Temporary Clash Reunion

September 19th, 2009

Val

Provided by Pitchfork Media

Joe Strummer died in 2002, which means, among other things, that we’ll never see a real Clash reunion. But recently, two of that band’s three surviving members got back together to record a charity record.

NME reports that Clash singer/guitarist Mick Jones and drummer Topper Headon went into the studio together for the first time in 27 years to record a new version of the awesome 1978 Clash track “Jail Guitar Doors”. The recording was done to benefit a nonprofit called, appropriately enough, Jail Guitar Doors. The organization, which was founded by Clash contemporary Billy Bragg, “aims to provide instruments to those who are using music as a means of achieving the rehabilitation of prison inmates,” according to its website.

Bragg joined Jones and Headon on the new version of the track, as did four former prison inmates. Headon himself is also a former inmate; he went to prison for drug-related offenses in 1987. Writing on the Jail Guitar Doors site, Headon said, “To see it all come to fruition is absolutely beautiful. It was great to meet these guys. When I was in prison myself, many years ago, I was lucky enough to have access to a guitar, which belonged to the prison vicar! I know how much it helped me get through it.”

The recording session was filmed for a Jail Guitar Doors documentary called Breaking Rocks, which will premiere at London’s Raindance Film Festival on October 1. Bragg and Jones, among others including the MC5’s Wayne Kramer, will perform at the premiere.