Cut the Crap
Encyclopedia
Cut the Crap is the sixth and final album by the English punk rock
band The Clash
, released on 4 November 1985 by Epic Records
.
Following the ejection of founding member Mick Jones
from the group, The Clash hired guitarists Nick Sheppard
and Vince White
to replace him. The album was not mentioned in the Clash documentary Westway to the World
and was not featured on the compilation album The Story of the Clash, Volume 1
or in the box set Clash on Broadway
.
, the band reconvened that June for rehearsals in London, England. About a week into rehearsals, tensions present within the group throughout the year re-emerged, reportedly due to a musical difference of opinion brought about by guitarist Mick Jones's use of a synthesizer he had recently acquired. Another point of contention was Jones's frequent tardiness and absences. By that point Jones and his songwriting partner Joe Strummer
had difficulty communicating with one another; drummer Pete Howard said, "It got to the point where Joe was posting lyrics through Mick's door. He thought the music that Mick was putting to them was a pile of shit." At the same time Jones refused to sign a new contract presented by manager Bernie Rhodes without consulting a lawyer; one Clash associate commented that Rhodes was angered by Jones's position, and "twisted Joe up about it", asking Strummer if he really wanted to be in the band with the guitarist. The rehearsals eventually ceased.
In August 1983, The Clash arranged to reconvene to discuss plans for their follow-up to Combat Rock
. Speaking of the tension by that point between Strummer and himself, Jones said, "By then, our relationship was . . . bad. We weren't really communicating. The group was dissipating." Not long into the new set of rehearsals, some time in late August or early September, Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon
fired Jones from The Clash. A week prior to the official statement of Jones's ejection, Strummer, Simonon, and Rhodes met Howard in a pub, where Strummer aggressively told the drummer, "I've just fucking sacked Mick Jones, he's a fucking cunt. You have to make a decision: are you with us or him?" Howard elected to stay with the group, and in October the band began posting anonymous advertisements in Melody Maker
seeking a new guitarist. After auditions (during which the identity of the band remained a secret), The Clash selected two guitarists, Nick Sheppard
and Greg White, with the latter taking the name Vince White
due to Simonon's refusal to play in a band with someone named "Greg".
The intention behind the new Clash lineup was to take the music back to basics. With Strummer playing little guitar in the new lineup and Sheppard taking over rhythm guitarist duties, the band practised early Clash songs and new three and four-chord songs, and eschewed reggae
. The band then booked a brief tour of the American West Coast, which prompted Mick Jones to inform concert promoter Bill Graham
that he was planning to tour the country with former Clash drummer Topper Headon
as "the real Clash". Jones's lawyer had earnings frozen from the US Festival as well as the band's previous album Combat Rock
, which resulted in Strummer writing the song "We Are the Clash". The tour set out in January 1984, lasting until January. The shows featured the premiere of new songs "We Are the Clash", "Three Card Trick", "Sex Mad War", and "This Is England
".
commented, "We didn't think [. . .] 'Anyone can write a punk song!' That was our mistake." Unknown to the band at the time, Bernie Rhodes's solution to the problem was to take control of the music writing himself.
the working title of the record was Out of Control. Bernie Rhodes
changed it to Cut the Crap shortly before release without consulting the band. Rhodes also produced the record, using the alias of "Jose Unidos".
In mid-2000, the album was remastered and re-released in Europe with a bonus track "Do It Now". The reissue was unannounced and not promoted. It came after the rest of the band's catalogue had been reissued in December 1999 -January 2000 in the U.S.
". The absence of Jones and former drummer Topper Headon
(who had been kicked out earlier due to his ongoing heroin addiction) led many to regard Cut the Crap as a Joe Strummer solo album, despite the fact that Paul Simonon appeared on it as well. Reasons for the album's shortcomings included Joe Strummer's disillusionment with the group by this point, as well as his grieving over the deaths of his parents. When the album was re-released in 2000, Q Magazine noted "you wouldn't get into too many fights if you went around saying this was the Clash's worst album."
and Bernard Rhodes.
Additional musicians
Production
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, released on 4 November 1985 by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
.
Following the ejection of founding member Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
from the group, The Clash hired guitarists Nick Sheppard
Nick Sheppard
Nick Sheppard is a Bristol-born guitarist best known for being in the well-known punk band The Clash for a short time.-Biography:Nick Sheppard was educated at Bristol Grammar School, one of Bristol's leading public schools, and was in the same year as fellow musician Mark Stewart of The Pop Group...
and Vince White
Vince White
Gregory Stuart Lee White , better known as Vince White, was one of the guitarists recruited by The Clash to replace Mick Jones after he was fired from the band in 1983.-Biography:...
to replace him. The album was not mentioned in the Clash documentary Westway to the World
Westway to the World
The Clash: Westway to the World is a 2000 documentary film about the British punk rock band The Clash. In 2003 it won the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video....
and was not featured on the compilation album The Story of the Clash, Volume 1
The Story of the Clash, Volume 1
The Story of the Clash, Vol. 1 is a double-disc compilation album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released with 28 tracks on 29 February 1988 through Epic Records. The compilation presents a relatively thorough overview of their career . An anticipated second volume was to have...
or in the box set Clash on Broadway
Clash on Broadway
-Track listing:All songs written by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer except where noted otherwise.-Disc one:# "Janie Jones" — 2:11# "Career Opportunities" — 1:58#* early demo versions produced by Guy Stevens# "White Riot" — 1:59# "1977" — 1:41...
.
Background and recording
Following a break after The Clash's performance at the 1983 US FestivalUS Festival
The US Festivals were two early 1980s music and culture festivals sponsored by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple Computer. The first was held Labor Day weekend in September 1982 and the second was Memorial Day weekend in May 1983...
, the band reconvened that June for rehearsals in London, England. About a week into rehearsals, tensions present within the group throughout the year re-emerged, reportedly due to a musical difference of opinion brought about by guitarist Mick Jones's use of a synthesizer he had recently acquired. Another point of contention was Jones's frequent tardiness and absences. By that point Jones and his songwriting partner Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
had difficulty communicating with one another; drummer Pete Howard said, "It got to the point where Joe was posting lyrics through Mick's door. He thought the music that Mick was putting to them was a pile of shit." At the same time Jones refused to sign a new contract presented by manager Bernie Rhodes without consulting a lawyer; one Clash associate commented that Rhodes was angered by Jones's position, and "twisted Joe up about it", asking Strummer if he really wanted to be in the band with the guitarist. The rehearsals eventually ceased.
In August 1983, The Clash arranged to reconvene to discuss plans for their follow-up to Combat Rock
Combat Rock
The album received positive reviews from critics, and reached the number two on the UK Albums Chart, the number seven on the Billboard Pop albums, and the top ten on many charts in other countries...
. Speaking of the tension by that point between Strummer and himself, Jones said, "By then, our relationship was . . . bad. We weren't really communicating. The group was dissipating." Not long into the new set of rehearsals, some time in late August or early September, Strummer and bassist Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
fired Jones from The Clash. A week prior to the official statement of Jones's ejection, Strummer, Simonon, and Rhodes met Howard in a pub, where Strummer aggressively told the drummer, "I've just fucking sacked Mick Jones, he's a fucking cunt. You have to make a decision: are you with us or him?" Howard elected to stay with the group, and in October the band began posting anonymous advertisements in Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
seeking a new guitarist. After auditions (during which the identity of the band remained a secret), The Clash selected two guitarists, Nick Sheppard
Nick Sheppard
Nick Sheppard is a Bristol-born guitarist best known for being in the well-known punk band The Clash for a short time.-Biography:Nick Sheppard was educated at Bristol Grammar School, one of Bristol's leading public schools, and was in the same year as fellow musician Mark Stewart of The Pop Group...
and Greg White, with the latter taking the name Vince White
Vince White
Gregory Stuart Lee White , better known as Vince White, was one of the guitarists recruited by The Clash to replace Mick Jones after he was fired from the band in 1983.-Biography:...
due to Simonon's refusal to play in a band with someone named "Greg".
The intention behind the new Clash lineup was to take the music back to basics. With Strummer playing little guitar in the new lineup and Sheppard taking over rhythm guitarist duties, the band practised early Clash songs and new three and four-chord songs, and eschewed reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
. The band then booked a brief tour of the American West Coast, which prompted Mick Jones to inform concert promoter Bill Graham
Bill Graham
William Carvel "Bill" Graham, PC QC is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Personal life:...
that he was planning to tour the country with former Clash drummer Topper Headon
Topper Headon
Headon was extensively interviewed for the Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten documentary film about the late Clash frontman. He related his experiences during this period, how he became addicted to heroin and how there were problems before his dismissal...
as "the real Clash". Jones's lawyer had earnings frozen from the US Festival as well as the band's previous album Combat Rock
Combat Rock
The album received positive reviews from critics, and reached the number two on the UK Albums Chart, the number seven on the Billboard Pop albums, and the top ten on many charts in other countries...
, which resulted in Strummer writing the song "We Are the Clash". The tour set out in January 1984, lasting until January. The shows featured the premiere of new songs "We Are the Clash", "Three Card Trick", "Sex Mad War", and "This Is England
This Is England (song)
"This Is England" is a song by English punk rock band The Clash, released in September 1985 as the only single from their sixth and final critically maligned studio album Cut the Crap...
".
Music
Biographer Chris Salewicz noted that the "fundamental flaw" in firing Mick Jones from The Clash was that he wrote virtually all of the music. Clash associate Kosmo VinylKosmo Vinyl
Kosmo Vinyl was a longtime associate and sometime manager for The Clash, as well as being associated with The Jam, two English bands of the 1970s and 1980s...
commented, "We didn't think [. . .] 'Anyone can write a punk song!' That was our mistake." Unknown to the band at the time, Bernie Rhodes's solution to the problem was to take control of the music writing himself.
Release
According to guitarist Vince WhiteVince White
Gregory Stuart Lee White , better known as Vince White, was one of the guitarists recruited by The Clash to replace Mick Jones after he was fired from the band in 1983.-Biography:...
the working title of the record was Out of Control. Bernie Rhodes
Bernie Rhodes
Bernard Rhodes is the former manager of English punk rock band The Clash. He previously worked with Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and once claimed to have "invented punk".-Management:...
changed it to Cut the Crap shortly before release without consulting the band. Rhodes also produced the record, using the alias of "Jose Unidos".
In mid-2000, the album was remastered and re-released in Europe with a bonus track "Do It Now". The reissue was unannounced and not promoted. It came after the rest of the band's catalogue had been reissued in December 1999 -January 2000 in the U.S.
Reception
Critical and commercial reception to the record was poor aside from the single "This Is EnglandThis Is England (song)
"This Is England" is a song by English punk rock band The Clash, released in September 1985 as the only single from their sixth and final critically maligned studio album Cut the Crap...
". The absence of Jones and former drummer Topper Headon
Topper Headon
Headon was extensively interviewed for the Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten documentary film about the late Clash frontman. He related his experiences during this period, how he became addicted to heroin and how there were problems before his dismissal...
(who had been kicked out earlier due to his ongoing heroin addiction) led many to regard Cut the Crap as a Joe Strummer solo album, despite the fact that Paul Simonon appeared on it as well. Reasons for the album's shortcomings included Joe Strummer's disillusionment with the group by this point, as well as his grieving over the deaths of his parents. When the album was re-released in 2000, Q Magazine noted "you wouldn't get into too many fights if you went around saying this was the Clash's worst album."
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Joe StrummerJoe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
and Bernard Rhodes.
- "Dictator" – 3:00
- "Dirty Punk" – 3:11
- "We Are the Clash" – 3:02
- "Are You Red..Y" – 3:01
- "Cool Under Heat" – 3:21
- "Movers and Shakers" – 3:01
- "This Is EnglandThis Is England (song)"This Is England" is a song by English punk rock band The Clash, released in September 1985 as the only single from their sixth and final critically maligned studio album Cut the Crap...
" – 3:49 - "Three Card Trick" – 3:09
- "Play to Win" – 3:06
- "Fingerpoppin'" – 3:25
- "North and South" – 3:32
- "Life Is Wild" – 2:39
Personnel
The following people contributed to Cut the Crap (Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon were the only original Clash members that actually appeared on the album):- Joe StrummerJoe StrummerJohn Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Nick SheppardNick SheppardNick Sheppard is a Bristol-born guitarist best known for being in the well-known punk band The Clash for a short time.-Biography:Nick Sheppard was educated at Bristol Grammar School, one of Bristol's leading public schools, and was in the same year as fellow musician Mark Stewart of The Pop Group...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocals on "North and South" and "Play to Win" - Vince WhiteVince WhiteGregory Stuart Lee White , better known as Vince White, was one of the guitarists recruited by The Clash to replace Mick Jones after he was fired from the band in 1983.-Biography:...
– additional guitar on "Do It Now" - Paul SimononPaul SimononPaul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, additional bass on "Do It Now" - Pete Howard – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, additional drums on "Do It Now"
Additional musicians
- Young Wagner – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s - Norman Watt-RoyNorman Watt-RoyNorman Watt-Roy is the bassist for The Blockheads, previously known as Ian Dury & the Blockheads.In November 1954 the Watt-Roy family, including Norman, his older brother Garth and his sister, moved to England...
– bass - Fayney – drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s - Bernie Rhodes – drum machine programming
Production
- Bernie Rhodes - producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
(credited as "Jose Unidos")
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Billboard 200 | 88 |
| 1985 | Swedish Albums Chart | 30 |
| 1985 | UK Albums Chart | 16 |