The Clash First Album

In 1977, The Clash released what is arguably the finest debut album by a rock band ever.  Sure, they were labeled as punk, but the breadth of style they showed early on hinted at things to come.   We get early punk, electrified reggae, and straight ahead rock and roll.

The Clash (CBS 1977)

But the American record companies were not impressed.  Columbia/Epic had the rights to release it stateside, but they declined to do so.   As a result, this became one of the most successful import albums ever in the USA.

Columbia claimed the album wasn't radio friendly.  Looking back at the top selling albums of 1977-1978, it's no wonder there was a backlash to come.   Fleetwood Mac's Rumors was the biggest selling album.  The Eagles cursed us with Hotel California.  Then there's Saturday Night Fever and the Grease Soundtrack, Billy Joel's 52nd Street, etc.   Linda Ronstadt gave us two (count 'em two) albums of safe watered down covers during this period.  In fact, the only Number One album from this period I still love is The Rolling Stones - Some Girls.  I'm proud to say that the others are not - nor have they ever been - in my collection.


When the American arm of CBS decided to release a version of the album two years later, they decided it would be a good idea to move the lettering to the top.  I would love to have seen the presentation at the marketing meeting.  They would have to justify the move.