Joe Strummer with The Pogues

[Niall]

Based on Mike From Boston’s post, I guess it was the 1987 Pogues show (at Spit or Axis, or whatever the club was called that year) in Boston… I was in the backstage area before the show, and saw Joe sitting ten feet away playing guitar. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say something, but I didn’t want to blurt out the typical fawning fan crap. So I casually sauntered over and said “um, could you show me the chords for ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’?” He played the song, using chords I didn’t recognize (okay, I only knew maybe 6-10 chords, and hadn’t even mastered bar-chords yet!), and I said “oh, I thought it was ____ (whatever it is – D/G/D?)”. So he strummed those chords and said “yeah, you’re right.” At which point I walked (on air!) back to the person I’d been talking to and said “I just taught Joe Strummer to play a Clash song.” Granted, that may be something of an exaggeration, but it’s still a story I like to tell!

superb

[philipchevron]

Based on Mike From Boston’s post, I guess it was the 1987 Pogues show (at Spit or Axis, or whatever the club was called that year) in Boston… I was in the backstage area before the show, and saw Joe sitting ten feet away playing guitar. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say something, but I didn’t want to blurt out the typical fawning fan crap. So I casually sauntered over and said “um, could you show me the chords for ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’?” He played the song, using chords I didn’t recognize (okay, I only knew maybe 6-10 chords, and hadn’t even mastered bar-chords yet!), and I said “oh, I thought it was ____ (whatever it is – D/G/D?)”. So he strummed those chords and said “yeah, you’re right.” At which point I walked (on air!) back to the person I’d been talking to and said “I just taught Joe Strummer to play a Clash song.” Granted, that may be something of an exaggeration, but it’s still a story I like to tell!

Next time, try teaching him a Strummer song rather than a Jones song.

[Quincy Dan]

I saw him front the band in 91 in Boston. Obviously, a great show. Someone, or maybe several someone's kept shouting variations of "we love you Shane" and Joe was a class act throughout, agreeing, very sincerely, with the calls.

[Tosspint]

saw Joe fronting the Pogues which was awesome as was Spider fronting the Pogues on the Pogue Mahone tour etc.

[Portland Whale Fisheries]

I found some boot leg at a record store that ends with some Joe Strummer tracks. My fav is "I fought the law" The accordian makes it. Can I hear Shane singing some parts or is this my imagination?

[seamus_mcshanty1]

Based on Mike From Boston’s post, I guess it was the 1987 Pogues show (at Spit or Axis, or whatever the club was called that year) in Boston… I was in the backstage area before the show, and saw Joe sitting ten feet away playing guitar. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say something, but I didn’t want to blurt out the typical fawning fan crap. So I casually sauntered over and said “um, could you show me the chords for ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’?” He played the song, using chords I didn’t recognize (okay, I only knew maybe 6-10 chords, and hadn’t even mastered bar-chords yet!), and I said “oh, I thought it was ____ (whatever it is – D/G/D?)”. So he strummed those chords and said “yeah, you’re right.” At which point I walked (on air!) back to the person I’d been talking to and said “I just taught Joe Strummer to play a Clash song.” Granted, that may be something of an exaggeration, but it’s still a story I like to tell!

Next time, try teaching him a Strummer song rather than a Jones song.

someone doesn't like mick

[MICK JONES2]

Based on Mike From Boston’s post, I guess it was the 1987 Pogues show (at Spit or Axis, or whatever the club was called that year) in Boston… I was in the backstage area before the show, and saw Joe sitting ten feet away playing guitar. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say something, but I didn’t want to blurt out the typical fawning fan crap. So I casually sauntered over and said “um, could you show me the chords for ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’?” He played the song, using chords I didn’t recognize (okay, I only knew maybe 6-10 chords, and hadn’t even mastered bar-chords yet!), and I said “oh, I thought it was ____ (whatever it is – D/G/D?)”. So he strummed those chords and said “yeah, you’re right.” At which point I walked (on air!) back to the person I’d been talking to and said “I just taught Joe Strummer to play a Clash song.” Granted, that may be something of an exaggeration, but it’s still a story I like to tell!

Next time, try teaching him a Strummer song rather than a Jones song.

I was waiting for someone to say that

[seamus_mcshanty1]

"This time I betcha it's B.A.D."- Big Audio Dynamite

[Mike from Boston]

Based on Mike From Boston’s post, I guess it was the 1987 Pogues show (at Spit or Axis, or whatever the club was called that year) in Boston… I was in the backstage area before the show, and saw Joe sitting ten feet away playing guitar. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say something, but I didn’t want to blurt out the typical fawning fan crap. So I casually sauntered over and said “um, could you show me the chords for ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’?” He played the song, using chords I didn’t recognize (okay, I only knew maybe 6-10 chords, and hadn’t even mastered bar-chords yet!), and I said “oh, I thought it was ____ (whatever it is – D/G/D?)”. So he strummed those chords and said “yeah, you’re right.” At which point I walked (on air!) back to the person I’d been talking to and said “I just taught Joe Strummer to play a Clash song.” Granted, that may be something of an exaggeration, but it’s still a story I like to tell!

It was the Metro, which is now Avalon.

[robertc]

I saw the Pogues in San Francisco two nights in a row, Oct. 1991.

I had binoculars and throughout the whole show, some guy in the audience was holding up both middle fingers at Joe! I mean through the whole show!! I always took that to mean some Pogues fans didn' t like the way Joe had taken Shane's place. Does anyone else remember this show?

[philipchevron]

I saw the Pogues in San Francisco two nights in a row, Oct. 1991.

I had binoculars and throughout the whole show, some guy in the audience was holding up both middle fingers at Joe! I mean through the whole show!! I always took that to mean some Pogues fans didn' t like the way Joe had taken Shane's place. Does anyone else remember this show?

There are wankers in even the best audiences. I mean, just don't buy a ticket, y'know?

[Mark_Wafc]

I saw the Pogues in San Francisco two nights in a row, Oct. 1991.

I had binoculars and throughout the whole show, some guy in the audience was holding up both middle fingers at Joe! I mean through the whole show!! I always took that to mean some Pogues fans didn' t like the way Joe had taken Shane's place. Does anyone else remember this show?

There are wankers in even the best audiences.

That made me laugh outloud and spit tea on the keyboard!

[DzM]

I saw the Pogues in San Francisco two nights in a row, Oct. 1991.

I had binoculars and throughout the whole show, some guy in the audience was holding up both middle fingers at Joe! I mean through the whole show!! I always took that to mean some Pogues fans didn' t like the way Joe had taken Shane's place. Does anyone else remember this show?

I was at one of these shows. It was my first Pogues show, and I was in heaven. The Lovely mrs. DzM tells me that I had my shirt off and was dancing/pogoing and shout/singing the whole night (I don't so much remember that, but do remember having a fantastic time).

I was having way too damn much fun to notice people being pricks about Joe being there. My attitude at the time was "The Pogues! Fuck yeah! And Joe Strummer from The Clash! Extra more double-plus-good! HELL FUCK YEAH!"

[DzM]

I mean, just don't buy a ticket, y'know?

To be completely fair, these were the first shows in the USofA after Shane was ejected. Tickets were on sale before the ejection.

There was a hand-lettered sign in the ticket window that said something like "Shane MacGowan will not be appearing. Joe Strummer is filling in. Refunds are available."

What surprises me is that people that were so obviously upset didn't instead opt for the refund rather than attend the show.


Now the flipping-off guy I saw at the Fillmore during the Pogue Mahone tour ... He knew what to expect. Why in the hell did he buy a ticket?

[DrugProwlingWolf]

Because he's a sociopath?

Sometimes that's the only explanation that I can come up with for human behavior. I use it too often.

P.S. From the 2 or 3 bootlegs I've listened to, the most memorable things I've noticed about Strummer's tenure with the band are a) the Pogues do a great job of showing how timeless Straight to Hell is, b) Joe really gave those shows an injection of energy that'd been lacking from Shane for the last year or so, and c) he was way great at singing If I Should Fall From Grace/Sayonara (where he emotes in ways I rarely heard him before or after).