Caught on the In Between Playlist 02-03-09

"They say true talent will always emerge in time" -- The Clash - Hitsville UK

"It has been said not only here --
'Alianza dollars are spent
To raise the towering buildings
For the weary bones of the workers
To go back in the morning
To be strong in the morning'" -- Joe Strummer - Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)

I've always been intrigued by bands that don't concern themselves with musical boundaries. Bands that are free to try different music styles. I've been in bands before and played music with others before and there's a certain feeling you can have when playing that just feels so free. It's a moment when you feel like you can play anything and your friends and bandmates are right there with you and you're unstoppable and everything just clicks. It's more of a way of thinking. Or rather, more of a way of subconciousness. It's not concerning yourself with boundaries. And even further--not realizing that you're not concerning yourself and not aware that there should even be boundaries. It's a complete openness of thought. But often times it's only for a moment. Only for a song. And then it's gone. And it can't be forced back. It may or may not come back.

There are bands out there that seem to live in this moment all the time. The Clash were one of those bands. They started out in the late '70's in London as a punk band alongside the Sex Pistols and The Damned but weren't confined to that type of music as narrow-minded punks often can be. The Clash were musicians and they reached out and responded to many different types of music throughout their careers. Lead singer Joe Strummer's heart was rooted in rhythm and blues, guitarist/singer Mick Jones' in rock 'n' roll, bassist Paul Simmonon's in reggae, and drummer Topper Headon's in all things with an off-beat. And they pulled all of these influences and loves into their music and they were open and free and made some of the most inspirational and incredible music of all time.

In 1980 they released the album Sandinista! that displayed all of these genres in it's 36 songs spread across 3 records. Showing their consideration for their fans and their music, they elected to not take any royalties on the album in order to release it at a double-album price.

The name of the album is a reference to the Nicaraguan political party that had just come to power a year prior to the release of the album.

It's a great album start to finish, bursting with various musical genres. Check it out.

1. Mr. Moto -- The Lively Ones -- Surfrock Extravaganza
2. Police On My Back -- The Clash -- Sandinista
3. The Leader -- The Clash -- Sandinista
4. Up In Heaven (Not Only Here) -- The Clash -- Sandinista
5. Junco Partner -- The Clash -- Sandinista
6. One More Time -- The Clash -- Sandinista
7. The Magnificent Seven -- The Clash -- Sandinista
8. Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice -- The Clash -- Sandinista
9. Ivan Meets GI Joe -- The Clash -- Sandinista
10. Hitsville UK -- The Clash -- Sandinista
11. Charlie Don't Surf -- The Clash -- Sandinista
12. Somebody Got Murdered -- The Clash -- Sandinista
13. The Call Up -- The Clash -- Sandinista