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A mate wrote a book on punk recently. I went through some of the early drafts for typos and general comprehension. Set out chronologically it’s a fantastic read. What I found interesting were the things that almost happened but didn’t, and things that happened, became iconic, but were at the time random or down to serendipity.
1976. The Pistols have been rehearsing all summer and starting to get it together, McLaren is interested, (or maybe he and Westwood just want edgy boys with guitars to model their clothes) Then Paul Cook starts to get cold feet - he doesn’t think his mate Steve (the other) Jones is much of a guitarist and he’s wondering if he’s better off spending more time working in the brewery with his Dad and earning some wedge. Matlock suggests the band draft in an additional (lead) guitarist and the number one candidate is a bloke everyone gets on with who has jammed with them once or twice - Mick Jones. To show Cook and the rest of the band he’s serious - McLaren joins Matlock one Saturday afternoon on a search for Jonesy in order to recruit him for the band. They walk the length of the Portobello Road checking out the usual haunts such as the Warwick Castle but they don’t find him. And of course it never happens. And the Pistols stayed the Pistols. And Mick Jones would soon form the Clash.
I checked the date of McLaren and Matlock’s Portobello Odyssey (late September back in 76) and then realise why they didn’t find Mick ... he was down the Rangers. We’d just gone top of the league for the first time in the club’s history and were home to Newcastle. Jonesy was the 1 in the 22,981 watching Mick Leach cement the Rs position at the top of the table with a 1-0 win (playing conditions: Gusty winds, rain-soaked pitch and blinding sunshine!) QPR changed the face of Punk as we know it. I say this to Frank, the author of the book, and suggest he rectify the glaring omission. “I knew you’d try and get QPR in there somewhere” was his reply.
Happy Birthday Mick Jones. I wonder whether you really were at Loftus Road that day.
ps: perfect lockdown holiday reading for the Costa Del Social Distanza:
Often see Mick leaving the SAR after a game. Doesn’t look like the ageing punk anymore. Hair receeding. Spoke to him a few years ago for a couple of minutes and even in my early 50’s was in awe of the guy. Very polite and very unassuming. An all round good egg and of course a passionate R. A rock and roll legend and part of the best song writing duo in ever in my opinion. Managed to see the Clash just the once, 18th October 1981 at the Lyceum. Right at the front. Earlier that Sunday for some reason Rangers played Orient away in a lunchtime kick off and drew 1-1. Went to that game.
The split of the Clash was acrimonious at the time but just before Joe Strummer’s untimely death Mick and Joe played together again at Acton Town Hall in a benefit gig for striking firefighters. I wonder whether that would have been the second coming of the Clash. Certainly there was unfinished business there. Happy 65th birthday Mick. The original Clash City Rocker.
Happy Freedom Pass Day Mick Jones on 19:18 - Jun 26 by DWQPR
Often see Mick leaving the SAR after a game. Doesn’t look like the ageing punk anymore. Hair receeding. Spoke to him a few years ago for a couple of minutes and even in my early 50’s was in awe of the guy. Very polite and very unassuming. An all round good egg and of course a passionate R. A rock and roll legend and part of the best song writing duo in ever in my opinion. Managed to see the Clash just the once, 18th October 1981 at the Lyceum. Right at the front. Earlier that Sunday for some reason Rangers played Orient away in a lunchtime kick off and drew 1-1. Went to that game.
The split of the Clash was acrimonious at the time but just before Joe Strummer’s untimely death Mick and Joe played together again at Acton Town Hall in a benefit gig for striking firefighters. I wonder whether that would have been the second coming of the Clash. Certainly there was unfinished business there. Happy 65th birthday Mick. The original Clash City Rocker.
Mick is on record as stating following that benefit gig they had planned to work together again. I speak to him most home games , usually about football and music and the fact we dislike cricket.
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Happy Freedom Pass Day Mick Jones on 20:39 - Jun 26 with 3534 views
Happy Freedom Pass Day Mick Jones on 12:15 - Jun 26 by DannyPaddox
A mate wrote a book on punk recently. I went through some of the early drafts for typos and general comprehension. Set out chronologically it’s a fantastic read. What I found interesting were the things that almost happened but didn’t, and things that happened, became iconic, but were at the time random or down to serendipity.
1976. The Pistols have been rehearsing all summer and starting to get it together, McLaren is interested, (or maybe he and Westwood just want edgy boys with guitars to model their clothes) Then Paul Cook starts to get cold feet - he doesn’t think his mate Steve (the other) Jones is much of a guitarist and he’s wondering if he’s better off spending more time working in the brewery with his Dad and earning some wedge. Matlock suggests the band draft in an additional (lead) guitarist and the number one candidate is a bloke everyone gets on with who has jammed with them once or twice - Mick Jones. To show Cook and the rest of the band he’s serious - McLaren joins Matlock one Saturday afternoon on a search for Jonesy in order to recruit him for the band. They walk the length of the Portobello Road checking out the usual haunts such as the Warwick Castle but they don’t find him. And of course it never happens. And the Pistols stayed the Pistols. And Mick Jones would soon form the Clash.
I checked the date of McLaren and Matlock’s Portobello Odyssey (late September back in 76) and then realise why they didn’t find Mick ... he was down the Rangers. We’d just gone top of the league for the first time in the club’s history and were home to Newcastle. Jonesy was the 1 in the 22,981 watching Mick Leach cement the Rs position at the top of the table with a 1-0 win (playing conditions: Gusty winds, rain-soaked pitch and blinding sunshine!) QPR changed the face of Punk as we know it. I say this to Frank, the author of the book, and suggest he rectify the glaring omission. “I knew you’d try and get QPR in there somewhere” was his reply.
Happy Birthday Mick Jones. I wonder whether you really were at Loftus Road that day.
ps: perfect lockdown holiday reading for the Costa Del Social Distanza:
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