...finally, my chance to "big up" this man, who has always been in the shadow of the admittedly iconic Joe Strummer. Many people thought that Mick was the weaker of the two guitarist/ songwriters, but I beg to differ, for various reasons.
...Upon viewing the "Kosmo Vinyl" vehicle, "The Last Testament--The Making of London Calling", I was struck by the work ethic of a band I have not always been a fan of. As a young "punk rocker" The Clash were definitely a no-no. But, over the years, and combined with my love of reggae, I began to see where they were coming from, especially Mick Jones. In fact, I owned the first B.A.D album before I ever owned a Clash album. Mick Jones, in my opinion, is not only a brilliant, "tasty" guitarist, but also a musical genius, who has never been afraid to do what he feels like.
First and foremost, I say his guitar style is "tasty" as in, he knows how much, and when. Many guitarists simply wail away, albeit with talent and proficiency, but, as a hack guitarist, this means nothing to me. The placement of guitar is just as important as what is being played. Most everyone knows the song "Clampdown", but what makes the song for me is after a few of the lines "You start wearing blue and brown--working for the Clampdown", there are three notes "nee-nu-nee". This to me is indicative of style and substance, expressed simply. In the documentary, Mr. Jones refers to playing guitar as a form of personal expression, in that every note that comes out is a telling of experience, feeling, etc. This is the pinnacle of what I hope(d) to achieve. I like a smart little guitar figure more than any full-on guitar solo. Mick also manages to avoid "the ernies" by playing a simple accompaniment--a great accomplishment for the "lead guitarist" of the band. Overall, he is more of an arranger than a player. Unlike die-hard Clash fans, I like pretty much ALL of Mick Jones' work, beginning with B.A.D., and upwards to his latest project with ex-Damned/ Sigue Sigue Sputnik bassist/ guitarist Tony James, CARBON/ SILICON. I find the newest work to be a continuation of Mick Jones' musical exploration--more of a mix of The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite than anything else. I regret not seeing them in Toronto a few years ago. They were pioneers of free downloads, and champions of P2P file sharing--instead of grumbling about it, they joined up. Also, the band highlights Jones' songwriting and lyrical ability, along with his very distinctive guitar style. B.A.D. still sound good after all these years, and were, coincidentally, one of the first "rock" bands to use samples with any effectiveness. A live album, "Carbon Casino" features many standout tracks, including "The News" among others, and a finale where Mick and Tony Join Alabama 3 for "Woke up this Morning" (The Sopranos Theme)..classic...
..so, I've actually written very little about Mick Jones' guitar playing--funny. He still is one of my favourite players, again for his sense of style and placement, rather than his "shredding" ability. He has a lot of influences, and mixes them together, along with his own "voice". Plus, he often uses a Gibson Les Paul Junior, which I am quite partial to, and isn't afraid to use effects. I wonder if he gives lessons...?
P.S. Just had a full hearing test and inner ear scan last week. I was expecting the worst, but, apparently, my hearing is almost normal! So, I will carry on, as frustrating as it can be sometimes. Music is not an occupation for me, but a passion, and no one likes coitus interruptus...
