From Loudersound.
Paul Simonon’s Fender Precision bass, smashed onstage during a September 21, 1979 Clash gig at New York’s Palladium, a moment in time which was caught on film by photographer Pennie Smith and subsequently used as the cover artwork for the The Clash’s London Calling album, is to go on permanent display at the Museum of London later this month.
Previously included in The Clash: London Calling exhibition at the museum from November 2019 to September 2020, the bass guitar is now being featured in a world city gallery, which tells the story of London from the 1950s to today. Other artefacts chosen for the exhibition, which will open from July 23, include a Vespa scooter, the Bill and Ben string puppets from the popular kids’ TV show, and swimming trunks which diver Tom Daley wore at the 2012 London Olympics.
Speaking of his memories of smashing the instrument in New York, Simonon has said, “The show had gone quite well, but for me, inside, it just wasn’t working well, so I suppose I took it out on the bass. If I was smart, I would have got the spare bass and used that one, because it wasn’t as good as the one as I smashed up. ”
Smith’s iconic photograph was once cited as the best rock ’n’ roll photograph of all time by the now defunct Q magazine.
“It wasn’t a choice to take the shot,” Smith told The Guardian in 2019. “My finger just went off. You can’t really tell it’s Paul. But I guess that’s the point.”
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- The Clash - Sandinista! - 180 Gram - Sealed - UK - 3-LP vinyl set - £34.99, $42.69, €41.64 (New Item) (arrived 17-Jan-2025 12:01)on January 17, 2025 at 4:07 pm
THE CLASH Sandinista! (2017 UK/EU 36-track triple album 3-LP remastered edition pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. Their fourth studio album first released in December 1980 and recorded in London, Manchester, Jamaica and New York; their most expansive set of songs incorporating elements of disco, jazz, funk, calypso and much more. Factory sealed from new inside a wide-spined picture sleeve, the title referring to the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Essential) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- The Clash - London Calling + Inners - VG - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £50.00, $61.00, €59.50 (Back In Stock) (arrived 23-Dec-2024 18:00)on January 17, 2025 at 4:07 pm
THE CLASH London Calling (Classic 1979 UK black & white CBS label 19-track double LP with uncredited extra track 'Train In Vain', housed in Ray Lowry's now legendary sleeve featuring an image of Paul Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass against the stage at The Palladium in New York on 21 September 1979, shot by Pennie Smith [the design a homage to Elvis Presley's debut], complete with lyric inners. The sleeve [VG] displays some edge scuffing and discolouration, with a seam split to one of the inners. The labels have some light foxing and the vinyl discs have only minor paper scuffs with no real impact on play. A fantastic album from this legendary band! CLASH3) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- The Clash - London Calling - Remastered 180 Gram - Sealed - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £29.99, $36.59, €35.69 (New Item) (arrived 17-Dec-2024 14:53)on January 17, 2025 at 4:07 pm
THE CLASH London Calling (2015 UK/EU limited edition 19-track double album 2-LP pressed on two 180-gram black vinyl records, their 1979 classic fully remastered and sounding better than ever. Single pocket picture sleeve with lyric inners and original cover artwork, factory sealed. Essential) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- The Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais - Punk Art Sleeve - UK - 7" vinyl - £75.00, $91.50, €89.25 (New Item) (arrived 17-Dec-2024 18:00)on January 17, 2025 at 4:07 pm
THE CLASH (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais - Punk Art Sleeve (2020 UK limited edition vinyl 7" from London artist & musician MAL-ONE featuring his '430 Kings Road' track in an exclusive Clash decollage picture sleeve using original classic artwork images and ephemera of the artist. The Giclee printed spined cover on 315gsm Heritage paper is one of a collection of original punk 45 releases reworked into an exclusive limited edition of just 20 hand-numbered copies per release (the lowestnumber in stock at the time of order will be sent), each signed and authenticated by the artist MAL-ONE and franked with his Punk Art safety pin motif. The Second Series of 14 x Punk Art 7" sleeves designed from using the artists own personal punk collection and mixing the 7” single and iconic images from the punk rock era into a modern art form)
- The Clash - Complete Control - P/S - UK - 7" vinyl - £20.00, $24.40, €23.80 (New Item) (arrived 19-Dec-2024 10:27)on January 17, 2025 at 4:07 pm
THE CLASH Complete Control (1977 UK solid centre 7" single with 'the CLASH' print on the labels, also featuring The City Of The Dead, picture sleeve CBS5664)
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