Joe Strummer, best known for his work with seminal punk group The Clash, spent his latter years with The Mescaleros. Now, Dark Horse Records (BMG) is releasing a comprehensive collection called Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years , releasing to celebrate what would have been Strummer's 70th birthday. It will release as a box set on Sept. 16.
The box set collects unreleased songs, demos and outtakes, and remastered takes, along with the usual interviews, images, etc., in a 4CD, 7LP collection. The material was recorded between 1999-2022.
In a press release, the title is explains:
"There's so much great music that Joe left us in his archive,” says Joe’s widow and the executive producer, Lucinda Tait. “We started this work with '001', so to focus on Joe's work with The Mescaleros was the natural second step on '002' because those songs he made with them just seemed to resonate so strongly and reinvigorated his connection with his audience at a level he hadn't experienced since his days with The Clash.
“He was so excited to work with the Mescaleros and the reception he got from the press and fans was incredible, it gave him a whirlwind of energy and confidence and he was creatively fulfilled and happy.
“His words are so beautiful and honest and together with the Mescaleros some fantastic tunes were created and to listen to some of the tunes recorded as outtakes for me was really special.”
2022 marks twenty years since his passing.
TRACK LISTING:
Rock Art and the X-Ray Style
1. Tony Adams
2. Sandpaper Blues
3. X-Ray Style
4. Techno D-Day
5. The Road to Rock 'N' Roll
6. Diggin' The New
7. Nitcomb
8. Forbidden City
9. Yalla Yalla
10. Willesden To Cricklewood
Global A Go-Go
1. Johnny Appleseed
2. Cool ’N’ Out
3. Global A Go-Go
4. Bhindi Bhagee
5. Gamma Ray
6. Mega Bottle Ride
7. Shaktar Donetsk
8. Mondo Bongo
9. Bummed Out City
10. At The Border, Guy
11. Minstrel Boy (full-length version)
Streetcore
1. Coma Girl
2. Get Down Moses
3. Long Shadow
4. Arms Aloft
5. Ramshackle Day Parade
6. Redemption Song
7. All In A Day
8. Burnin' Streets
9. Midnight Jam
10. Silver and Gold
Vibes Compass
1. Time And The Tide
2. Techno D-Day (Demo)
3. Ocean Of Dreams (feat. Steve Jones)
4. Forbidden City (Demo)
5. X-Ray Style (Demo)
6. The Road To Rock ‘N’ Roll (Demo)
7. Tony Adams (Demo)
8. Cool ‘N’ Out (Demo)
9. Global A Go-Go (Demo)
10. Secret Agent Man
11. All In A Day (Demo)
12. London Is Burning
13. Get Down Moses (Outtake)
14. Fantastic
15. Coma Girl (Outtake)