This week I celebrate the 71st birthday of John Graham Mellor, better known as Clash frontman Joe Strummer. Though all of Joe’s music was fantastic, especially, of course, his music with the Clash, on this episode I focus more on his outstanding post-Clash solo career. And, on that subject, it just so happens that my copy of the latest Joe Strummer release, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Live at Acton Town Hall, arrived on August 21, Joe’s actual birthday.

So, I go through the tracks on the Live at Acton Town Hall LP (including the last three, featuring Mick Jones!), talk about how Joe’s solo music never really got its due in America, and discuss Joe’s “missing years” in Spain and the Spanish language documentary, I Need a Dodge! Joe Strummer on the Run. I also focus on Joe’s late ’90s/early 2000s albums with the Mescaleros and the 2018 release called Joe Strummer 001, a 32-song collection across three LPs (plus a 12-inch single of the Strummer-Jones track “US North”) which was curated by Joe’s wife, Lucinda Tait. 

Then, in honor of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s recent announcement that she’s retiring from touring, I discuss the excellent PBS American Masters episode on her incredible life and career called Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On. Though she is more folk than punk, she is an absolute force of nature who captures the punk spirit in her own way. The American Masters episode is well worth an hour of your time!

And finally, I bring you Irish hip-hop. As in, hip-hop in Irish, via the Belfast duo/trio Kneecap. Check out their music on their website and their YouTube channel. You’ll be impressed … and probably a bit confused, since the lyrics are not in a language most of us are familiar with. Are they controversial? Yes. Yes they are. But the Irish language works surprisingly well with hip-hop. I just hope they’re not rapping about something that could get me in trouble … 

So, please give this week’s show a listen, share your thoughts in the comments below, and follow the podcast on Twitter at @2Minutes59. And remember, as Joe always said, “Without people, you’re nothing.”