The Clash

Needless to say, the band and the record company were eager to introduce themselves to the US market with the next album Give 'em Enough Rope (1978), now featuring Topper Headon who replaced Chimes. The album, however, failed in its goal for it barely made it slightly higher than the US 100, succeeding only in their home market with a whopping 2, with the spin-off single for Tommy Gun making 19 on its own. While the ears of UK fans chewed on their cover of Sonny Curtis' I Fought The Law on an EP the act toured America in late 1979, their sound drifting into a more standard rock sound.

Indeed, The Clash were adapting to the new world that was evolving, for punk's classic era was soon for the end and the last classic punk rock album would go to The Clash when they unleashed what would become their masterpiece, London Calling, in December of 1979. The double vinyl set sailed up the UK charts to 9 and finally broke them in the US at 27! The anthemic title track making the whole 27 in the US on it's own when spawned off as a single. The success motivated the act to release the more complex follow-up of Sandinista! (1980), an album that got them a 19 UK/24 US to express the arriving of the more popular New Wave punk rock movement that The Clash had unknowingly drifted into. But Sandinista! Failed to stand up to repeated listening over time and it's long term sales suffered, forcing g a rethink for the production of the follow-up Combat Rock (1982). Although Combat Rock started to show their sound becoming tired, nonetheless it was a strong seller and their best in the US market, making 7 (2 UK) on the strength of the Rock The Casbah track making 8 US/30 UK on its own when spun off as a single.

Line-up changes were in the plan for before the current album Headon had gone to go solo to be replaced by Terry Chimes, and after the album's release Pete Howard (ex-Cold Fish) replaced Chimes who went off to join Hanoi Rocks, not to mention most of the string section being replaced with the addition of Nick Shepherd (ex-Cortinas; guitar) while Vince White replaced Jones on the other guitar who went off to form Big Audio Dynamite. The band then struggled with what would become their final effort of Cut The Crap (1985) making 16 UK/88 US. The band took their own advise and did just that shortly after. The Story Of The Clash Vol. I compilation would sum up their career in 1988.

In 1991 The Clash had a brief visit on the charts again when their Should I Stay Or Should I Go made hit status when heard in a Levi jean commercial, a track that was originally heard on Combat Rock way back in 1982, but Strummer unceremoniously quashed rumors of a band reunion.