November 13, 2002

While it may appear Joe Strummer has been lying low for the past six months -- nothing could be further from the truth. Not only have Strummer and his band the Mescaleros been working on new material for their third album to be released on Hellcat Records in the spring of 2003, they began a 12-date UK "Bringing It All Back Home" tour in London this past weekend. Strummer, along with his writer/actor buddy Dick Rude, can also be seen this week on MTV2, where they're hosting a new program -- "Joe Strummer's Global Boom Box." Plus, Joe's seminal punk band the Clash will be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.

Strummer and The Mescaleros (Martin Slattery, Scott Shields, Tymon Dogg, Luke Bullen and Simon Stafford) started their tour in London last weekend performing at a benefit for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund at London's Royal Opera House and will revisit London on the 15th for another show benefiting Fire Brigades Union at Acton Town Hall. Upon their return they will head into the studio to finish recording their, as yet untitled, new album, which will include such tracks as "Guitar Slinger Man" and "Get Down Moses."

"Joe Strummer's Global Boom Box," which debuted last night on MTV2 and will air several more times this week, showcases music videos from world music artists including Youssau N'Dour, Chico Cesar, Habib Koite, El Grand Silencio and Angelique Kidjo. The special is akin to the BBC radio show Strummer has been hosting the last several years in the UK. Joe is the ideal host for a program of this sort, as he's been implementing world music into his own since his early days in the Clash, when they began to infuse reggae with their own punk rock compositions. With the Mescaleros, Strummer has been merging punk, folk and indigenous music from around the globe, including Arabic and Indian influences. His last album on Hellcat, Global A Go-Go, couldn't possibly have been christened with a more fitting title.

Meanwhile, the Clash (Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon) will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Fame, March 10, 2003, making them only the second punk rock band to receive this honor. (The Ramones were inducted last year.) Considered bona fide icons of punk the world over, the band was widely known for its punk rock aesthetic, ethics and the ability to infuse other types of music into its own, most notably reggae and rockabilly. Other inductees will include Elvis Costello, The Police and AC/DC. It is not known yet whether the Clash will reform for the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame ceremony.