|
 Let's
Rock Again
Starring:
Joe Strummer, Tymon Dogg, Simon Stafford, Martin Slattery, Luke
Fuller, Scott Shields
Directed by: Dick Rude
Documentary
Buy It
"Go
buy something weird today. Don't go and buy something that's been
shoved at you! We've got to go back to searching out."
- Joe Strummer
Bluntly
speaking? Let's Rock Again is a documentary worth traveling
- by land or sea - to get to. It's an intimate look at musical
icon Joe Strummer and the band The Mescaleros - but it's more
than that. It's a visual document that shows why it is Joe Strummer
left such an indelible impression upon so many.
Director,
filmmaker, and Joe buddy, Dick Rude has managed to capture what
Joe was all about - the music and a screamin' original soul. Through
a hodge podge of backstage touring going ons, and his new band,
The Mescaleros' performances, you
get the feeling Joe Strummer
had firmly moved on from his days-of-fame with The Clash. But
still he is aware of the importance of that time. After an "eleven
year lay-off" he was back and rockin'.
Rude
and his camera follow Joe and band mates Tymon Dogg, Simon Stafford,
Martin Slattery, Luke Fuller, and Scott Shields through a whirlwind
tour promoting their Global A Go-Go
cd.
Joe's
looking for a new audience and hoping to share with his old audience.
It's not easy, but Strummer's never been a quitter or put off
by what-was. He avoids the treacle...and the new Strummer's a
self-promoter. He visits record stores, hands out club flyers
on the streets, listens to bygone tales from fans, all in an attempt
to get people tuned in to the "new" music. Through it
all Joe's always smiling and legitimately "there" with
them.
 This
is a resurrection tour of sorts for Joe; an attempt to again step
from his once rock-star tagged life. He just wants to work. At
one point Joe's on the phone trying to get in to a local radio
station to plug a Mescalero show that eve. Getting nowhere with
the door-phone jockey he finally says, "I use to be in the
The Clash..." as an attempt to gain entrance. That works.
And those in the know will feel the bittersweet sting of Strummer's
obvious past shadow ever present. But don't get all meloncholy.
He was doing what he was made to do, play music. The band's
tight and the songs radiate. And Joe, ever humble and genuinely
unaware of just how important a musical entity he was, trying
to stay away from becoming "too highfalutin'," actually
says of his band's lyrics, "We're on the level of cross-word
puzzle writers." That's Joe. And Dick Rude's got it all on
film! It's a remarkble bit of great.
And
Rude's clever editing is perfect. His passion for Strummer is
evident and through rare and incredible-access footage he shares
quite an experience of this icon, as well as the man, Joe Strummer…and
of course his music. Enjoy.
BluntAside:
This is an emotionally packed ode and may really shake you if
you're into Joe - be warned.
Buy
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' Music
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