Everybody knows The Clash was one of the most critically acclaimed and highly influential punk bands ever. Everybody knows the hits like “Train In Vain”, “London Calling”, “Rock the Casbah”, and “Should I Stay or Should I Go” (just to name a few), but The Clash of course had plenty of outstanding deep-cuts as well. Chief among them is “Guns of Brixton,” a jam with such a distinct reggae flavor that you’d be hard-pressed even to recognize it as a Clash song if you’re not a fan. Granted, it was written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon, who grew up in Brixton, South London, so it reflects the sound and culture of the area, but whatever the case, to the ears of this writer, it’s perhaps the straight-up coolest song in The Clash’s entire catalog. This superb performance of the track from way back in 1980 is a case in point. Soak it in:
