A Permanent Record: Joe Strummer with The 101'ers/Clash/Latino Rockabilly War/+The Slits

With explanatory text by the photographer, and over 160 black and white photographs of Joe Strummer, legendary Clash frontman, as well as unpublished images of seminal all-girl punk band The Slits. Julian Yewdall first met Strummer in 1974 when the then John 'Woody' Mellor moved into the squat at 101 Walterton Road in London's Maida Hill. Yewdall sang and played harmonica in an early line-up of the 101'ers, then briefly managed the band before abandoning the musical for the visual by picking up a camera. These intimate pictures are direct from the heart of the West London squatting movement of the early 70's that exceptional period when access to abandoned properties provided opportunities for artists to develop their craft without the constraints of financial imperatives. Pictures include posed portraits as well as informal reportage taken when stardom was only a glimmer in the eye of this inimitable artist. The images of Strummer date back to his earliest days when he was a singer with The 101'ers, the quintessential squat-rock group in which he learned his musical and political 'chops'. In Yewdall's live pictures of the hirsute guitar-player you can see the frenetic movement and stage presence that he honed to perfection as frontman of the Clash, now considered one of the greatest bands of all time. It was The Slits, who supported the Clash on their first full-scale tour of Britain. Fronted by Ari Up, they set the template for British girl groups; riveting live performers, uncompromising and fearless, The Slits reached their recording zenith in 1979 with the release of the Dennis Bovell-produced album, 'Cut'. Special Limited 1st Edition beautifully produced on heavy-weight 150gsm FSC art paper. "A BLISTERING PHOTO TREASURE TROVE, RICH IN PERIOD DETAIL, STRUMMER IS VIVIDLY & WIDELY DOCUMENTED "- Mojo Magazine Feb 2013 'A FABULOUS BOOK' - CHRIS SALEWICZ author of Strummer's definitive biography 'Redemption Song' 'A MAGNIFICENT BOOK' - HEATHCOTE WILLIAMS