The 101'ers
Origin London, UK
Genre(s) Pub rock, Protopunk
Years active 1974 - 1978
Label(s) Chiswick
Andalucia
Astralwerks
EMI
Associated acts The Clash
The Passions
The Raincoats
Public Image Ltd.
Basement 5
The Latino Rockabilly War
The Pogues
The Mescaleros
Former members
John "Woody" Mellor
Clive Timperley
Dan Kelleher
Richard Dudanski
Simon Cassell
Alvaro Peña-Rojas
Antonio Narvaez
Julian Yewdall
Tymon Dogg
Marwood Chesterton aka " Mole"
Patrick Nother
Martin Stone

The 101'ers were a pub rock band from the 1970s, notable as being the band that Joe Strummer left to join The Clash.[1] Formed in London in May 1974, the 101'ers made their performing debut on 6 September at the Telegraph pub in Brixton under the name El Huaso and the 101 All Stars. The name would later be shortened to the 101 All Stars and finally just the 101'ers. The group played at free festivals such as Stonehenge, and established itself on the London pub rock circuit prior to the advent of punk.

Contents

History

The group was named for the squat where they lived together: 101 Walterton Road, Maida Vale, although it was for a time rumoured that they were named for "Room 101", the infamous torture room in George Orwell's novel 1984. The novel was later to become something of a manifesto for the political element of the punk rock movement.

The 101'ers were supported by the Sex Pistols at the Nashville Room on 3 April 1976, and this is when Strummer claimed he saw the light and got involved in the punk scene.[1]

Joe Strummer commented on this event in the Don Letts documentary Westway to the World on the end of the 101'ers by saying "5 seconds into their (the Pistols') first song, I knew we were like yesterday's paper, we were over."[1]

By the time their debut single was released, Joe Strummer was in The Clash and the band were no more. Clive Timperley later joined The Passions, Dan Kelleher went to The Derelicts. Richard Dudanski went on to work with The Raincoats, Basement 5 and Public Image Ltd. Tymon Dogg worked with Strummer briefly in The Clash, playing fiddle and singing his original song, "Lose This Skin," on Sandinista!), and later in The Mescaleros.

The 101'ers recorded output was initially limited to one single. However, by 1981, interest in The Clash was at its height and a second single and a compilation album Elgin Avenue Breakdown was released. Several of the tracks on the latter album were live recordings, and there is no evidence that the band ever conceived of these recordings as a full length album.

Until death in 2002, Joe Strummer had been planning to re-release Elgin Avenue Breakdown, complete with previously unreleased tracks that would encompass everything the band ever recorded. The project was completed with the help of Strummer's widow Lucinda Tait and former drummer Richard Dudanski, and released in May, 2005 as Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited via Astralwerks in the US and EMI in Europe.

Covers

Band Line-Up

  • John "Woody" Mellor aka Joe Strummer - Guitar, vocals
  • Clive Timperley - Guitar, vocals
  • Dan Kelleher - Bass, guitar, vocals
  • Richard Dudanski - Drums
  • Simon Cassell aka "Big John" - Saxophone
  • Alvaro Peña-Rojas - Saxophone
  • Marwood Chesterton aka "Mole" - Bass guitar (until Oct. 1975)
  • Antonio Narvaez - Drums
  • Julian Yewdall - Vocals, harmonica
  • Patrick Nother - Bass (1st gig)
  • Martin Stone - Lead guitar (final gig)
  • Tymon Dogg - Fiddle, vocals

Discography

Singles

  • "Keys to Your Heart" (Joe Strummer) b/w "5 Star Rock & Roll Petrol" (Strummer, Dan Kelleher) (Chiswick/Big Beat 1976)
  • "Sweet Revenge" b/w "Rabies" (Chiswick 1981}

Albums

  • Elgin Avenue Breakdown Andalucia AND101 (1981)
  • Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited Astralwerks ASW32161 / EMI 474460 2 (2005)

References

  1. ^ a b c Letts Don; Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon, Terry Chimes, Rick Elgood, The Clash. (2001). The Clash, Westway to the World [Documentary]. New York, NY: Sony Music Entertainment; Dorismo; Uptown Films. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. Event occurs at 8:40–11:40. ISBN 0738900826. OCLC 49798077.

Further reading

  • D'Ambrosio, Antonino (2004-10-13). Let Fury Have the Hour: The Punk Rock Politics of Joe Strummer. New York: Nation Books. ISBN 1560256257. OCLC 56988650. “Edited with an Introduction by Antonino D'Ambrosio.” 
  • DeCurtis, Anthony (2003). "1952-2002 Joe Strummer - A tribute to the late Clash singer and songwriter, plus his final remarks on the rise and fall of the legendary punk band". Rolling Stone 914 (27). San Francisco, CA: Straight Arrow. ISSN 0035-791X. OCLC 96002520. Retrieved on 2007-11-20. 


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