Sandinista! and Chat Excerpts (Press play on each song and follow along.
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"Magnificent Seven"Sandy: Would you like to tell me about how you came across this album?
KnockedOutLoaded: in 1980 the clash were the sh*t. they had released london calling in december '79. it was a double album. this came a year later and it is a triple!
Sandy: very bold move
KnockedOutLoaded: yeah, some of the material here maybe should have been left in the studio, but every color adds to this picture
Sandy: interesting!
KnockedOutLoaded: it is so rich!
Sandy: it's like you were invited into their jam sessions
KnockedOut: yeah... london calling is like taking a taxi for some take away food
this is the local bus to the open air market, where you have to get the ingredients one by one, but it is all here. all the spices too!
Sandy:
Nice analogy!
Sandy: the music is a lot about working class and their inequalities, and war?
KnockedOutLoaded: and many slogans!
Sandy: cool
KnockedOutLoaded: kinda rebel chique
Sandy: ah
"Police On My Back"KnockedOutLoaded: this is a cover song
Sandy: do you know who originated it?
KnockedOutLoaded: the equals
Sandy: huh, i don't know them
KnockedOutLoaded: and later eddy grant, a reggae artist. this is as clashy you can get,
the guitars, soccer stadium choruses. i love the train whistle!
Sandy: this is your kind of music, through and through! IDrinkYourMilkshake and you would be the best of friends.
"The Leader"KnockedOutLoaded: The Leader is 1'42 long. a comment on the press
Sandy: very short song
KnockedOutLoaded: but it delivers the message splendidly!
Sandy: digging up the dirt
KnockedOutLoaded: i read somewhere the profumo affair inspired the song. it has a really good rockabilly vibe
Sandy: it does!
"Charlie Don't Surf"KnockedOutLoaded: they flirted with 'nam too. here, they manage to get an oriental touch to the arrangement. Charlie Dont Surf is from Apocalypse Now
Sandy: it is? In the movie, or about the movie?
KnockedOutLoaded: it is a line that robert duvall says
Sandy: oh! another movie I need to see
KnockedOutLoaded: it is an epic one
"One More Time"Sandy: reggae!
KnockedOutLoaded: right!
Sandy: that drum lick was very Clash.
KnockedOutLoaded: it is fun you mentioned the drums. I listened to Sandinista! last week
and noted how good topper headon uses the snare drum.
Sandy: he sure does!
KnockedOutLoaded: very little kettle drums, just snare and basedrum. he was very talented, but got hooked up on heroin and that was a big reason why they split up,
that and some artistic differences between joe strummer and mick jones, the other guitarist
Sandy: he is still alive? Headon?
KnockedOutLoaded: i don't know, but there was a doc some ten years ago and then he was a cab driver in brighton or something
Sandy: i'll look him up... It looks like Headon is still alive. And his pictures look like he is doing well.
KnockedOutLoaded: that was good news! thank you! ...paul simonon, base, sided with strummer
Sandy: who do you side with?
KnockedOutLoaded: i am on the strummer team every day of the week
Sandy:
excellent.
KnockedOutLoaded: he wanted to keep it small and political, mick jones dreamt of going bigger and play arenas
Sandy: who won?
KnockedOutLoaded: no one
Sandy: ah, I see
KnockedOutLoaded: joe and paul took in three new members and made one crappy album
"Something About England"KnockedOutLoaded: this is my favorite on Sandinista!
Sandy: I'm glad you told me!
KnockedOutLoaded: this is mick first... joe really pours it out!
Sandy: his voice is much more subdued. he doesn't have the force, Joe has
KnockedOutLoaded: yes mick is smooth, a little seductive
Sandy: they're a good contrast
KnockedOutLoaded: yeah, they're compliment each other very good
Sandy: What about it makes it your favorite?
KnockedOutLoaded: i love joe's deliverance. it sums up england's post war history, and europe's
Sandy: punctuated! bold
KnockedOutLoaded: how modernity is introduced and how modernity breaks apart old values
"Corner Soul"Sandy: was reggae really big at this time? It threads its way through some of their songs
KnockedOutLoaded: there were some influences at the time, but the clash were more cross over than most other groups
Sandy: I'm reading here that some think the song has to do with a "Rivers Of Blood" speech in the UK about race conflict in the British subculture. wonder if it's true
KnockedOutLoaded: it may well be so. i think that speech was by enoch powell
Sandy: wow!
KnockedOutLoaded: powell was a racist politician in the 80's
Sandy: You are vastly more knowledgeable about UK politics than i!
KnockedOutLoaded: everything was an issue back then!
Sandy: I wasn't privy to much of it
"Let's Go Crazy"KnockedOutLoaded: this make me happy
Sandy: it's a great song. I haven't heard a song yet that should stay in the studio, but this is a best of compilation, yes?
KnockedOutLoaded: yeah, i saw an article on a site that boiled down Sandinista! to 48 minutes.
* The full album is 144 minutes long.
Sandy: cream of the crop then
KnockedOutLoaded: and as with movies, 144 minutes may be too much
Sandy: not good for one sitting, that's for sure
"If Music Could Talk"Sandy: very mellow
KnockedOutLoaded: i very much like the work in progress feel of this track
Sandy: but the lyrics belie the music in this one
KnockedOutLoaded: i think it is two sets of lyrics that are juxtaposed. it is like he is conversating himself
Sandy: hmmm... like a corner booth somewhere? Us listening in?
KnockedOutLoaded: maybe!
Sandy: and I'm only catching some of the words, so it comes out disjointed
"Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)"KnockedOutLoaded: now we are more straight forward. typical clash music wise and a text about living in a suburb. a good contribution from mick, but a little formulaic
Sandy: "Fear is just another commodity here" and so is despair and futility. It's like living in the projects.
KnockedOutLoaded: i've never encountered such feelings, i am glad to say
Sandy: I've never lived in such an environment
KnockedOutLoaded: those english suburbs are dreadful. i have seen them in movies! and the people are totally broken. all they can do is being mean to each other
Sandy: Any films come to mind specifically?
KnockedOutLoaded: nil by mouth, naked, fish tank
Sandy: ah, I was thinking of another Leigh film... All or Nothing. it was based in an apartment complex
KnockedOutLoaded: i have not seen that one
Sandy: I have not seen your three films. much to explore!
"The Street Parade"KnockedOutLoaded: easy drumming, echo-y guitars
Sandy: counterpoint
KnockedOutLoaded: yep
Sandy: i hear a little cacophony, like in the Beatles, Day In The Life.
KnockedOutLoaded: good point!
"Washington Bullets"KnockedOutLoaded: this is very topical of it's time, broadsheet lyrics. naive, but endearing. i really miss joe, such a BIG heart
Sandy: He voiced a generation
KnockedOutLoaded: he did
Sandy: this is all things politics thrown into one song
KnockedOutLoaded: it is a think piece
Sandy: the organ, like a holy revival. a call for change
KnockedOutLoaded: booker t and the mg's - style
that was the last track on the list
Sandy: wow, that was something!
KnockedOutLoaded: i'd like to go over it once more!
Sandy:
KnockedOutLoaded: and then it is one hour more on the album
Sandy: ha!
KnockedOutLoaded: some dirty skin folds, but still, it is a treasure
Sandy: i'm so glad I got to hear parts of your album. Did you say it is your favorite?
KnockedOutLoaded: yes i think is my favorite album. period.
Sandy: amazing. that is quite a place of honor, for you like a great variety of music.
KnockedOutLoaded: one fun aspect too, is that so many have laughed at Sandinista!
Sandy: they do?
KnockedOutLoaded: so it is fun to be contrarian and say it is the best ever. yeah, it has been derided. you'll find out if you dig a little, you don't have to dig deep
Sandy: i am on the KOL team every day of the week
KnockedOutLoaded:
"Junko Partner"KnockedOutLoaded: this is a bonus song
Sandy: thanks!
KnockedOutLoaded: i love how lop-sided it is. music and lyrics are so unified
Sandy: ...that was a great song!
KnockedOutLoaded: well, the shortlist i found was great, but i would have included this one
Sandy: I'm glad you did!
KnockedOutLoaded: the question is, which to remove from the original list
Sandy: do you think they chose well?
KnockedOutLoaded: i think the selection was stellar
Sandy: me too!
* Team Rock's article: The 48 minute long classic album hidden inside The Clash's Sandinista!