In a Classic Rock where guests are invited to talk about some of their biggest influences, Tom Morello revealed that The Clash is his favorite band "of all time" and made a beautiful declaration of love and admiration for the band.
“ London Calling was the launching point of my love for the band. Until I discovered punk, I was a heavy metal fan, and it was the album cover that first sparked my interest and made me think, 'Who is this great new heavy metal band?'” he wrote.
The iconic guitarist heaped praise on the punk legends and explained the reason for all this admiration. Read Morello's full article below.
“I devoured that record. I couldn’t believe how good it was; it made a lot of my heavy metal collection look silly. It was music I identified with lyrically much more than the Dungeons & Dragons -type lyrics of my metal ancestors. The conviction with which the band played and with which Joe Strummer sang was indescribable.”
It was a time when I was becoming politically involved, and this band made me feel like I wasn't alone; it was a band that spoke the truth—unlike my president, unlike the people on the national news, unlike my professor—and I thought, 'I'm in.'
I wrote my first political song immediately after hearing London Calling . It was called 'Salvador Death Squad Blues'. The possibility of combining kick-ass music and lyrical content that mattered became real.
At the time, it was said that The Clash was the only band that mattered, and it really seemed to be the case. The Clash was more than just a punk band; they were much more musically adventurous, and London Calling was truly the album in which they incorporated music from all over the world, and every song sounded like The Clash.
The album was a revelation; it really made everything seem possible, like you could play a reggae song, or a hard rock song. London Calling made me realize that there were bands out there that were willing to speak the truth in a way that was unhesitating, uncompromising, where every note and every lyric mattered. That was totally new to me. And they had cool clothes.
I played the song 'London Calling' in countless cover bands over the years. I wasn't exactly sure what Joe Strummer was talking about, but it seemed apocalyptic, and I knew he was right. The subtlety and humor in his lyrics is often overlooked. That guy wrote great lyrics. There's so much going on; Joe Strummer was a deep guy.
It was also the first album I saw with an age rating sticker, and that added to its appeal and danger.
I couldn't believe there was a band for me. Until then, I was just settling. When I discovered The Clash, I didn't have to settle anymore.”
