0 12B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magzlne - Thursday, February 20, 2003 Cleveland calling the Clash . By Joel M.Hoard Daily Music Editor The year of 1977 was a watershed in popular music, when pale-faced, leather- clad punks from New York and London laid rock-n-roll proper to rest. Elvis Presley passed away in August of that year but drew little sympathy from the new guard. In their aptly-named song "1977," the Clash declared "No Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction series. Part 2 of 4 Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones," and Elvis Costello, punk's answer to Buddy Holly, furtively declared "Elvis is King" on the cover of his debut record. Twenty-five years later, it's happening all over again. But this time it's happen- ing in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, now that the punksters can be induction. The Hall has long been a rest home for the aging elite - the fogies, the dinosaurs, the oldfangled - a memorial remembering rock's good old days, a clubhouse where the Paul McCartneys, Neil Youngs and Brian Wilsons can get together and reminisce. All of that changes with the induction of the Clash next month, when the Hall welcomes a band that's still relevant, still vital, still cool. AU Color & Design G Your hO This past November, when Mick Jones joined Joe Strummer (the same Joe Strummer who kicked him out of the Clash in 1983) onstage for the first time in nearly 20 years, a Clash reunion at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony was almost certain. Unfortunately, all hopes of the band reuniting for the induction ceremony were dashed when Strummer died of a heart attack (depressingly unpunk) last December. The Clash entered a music scene dominated by corporate rock with its self-titled debut, which showed the band at its punkest, full of primal rage and fiery passion that would characterize all of its work. And 1979's London Calling, the Clash's magnum opus, combines that same punk charisma with a varied musical style that incorporated reggae, rockabilly, lounge music and R&B. The band's second LP, 1978's Give 'Em Enough Rope, which fell between The Clash and London. Calling remains the band's oft-over- looked gem. Some felt it was overproduced, others though it strayed too far from punk's roots. But the truth is, it ranks among punk's finest achievements. When it was announced that the Clash would be working with Ameri- can heavy metal producer Sandy Pearl- man, best known for his work with Blue Oyster Cult, on Give 'Em Enough Rope, many hardcore punks shunned the band, thinking that their beloved leaders had gone soft. Pearlman provided the Clash with a cleaner sound while preserving their trademark intensity. In retrospect, Pearl- man was perhaps the perfect choice for the band, as he took their sound to a new and different level, one that featured the fat guitar riffs of American metal without compromising the Clash's punk appeal. And while the album had a consid- erably cleaner sound than the band's first effort, the Clash had by no means gone soft. Any worries were laid to rest within the first few seconds of Give 'Em Enough Rope during the anthemic "Safe European Home." From the opening rimshot to the massive guitar riffs, it rocks with enough energy and fierce passion to silence even the most stubborn naysayer. But if the band's future was still in doubt for some punk purists, any remaining fears should have been allayed with "All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts)," the autobio- graphical album closer and the Clash's most personal anthem. On it, Strummer exclaims, "All the young punks / Laugh your life / 'Cause there ain't much to cry for / All you young cunts / Live it now / 'Cause there ain't much to die for." The band's lyrics took a step forward on Give 'Em Enough Rope, showing that they could pull off a good-humored tune just as easily as a fiery rant. "Guns on the Roof," while it may seem like a tirade on government and warfare, actu- ally tells the story of bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon's arrest for shooting pigeons with an air rifle on the roof of a London building. Throughout the album, the Clash members showed they had advanced musically as they toyed with a variety of styles, playfully teasing reggae and rock- abilly and hinting at what was to come on London Calling. For Clash fans the world over, Joe Strummer's death mere months before the band were to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is the ultimate bummer. The long-awaited reunion that appeared to be right around the corner won't be happening next month or any other month for that matter. I suppose seeing Mick, Paul and Topper playing together would be a bit of a consolation, but it just isn't the same without Joe. CHALLENGE Continued from Page 913 "I would be concerned about how women felt after eating a large amount of food," Brzenchek said. At the table next to Tunkel, the four girls concede defeat and shed an Al Gore-style light on it. "We sit here and look at it and are depressed," one of the girls says. "We all wore sweat pants." "I'm gonna explode," says another. Some people employ any manner of ritual to help them finish the pizza. "These two guys went outside and smoked marijuana," Cincinnato says. "They couldn't eat a single slice." He says contestants who stop at the bar before eating rarely finish and that most teams don't come back for pizza for at least a couple weeks after a contest. The question of whether the contest might send unhealthy messages does- n't seem to have come up at the restaurant. For Cincinnato, who pro- vides free meals for the homeless and has even bought them clothes, it is more like an extended expression of generosity and camaraderie. Cinncinato admits he makes little money from the contests because most of the spectators who come to watch don't actually buy any pizza. "But we're going to keep doing it," he says. That keeps options open for Tunkel's rematch with the pizza. As she slowly puts on her coat, she smiles at her boyfriend's final quip. "You want to do it again?" he asks. Bella Napoli Pizza is located at 615 E. University Ave. and is open from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Vietnam/Iraq Comparisons Ho Chi Minh was called Uncle Ho by the Vietnam War pro- testors. Like Saddam Hus- sein though, Ho Chi Minh was brutal. Go to: http://members.tripod.com/ dansinh/csvn/hcmir.htm Gary Lillie & Assoc., Realtors www.garylillie.com 2 Jn up and Nails UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSN PLATTE VI LLE Study Abroad Programs *One of the "Top 25" in The Student's Guide to the Best Study Abroad Programs Learn Your Way Around The World * Study abroad in England, Italy, Japan, or Spain* * Courses in liberal arts and international business * Fluency in a foreign language no required H m.c~~ra ih mtle 208 East Washington Street 9 734.997.7030 * name-stays wtin meats Field trips Financial aid applies (except for summer session) Program Costs: For tuition, room, partial board and field trips per semester (for Wisconsin residents/non-residents) * In London, England: $6,295/$6,595 * In Rome, Italy: $8,695/$8,995 * In Nagasaki, Japan: $5,995/$6,295 * In Seville, Spain: $7,695/$7,995 Application deadlines: " April 1 for summer session " October 15 for spring semester * April 30 for fall semester Toll free: 1-8W6342-1725 E-mail:StudyAbroad@uwplatt.edu Web: ww.uwplatt.edu/-studyabroad