The Clash were a loud, political and rebellious band that blared their message all over the world in the late 1970s and 80s. Song titles from their debut self-titled album indicate the general attitude of the band: ‘I Fought the Law,’ ‘London’s Burning,’ and ‘I’m So Bored with the USA.’
Though he’s best known for singing lead vocals for The Clash, Joe Strummer’s life was about much more than one band. He grew up in different countries around the world alongside his diplomat father, spent time as a squatter in West London, had his time on top of the rock n roll heap with The Clash, and later re-discovered his artistic voice with work on soundtracks, as a DJ on the BBC World Service, and with the bands ‘The Pogues,’ ‘Latino Rockabilly War’ and ‘Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros.’
Director Julien Temple has crafted a unique artistic tribute to his friend in the form of a new film "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten." Temple is quite interesting himself… as a film student in the late 1970s, he filmed much of the early black-and-white footage of The Clash that appears in his new picture, he also made films about The Sex Pistols and became one of the first directors of music videos when that medium was in its infancy.
Bob speaks with Julien Temple about his career in film, the punk-rock movement and about his friend Joe Strummer.
"Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten" homepage
"Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten" Myspace page
Excellent interviews on the making of "Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten"
Strummerville, The Joe Strummer Foundation For New Music
Theatrical Trailer