The Clash

The Clash formed in London in 1976 and became one of the most influential bands of the original British punk wave. For most of their recording career the line-up was Joe Strummer on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Mick Jones on lead guitar and vocals, Paul Simonon on bass and Nicky "Topper" Headon on drums. Their punk drew in reggae, dub, funk, ska and rockabilly, and it fed into the post-punk and new wave movements that followed.

Their self-titled debut arrived in 1977, followed by Give 'Em Enough Rope in 1978. London Calling, released in the UK in December 1979, won them a following in America, and Rolling Stone later named it the best album of the 1980s. Sandinista! pushed the experiments further in 1980, and Combat Rock (1982) brought the US top-10 hit "Rock the Casbah". Headon and Jones left in turn, and the band ended after Cut the Crap in 1985.