bankrobber

Here's a single by the Clash called Bankrobber. Interestingly, it was never released on any of their studio albums. Instead it appeared on a compilation called Black Market Clash in 1980, and of course it rocked right to the top of the UK charts because it's awesome!

Another bit of trivia is that the single was released on August 8, 1980 (8-8-80) and if you're a date geek like I am, you're probably looking forward to 8-8-08 which is coming right up. Wouldn't it have been cool if I'd posted this 28 years later on 8-8-08? Maybe I'll do another tribute to Bankrobber in a few weeks -- just couldn't resist sharing this tune with you today. It just sounds so good playing real loud with the windows rolled down on a mid-summer afternoon beer-run, right? (Or sitting in your office imagining that very scenario...) There's also a cool story that goes along with the following video, which The Clash put together on a low budget, way ahead of their time.

So you've got your standard clips of the band tracking in the studio. Meanwhile, the editor cuts in narrative scenes of bandana-clad Clash roadies Baker and Johnny Green while they're heisting a bank in Lewisham. I was probably learning to walk when this went down, but I'm guessing that there weren't too many of these narrative music videos going around back then.

Anyway, as the story goes, in the middle of production, Baker and Green were questioned by a bunch of cops who thought they were really robbing a bank! Ha ha ha. That must have been tricky to explain back then. But then again, you've got to be pretty badass to be a roadie for The Clash, so I'm sure they had it covered.