Mick Jones & Paul Simonon (The Clash) talked new box set with Fricke (pics & video)

photos & video by Dana (distortion) Yavin, words by Kath Hansen

Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash fielded questions last night at new multimedia space and hybrid art gallery, Wallplay (118 Orchard Street), about the release of The Clash’s Sound System and Hits Back. Sound System is the band’s massive collection of complete remastered works. Simonon jokingly compared the mega box set to “a piece of furniture, or a box we could live in.” In addition to the band’s five studio albums, the set also contains an additional seven discs of demos, rarities, and video.

David Fricke of Rolling Stone led a 30-minute Q&A with the the stylish and genial Jones and Simonon, as well as band manager Kosmo Vinyl, during which they discussed their legendary 17-night Sandinista! stint at Bond’s in 1981, the late Joe Strummer, and playing at Shea Stadium with The Who.

Simonon at one point reflected on the surreal nature of celebrity, saying “Once success came to us, reality started to leave. And people were there to take care of us. But one needs to have one’s feet on the ground to have a sense of reality. Joe felt that way, we all felt that way.”

The gallery space at Wallplay featured iconic photographs of The Clash from Rock Paper Photo‘s archives, including classic shots by Bob Gruen, Adrian Boot, and Pennie Smith.

A bunch of pictures and a video from the event are in this post and continue below…

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