Shea To Go

I'm listening to a 1982 recording of the Clash playing 'Tommy Gun' at Shea Stadium. They're taking a mad tilt at the tune, hurling the music to the tens of thousands that have come to see headliners The Who. It's the chance for the band to make a proper breakthrough. And of course it's also a time for the band to question whether they have sold out their punk rock values for the Yankee Dollar.

The Clash were always fretting about such things, pinballing between grand ambition and precious ethics. It gave an extra dynamic to the band, and it furthered the legend. This part of the story is examined in detail in this month's Mojo magazine, as Joe Strummer reconnected with their rather mad manager, Bernie Rhodes, while Mick took the hissy fits and Topper Headon left in an opiated fog.

There's a rocking video of the band at Shea, playing 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go' in a stage of proper delerium. Now there's a chance to hear the full set, as the live CD is released on October 6. There's also a coffee table book scheduled for the Xmas market that should make many old dads happy on December 25.