Joe Strummer

I was standing in the legendary  (to me anyway) ”Round About Records”  in Papanui, Christchurch N.Z. – when I found out Joe Strummer has died.

I was once in a band that mangled “Charlie Don’t Surf” and “Should I Stay – Or Should I Go” – and was gutted to hear the news.

A few months later I produced two versions of this tribute documentary – for Radio Hauraki Auckland, and Radio New Zealand.

It was the first time I got to work with New Zealand broadcasting icon Barry Jenkin (narrator) – who later contributed to the “Down Under The Moonlight” Bowie documentaries.

This audio includes recollections from those who saw his memorable live performance at “The Big Day Out” in Auckland, New Zealand. (This doc. features clips from the highly recommended documentary “Westway to the World” by Don Letts, which in 2003 won the Grammy Award for best long form music video).

The documentary’s title, “Sound of the Joe”, comes from the name of a song written by Clash guitarist Mick Jones in honour of Strummer’s memory.

“The Sound Of The Joe“; Silver Medal Winner at the New York Radio Festivals, commended in the New Zealand Radio Awards. This documentary was written and produced for Radio Hauraki to celebrate the life of Joe Strummer – leader singer of “The Clash” (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002).

Title: “Sound of the Joe”
Commissioned by: Radio Hauraki
First broadcast: Dec 2003

Equipment:

Sony TCD-D8 Portable DAT Recorder
Sony ECM-MS907 Stereo Microphone
Cool Edit Pro Digital Editor