"Jail Guitar Doors" is a song by the Clash, recorded during October and November 1977 and released on 17 February 1978 as the B-side of their fourth single "Clash City Rockers". The song is featured on the U.S. release of their debut album, and on their 2006 compilations album the Singles Box.

It began life as "Lonely Mother's Son" by Joe Strummer's former band The 101ers, sharing the same chorus, which begins, "Clang clang go the jail guitar doors."

"Jail Guitar Doors" was covered by the former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, who recorded a version on his debut solo album, Pawnshop Guitars, with the contribution of the members of Guns N' Roses, Pixies vocalist Frank Black, guitarist Ryan Roxie and bassist Duff McKagan.[1]

The song opens with the lines "Let me tell you 'bout Wayne and his deals of cocaine", which is a reference to the MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer.[2] In the second verse line, "And I'll tell you 'bout Pete, didn't want no fame" refers to Peter Green. The third verse line, "And then there's Keith, waiting for trial" refers to Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards. Kramer later performed "Jail Guitar Doors" in concert.[3]

Jail Guitar Doors initiative

Jail Guitar Doors is an independent initiative set up by Billy Bragg with the aim of providing musical equipment for the use of inmates serving time in prisons and funding individual projects such as recording sessions in UK prisons and for former inmates throughout the United Kingdom. It takes its name from the b-side of the Clash's 1978 single "Clash City Rockers". Jail Guitar Doors, USA is an independent initiative set up by Wayne Kramer, Billy Bragg and Margaret Saadi Kramer in the United States in 2009.[4] Jail Guitar Doors aims to provide musical instruments to inmates across the United States, assists in coordinating volunteer teaching programs, and organizes prison outreach programs. JGD advances new solutions to diminish prison violence and works toward policy reform.[5][6][7][8] Wayne Kramer and Jail Guitar Doors USA volunteers visited their 100th prison on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.[9]

Notes

  1. ^ "FrankBlack.Net Discopedia - Jail Guitar Doors" (ASP). FrankBlack.Net. Retrieved 30 December 2007. McKagan appears behind the skins to round out a power trio of Clarke and ex-Pixie Frank Black on a cover of The Clash's "Jail Guitar Doors." The rest of G N'R also pops up on PAWNSHOP GUITARS:
  2. ^ abramson (3 May 2007). "sound of the suburbs: Jail Guitar Doors". sound of the suburbs. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  3. ^ Video on YouTube
  4. ^ "Wayne Kramer on Jail Guitar Doors: 'We have no shortage of prisons'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  5. ^ Bragg, Billy. "Jail Guitar Doors". jailguitardoos.org.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  6. ^ Topping, Alexandra (7 July 2007). "Rock stars urge prisoners to escape through music". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 8082962. Retrieved 30 December 2007. Bragg and ex-Clash member offer inmates guitars and a chance to change their lives
  7. ^ "BBC - Berkshire - Entertainment - Something to Bragg about" (SHTML). BBC Berkshire Website. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  8. ^ "BBC - Berkshire - Local bands - Jail Guitar Doors Campaign" (SHTML). BBC Berkshire Website. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  9. ^ "Wayne Kramer and Jail Guitar Doors Charity Bring Music to 100th Prison – California Rocker". Retrieved 3 November 2019.

References

  1. Live @ Isle Of Wight Festival, UK 15 06 2019 - Fatboy Slim 01:12:50
  2. Live @ S2O Festival, Bangkok, Thailand 13 04 2019 - Fatboy Slim 01:08:38
  3. UK TOUR 2019 - Birmingham, UK [EXTRACTS] 22 02 2019 - Fatboy Slim 42:48
  4. Brighton Rooftop B2B Set 30 11 2018 - Fatboy Eats 01:40:26
  5. Live @ Creamfields 2018, UK 26 08 2018 - Fatboy Slim 31:37
  6. Live @ Tomorrowland, Freedom Stage (Week End 2) , Belgium 28 07 2018 - Fatboy Slim 01:27:45
  7. Live @ British Airways i360, Brighton, UK 30 07 2018 - Fatboy Slim 01:29:55
  8. Live @ Tomorrowland, Belgium 21 07 2018 - Fatboy Slim 01:26:30
  9. Live @ Tuesdays On Mars, Pacha Ibiza, Spain 03 07 2018 - Fatboy Slim 03:04:03
  10. All Night Long - Pacha Ibiza 19 05 2018 - Fatboy Slim 05:16:00
  11. Record Store Day Desert Island Disco Mix, BBC 6 Music, UK 15 04 2016 - Fatboy Slim 28:31
  12. Beat Up The NME 60 Knockout Minutes (1997) Fatboy Slim 01:00:47
  13. Live @ Electric Gardens, Serafino Winery, Adelaide, Australia [EXTRACTS] 26 01 2018 - Fatboy Slim 01:04:05
  14. Live @ Hultsfred, Sweden 14 06 1997 - Fatboy Slim 01:03:14
  15. Live @ Personal Fest '17, Buenos Aires, Argentina 12 11 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:34:54
  16. Live @ Beats for Love 2017 Festival in Ostrava, Czech Republic 05 07 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:14:04
  17. Live @ Ultra Music Festival 2012, Miami, USA 24 03 2012 - Fatboy Slim 58:51
  18. Live @ Float Your Boat, Ibiza, Spain 21 09 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:30:48
  19. Live @ Brixton Academy, London, UK [EXTRACTS] 20 12 2014 - Fatboy Slim 01:00:00
  20. Live @ Creamfields 2017, Liverpool, UK 27 08 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:31:43
  21. Live @ Café Mambo, Ibiza, Spain 05 08 2017 - Fatboy Slim 38:21
  22. Live @ Tomorrowland Festival 2017,Lost Frequencies & Friends Stage,Belgium 29 07 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:25:04
  23. Live At National Cardiff 01 01 2000 - Fatboy Slim 01:13:23
  24. Live @ Super Bock Super Rock Festival, Lisbon, Portugal 15 07 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:30:31
  25. Live @ Kappa Futur Festival, Torino, Italy 08 07 2017 - Fatboy Slim 01:29:26
  26. Live @ Electric Daisy Carnival, Tokyo, Japan 29 04 2017 - Fatboy Slim 30:25
  27. EDC Japan 2017 Mix Fatboy Slim 01:00:00
  28. Live @ Santa Cruz Boat Party, Ibiza, Spain 15 09 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:40:46
  29. Live @ The O² Arena, London, UK 17 12 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:28:37
  30. Beats 1 Radio Show #8 16 12 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:58:20
  31. Beats 1 Radio Show #7 02 12 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:58:56
  32. Beats 1 Radio Show #6 18 11 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:58:33
  33. Beats 1 Radio Show #5 04 11 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:58:25
  34. Beats 1 Radio Show #4 21 10 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:58:43
  35. Beats 1 Radio Show #3 07 10 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:51:05
  36. Beats 1 Radio Show #2 23 09 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:58:05
  37. Beats 1 Radio Show #1 09 09 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:49:55
  38. DJ SET WMF, Berlin, Germany 29 09 2000 - Fatboy Slim 01:49:50
  39. BACK TO THE ODD SCHOOL feat. FATBOY SLIM's Desert Eagle Disc top ten 27 11 2016 03:00:42
  40. Essential Millennium 1999 (Disc 2) Fatboy Slim 01:16:05
  41. Live @ Boiler Room, Brighton, UK 11 10 2016 - Fatboy Slim 02:55:40
  42. One Mix: Fatboy Slim - Ep27 20 01 2016 - Beats 1 59:55
  43. Live @ Bestival 2016, Essential Mix, BBC Radio 1, UK 17 09 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:59:48
  44. Celebrating 20 years of Better Living @ The Social, London, UK 13 09 2016 - Fatboy Slim 29:09
  45. Live At Carl Cox: Music Is Revolution, Space, Ibiza, Spain 10 08 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:57:43
  46. Live On A Night with Annie Nightingale, Maida Vale Studio, BBC Radio 1,UK 09 09 2010 - Fatboy Slim 21:29
  47. Live @ The House Of Blues, New Orleans, USA 25 03 2000 - Fatboy Slim 02:00:03
  48. Live @ Glastonbury 2016, UK 25 06 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:25:32
  49. From Punk Get Funk, BBC Radio 2, UK 06 06 2016 - Norman Cook 56:20
  50. Live @ The Metro, Chicago, USA 03 03 1998 – Fatboy Slim 02:03:33
  51. Live @ Club Cream 10th Birthday Special, Liverpool, UK 12 10 2002 - Fatboy Slim 41:51
  52. Live @ The Ultimate FSTVL House Party, Brighton, UK 21 04 2016 - Fatboy Slim 01:30:20
  53. Live @ HARD Haunted Mansion, Shrine Expo Hall, Los Angeles, USA 28 10 2011 - Fatboy Slim 01:11:55
  54. We Are 30 Mixed By Fatboy Slim (2013) Mixmag 01:05:29
  55. Fatboy Slim - The Legend Returns (2010) Mixmag 50:59
  56. Live At Newquay Beach, Essential Selection, BBC Radio 1, UK 21 06 2002 - Fatboy Slim & Eric Morillo 01:29:08