In celebration of what would have been Joe Strummer's 60th birthday this year - and, just as sadly, the 10th anniversary of his passing this coming December - the Clash frontman's three albums with latter-day solo band The Mescaleros have received the deluxe treatment both physically and digitally.
At the end of August, Hellcat/Epitaph Records released a digital box set, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: The Hellcat Years. This 57-track box set contains all three remastered Mescaleros LPs - 1999's Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, 2001's Global A Go-Go and the posthumous Streetcore (2003) - along with ten non-LP B-sides and an unreleased concert. That show, a benefit for the Fire Union Brigade recorded at London's Acton Town Hall, was one of Strummer's final concerts and arguably one of the most iconic; the encore saw Strummer invite former band member and songwriting partner Mick Jones to the stage for a three-song performance of early Clash tunes. It was the first time the duo shared a stage since their 1983 set at The US Festival. (The pair were in good spirits, having just been announced as inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of The Clash the week prior. Strummer would not live to attend the induction.)
Interestingly, the three albums are getting released on CD as well on September 25, but the discs will only feature the ten B-sides and one non-Jones track from the Acton concert between them. Completists fear not, though: the tracks available only through the digital box set are available for individual purchase.
The track lists for the discs and the box set (the latter of which is available now) are after the jump.
Rock Art in the X-Ray Style: Expanded Edition (originally released as Hellcat Records 80424-2 (U.S.)/Mercury 546 654-2 (U.K.), 1999 - reissued Hellcat/Epitaph, 2012)
- Tony Adams
- Sandpaper Blues
- X-Ray Style
- Techno D-Day
- The Road to Rock ’n’ Roll
- Nitcomb
- Diggin’ the New
- Forbidden City
- Yalla Yalla
- Willesden to Cricklewood
- Time and the Tide
- X-Ray Style (Live, Summer 1999)
- Yalla Yalla (Norro's King Dub)
Tracks 11-13 from "Yalla Yalla" single - Mercury MERX/MERCD 523 (U.K.), 1999
Global A Go-Go: Expanded Edition (originally released as Hellcat Records 80440-2, 2001)
- Johnny Appleseed
- Cool ‘N’ Out
- Global A Go-Go
- Bhindi Bhagee
- Gamma Ray
- Mega Bottle Ride
- Shaktar Donetsk
- Mondo Bongo
- Bummed Out City
- At the Border, Guy
- Minstrel Boy
- Bhindee Bhagee (Live @ Acton Town Hall, London - 11/15/2002) (previously unreleased bonus track)
Streetcore: Expanded Edition (originally released as Hellcat Records 80454-2, 2003)
- Coma Girl
- Get Down Moses
- Long Shadow
- Arms Aloft
- Ramshackle Day Parade
- Redemption Song
- All in a Day
- Burnin’ Streets
- Midnight Jam
- Silver and Gold
- The Harder They Come (Live)
- Rudi, A Message to You (Live)
- Blitzkrieg Bop (Live)
- Yalla Yalla (Live)
- Armagideon Time (Live)
- Pressure Drop (Live)
- Junco Pardner (Live)
Tracks 11-14 from "Coma Girl" CD singles - Hellcat 1135-2/1136-2, 2003. Tracks 15-16 from "Redemption Song" CD singles - Hellcat 1147-2/1148-2, 2003. Track 17 from "Redemption Song" 7" single (Hellcat 1149-7, 2003) and Give 'Em the Boot Volume IV compilation (Hellcat Records 80458-2, 2004)
The Hellcat Years (digital box set) (Hellcat/Epitaph, 2012)
- Tony Adams
- Sandpaper Blues
- X-Ray Style
- Techno D-Day
- The Road to Rock ’n’ Roll
- Nitcomb
- Diggin’ the New
- Forbidden City
- Yalla Yalla
- Willesden to Cricklewood
- Johnny Appleseed
- Cool ‘N’ Out
- Global A Go-Go
- Bhindi Bhagee
- Gamma Ray
- Mega Bottle Ride
- Shaktar Donetsk
- Mondo Bongo
- Bummed Out City
- At the Border, Guy
- Minstrel Boy
- Coma Girl
- Get Down Moses
- Long Shadow
- Arms Aloft
- Ramshackle Day Parade
- Redemption Song
- All in a Day
- Burnin’ Streets
- Midnight Jam
- Silver and Gold
- Time and the Tide
- X-Ray Style (Live, Summer 1999)
- Yalla Yalla (Norro's King Dub)
- The Harder They Come (Live)
- Rudi, A Message to You (Live)
- Blitzkrieg Bop (Live)
- Yalla Yalla (Live)
- Armagideon Time (Live)
- Pressure Drop (Live)
- Junco Pardner (Live)
- Shaktar Donetsk (Live)
- Bhindee Bhagee (Live)
- Rudie Can’t Fail (Live)
- Tony Adams (Live)
- (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais (Live)
- Mega Bottle Ride (Live)
- Get Down Moses (Live)
- Police and Thieves (Live)
- Cool ‘n’ Out (Live)
- Police on My Back (Live)
- Johnny Appleseed (Live)
- Coma Girl (Live)
- I Fought the Law (Live)
- Bankrobber (with Mick Jones) (Live)
- White Riot (with Mick Jones) (Live)
- London’s Burning (with Mick Jones) (Live)
Tracks 1-10 from Rock Art in the X-Ray Style. Tracks 11-21 from Global A Go-Go. Tracks 22-31 from Streetcore. Tracks 32-41 are non-LP B-sides (original catalogue listings above). Tracks 42-57 recorded live at Acton Town Hall, London - 11/15/2002 and are previously unreleased.
Simon Franklin says
Can't believe that Joe would be too pleased with this being only fully available as a download only set. I know I'm not. What's wrong a full physical release instead of being fobbed off with this half-baked collection, particularly the non-avalibility of the Acton gig. Bloody Epitath.
Pierre says
Same feeling...