Don Letts is a man who looms large in The Clash story- the dj who played dub for the punks, the man who dressed the bands who couldn't afford Malcolm's clothes, the film maker who went with them to New York and the cover star of Black Market Clash (later expanded into Super Black Market Clash), a compilation of B-sides and assortments. One of the highlights inside these two albums is Pressure Drop, an amped up take on the Toots And The Maytals song (and originally the b-side to 1978's English Civil War). The Clash's enthusiasm for reggae was a gateway into Jamaican music for many fans. Joe often worried about covering reggae songs, stung by Lydon's criticisms, and he referred to them as trash reggae but this cover is way more than that.
Pressure Drop
I have a massive amount of respect for Don Letts and still listen to his 6music show regularly, though it does irritate me a bit when he refers to himself in the third person.
ReplyDeleteI've read comments elsewhere that he takes roughly 30 seconds to get being dj at the Roxy into any conversation.
ReplyDeleteBut then, he was dj at the Roxy.
I've always kind of considered them more as two different songs rather than original and cover. I know that sounds a bit daft.
ReplyDeleteA great Clash highlight and a welcome bit of relief from the heaviness of English Civil War.
ReplyDelete