Roots Rock Rebel

While on the subject of role models or whatever, I thought I'd mention Joe Strummer. For those of you who have never heard of him or listened to the Clash, you are missing out! Joe is the perfect musician. He not only plays his music, he throws himself into it; he has great passion for it and it shows. He manages to somehow twist all that angst and raw emotion into his voice. I've seen him play so many times, and it truly is amazing. It looks like he's strangling the music out of his guitar- a black sticker-covered Fender Telecaster. I actually saw that guitar, separated from it by a pane of glass...It was probably one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. I know how stupid this sounds, but then I had proof that he was a real person; sometimes it felt like he could have been a figment of my imagination because I looked up to him so much, and I could never meet him. Joe is probably the only musician I've really looked up to, besides one other person. The guy is so charismatic and has a great way with words. It's so much fun when you're first getting into the Clash because of the lyrics. You find yourself singing all these things you wouldn't normally say. For me, it helped to expand my creativity and my mind. Often I'm tempted to speak Joe's words, because they either fully apply to the situation, or they're completely random. It's interesting to test people by saying some of these strange but insightful things. I call his quotes "Stummerisms." (Is that stupid or what?) One of my favorites is "I could murder a pizza..." or "You have to wear pointy shoes, so it looks like you know where you're headed."
I love Joe's view on life and everything else. He has such a great way of explaining things and has a love for different cultures. What I like so much about him is his rebellious spirit and the way he infuses different styles in his music. I like his bare honesty, too. If you're being an idiot, he'd let you know for sure.
He is just a great front man and is prone to strange little rants during performance or random outbursts of Spanish in the bridges of his songs. Whenever he gets into a song, he hammers the guitar, his foot pounding the floor. I saw one show where he was flat on his stomach, most likely from exhaustion, still singing in a hoarse voice, sweat dripping from his nose.
That is commitment. He loved his job, there's no question. I admire his loyalty to music and himself and the way he's put me on a path to my own individuality. The Clash are so much more than "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" They're full of pure energy and passion, and that is mainly in part to Joe Strummer. Go ask any punk rocker and they'll tell you who he is. If they can't, then they have no right to even associate with the words 'Punk Rock.'
Does this all make sense? I've tried to explain this convoluted story several times before and I don't think I'll ever get it right. But I tried.
*If you've started on the Clash, but don't know where to go, listen to their self-titled debut, and then the masterpiece London Calling. You won't be disappointed!!

I'll end this with a favorite quote: ''Everyone has got to realise you can't hold on to the past if you want any future. Each second should lead to the next one.''

Amen to that, Joey.