JOE STRUMMERJoe Strummer, who died on 22 December, 2002, at the age of 50, was the lead singer of The Clash.After starting life in a west London squat, The Clash came to prominence in the punk scene of the late 1970s, with Strummer causing a stir with his aggressivevocals and pulsating guitar playing.At a time when urban Britain was witnessing class and race struggles, the band tapped into the feeling of frustration with songs like White Riot, Career Opportunities and I’m so Bored of the USA.Along with the Sex Pistols, The Clash - Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon - became the voices of a generation, capturing the imagination of the youth of the day through live performances of immense power, emotion and honesty.Joe Strummer was born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey, on 21 August, 1952. The son of a British diplomat, he was educated at a private boarding school in London, a fact that was an embarrassment to him throughout his career.A talent in graphic design led him to London's Central School of Art (though he was soon expelled) from where his obsession with music resulted in him earning a living through busking.Upon his return from a busking tour around Europe he decided to change his name, eventually choosing Joe Strummer, due to his elementary strumming skills on the ukulele, and to set up a band, initially playing with the Vultures and then The 101ers.A change in Mr Strummer’s thinking came about in 1976 when The 101ers were supported by the Sex Pistols, a performance that he later described as "like an atom bomb in your mind".A year later he joined The Clash who were managed by the visionary maverick Bernie Rhodes who was determined to have a band to rival Malcolm McLaren’s Pistols.1977 saw the release of the band’s first single, White Riot/1977, with their self-titled debut album following a few months later, the theme of political alienation and urban decay clear throughout.With the Sex Pistols’ demise in 1978, The Clash assumed the vacated role. Sold-out tours of Europe and the US, coupled with the release of the seminal London Calling album in December 1979 increased the bands following further.Along with his co-writer, Mick Jones, Strummer felt the influence of jazz, reggae and hip-hop music, adopting and fusing the genres with rock ‘n’ roll, covering a number of reggae classics and even penning a couple of rap tracks later in their career.By the early 80s The Clash were one of the biggest bands in the world, but began to crumble, culminating in drummer Topper Headon and guitarist Mick Jones being sacked by Strummer in 1982 and 1983 respectively.Unsucce ssful attempts to rebuild the band using new members followed, whilst film roles and other musical projects allowed him to further employ his artistic talents, though none matched the success he had enjoyed with The Clash.Strummer died from an undiagnosed congenital heart defect at his home in Broomfield, Somerset and was survived by his wife Lucinda Tait and two daughters from a previous marriage.
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