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We Are The Clash: Reagan, Thatcher, and the Last Stand of a Band That Mattered

by Ralph Heibutzki
Andersen, Mark & . Akashic. Jul. 2018. 400p. ISBN 9781617752933. pap. $18.95; ebk. ISBN 9781617756504. MUSIC
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This work focuses on the lesser-known last act of The Clash, their post-Combat Rock period that was not embraced by many fans or critics. It was a historically political period, and the flexing and forces of America's Ronald Reagan and Britain's Margaret Thatcher figure largely in the discussion of one of the most politically motivated bands to become commercially successful. Coverage is specialized, extending considerably beyond mere behind-the-scenes reportage and deeply explores the sociopolitical context in which the band operated; as such, the tone can be intense (read: punk) and professorial. In all, Andersen (coauthor, Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital) and Heibutzki's (Unfinished Business: The Life & Times of Danny Gatton) examination of the band's proletarian stance in light of its commercial striving is immensely satisfying.
VERDICT Fans and musos will thoroughly enjoy this book, which is most appropriate for libraries with large music collections. For a chronicle of the band's life on the road, try Randal Doane's Stealing All Transmissions: A Secret History of the Clash; for an overview of all things Clash, Marcus Gray's Last Gang in Town: The Story and Myth of The Clash sets the standard.
Reviewed by Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Middletown , Apr 15, 2018
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