. He couldn't really sing (see Guns of Brixton where it kind of works) but Bernie was super enthusiastic about Paul because Paul totally had the look that Bernie was looking for in the Clash.
Funny how they were sort of a punk rock boy band. The Pistols were too in a way.
Yeah I know too much.
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