The 101’ers consisted of Joe Strummer and a few music buddies he had, and they played mostly covers. Joe’s talent became evident quickly, and this was the band he was in when Bernie Rhodes tapped him to be in a new band with another local rising star . . . Mick Jones. The 101ers released only one album that I know of, and it’s worth getting, even though there’s not much original Joe material there. Since he and The Clash rarely did covers, it’s kind of novel to hear him on songs by Chuck Berry and various blues legends. Particularly ironic are the covers of The Rolling Stones, because the reason Joe often cited for breaking up The Clash was that they’d become too big, too much like The Stones. There’s not a lot of quality gig tapes out there, so apologies for the quality of this. It’s for completists and collectors, and maybe the curious.
As always, a few tastes and a zip.
The 101er’s
Cleopatra’s Derby
Dec 20th 1975
I’m Down
Route 66
Who do You Love?
Silent Telephone
Too Much Monkey Bsiness
Slippin’ & A Slidin’
Willie & The Hand Jive
Sweety Of The St. Moritz
Motor Boy’s Motor
Roll Over Beethoven
Gloria
Don’t Let Go
Shake Your Hips
Rabies
Heatbreak Hotel
Junko Pardner
Johnny B. Goode/Oh Carol
Out Of Time