Revisit: Sound System - The Clash (2013)

Sound System - The Clash

Sony Legacy

Released 9th September 2013

UK Chart 53 

Click on the links to discover even more music from The Clash

It's been almost two years since Sound System was released, on what would have been Joe's Birthday it's worth a wee revisit.

I remember in May 2013 when Sound System was first announced as coming out that I was quite skeptical because there was so much that had been out previously that I wondered was it really something that was needed. But listening to it was quite a surprise because Mick Jones and Tim Jones have done a masterly deed of remastering, particularly on the first album, The Clash, which was always quite raw and muffled sounding, now it sounds like that moment when your hearing has been dulled for a while and suddenly there's a pop and everything sounds so clear, precise, and you hear things that you hadn't been able to before! There's a crispness to some songs that wasn't there when first released!

There's a few bones to pick of course but only because I would have liked more, like The Lyceum Show (Here's the 28th December Show in Full) from 1978, there's been a few Soundboard Bootlegs of this show, and a few other of The Lyceum (here's the 3rd January 1979 Show in Full) ones floating about for years so why couldn't they have put a full show from that venue on this Boxset? The Clash were actually sounding much better than they had done the previous times that I had seen them. At those shows in December 1978 and January 1979 they really seemed to be playing at a whole other level. City of the Dead and I Fought the Law had been on the From Here to Eternity album that came out in 1999 and Drug Stabbing Time was one of two bonuses if you had purchased it on iTunes so the whole show must have been in their hands.  Also I wonder how much live film footage is still sitting around waiting to be seen (maybe there will be a live DVD somewhere in the pipeline)?

On Disc 10 there's a bunch of tracks related to the recording Combat Rock. Mick Jones had done a mix of it called Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg (you can listen to it here!), and whereas before it was released I only assumed there were two tracks from it I just noticed that there are actually four tracks from it - The Beautiful People Are Ugly To, Kill Time (with title changed to Idle in Kangaroo Court), Ghetto Defendent (Unedited Version), Sean Flynn (Extended Marcus Music Version), Straight to Hell (Extended Unedited Version). Walk Evil Talk remains unreleased officially from the Fort Bragg mix.

Of course absent from the box set is the Cut the Crap, which featured only Strummer and Simonon on it and is basically a poor reflection of The Clash!

Taking the chance to play this again today has been quite cool. I was even enjoying some of the Sandinista tracks (which I have to confess never gripped me when it was released).

Give it a blast yourself today!

Rock Rock The Clash City Rockers!

Update 22nd December 2015
As You Tube have removed the full album (which they had put up themselves!) Here's a wee selection of stuff from the album.
Apologies if you wanted to hear the whole album.

Doug

Product Description
The Clash's Sound System is the band’s re-mastered recorded works collected together for the first time. Contained within classic boombox packaging designed by Paul Simonon, this boxset contains the band’s five seminal studio albums in their original eight-disc format, newly re-mastered by The Clash; a further three discs featuring demos, non-album singles, rarities and B-sides; a DVD with previously unseen footage by both Don Letts and Julien Temple, original promo videos and live footage; an owner’s manual booklet; reprints of the band’s original Armagideon Times fanzine as well as a brand new edition curated and designed by Paul Simonon; and merchandise including dog tags, badges, stickers and an exclusive Clash poster.
Conceived and compiled by The Clash, Sound System is a significant and unique collection of the complete recorded works by the 20th century’s most influential British band. Greatly enhanced by the careful re-mastering rendering the original recordings more vital and crisp, it's all contained in Paul Simonon’s iconic design, with a selection of bonus material.

 Tracklist: The Clash, Sound System box set

CD 1 The Clash

CD 2 Give ‘Em Enough Rope

CDs 3-4 London Calling

CDs 5-7 Sandinista!

CD 8 Combat Rock

CD 9 Sound System Extras 1
1. White Riot (Single version)
2. 1977 (B-side)
3. Listen (Capital Radio EP) / Interviews (Capital Radio EP)
4. Capital Radio (Capital Radio EP)
5. London’s Burning (Live B-side Remote Control)
6. Complete Control (Single version)
7. City Of The Dead (B-side)
8. Clash City Rockers (Original single version)
9. Jail Guitar Doors (B-side)
10. White Man In Hammersmith Palais (A-side)
11. The Prisoner (B-side)
12. 1-2 Crush On You (B-side Tommy Gun)
13. Time Is Tight (Black Market Clash)
14. Pressure Drop (B-side English Civil War)
15. I Fought The Law (Cost Of Living EP)
16. Groovy Times (Cost Of Living EP)
17. Gates Of The West (Cost Of Living EP)
18. Capital Radio (Cost Of Living EP)
19. Armagideon Time
20. Bank Robber (A-side)
21. Rockers Galore On A UK Tour (B-side)

CD 10 Sound System Extras 2
1. Magnificent Dance (12”) 5:36 (available on Singles box set)
2. Midnight To Stevens (Outtake)
3. Radio One (B-side Hitsville UK)
4. Stop The World (B-side The Call Up)
5. The Cool Out (US 12” B-side of The Call Up)
6. This Is Radio Clash (A-side)
7. This Is Radio Clash (B-side 7” – different lyrics)
8. First Night Back In London (B-side Know Your Rights)
9. Rock The Casbah (Bob Clearmountain 12” mix)
10. Long Time Jerk (B-side Rock The Casbah)
11. The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too (Outtake)
12. Idle In Kangaroo Court (Outtake listed as Kill Time)
13. Ghetto Defendant (Extended version – unedited)
14. Cool Confusion (B-side Should I Stay Or Should I Go 7”)
15. Sean Flynn (Extended ‘Marcus Music’ version)
16. Straight To Hell (Extended unedited version from Clash On Broadway)

CD 11 Sound System Extras 3 

Extracts from The Clash’s first ever recording session at Beaconsfield Film School 1976. Recorded by Julien Temple
1. I’m So Bored With The USA
2. London’s Burning
3. White Riot
4. 1977  

Polydor Demos – The Clash’s second recording session January 1977
Produced by Guy Stevens
5. Janie Jones
6. Career Opportunities
7. London’s Burning
8. 1977
9. White Riot 

Live at The Lyceum, London 28th December 1978
10. City Of The Dead
11. Jail Guitar Doors
12. English Civil War
13. Stay Free
14. Cheapstakes
15. I Fought The Law

Bonus DVD
Julien Temple Archive – 6:20
White Riot Interview – 7:10  

Promo and interviews with Tony Parsons
1977 1:87
White Riot 1:48
London’s Burning 2:05  

Sussex University 1977
I’m So Bored With The USA 2:14
Hate and War 1:94
Career Opportunities 1:42
Remote Control 2:73  

Don Letts Super 8 Medley 11:40
White Riot 1:52
Janie Jones 1:73
City of the Dead 2:04
Clash City Rockers 2:15
White Man in Hammersmith Palais 2:53
1977 1:41
Clash On Broadway – 19:50
London Calling
This Is Radio Clash
The Magnificent Seven
Guns Of Brixton
Safe European Home  

Promo Videos
Tommy Gun 3:00
London Calling 3:20
Bankrobber 4:00
Clampdown (Live) 5:00
Train In Vain (Live) 2:10
The Call Up 3:10
Rock The Casbah 3:20
Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Live at Shea Stadium) 2:50
Career Opportunities (Live at Shea Stadium) 3:00