Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited

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The 101ers

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For those who don't know, the 101'ers was the band that Joe Strummer led before he formed the Clash with Mick Jones, Paul Simonen and Terry Chimes.

I used to have the "Keys To Your Heart" single many years ago and I remember loving it. Little did I know that there were this many recorded tracks of the 101'ers, and I, for one, am ecstatic.

It's not as "punk" as the Clash, but it's still rough, driving rock with great hooks and Joe Strummer's signature vocals on top. If you are a Clash fan, you really owe it to yourself to get this great collection.

This album is so good I almost want to refer to it as the finding of the Punk Rock Holy Grail.

The chances are good that most people who will look to get this CD are Clash fans or Joe Strummer fans and as such, they will be pleased to know that this CD has some highlights that make it worth owning. The first cut on the CD, "letsgeatabitofrockin'" is a righteous rocking cut that has Joe channeling early Lennon and McCartney though instantly recognizable as the future voice of The Clash.

Included is an early version of "Junco Partner" and the keen ear will recognize bits of songs that ended up being used on other Clash tunes (vocal line to "Julie's in The Drug Squad" and "Jail Guitar Doors").

There are a number of live cuts here - A Van Morrison cover - It's little wonder that most punkers chose to cover "Gloria". It's a simple song to play but Strummer's band is more than capable of moving beyond the three cord formula which they prove on their fast and rollicking version of Maybellene and their version of The Stones' "Out Of time".

The CD is an interesting footnote to Strummer's career and I'm glad to have found it but it's not as good as the first 4 Clash CDs are (not much out there is) and Joe became much, much better after forming the Clash. Perhaps that's why very few of these songs were ever cannibalized for the Clash catalogue.

Bottom line is this: Worth owning for all Clash, Strummer and diehard punk and rock 'n roll fans. Everyone else should move on to something else (like the first 4 Clash, first 4 Ramones, first 10 Rolling Stones, etc).