A Fiery Clash Retrospective.
The Clash Live: Revolution RockLegacy
In 1977, the Clash were pounding out snotty three-chord anthems like “I’m So Bored With the U.S.A.” in a Manchester club packed with sweaty punks. A mere five years later, the political firebrands were offering hits like “Should I Stay or Should I Go” to fans at a New York baseball stadium. This hour-plus live compilation DVD captures the ascent of one of punk’s fiercest live acts, in addition to documenting some of their misguided fashion choices (singer Joe Strummer’s Davy Crockett–style raccoon cap, bassist Paul Simonon’s see-through mesh top). Though there’s some half-assed narration and dubious audio and video quality on a few performances, the footage serves as a reminder of both the band’s venom-spewing attack and their hitmaking prowess.
Revolution Rock is a trenchant testament to the die-hard punk-rock ethos.