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How The Clash Inspired a New Generation of Punk Bands

Punk emerged as a reaction to the rock and roll detour from activism to decadence. Among the bands, The Clash, in particular, has inspired a new generation of punk bands. Once the music and fury of revolution, rock was turned into a corporate product. It was a money machine for promoters, agents, and record companies. Like all movements, Punk was born out of change.

Those who felt betrayed by the selling of rock and roll took it back with a DIY ethos. Punk brought the music back to basics and a culture followed. Branded designer jeans that were sold in chain stores and malls that were carbon copies of each other were dissed in favor of local secondhand shops and used clothing stores.

The Clash took the essence of Punk and married it with the activism of the late 60s rock and roll to produce song lyrics that challenged the status quo. The Clash hits like London Calling, Rock the Casbah, and Should I Stay or Should I Go turned the driving essence sound of Punk into a political calling. Change, anarchy, revolt, revolution, and commentary all evolved throughout the Punk movement because of the Influence of The Clash.

Crossing Genres

The Clash were unequivocally Punk. They were also musicians who understood musical movements and styles, The driving chords and impassioned lyrics of The Clash were a melting pot of reggae, ska, dub, rockabilly, blues, jazz, and folk protest music. The Clash took all that preceded them and made it Punk.

The musical experimentation and lyrics that were a call to action or inaction were influencers to their contemporaries and future punk bands. Rancid, who mix punk and ska, and modern acts like The Interrupters are indebted to The Clash’s willingness to embrace genre diversity. The Clash taught later generations that punk wasn’t born to fit a mold, it needed to evolve.

The Clash photographed by Michael Grecco

To Live Outside The Music Industry

As a music born from those on the outside Punk is a music of political activism. Every Punk band was in effect a political statement. The Clash took the DIY ethos of Punk, they controlled their own process even after being signed to a big-money record deal. They maintained their conviction that Punk was not a product of the corporate bottom line. It was and will continue to be an art form with a direct message for social change. They took the money but maintained total control of their product and packaging. The Clash insisted on and maintained their creative freedom. They were the Punk model of integrity that proved bands could succeed without compromising their vision. From the 1980s through the new millennium, the Punk ethos exhibited by The Clash remains a guiding influence. Influenced by The Clash, bands like Fugazi understood the power of a DIY record label and operated independently of the corporate conglomerate music industry.

 Punk Influencer

In the age of social media, the Influencer became a power that the corporate advertiser couldn’t imagine. The Clash, born in another century, is a lasting influence on the legacy of Punk. Their influence cannot be denied. The Clash combines the DIY essence of Punk with the genre of melting music, political lyrics, and a neighborhood reach that spans the globe.

Their legacy lives on in well-known acts like Green Day along with underground punk scenes throughout the world. The Clash is not just a sound, it is a spirit. The DIY ethos of The Clash encourages pushing boundaries, questioning authority, and creating music that speaks to the heart of the human experience. The Clash didn’t just inspire one generation, they gave punk a blueprint for many generations.