I saw this at the AFI theater in MD during a documentary film festival. being a huge clash fan and of joe strummer's solo efforts with the mescaleros this was a very personal film to me and i enjoyed it enormously. as i think even the most casual of fans would enjoy the same. only thing i didn't like: wished it went on longer. i guess we could all say the same thing about joe's life. he's so personable, speaks his mind, and just a nice guy you could sit there for a three hour film. he was a true rock hero/legend and all around great human being who's philosophies are seriously needed in today's crumbling society. Hopefully this film will get picked up by a distributor for a DVD release or maybe some more footage could be added to make this feature length so it might see a theatrical run.
5 Reviews
"I Used to be with the Clash"
mobyvicp717 August 2006
What a wonderful, uplifting, and heartbreaking film. Kudos to Dick Rude for making this film. What no doubt started out as a tour documentary transformed into a wonderful eulogy for Joe Strummer.
I would have loved for this movie to be longer, but its brevity sustains its impact, like the best of the Clash's music. I didn't realize that Joe Strummer is the main reason I love the Clash until I got my first Mescaleros CD. The music is mature and wonderful, and very different from the Clash. When I got the first Mescaleros CD, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, but it sure was good to hear Joe's voice again.
Back to the movie, though. It provides great insight into Strummer's personality, optimistic and earnest to the end. It's so obvious that he really *cared* about everything and everyone. "Everyone has a story," he says, as a justification for why he would spend 3 hours after a concert signing autographs.
One of the heartbreaking moments shows Joe trying to get into a Pleasantville, NJ, radio station to promote an Atlantic City concert. He talks to security over a telephone, and it's apparent they have no clue who he is. First he identifies himself as Joe Strummer, and then resorts to, "I used to be in the Clash." He is later seen handwriting and handing out handbills on the Atlantic City Boardwalk to promote the concert. It's all done in good spirits, but it's hard to imagine that he would need to do that to get people to come to a show. Of course, as a former "busker" or street musician, it's nothing new for him. We see him giving some change to a street performer as well.
He talks about how his goal for the second Mescaleros album is to break even, as the first one made a loss. It's interesting that he feels indebted to Hellcat Records, and he shows how motivated he is to bolster sales.
But none of that is the point of the film (even though in one of the bonus features Dick Rude mentions how he had to edit out some of Joe's earnestness because "he looks pathetic"). What you get in this movie is a look at Joe Strummer's energy, creativity, musical talent, philosophy, wit, and personality. It's all fascinating and a very rare insight.
This film is a must for any Clash fan, as is the music of the Mescaleros. The movie was made during a tour supporting "Global A-Go-Go," which I think is Strummer's best post-Clash work.
The bonus features on the DVD, including a Q&A session with Dick Rude and many deleted scenes, are excellent. The bonus features also include full-length performances of five songs.
I hope Dick Rude will release a concert video companion, as the performances shown in the movie proper are all incomplete.
I would have loved for this movie to be longer, but its brevity sustains its impact, like the best of the Clash's music. I didn't realize that Joe Strummer is the main reason I love the Clash until I got my first Mescaleros CD. The music is mature and wonderful, and very different from the Clash. When I got the first Mescaleros CD, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, but it sure was good to hear Joe's voice again.
Back to the movie, though. It provides great insight into Strummer's personality, optimistic and earnest to the end. It's so obvious that he really *cared* about everything and everyone. "Everyone has a story," he says, as a justification for why he would spend 3 hours after a concert signing autographs.
One of the heartbreaking moments shows Joe trying to get into a Pleasantville, NJ, radio station to promote an Atlantic City concert. He talks to security over a telephone, and it's apparent they have no clue who he is. First he identifies himself as Joe Strummer, and then resorts to, "I used to be in the Clash." He is later seen handwriting and handing out handbills on the Atlantic City Boardwalk to promote the concert. It's all done in good spirits, but it's hard to imagine that he would need to do that to get people to come to a show. Of course, as a former "busker" or street musician, it's nothing new for him. We see him giving some change to a street performer as well.
He talks about how his goal for the second Mescaleros album is to break even, as the first one made a loss. It's interesting that he feels indebted to Hellcat Records, and he shows how motivated he is to bolster sales.
But none of that is the point of the film (even though in one of the bonus features Dick Rude mentions how he had to edit out some of Joe's earnestness because "he looks pathetic"). What you get in this movie is a look at Joe Strummer's energy, creativity, musical talent, philosophy, wit, and personality. It's all fascinating and a very rare insight.
This film is a must for any Clash fan, as is the music of the Mescaleros. The movie was made during a tour supporting "Global A-Go-Go," which I think is Strummer's best post-Clash work.
The bonus features on the DVD, including a Q&A session with Dick Rude and many deleted scenes, are excellent. The bonus features also include full-length performances of five songs.
I hope Dick Rude will release a concert video companion, as the performances shown in the movie proper are all incomplete.
A great film until the final scene...
johnnyhightest26 April 2007
I always said I wasn't so much a Clash fan as I was a Joe Srummer fan. But after watching Let's Rock Again I realize I never really thought much about Joe Strummer the man, only the rock icon. Dick Rude's fateful tribute to Joe gave me an aspect of of an individual who has pretty much run the imaginable gamut of his chosen profession and never lost sight of what made him want to be there in the first place. His amazing mixture of warmth, wit and worldliness is refreshing and reassuring.
There are scenes that will have you laughing and crying at the same time with their poignancy and intimacy: Joe passing out hand-written leaflets promoting his band's show in Atlantic City (my god, there are actually people who don't know who he is!); Joe trying to gain access to a NJ radio station to do an interview; and just those quiet moments where he looks thoughtfully with those hangdog eyes of his and spouts pure wisdom.
If you never thought about Joe you will like him after seeing this movie. If you liked him, you will love him. And if you love him, you will be absolutely mesmerized.
Until the final scene, where it says, "Joe Strummer 1952 - 2002"
There are scenes that will have you laughing and crying at the same time with their poignancy and intimacy: Joe passing out hand-written leaflets promoting his band's show in Atlantic City (my god, there are actually people who don't know who he is!); Joe trying to gain access to a NJ radio station to do an interview; and just those quiet moments where he looks thoughtfully with those hangdog eyes of his and spouts pure wisdom.
If you never thought about Joe you will like him after seeing this movie. If you liked him, you will love him. And if you love him, you will be absolutely mesmerized.
Until the final scene, where it says, "Joe Strummer 1952 - 2002"
Dick Rude's Guide to the Greatness of Joe
crestview30620 August 2004
Heartfelt thanks to Dickie Rude for creating this film and sharing it with those of us who loved and continue to love Joe Strummer so much. I also saw "Let's Rock Again" at AFI Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland, and personally hosted by Dick Rude. It was as hard for me to sit through this film as it was for Dickie because I still feel so much pain from the loss of Joe. Both of us found ourselves crying in the back of the theatre during the film. Dickie has brought a part of Joe back to us and continues to remind us of what a great force and marvelous human being Joe was. I look forward to the film's release on DVD and recommend that as many people as possible check it out, if not only to continue our remembrance of Joe, but to continue to praise him. He is my only God.
too young
fuzzymorals20073 November 2007
I first heard The Clash when I was in high school and my impression was that there was too much going on musically to get a grip. Too much, too fast for the youngster that I was. Now they rock my ass off. Raw, naked, powerful, and contagious. Joe Strummer is about as close to a hero it gets for me. He hit it. I know this is supposed to be about the movie, but its hard to find people that get Joe and I couldn't resist jumping in. I will watch the movie when I can afford it and also check out the new film about Joe when it comes out.
BTW, a few people have mentioned there may have been some foul play surrounding his death. Wasn't he about to do a US tour about the time when many people could have been persuaded not to support the Iraq invasion? I don't know, but I am curious.
BTW, a few people have mentioned there may have been some foul play surrounding his death. Wasn't he about to do a US tour about the time when many people could have been persuaded not to support the Iraq invasion? I don't know, but I am curious.
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