Post Description

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
Benefit Concert For Striking Firefighters
at the Action Town Hall, 15 nov 2002


Release Date: 2012
Label: Rebel Wessex
Format: MP3  320 kbps
Time: 79:18


On the ‘Bringing It All Back Home’ tour in November 2002, Joe included this benefit gig for the members of the striking fire brigades union (FBU), it was his last performance in London. Mick Jones was in the audience and he joined Joe onstage for the last three songs, twenty years after their last performance together in the Clash
This recording comes from a fan club only release, it is now out of print and has taken on legendary and essential status for all Clash fans, the sound quality and mix is superb.  It is a fine memento from Joe’s final tour deserving a permanent official release.
The band rose out of Strummer's work with Pablo Cook and Richard Norris. The three of them originally came together to write the soundtracks for two short films, Tunnel of Love, and Question of Honour. The song "Yalla Yalla" was originally written by this trio, and mixed by Antony Genn. Once Genn was brought on board, a new song "Techno D-Day" was recorded, at which point Strummer, at the behest of Genn, began recording a new record. The original drummer, Ged Lynch, left the band before recording on Rock Art & The X-Ray Style was complete and Smiley (Robbie Williams' former drummer) was brought in to finish recording. Shields and Slattery were recruited through a number of contacts with the band. Slattery had also appeared on Robbie Williams' Life Thru a Lens album, and Scott Shields was a friend of Slattery's. Oddly enough, in the initial lineup, only Smiley was playing the instrument which he knew best. Genn, although not a bad guitar player, reportedly did not have the ability to play sufficient lead guitar, hence Slattery was brought in. He, however, was trained in horns and keyboards, but had a natural ability with nearly all instruments. Strummer once joked that Slattery could play a hole in the windshield of the tour bus. Shields had previously been a drummer, but was recruited to play bass, and later guitar.
In memoriam of Joe Strummer. On Sunday, 22nd of December 2002, Joe Strummer died at his home in England, of congenital heart failure at age 50.


Tracklist:

01. Shaktar Donetsk
02. Bhindi Bhagee
03. Rudie Can’t Fail
04. Tony Adams
05. White Man
06. Mega Bottle Ride
07. Get Down Moses
08. Police & Thieves
09. Cool ‘n’ Out
10. Police On My Back
11. Johnny Appleseed
12. Coma Girl
13. I Fought The Law
14. Bankrobber*
15. White Riot*
16. London’s Burning