The Clash: Super Black Market Clash

The Clash: Super Black Market Clash

1993

Epic Records

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. 1977  2. Listen  3. Jail Guitar Doors  4. City of the Dead  5. The Prisoner  6. Pressure Drop  7. 1-2 Crush on You  8. Groovy Times  9. Gates of the West  10. Capital Radio 2  11.Time is Tight  12. Justice Tonight/Kick It Over  13. Robber Dub  14. The Cool Out  15. Stop the World  16. The Magnificent Dance  17. Radio Clash  18. First Night Back in London  19. Long Time Jerk  20. Cool Confusion  21. Mustapha Dance


A 1993 reissue of the "Black Market Clash" EP, that features only some of "Black Market Clash"?



What?

Despite the lack of "Capital Radio One" and "BankRobber," this is a good compilation...More Clash is always better, right? I don't feel like holding you up too long on a Friday Night, so I'm just gonna do a quick rundown of what's on here and maybe a couple notes on each one, then we'll get down to the serious bidness of beer-drankin'...



  From the "White Riot" single, there's "1977," which is a pretty crucial Clash track, where they draw the line in the sand, "No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones in 1977." The band at their rawest and most fun...



A half-minute snippet of "Listen" originally appeared on the 1977 "Capital Radio" single, which was a free giveaway if you cut out a coupon from the NME and sent in two proofs of purchase from specially-marked boxes of Cap'n Crunch or something... But on "Super Black Market Clash" you get the entire thing! It's a pretty cool song too, with one of Paul Simonon's most memorable basslines...Doo doo da doodoo, da doodoo, da doodoo, da do danna doo do danna...You know how it goes...

 

"Jail Guitar Doors" first appeared on the 1978 "Clash City Rockers" single, a great stomper and a classic to be sure, but it's a bit redundant if you have the US version of the debut album...Still, always a pleasure to hear it...



We also get "City of the Dead" which was the B-side of the legendary "Complete Control" single...Dig that crazy saxophone, man... Features the signature Clash lyric, "You should get to know your town, just like I know mine..."



 Alright, now we're talking..."The Prisoner" is the b-side to the Clash's best single, "White Man in Hammersmith Palais."  Holy hell, I love this song so much...Mick does a bag-up job on the vocals, nailing hook after hook all while delivering an idiosyncratic and poignant melody... The lyric "Johnny Too Bad meets Johnny B Good," hits the nail on the head...For God's sake, if you've somehow overlooked this track, find yourself a copy at all costs...

 

I always kind of forget "English Civil War" was released as a single...Anyway, the B-Side "Pressure Drop" is on here...There's no topping the Maytals original, but the Clash come pretty damn close...The addition of that happy harmonica is inspired though...



 "1-2 Crush On You" (from the 1979 "Tommy Gun" single) isn't my favorite Clash song or anything but it's an alright toe-tapper...Doing a straightforward love song at this point was probably pretty unexpected...



Yes! "The Cost of Living" Ep! What a striking cover! That's what album covers are all about in my mind...The songs aren't so bad either! We have "Groovy Times,"  "Gates of the West" and "Capital Radio Two." I love love love "Capital Radio Two." It's a decked-out, full-speed update of the original, complete with a delicate acoustic intro and a disco coda...We're also treated to some of Joe's funniest ad-libs, as he schemes to make it to the top of the pop charts...



Hey! It's the actual Black Market Clash! Complete with future B.A.D sideman Don Letts on the cover facing down some bobbies! He's got to be so proud of this photo...How many people can say they have a picture of themselves  having a showdown with a  battalion of cops?    As I mentioned before, some of the tracks are missing...We don't get "Armagideon Time" but we get the "Justice Tonight/Kick It Over" dub, same goes for the "Robber Dub."  Their groovy cover of Booker T & the MG's "Time is Tight" is also present...Come to think of it "Groovy Times" was also on the original...as was a different version of "Pressure Drop"...



The final half of the album is very dub heavy...Not quite as thrilling as the highlight-filled first half of the disc, but there's some nice stuff to daze out to...For later in the evening, after you're well and duly buzzed-out...There's dub versions of "The Call Up" ("The Cool Out"), "The Magnificent Seven" ("The Magnificent Dance"),  and "Rock the Casbah" ("Mustapha Dance).



For some unknown reason, "Long Time Jerk" is one of my favorite Clash songs...This sparse, jerky, repetitive tune, seems an unlikely candidate for that honor, but I can't help it! It's so damn catchy!



The other non-dubs are "First Night Back in London"  and "Cool Confusion." Actually these are still pretty dubby...I think I touched on these the other day, while I was discussing "Combat Rock." They're outtakes from the "Rat Patrol at Fort Bragg" project, and they both have this empty, wide-open space vibe that I like...

Well, I'm about done here, so let's crack a couple of golden boys and listen to some Clash! Here's "The Prisoner." Turn it up!