Customer Reviews

The Future Is Unwritten

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

When the ancient Greeks were creating their myths, Gods and heroes, they had men like Joe Strummer in mind. Epic entities possessed of such intense power and influence that their cult alone could sway the course of mortal men. Dionysus thought flutes could cease all worry. Strummer's guitar thought you weren't worried enough. The most appealing thing to me about Greek mythology is that their Gods were flawed and their heroes doomed. Give me a God with a God-complex and I'm a believer. A tale of an effed-up fallen hero? We will tell that story till the end of days.

I'm glad Joe didn't go out like Sid or Kurt, but his passing was reported with a barely audible whimper. He deserved better. How many statues of Apollo are there? Joe never caused a plague. His aim was true. Release the doves!

There's a rumor going 'round that ..Julien Temple has made a documentary about Strummer called "The Future Is Unwritten". For reasons that defy understanding, it isn't being screened in the U.S. until November (maybe). Meanwhile, it's been playing in Europe for months. Just to rub a cake of salt into the wound of the frothy mouthed faithful, the soundtrack to said film HAS been made available in the states of disgrace.

Well...that'll do. It's easily the most riveting bunch 'o' songs I've heard all year. Back in the early eighties Strummer orchestrated a pirate-radio broadcast from a London rooftop, RADIO CLASH. It was probably pretty great but I wouldn't know because I never heard it. Nor did I have the opportunity to listen to his BBC shows from 1999-2002. What "The Future Is Unwritten" soundtrack offers is a chance to experience a bit of what those shows were like. You can play the U.K. version of The Clash debut until the needle turns to dust (and you should), but you won't get closer to the soul of the man than you will here. If you follow the arc of Joe's music...from the 101ers to The Clash to Latino Rockabilly War and the Mescaleros through to his last solo work on Hellcat...you see a man searching for a sound. A fearless sonic explorer. A man with an exotic aural appetite. Joe was an exemplary musicologist. He would have exhausted Harry Smith.

What if...you could sit in a room with Joe Strummer and have him play you some of his favorite records? How much would that be worth? Julien Temple, Ian Neil, & Alan Moloney have scoured those old broadcasts and assembled a jaw-dropping example. Running the gamut from Elvis Presley's "Crawfish" (from what is, for my money, the finest soundtrack ever...King Creole) to the live MC5 version of "Kick Out The Jams" to Eddie Cochran & Woody Guthrie...from Bob Dylan to Nina Simone. If you've never heard Tim Hardin or Ernest Ranglin before, you will certainly be seeking them out upon hearing this.

Lest you think Andres Landeros' jaunty "Martha Cecilia" might taint your Mohawk, there's a healthy dose of the Strummer music arc I spoke of. A blistering (how else to describe The Clash?) demo take of "White Riot"...a Manna-from-heaven never before released Clash song "(In The) Pouring Rain"from a 1984 Seattle show...The 101ers classic "Keys To Your Heart"...Joe's indescribably beautiful instrumental "Omotepe"...and not only that, kids...but interspersed between all this are little sound-bites and introductions from the Punk Rock Warlord himself!

Whereas the Strummer/Cash duet on Marley's "Redemption Song" had reduced me to tears (3 ghostly heroes on THAT song? I defy you not to cry) a few years ago, this album is filled to the brim with life-affirming discovery and awe-inspiring passion...and F&*# YOU if that's not punk rock. The hell it ain't!

It's hard living off the scraps that may come our way now that the great man has gone and I'm sure there will be some pretty crass compilations in days to come! This however is skillfully put together and paints a picture of the man through the music he wrote and the music he loved. The opening studio take of just his voice singing White Riot sends a chill and as the full song commences memories flood back of sweaty Top Ranks and the band blasting away within touching distance of the audience.Following thisThere is a very unusual rendition of Rock the Casbah in Arabic however the most part is taken up by Joe playing songs from his radio show all of which are special. My particular favorite is the U Roy song. Many of you will have bought the 'Front Line' album back in 76 as it was sold at a promotional price of 69p the track that appears here is a version of the original and to my money superior, what a voice!!
I enjoy this album because it flows and it something to keep as an aid to remembering Joe Strummer, the songs are linked by passages of dialogue, a sprightly sounding Topper Headon is just great to hear at last, but most moving is Joe's passage about the ability and power of people to change things. His voice seems to crack with the emotion and intensity of what he is saying and I'm afraid to say I cried again!!

I think this is a great album! It is, of course, a soundtrack strictly speaking but it sounds more like a mix CD from a very cool friend with broad musical tastes. Yet it does all tie together because of who it's about. There are few compillations that cover so much territory and yet flow so evenly. I can't wait to see the film!

I like this, and the film I saw on IFC, i brought the cd after watching the movie,, there is quite a mix, some old stuff you can tell was not done in a studio but it has a nice feel not too polished like old stuff a bit scratchy but it adds to it

Haven't seen this movie. I should check it out, since I love(d) Joe Strummer. This is a great compilation of his influences, more than it is really a Joe Strummer album. He and The Clash only appear in a few songs. But Joe acts as the DJ, speaking little introductions to various songs by other artists ranging all over the map. Some of the intros are outtakes, like when he first met Mick Jones he thought he looked like Woody Woodpecker. Others are more like actual introductions.

The music is fantastic. It is great to listen to this album from start to end on a road trip or at work or something, because it moves through distinct moods, stays interesting all the time, like a great radio station of some forgotten era when there was such a thing.

When I first heard this album I thought it was Clash music I had never heard later to find out it was Joe Strummer who was a major portion of the Clash. Great CD and worth buying.

...but if I did, I doubt I'd respect you if you're reading this. Honestly. This is another product that you probably already know is good or you wouldn't be on this page. I ordered this CD because I liked the title song from "John From Cincinnati" (which is included). Since I got exactly what I wanted plus other songs from the same artist, I'm really damn happy.

Bottom line: If you're here, you're probably a fan, or someone recommended to you. If so, then BUY, you're here and it's likely that with your money the artist will have the time to produce more stuff like this that I, at least, like.
-r
PS: I'd say "thanks for your time", but I really hope you pushed 'add to cart' and didn't scroll down to read my review.
-=-