This 2-part interview presents polar extremes of Joe Strummer. The first part most likely takes place in late 1983, after Mick Jones left the band but before the new Clash line-up started touring together. The majority of this segment involves Strummer heatedly discussing all the reasons Jones was fired. He then goes on to talk animatedly about the new incarnation of the band and how everyone in America is on drugs.

In the second part of the interview, recorded in the beginning of 1984, Strummer sounds melancholy and exhausted. However, with the departure of Mick Jones from The Clash being old news by this point, Lisa Robinson is able to steer the questioning towards what Strummer makes of performing, success, and his music.

Part 1 00:00 – Why Mick was fired: emotional blackmail 01:15 – Bitterness 01:56 – Success vs. personal problems 02:48 – Mick’s vision for the band / guitar synth 03:59 – Who/what constitutes The Clash 06:10 – Making a not-so-great Clash album: Combat Rock 07:05 – Glyn Johns saves Combat Rock (as per Joe Strummer) 07:55 – Glyn Johns ruins Combat Rock (as per Mick Jones) 08:35 – Forcing Mick Jones to sing “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” 10:22 – An honorable way for a band to go out 11:00 – The two new guitarists (Vince White, Nick Sheppard) 11:39 – Hoping to be possessed 12:40 – A divorced writing partnership with Mick / “Death is a Star” 14:02 – Writing with Paul Simonon / road-testing new songs 14:55 – Pete Howard on drums 15:07 – Recording a new album 15:49 – The US Festival 16:46 – Everybody in America is on drugs 18:29 – [phone]: Mick Jones’ response

Part 2 00:00 – Other aspirations / graphic artist 00:51 – Growing up with a diplomat father 01:57 – A feeling of homelessness 02:29 – Slagged for being middle-class 02:59 – The reaction in Britain to the disbanding of The Clash 03:45 – Taking some criticisms to heart 04:25 – Not enjoying playing in stadiums 05:45 – Crowd behavior / whose fault 07:13 – The ideal performing situation 07:49 – Pros and cons for The Clash getting bigger 08:30 – Avoiding the problems of The Who 09:09 – The commercial success of Combat Rock 10:48 – [A false start] 11:07 – Joe’s opinion of The Clash’s music 12:11 – Musical influences 12:45 – The blues boom of the ‘60’s in Britain 15:05 – Re-selling R&B to the U.S.