Soho Market Clash
75 Berwick Street, Soho is currently playing host to Black Market Clash – a pop up ‘shop’ featuring instruments, clothes, lyric sheets and music from the seminal London outfit. On display were such iconic items as Paul Simonon’s bass guitar that may have met a violent end but ended up gracing the cover of London Calling along with the handwritten lyrics to Guns Of Brixton and other classics. All in all it’s a surprisingly fascinating insight to the times – especially as down in the basement you get to hear the songs played loud through some very decent speakers – the songs sounded fresh and vital once again.
Photo of Joe Strummer amid an old cassette player and mix tapes ( Photo Steve Cotton / artofthestate.co.uk)
Behind an oversized clash stencil cut out there is a wealth of Clash items from back in the day (photo Steve Cotton / artofthestate.co.uk )
Never seen this before – this is the guitar that’s being destroyed in the iconic photo that graces the cover of London Calling (photo Steve Cotton / artofthestate.co.uk )
Original clothing – White Riot on the back of Paul Simonon’s boiler suit (photo: Steve Cotton / artofthestate.co.uk)
London Calling lyric handwritten lyric sheet (photo: Steve Cotton / artofthestate.co.uk)
The reason for the exhibition is a new back catalogue CD collection based on a memorable gig’s set list.