Thread by @JoshuaBHoe

Happy #InternationalClashDay

For those who don't know, The Clash have always been my touchstone, and were where I started my deep-dive into "alternative" musics back in my first year of high school

I had dabbled a little prior to that, but in around 1982 I was asked to play drums with a band and after our first practice they handed me the S/T album to practice with and it changed everything for me

Next thing you know I was listening to punk and hip-hop in equal measure....post-punk, going to shows, playing in bands....making new friends from all over the country...one of the best periods of discovery in my life

I always suggest people read the excellent biography of Joe Strummer "Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer" by @chrissalewicz about this time every year....well worth the investment

Music for me, in those years, was like a refuge, because I was anything but popular in high school (at least for the first several years) but I was kind of immersed in counter-culture outside of school and in music...which was amazing

But it all started, for me, with The Clash....so thanks to Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon, Terry Chimes, and Don Letts for starting me on a great journey and HAPPY #InternationalClashDay

Oh, I think I mentioned this before but I really got into hip-hop because of The Clash too...they were really invested in reggae and hip-hop and really integrated it into their music in a way that really opened up space and curiosity for a kid like me

Finally, should also thank Keith Levene who was one of the original guitarist for The Clash and later was in PIL....got to know him a bit later in life....which was interesting in and of itself...but still always gracious with me

I should probably also mention that a lot of my heart for social justice and anti-racism was buttressed by being a Clash fan, it was very hard to stomach the later racist punk bands having anything to do with the music we loved....still makes me very angry