Coverwall

When it was time for a new album, CBS asked Blue Oyster Cult producer Sandy Pearlman to check out the Clash’s shows. “By a miracle of God,” says Pearlman, “they looked like they believed in what they were doing. They were playing for the thrill of affecting their audience’s consciousness, both musically and politically. Rock & roll shouldn’t be cute and adorable; it should be violent and anarchic. Based on that, I think they’re the greatest rock & roll group around.” Mick Jones balked at first at the idea of Pearlman as their producer, but Strummer’s interest prevailed. It took six months to complete Give ‘Em Enough Rope, and it was a stormy period for all concerned. (“We knew we had to watch Pearlman,” says Nicky Headon. “He gets too good a sound.”) … [Read more...] about The Clash: Anger on the Left

True. Usually what happens when a crisis occurs is that people turn to each other. In the Depression, people helped each other out as much as could be. But now people are not turning to each other. I mean, Martin Luther King Jr. talked about the highest level of love, the kind of love that seeks nothing in return, that is totally unconditional. It’s not based on anything other than the fact that you know that your existence is tied to the existence of your brother or sister, be he black, white, native American, Hispanic, Asian, et cetera. We don’t espouse those values, that kind of love, anymore. We may love everyone in our group sometimes, or in our family. But we really don’t espouse the principle of unconditional love of Martin Luther King Jr. … [Read more...] about Martin Luther King III: The Rolling Stone Interview

My own concept of political tax credits (outlined in my 1992 book, Who Will Tell the People) would make them even broader. People should be able to contribute money to almost any activity that they think of as “political” and still be eligible for the tax credit – the Boy Scouts or an environmental group or a church-led community project, or, if they choose, a candidate or political party. This would encourage citizens to rebuild civic organizations across a very broad front, restoring the vital fabric of communities that is now so damaged. … [Read more...] about The Hard Fight Against Soft Money