Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Janie Jones (Demo)
2. Career Opportunities (Demo)
3. White Riot
4. 1977
5. I'm So Bored With the U.S.A
6. Hate And War
7. What's My Name
8. Deny
9. London's Burning
10. Protex Blue
11. Police And Thieves
12. 48 Hours
13. Cheat
14. Garageland
15. Capital Radio one
16. Complete Control
17. Clash City Rockers
18. City Of The Dead
19. Jail Guitar Doors
20. The Prisoner
21. White Man In Hammersmith Palais
22. Pressure Drop
23. 1-2 Crush On You
24. English Civil War (Live)
25. I Fought The War (Live)

Disc 2:

1. Safe European Home
2. Tommy Gun
3. Julie's In The Drug Squad
4. Stay free
5. One Emotion (Previously Unreleased)
6. Groovy Times
7. Gates Of The West
8. Amrmagideon Time
9. London Calling
10. Brand New Cadillac
11. Rudie Can't Fail
12. The Guns Of Brixton
13. Spanish Bombs
14. Lost In The Supermarket
15. The Right Profile
16. The Card Cheat
17. Death Or Glory
18. Clampdown
19. Train In Vain
20. Bankrobber

Disc 3:

1. Police On My Back
2. The Magnificent Seven
3. The Leader
4. The Call Up
5. Somebody Got Murdered
6. Washington Bullets
7. Broadway
8. Lighting Strikes (Not Once But Twice) (Live)
9. Every Little Bit Hurts (Previously Unreleased)
10. Stop The World
11. Midnight To Stevens (Previously Unreleased)
12. This Is Radio Clash
13. Cool Confusion
14. Red Angel Dragnet (Edited Version)
15. Ghetto Defendant (Edited Version)
16. Rock The Casbah
17. Should I Stay Or Should I Go
18. Straight To Hell (Unedited Version)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98300 in Music
• Released on: 2000-02-14
• Number of discs: 3
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered

CD Description
For sheer impact, the Clash rank second only to the Sex Pistols in the U.K. punk explosion of the mid-70's; for consistency, growth and longevity, they are peerless. An explicitlypolitical band, their music crackled with raw energy on their first releases, but their sound broadened as the songwriting of guitarists/singers Mick Jones and Joe Strummer matured.
A love of reggae (Junior Murvin's "Police And Thieves", work with Mikey Dread) and classic 60's tunes (Bobby Fuller's "I Fought The Law") gave them a depth that most of the punk movement lacked, and pushed them in directions both obscure (the dub songs on the "Sandinista" set) and popular ("Rock The Casbah", a top 10 hit).

Customer Reviews

If music could talk
The Clash back again for another compilation. Stop, this one is easily the best. Before hand I had story of the clash great in its own right but Broadway contains all of those and very many more. Basically the three cds are chronologically arranged. It's not worth deciding on a favourite cd because all have a healthy mix of classics and less well-known tracks.

Cd 1 charts the period of pure punk from '76 to mid '78 arguably their sharpest, loudest and greatest, give the Pistols a miss, cos this has much more energy. Complete control, What's my Name and White Riot easily hold their own against 'anarchy', 'god save the queen' and 'pretty vacant'. But White Man in Hammersmith Palais shines as the best song on any of the three cds, the songs raw sound coupled with lyrical maturity make it the turning point in the clash's development. Essentially Cd 1 is the first clash album but with remote control swapped for 1977. The only slight problem is the demo versions of Janie Jones and career opportunities, which initially are fun but inferior to the album versions. White riot is the single version personally I prefer the manic album version the single is more fun.

Cd 2 contains the period between 'Rope' and Bankrobber. This is the most "Clash" Cd as it features the fantastic London calling material, Rudi can't fail and guns of Brixton still ring true. Give 'em enough rope may have been a let down but the best tracks are featured here Safe European home and stay free. Also featured is most of the Cost of living EP, an excellent live version of I fought the law is on Cd 1. However, Armagideon time and Bankrobber steal the show, the reggae rock styleings played superbly under the clash top marks for Cd 2 as it tightly contains all the clash's ideas and showcases them at the height of their powers.

Cd 3, some would argue is a climb down. It is in a sense that it is missing some excellent tracks from both sandinista! and combat rock. Where is know your rights & If music could talk? but aside from that it is a high quality although a slightly bumpier ride compared to the other Cds. A fair spread of sandinista tracks feature. Magnificent seven is still funky and much better than the single version on story of the clash, Washington bullets, the call up and lightning strikes are high points. the leader and Broadway are odd choices since junco partner would have been perfect. Cd 3 contain most of the 'new' tracks but its a patchy affair, midnight to Stevens is excellent every little bit hurts is fun but hardly worthy of this best of. The alternative version of combat rock material is hardly any different. But, just as you think the clash have lost it should I stay and rock the Casbah come along, both fantastic pop songs straight to hell simply adds genius to the mix a fitting ender.

On Broadway remains the best cd for fans, and while 'the essential' is a mixed bag, 'story of' is a better introduction. So far this is unlikely to be updated so stick with it. And if you really want Cut the Crap songs buy it separately, cos it doesn't compare to the quality of music on this.

5 star CD, 5 star packaging
Don't be fooled by the title, this isn't the Clash going Andrew Lloyd Webber.
This is simply a starting compilation to the world of one of the best bands of all time.
The Clash were an honest band, they made some of the most energetic music ever, were possibly the greatest live band ever, were pioneers of music to move away from Punk rock and with each album made they just furthered their creative wings and strangely for a band had three front men.

The compilers just about got it right, leaving some great songs for the listener to look forward to when they buy the albums. The clash never made a bad album, they are all great, but if you can't beg, steal or get hold of a single album, part with the £15 quid and get this, no need to disect the tracks, this is music at its very best.

Hats off to the compliers and packaging team, this is how all compilations should be done, the booklet is excellent, very informative notes and great pics plus another booklet with the lyrics.

What more do you want? you need to buy this...

Stunning Clash
This is an essential Clash collection. The Clash were quite eclectic in their influence and not all of their experiments worked. For instance, the Sandanista album has some great stand out tracks, but a lot of experimentation that is best zapped through on the CD player. This 3-CD box set filters out the classics from the Clash canon and lists them all in one place. It is a stunning collection because for 3 long CDs packed full of music it is track after track of enjoyment - they really produced a string of classic songs. RIP Joe.