Tim Armstrong’s recent snub of our own beloved Mr. Moderator got me to thinking about how much I dislike Rancid. I don’t like the Rancid for lots of reasons but their blatant SoCal Clash routine is reason number one. I explored Rancid one afternoon while bemoaning that there would never be any new Clash music. I knew that they got compared to The Clash and figured that some B-Rate band heavily influenced by The Clash might be better than nothing. I downloaded Out Come the Wolves from eMusic.
What I found was not a band influenced but a band obsessed: Pupkin-Clash. Disturbing. It was as if they were hoping The Clash would break a leg so they could take the stage.
They weren’t nearly the first to tryout for the role of Clash Understudy. That award would likely go to The Alarm.
Right down to the Sandanista cover pose.
I don’t mind bands wearing their influences on their sleeves, Dream Syndicate/VU, but sometimes imitation is the sincerest form of creepy.
Right down to the haircut and eyeliner.
Right down to the use of a "ye olde" font.
Anyone got any other understudies they want to bitch about? Anyone got any understudies that they like? Does anyone have any understudies that they like better?
Funny to see The Alarm studying under Mick Jones’ side of The Clash. I’d forgotten about that band. I always thought Stiff Little Fingers were the first Clash understudies, and not bad for that approach.
Funny to see The Alarm studying under Mick Jones’ side of The Clash. I’d forgotten about that band. I always thought Stiff Little Fingers were the first Clash understudies, and not bad for that approach.
Indeed. They even have a song called “Strummerville” on their most recent album. As one might guess, it’s a tribute to the late, great Joe Strummer. The weird thing about that song is that the riff is really reminiscent of Joe Jackson’s “One More Time”. Their 1st album was even modeled on The Clash’s debut (the UK version). All the fast songs are in the same place and the reggae tune is in the same place on side 2 as well and it’s got the same number of songs and everything.
I have to point something out regarding Rancid, though, so it’s pince nez time. They’re actually from Northern California and got their start in the Berkeley punk scene after Tim and Matt’s old band Operation Ivy broke up and after they’d both been in a couple of other Bay Area bands (MDC, Downfall, Dance Hall Crashers) in between Op Ivy’s breakup and Rancid’s formation in 1992.
Too bad this thread never got any traction. I’ve been listening to Japan a lot lately, and it just occurred to me that they started out as Roxy Music understudies. Sylvian never lost the Ferry vocalisms, but his music evolved quickly in its own direction. I wouldn’t say I prefer them to Roxy Music, but I do think Tin Drum is a brilliant album.