Clash City Showdown [Paperback]

Christopher Knowles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2003

A collection featuring the best of the acclaimed clash City Showdown website and new material focusing on the true legacy of the legendary Punk Rock Band. Featuring biographical and historical information, reviews and in-depth analysis lavishly illustrated with cartoons and rare photographs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: PageFree Publishing, Inc. (December 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589611381
• ISBN-13: 978-1589611382
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,728,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christopher Knowles is the author of the newly-published The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll: The Mysterious Roots of Modern Music (Viva Editions). He is also the author of the Eagle Award-winning Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes (RedWheel Weiser) and the critically-acclaimed Clash City Showdown: The Music, The Meaning and The Legacy of The Clash (PageFree Publications). He's co-author of The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies (Insight Editions), the authorized companion to the long-running TV series.

Christopher was a longtime associate editor and contributing writer for the five-time Eisner Award-winning magazine Comic Book Artist and has contributed feature articles to magazines like Comic Book Marketplace and the popular industry website, Comic Book Resources.

Christopher has also written features, columns and reviews for Classic Rock, one of the top music magazines from the UK. His Jimmy Page cover-story was featured in the best-selling issue in that magazine's history.

Christopher has appeared at the New York Comicon and lectured on pop culture and mythology at the Center for Theory and Research at the legendary Esalen Institute in Big Sur in 2008 and 2009.

Christopher has appeared in the documentaries Wendy O. Williams and The Plasmatics (MVD Visual), Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth (Warner Bros.) and The Man, the Myth, Superman (Warner Bros. Christopher has appeared on the popular ABC newsmagazine 20/20 as well as numerous podcasts and radio talk shows on NPR, Voice of America and various commercial stations.

Christopher lives in New Jersey with his wife and family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have Clash book along with Gruen and Green books!, February 7, 2004

By 

S. Noh (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clash City Showdown (Paperback)

First off, I want to thank Chris for finally, finally putting together this book for all us diehard Clash/Strummer fans and casual ones too. Having been first acquainted with CCS Dispatches in mid 90's many of the articles were familiar to me. Reading them once more in one central place is a true treasure.

While you may not agree with all of Chris's theories, almost all have proven to be true. One comes to mind is his hypothesis that Joe is an ex-hippie turned punk. Many, many readers of that article thought Chris was just way off the mark, but Joe himself told the truth saying without Hippies there would be no Punks and many ideals of former were present in the latter group.

Chris's meanderings in Greenwich Village after Joe's death exactly captured the time of that moment. I too have been to many places that Chris mentioned visiting that day in my younger days searching for bootlegs. The chill in the air, the emptyness of the streets and the hollowness inside me when Joe died, Chris captured just perfectly! I could go on and on, but I'll wrap it up for now and let others give their opinions.

If you can have only 3 Clash/Strummer books, buy this book along with Bob Gruen's photo book and Johnny Green's 'A Riot of Our Own'. You need nothing else!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best Clash book so far!, February 13, 2005

By 

P. Dull (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Clash City Showdown (Paperback)

This book is a dream for Clash obsessives! There are a few flaws (some editorial mistakes here and there, some bits are repetitive), but overall it's great! Handy bootleg reference guide, great analysis of what made the band tick (and un-tick). I saw Clash II in Dayton Ohio on May 8, 1984, and it was phenomenal...Mr. Knowles really defends Clash II (but not necessarily Cut The Crap), and I have to agree with him. Wish I had a recording of that show! Anyhoo - GET THIS BOOK!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the only book that matters, January 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Clash City Showdown (Paperback)

put your history books away kiddies. if you want to get to the heart of why the clash were called "the only band that matters" you need this book. showdown is not your normal by the numbers account of the history of the clash, instead it is a fan's view of the mythology of the clash, their rise & fall and everything in-between and after. chris writes from an obsessed fans point of view, drawing conclusions and theories about the clash based on personal opinion, historical fact and the clash's own words. you may not agree with all of chris's views or opinions but that is the whole point of this book-to raise constructive discussion, to make the reader develop their own opinions. if you are an old fan of the clash or a new fan wanting to get to the heart of what made them such an explosive force do yourself a favor, skip the blah blah blah heard it all before history books about the clash and get clash city showdown. an added bonus is the original artwork by chris himself. he proves not only to be a talented and passionate writer but a damn fine artist as well. this book certainly will not disappoint-A+++++