How old are you my friend. I’d hazard a guess not as old as me. I was merely saying, perhaps in a manner you disproved of, that whilst the band were good, their first album, like many other bands of their ilk, were blisteringly brilliant. I don’t think that any of them managed to reproduce the initial fire that their first albums conveyed.

I saw many bands around that time, the only thing about the Clash that struck me was they were at the very least, true to their word. Each one of them were skilled musicians with Topper being my second favourite. Mick Jones was more influential to me and I still watch what he’s doing now. Paul, some brilliant bass licks and Strummer, well he was Strummer. But like I said, they were just a band, I’m not sure Joe would be that happy about being put on a pedestal.

And as I said I found the whole scene contrived. Are you from the UK? When you see records being sold by bands with ‘punk’ names yet last week you saw them play and they all had long hair, that’s when anyone should think that this is just another cash cow for someone.

I withdraw from the fashion punk think and became more aware of things that were talked about in hushed tones. Politics, mainly but a lot of other things were part of my change in life. The bands I listened to were not fake or false, they did have something apt to say and they said it quite vigorously.

Then my children were born and I devoted myself to them and their wellbeing. They were all that was important to me and I tried to teach them what I knew. Now they’re all grown up with kids of their own I’m still the same as I was when I was a young teenager being thrown off stage by my mates. That doesn’t happen now, it would probably kill me, but I still get out there to see bands, although my musical tastes have changed yet again. I’m never stuck in a rut, the Ruts were very good by the way.

So where was I going with this? I dunno, maybe it was if you’re a young lad from USA and you’re saying what you’re saying, I’d say you have a lot to see and hear before you can say that. But if you’re a sixty year old punk from West London and have driven up and down the Westway and have very tenuous links to the (very tenuous) I’d say, they were good, but there were better.

Bearing in mind, that you have your opinion and I have mine. I’m in no way trying to change your mind, I’m just saying I don’t agree that they were as good as you think. It’s not an attack on you, I’m not attacking the band, they made a splash and at the time I hoped it would of been bigger. But as they say, things change, maybe if Joe was still here they’d of got back together. I’d of hated that, nothing worse than see someone like the Rolling Stones at 86 still singing some of their great songs.

Oh well, toodle-pip old boy, I’m off to get a cucumber sandwich and a drink of lemonade.

Edit - I do like Train In Vain, I’m sure the Bosstones did it as well, a good version as I recall