sound of the suburbs

As any aging punk rocker will be able to tell you 'Jail Guitar Doors' was the the b side the the Clash's 4th single 'Clash City Rockers', those were the days when singles really meant something, yes we would be waiting there as the record shop opened to buy our copy, and their flip sides were every bit essential as the tune the other side was. The song title has also given it's name to the initiative set up by Billy Bragg, yes him again, with the purpose of providing musical instruments for inmates of UK jails. This sounds like a great idea to me, ask any touring musician or his roadie and they will explain the possibilities of hiding your stash in your instruments! But seriously any action that serves the purpose of reinsertion as opposed to the current school of thought where by we punish you and throw the key away, is fine by me. In November this year Bragg will be headlining a date at London's Acton Town Hall, the venue that hosted the very last appearance of Strummer and Jones together on stage just before his death, with proceeds going to Jail Guitar Doors. I've heard and I must say that I'm hardly surprised that the date is already sold out!
The song itself opens with the lines 'Let me tell you 'bout Wayne and his deals of cocaine'. The Wayne in question is none other than MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer who actually did spent some time inside for drug offences after having lost his way a little in the 80's. When released he teamed up with briefly with Johnny Thunders in Gang War, maybe not the best of plans for someone being tagged by the drug squad. By 1995 he had embarked on a solo career with his albums being released by Epitaph. Two live tracks recorded somewhere in France some time in the 90's, both of which have a drug related theme, 'Dope For Democracy' proving that he is still a revolutionary at heart and 'Junkie Romance' that sounds not too far removed from Lou Reed.