Media: Clash members Topper Headon and Mick Jones reunite on stage

Contributed by jlee562. Posted by adam on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 12:00 PM (EST)

For the first time in 25 years, former Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon have shared the stage together. The reunion took place at Carbon/Silicon's "Carbon Casino" residency, and comes five years after Mick joined Joe Strummer on stage at the Brixton Academy.

The former bandmates performed Clash classics "Train In Vain and "Should I Stay or Should I Go" at the event. Fans captured video of "Train In Vain" .

Carbon/Silicon released Carbon/Silicon in 2007. The band feature Jones along with Tony James of Generation X, Big Audio Dynamite's Leo "Eezykill" Williams, former Reef drummer Dominic Greensmith.

Bands in this story

The Clash

Carbon/Silicon

Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros

Generation X

The Clash (60 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Someone (January 13, 2008)

Just check the guy's other videos... he got both of the songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB0elqlQpjs

TAKETHE5TH (January 14, 2008)

The guys a girl...lol
More up on youtube now try taurus trakker

Splendidtune (January 13, 2008)

this will get at least 100 comments

Osloboditelj (January 13, 2008)

Should I Stay Or Should I Go just isn't the same without Joe's sarcastic fake Spanish. This is still pretty exciting, though.

TheOneTrueBill (January 13, 2008)

I'm pretty speechless at how awesome this is.

I thought Topper couldn't play drums any more? There was a picture floating around from a couple years ago where he was on crutches.

AndyPonch (January 13, 2008)

Very cool, but really, they could've picked much better songs to perform for such a noteworthy occasion.

douglas_is_rad (January 13, 2008)

I think Train in Vain was perfect. This is awesome.

SumWon (January 13, 2008)

Nah, I disagree. These songs are all about having fun, and that is what the occasion dictated.

TAKETHE5TH (January 14, 2008)

Topper didn't rehearse anything with the band he just decided he would do it the night before....he's still got it but i don't recon this will happen again

sXenester (January 13, 2008)

fucking amazing. topper's a beast. too bad these guys aged horribly.

deadelectromix (January 13, 2008)

Topper looks a lot better now, he wasn't looking too great before.
Hurrah for heroin!

randomhero323 (January 13, 2008)

This is cool.

the giants will beat the cowboys today.

theSALLADmeister (January 13, 2008)

Agreed, G-Men what?

maverick (scott) (January 13, 2008)

Those both sounded awesome. I'd love to see Paul come back and the band do a few shows of all Mick Jones-sung songs. That would give us:

Protex Blue
Stay Free
Lost In The Supermarket
The Card Cheat
I'm Not Down
Train In Vain
Hitsville UK
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

It wouldn't be much, but it also wouldn't soil Joe's legacy at all.

-Scott

OzmanX (January 13, 2008)

Throw in "Gates of The West" and "Somebody Got Murdered" then you got yourself and helluva setlist.

OzmanX (January 13, 2008)

a*

Oh and it wouldn't hurt if "Police On My Back" was included.

Phantom_Maggot (January 13, 2008)

Jail Guitar Doors

MonkeyFracas (January 13, 2008)

You could also get Paul to sing Guns of Brixton of course.

SumWon (January 13, 2008)

also Up in Heaven (Not Only Here) - one of his best and most overlooked

Xine (January 13, 2008)

I just lost all my turds.

t-tron2000 (January 13, 2008)

this put a huge smile on my face, man i love the clash

jjp0500 (January 13, 2008)

would you go see a Clash reunion without Joe Strummer? I'm not so sure...probably

ashtraymonument (January 13, 2008)

this makes me very happy

24HourPriapism (January 13, 2008)

that made my weekend.
well that, and another pats victory.

ibitchslappedyourmama (January 13, 2008)

fuck the pats, but i still may bet on them if they end up playing the colts next week

KirbyPuckett (January 13, 2008)

Amazing.

- Kirby

SloaneDaley (January 13, 2008)

it might get flamed to admit it but I'm not a huge Clash fan by any means but I still think "Train In Vain" is one of the finest pop songs ever.

T-Rock (January 13, 2008)

Listen to their song "Groovy Times." It's a B-Side on "Super Black Market Clash."

Such a good, poppy song. Plus, it's like a throwback to 60s folk-rock, harmonica and all.

SumWon (January 13, 2008)

Yeah, the Cost of Living EP (I Fought The Law, Groovy Times, Gates of the West, Capital Radio 2) is The Clash in a nutshell.

OzmanX (January 13, 2008)

I think i just rocked my casbah.

Jon_the_Skafather (January 13, 2008)

too bad mick can't hit most of the notes he used to sing in the clash. cool all the same.

T-Rock (January 13, 2008)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LYDrYIA-res

I just like the speech Joe makes in the beginning. Maybe you'll enjoy that little tirade. Plus, I hear they didn't play this song live very much before their breakup.

P.S. There are some comments on that link worth reading, but they're "hidden." Like the guy who is offended by Joe's "anti-American" comments (because the song is only to be used when "bombing towelheads"). Pretty sure the song is not anti-Arab/Muslim by any stretch of the imagination. Hopefully that guy doesn't notice the first word in "Should I Stay or Should I Go."

T-Rock (January 13, 2008)

Oh, and here's a fun link. The list is from the National Review (right-wing magazine), and includes The Clash, Offspring, Blink-182, and Sex Pistols. Check out #17 and #20.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/25/arts/music/25brockweb.h tml

I hate right-wingers so much.

jacknife737 (January 13, 2008)

I came across that a little while ago, its probably the stupidest fucking thing i've ever read.

Dudley_Shale (January 13, 2008)

Ithink this is the most tasteful way to do this type of a reunion without Joe Strummer. They could've easily pulled a Queen, and tried to replace him and did an off-show, but at least this was in a small and intimate setting.

This was amazing, but I really hope they don't try anything more than just this.

cunt (January 13, 2008)

I completely lost my shit last year when Jesse came out to play Unity with Rancid.

I could only imagine how it would feel to see (live) Topper come out and then hear him and Mick break into that Train in Vain intro.

jacknife737 (January 13, 2008)

Tim Armstrong is stoaked.

dontwantaname (January 13, 2008)

That was pretty cool. How big was the audience?

TAKETHE5TH (January 14, 2008)

Only a small venue perhaps 150-200 people tops.

lovethatjoker (January 13, 2008)

As great a punk band as The Clash was in their early days, I must admit that this pop gem is my favorite song of theirs. Well, this and Death Or Glory.

ilikenothing (January 13, 2008)

who fucking gives a shit? second only to the sex pistols as the most overrated punk band in history. these assholes have always sucked and i hope joe strummer is full of maggots.

Osloboditelj (January 13, 2008)

Your name is so damned appropriate.

OzmanX (January 13, 2008)

How could he be full of maggots? His ashes were spread over the ocean.

Jesus_H_Christ (January 13, 2008)

Can anyone say "flamebait"?

Really, sir, are you a moron?

T-Rock (January 13, 2008)

I agree.

Except you just acknowledged that his post was "bait," and took the bait anyways.

P.S. We need a 2008 joke on this site already. Jeez. Last year there were a million. I'm partial to "cousins band," personally.

The Clash is my cousins band.

xfightmenowx (January 13, 2008)

I highly doubt they are overated.
When you look at the many elements of reggae, rockabilly, jazz and blues that resonates in much of the Clash's work, you will see they are a very substantial band. The lyrics are well written, Joe Strummer is more a badass you will ever be, and all of the musicians in the band were/are very talented in many levels.

So suck a fat one and go enjoy that Boy Like Girls album you bought at FYE last week.

Thanks,
Everyone who enjoys music that is worthwhile.

ilikenothing (January 13, 2008)

Right because I dont think this garbage is important I must like shit like Boys Like Girls. It has nothing to do with the fact that I never bought into the hype on this crap band.

The Clash will always suck.

HOISTDATRAG (January 13, 2008)

"I never bought into the hype on this crap band" says the Against Me! superfan.

jacknife737 (January 13, 2008)

now now, no need to bring AM! into this.

HOISTDATRAG (January 13, 2008)

I'm sorry, I got a little carried away.

TAKETHE5TH (January 14, 2008)

A lot of people give a shit mate.......go boil your head

SumWon (January 13, 2008)

I love it! Mick was smiling like a school girl the whole time!

HOISTDATRAG (January 13, 2008)

What's a good 1st album by the Skatalites?