And you know what they said? Well, some of it was true. . .

Stealing All Transmissions: A Secret History of the Clash by Randal Doane

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is not a by-the-numbers history of The Clash. In fact, the band only graces the book from time to time, showing up like reluctant guests of honor. Instead, what we have here is the story of the crucible that allowed The Clash to invade America, conquer it with nary a shot, and then leave it behind as they self-destructed. The book suddenly ends in 1982 with the start of the Combat Rock tour, telling the story of the band's fall in an extended afterword.

What we do get in an amazing look at how the music scenes in New York and London created the breeding ground for the volatile mix of personalities and styles that made up the band to be recognized and celebrated. We spend time reading about the rise and fall of free-form radio in New York, the heady early days of CBGB, and bands like Blondie, Television, and the Talking Heads. No subject is treated kindly, everyone is exposed and through this, we understand what allowed The Clash to get so big, so fast, while almost entirely flipping off the music industry.

This is not a book if you want to read details of Joe Strummer's childhood or the band's life on the road. But if you want to understand the punk era of the late 70s through the focal point of The Clash, this book is well worth finding. I bought on a whim from a vendor selling socialist and anarchist books at the Heavy Metal/Punk Flea Marker at one of our favorite small venues last year. That seems appropriate given the subject matter.



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