If Music Could Talk

Jimmy Jazz wrote:Is it definite that "Ooh Baby Ooh" is actually The Clash? I always thought it might have been a London SS, or some kind of Mick Jones demo that got labeled as The Clash on bootlegs just because they re-used the music for Gates Of The West.

It was a London SS tune recycled for rehearsals in '76 and maybe a couple of the very first live shows until they got enough new material written. Lyrics, at least. I sort of doubt Mick was writing arrangements that complex when he was 21.

Rat Patrol wrote:

Jimmy Jazz wrote:Is it definite that "Ooh Baby Ooh" is actually The Clash? I always thought it might have been a London SS, or some kind of Mick Jones demo that got labeled as The Clash on bootlegs just because they re-used the music for Gates Of The West.

It was a London SS tune recycled for rehearsals in '76 and maybe a couple of the very first live shows until they got enough new material written. Lyrics, at least. I sort of doubt Mick was writing arrangements that complex when he was 21.

But is that recording we have of it, that's usually listed as a GEER outtake, really The Clash or could that be a London SS demo?

GEER. or at least Basing Street '78. Same track later overdubbed for Gates of the West.

Just listened to it again, and it does sound kind of glam~ish. Musically it could certainly have been a dolls track. Holy crap if they sounded even remotely that good.

Jimmy Jazz wrote:Is it definite that "Ooh Baby Ooh" is actually The Clash? I always thought it might have been a London SS, or some kind of Mick Jones demo that got labeled as The Clash on bootlegs just because they re-used the music for Gates Of The West.

Seeing as Ooh Baby Ooh and GOTW have an identical backing track, it's pretty safe to say it's definitely a Clash performance.

Heston wrote:

Jimmy Jazz wrote:Is it definite that "Ooh Baby Ooh" is actually The Clash? I always thought it might have been a London SS, or some kind of Mick Jones demo that got labeled as The Clash on bootlegs just because they re-used the music for Gates Of The West.

Seeing as Ooh Baby Ooh and GOTW have an identical backing track, it's pretty safe to say it's definitely a Clash performance.

Yes. Nobody knows what the London SS version or the LeveneClash '76 version sounded like because there's no recordings in circulation, but the arrangement was very different from what Mick wrote in '78 that eventually became GOTW. Only thing held over from the circulating version are the lyrics.

I never realized it was the same exact backing track, don't listen to it much. I was skeptical since it sounds so unlike something they would do at that time.

edit: listening to it now for the first time in years, and yes it's pretty obvious it's Tops on the drums, shoulda known.

Jimmy Jazz wrote:listening to it now for the first time in years, and yes it's pretty obvious it's Tops on the drums, shoulda known.

I am not arguing that that recording was london SS, but Topper was their drummer as well for a brief period so in theory that would not prove anything

x3em wrote:

Jimmy Jazz wrote:listening to it now for the first time in years, and yes it's pretty obvious it's Tops on the drums, shoulda known.

I am not arguing that that recording was london SS, but Topper was their drummer as well for a brief period so in theory that would not prove anything

This is 100% a Clash track but I have to say it would be fabulous to here anything by The London SS.

Tony once told me he as an audio tape so something does exist -- will it be shared, is something else entirely.

Seems that everyone involved has a tape and no one wants it heard, what does that tell you.

101Walterton wrote:Seems that everyone involved has a tape and no one wants it heard, what does that tell you.

Nothing, really. Many times artists are not good judges of their work's quality.

A Strummerless apolitical version of 76 Clash interests me very little. Like even the 76 shows, if it did leak, it probably wouldn't get more than one or two listens on my end.

Obviously though, I wouldn't oppose it being leaked.

I think with the amount of people involved, it would be a bit of a licensing nightmare for the record companies.

A Strummerless apolitical version of 76 Clash interests me very little. Like even the 76 shows, if it did leak, it probably wouldn't get more than one or two listens on my end.

Obviously though, I wouldn't oppose it being leaked.

That isn't really what it would entail. I understand they're a lot more New York Dolls/Stones-y than anything else.

matedog wrote:A Strummerless apolitical version of 76 Clash interests me very little. Like even the 76 shows, if it did leak, it probably wouldn't get more than one or two listens on my end.

Obviously though, I wouldn't oppose it being leaked.

Well for starters it's not any fucking version of The Clash any more than The 101ers were The Clash. Dolls, Stooges and MC5 were the influence for these boys with perhaps a little Modern Lovers thrown in and any group who have those bands as an influence gets my vote.