Biography

The Clash
The most well-known lineup of the Clash post breakup. Top: Joe Strummer, Mick Jones; Bottom: Paul Simonon, Topper Headon
Background information
Origin	London, England
Genres	Punk rock, post-punk
Years active	1976–1986
Past members	Joe Strummer Paul Simonon Mick Jones Terry Chimes Keith Levene Rob Harper Topper Headon Pete Howard Nick Sheppard Vince White

The Clash were an English punk rock band formed in 1976 initially consisting of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, guitar), Mick Jones (lead vocals, lead guitar), Paul Simonon (bass guitar), Keith Levene (guitar) and Terry Chimes (drums and percussion). Levene was dismissed in September 1976 and went on to form Public Image Ltd. Terry Chimes performed intermittently as drummer for the first year of the band's existence, playing on the debut album. Topper Headon was recruited in May 1977 as the band's permanent drummer, forming the classic Clash line-up which would remain together until 1982.

Headon was dismissed in May 1982 due to drug addiction problems and Chimes returned in Headon's place. Headon had often acted as a mediating force between the two strong personalities in the band, Strummer and Jones, and in his absence the band began to disintegrate. In May 1983 Chimes left once more and was replaced by Pete Howard. In September 1983, Mick Jones was dismissed due to continued conflict and infighting. Vince White and Nick Sheppard were recruited by band manager Bernard Rhodes as guitarists to replace the departing Jones. The recording of their final album Cut the Crap was chaotic and there was little chemistry between the new group members and the remaining core of the band. Strummer left before it was completed, leaving the final mixes to Rhodes. After a short tour in support of the album in January 1985, the band went on hiatus, which became permanent when the band officially dissolved in 1986.

Band members

Classic line-up (May 1977 – May 1982)

Images	Name	Time active	Main instruments	Occasional instruments	Release contributions	Notes
	Joe Strummer	May 1976–1986 (died 2002)	lead and backing vocals rhythm guitar piano	lead guitar bass harmonica keyboards	all Clash releases	Joe Strummer was a member of the original band formed in 1976, and remained with the band until they broke up in 1986, he died in 2002.
	Paul Simonon	May 1976–1986	bass backing vocals	lead vocals rhythm guitar		Paul Simonon was a member of the original band formed in 1976, and remained with the band until they broke up in 1986.
	Mick Jones	May 1976–September 1983	lead guitar keyboards lead and backing vocals	rhythm guitar harmonica piano bass	all Clash releases except Cut the Crap (1985)	Mick Jones was a member of the original band formed in 1976. He was dismissed from the band in September 1983 after his working relationship with Strummer stopped functioning.
	Topper Headon	May 1977–May 1982	drums percussion	bass piano lead and backing vocals		Topper Headon joined the band after being a self-described "journeyman" drummer. He realised the potential of the band and remained with them for four albums and a B-side compilation. He was dismissed from the band when his heroin addiction affected his reliability.

Other members

Image	Name	Time active	Main Instruments	Release contributions	Notes
	Terry Chimes	May–November 1976 February–May 1977 May 1982 – May 1983	drums	The Clash (1977) some on B-side collection Black Market Clash (1980)	Terry Chimes was an on-off member of the initial line-up of the band. He left and then was recruited to record the debut album. He was omitted from the photo of it, because at that time he left. He was recruited again in 1982 when Topper Headon left because of drug addiction. He left the band the following year when he couldn't deal with infighting.
	Keith Levene	May–September 1976 (died 2022)	lead and rhythm guitar	None	Keith Levene was a member of the original band. In early September 1976, he was dismissed from the Clash. Strummer would claim that Levene's dwindling interest in the band owed to his supposedly abundant use of speed, a charge Levene has denied.[1] (Levene and John Lydon, of the Sex Pistols, would form Public Image Ltd. in 1978.) He died in 2022.
	Rob Harper	December 1976–January 1977	drums		Rob Harper drummed for a while during the December tour.
	Pete Howard	May 1983–1986		Cut the Crap (1985)	Pete Howard was drumming for the band during the final twilight years.
	Vince White	1983–1986	rhythm and lead guitar		Sheppard and White joined the band after Mick Jones was dismissed.
	Nick Sheppard		lead and rhythm guitar backing and occasional lead vocals

Session members or groups

Image	Name	Time active	Main Instruments	Release contributions
	Allen Lanier	1978	piano	Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)
	Stan Bronstein		saxophone
	Bob Andrews		keyboards
	Mickey Gallagher	1979–1980	organ keyboards synthesizers	London Calling (1979) Sandinista! (1980) From Here to Eternity: Live (1999)
	The Irish Horns Ray Bevis – tenor saxophone John Earle – tenor and baritone saxophone Chris Gower – trombone Dick Hanson – trumpet flugelhorn	1979	horns	London Calling (1979)
	Tymon Dogg	1980–1982	vocals violin keyboards piano	Sandinista! (1980) Combat Rock (1982)
	Norman Watt-Roy	1980 1985	bass guitar	Sandinista! (1980) Cut the Crap (1985)
	J.P. Nicholson	1980		Sandinista! (1980)
	Davey Payne		saxophone
	Gary Barnacle	1980–1982		Sandinista! (1980) Black Market Clash (1980) Combat Rock (1982)
	Arthur Edward Barnacle	1980	trumpet	Sandinista! (1980)
	Rick Gascoigne		trombone
	Lew Lewis		harmonica
	Ellen Foley	1980–1982	vocals	Sandinista! (1980) Combat Rock (1982)
	Mikey Dread	1980		Sandinista! (1980) From Here to Eternity: Live (1999)
	Band Sgt. Dave Yates			Sandinista! (1980)
	Den Hegarty
	Luke & Ben Gallagher
	Maria Gallagher
	Ivan Julian		guitar
	Noel "Tempo" Bailey
	Anthony Nelson Steelie		keyboards
	Style Scott		drums
	Jody Linscott		percussion
	Allen Ginsberg	1981–1982	vocals	Combat Rock (1982)
	Futura 2000
	Kosmo Vinyl
	Joe Ely		backing vocals
	Tommy Mandel		keyboards
	Hermann Weindorf	1985	keyboards synthesizers	Cut the Crap (1985)
	Michael Fayne		drum machine vocals

Timeline

Line-ups

(Classic lineup)

References

See also