Clash City Showdown

Rating:
Summary: A must have Clash book along with Gruen and Green books!
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: A must have Clash book along with Gruen and Green books!
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: A must read for Clash fans
Review: I've been reading Clash City Showdown: The Music, The Meaning and The Legacy of The Clash, written by Chris Knowles. This book is terrific and I highly recommend it. Chris Knowles is pretty well known in the Clash community over the years. He used to host a website called Clash City Showdown, where he would post essays on the Clash, BAD, and Joe Strummer's post -Clash career that examine the music and impact of the band. These essays were often striking because of three reasons, Knowles' writing voice is extraordinarily articulate, his knowledge base on the band is deep, and the topics he selected for analysis were and continue to be thought provoking, whether or not the reader agrees with his views.

Chris is someone who's life was shaped by the Clash, but that doesn't stop him from taking them to task whenever he sees fit, such as an article that examined the band in 1982 and '83, titled "Tentative, Too Tight and Toothless on the Terry Tour?"

Now Chris has taken many of those pieces written throughout the years and reprinted them. Also included are more recent commentaries written during Joe's era with the Mescaleros and after he passed away. His articles are placed within a biographical timeframe of the band and subsequent years. They provide a lot of background information on the history of the band and the Clash's place in music.

At the same time, Knowles ties together his pieces using a first person narrative that can be described as an Odyssey of being a Clash and Strummer fan for 20 plus years; the highs and lows, and everything in between. Chris' writing style is personal, humorous and emotionally connected. Critical thinking is prevalent throughout, but there is nothing that pretends to be dryly objective in this book, and of course that's what we fans love.

A big bonus of the book is that it comes chock full of hilarious cartoons with captions of the clash members and those "slices of life" relating to being a fan throughout. These are all drawn by Chris, who is a professional cartoonist.

So, all in all my rating for this book is A+ + + + + !

Rating:
Summary: the only book that matters
Review: 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+++++

Rating:
Summary: the only book that matters
Review: 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+++++

Rating:
Summary: buy it
Review: Stop wasting time reading these reviews and put the book in your shopping cart. It's a no brainer. This is a must own for Clash fans.

Rating:
Summary: buy it
Review: Stop wasting time reading these reviews and put the book in your shopping cart. It's a no brainer. This is a must own for Clash fans.

Rating:
Summary: best Clash book so far!
Review: 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!