The last great album of the 1970s – or was it the first great album of the 1980s? - came out 40 years ago. London Calling was The Clash at their peak, punk at its unexpected zenith, pop at its surprising return, and rock at its freshest. This review, written in 2004 to mark the 25th anniversary version of the band’s third album, is only half the story really. But it’s still true today. THE CLASH London Calling: 25th anniversary edition (Sony) There’s nothing more stifling th

THE CLASH - J FILES THE BEGINNINGS The legend has it that having watched the Sex Pistols, Joe Strummer saw the future and immediately threw in his band The 101ers for the group being put together by Mick Jones. As with much Clash mythology – including Strummer’s own name, accent and stridently working class roots - this isn’t necessarily true, or not the whole truth. Viv Albertine, who formed the pioneering and adventurous all-female act The Slits and had Jones as an on-again