Joe Strummer Biography

John Graham Mellor was born in Ankara, Turkey, in 1952, while his father was there working as a diplomat. However, it wasn't until his boarding school days in London that he discovered a love for music, and began busking on the streets under his newly adopted stage name - Joe Strummer.

As front man, writer and motive force in 'The Clash', the most influential, expansive and enduring band to come out of the British 1976 punk rock explosion, Joe carved his legend in bold and graphic style.

Signed to CBS Records, the band recorded 'The Clash in London' and, in 1977, Rolling Stone magazine called it the "definitive punk album". However, relationships with the record company were at times strained, which led to promotion problems and poor early sales in the US.

Their songs tackled social decay, unemployment, racism, police brutality, political and social repression, as well as militarism. Strummer himself was involved with the Anti-Nazi league and Rock Against Racism campaigns.

'London Calling', which was released in the UK in 1979 and the US in 1980 is remembered as one of the band's best albums, with Rolling Stone magazine naming it the best album of the 1980s.

Strummer and his band members got in trouble with the law on numerous occasions. In 1977, Strummer was arrested with drummer Topper Headon for spray painting 'The Clash' on a hotel wall, while in May 1980, he was arrested for hitting a violent member of the audience at a concert in Germany with his guitar.

Six albums and many hit singles later, The Clash broke up due to their own personal "clashes" within the group. Strummer 'disappeared' in France in 1982 and his fellow band members were arguing. By 1984 only two of the original members of the band were left as Headon was kicked out due to his heroin addiction. 'The Clash Mark Two' released the album 'Cut The Crap' in 1985, which was panned by critics, leading Strummer to disband the group.

Strummer went on to contribute two songs to the soundtrack of 'Sid and Nancy' and popped up in the films 'Walker' and 'Straight to Hell'.

Having worked on a number of soundtracks, he released his first solo album, 'Earthquake Weather', in 1989. A quiet period in the 90s ended when he appeared on the Black Grape single 'England's Irie'.

He married twice, firstly in 1975 to South African Pamela Moolman so she could obtain British citizenship. In 1978, he started a relationship with Gaby Salter just after her 17th birthday but they never got married as Strummer couldn't find Moolman to divorce her.

He had two children with Gaby - Jazz and Lola - and they were together until 1993 when Strummer started an affair with Lucinda Tait. They married in 1995 and were still together at the time of his death.

Strummer went on to release a further two solo albums in the late 1990s and it was while recording his fourth album that he suffered a heart attack and died, aged 50.