20 quotes
Everyone has got to realise you can't hold onto the past if you want any future. Each second should lead to the next one.
When you blame yourself, you learn from it. If you blame someone else, you don't learn nothing, cause hey, it's not your fault, it's his fault, over there.
Interview with Judy McGuire for Punk Magazine (2001)
The men at the factory are old and cunning
In fact, punk rock means exemplary manners to your fellow human being. Fuck being an asshole, what you pussies thought it was twenty years ago.
Anybody who makes speeches written by someone else is just a robot.
It's good to be sent back to the underground. There's always a good side to bad things and the good side to this is that at least everyone has to go back down.
Joe Strummer: Putting a Scare into he Hearts of All Things Corporate (2002)
Too many songs have been written about love already, you know? Subject's covered.
The way you get a better world is, you don’t put up with substandard anything.
My Dinner with Strummer (1999)
I'd define it as self-awareness: an ability to trust your own judgment. An ability to see through veils of bullshit or spins on stories or propaganda. Maybe an ability to think for yourself.
Joe Strummer: Putting a Scare into he Hearts of All Things Corporate (2002)
My motto is, 'What's the hurry?' I'm trying to get it across to the modern world that we need to sit around and think a little bit more.
I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
A guaranteed personality
What I like about playing America is you can be pretty sure you're not going to get hit with a full can of beer when you're singing and I really enjoy that!
For me the music is a vehicle for my lyrics. It's a chance to get some really good words across.
I like to just feel how I feel and not worry about it really.
Singing into a cold wind is the worst nightmare for any singer. You could hear it in the voice.
Strummer talks war and music (2001)
There's no tenderness, or humanity in fanaticism. Thats what Rock the Casbah is about.
I think that the corporation is running it and will always make it appeal to the lowest common denominator. I think we're going to have to forget about the radio and just go back to word of mouth.
Joe Strummer: Putting a Scare into he Hearts of All Things Corporate (2002)
We got all the influences for it [Global a Go-Go] from Willesden High Road. When you go out for milk and cigarettes you go through three countries because all the shops and cafes are playing their own music, like going through hell.
Strummer talks war and music (2001)
I would say it was about time that you believe in something. And sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll ain't it.... A lot of people used to think they were.
Strummer on Man, God, Law and the Clash (1988)
I just want to go back to rockin', but I'm uncertain as to what to actually do … The truth is, I never stopped thinking about rock 'n' roll for a second that I'm on holiday.
Strummer on Man, God, Law and the Clash (1988)