Tolkien Roll!

I look in the mirror and I'm twenty-four. I never got older than twenty-four.

By Angie Errigo, Creem, February 1978

+ Bonus

The warmest glow.

“They were very important musically but as a person, he was a very nice man.” — Bob Geldof.

“Joe was one of the truest guys you could ever meet. If he said “I am behind you”, then you knew he meant it 100 per cent.” — Topper Headon.

When I stumbled across this photo recently, I felt enveloped in a comforting warmth. It wasn't just the soft tangerine tones that drew me in; it was the gentle kindness reflected in his eyes. This trait will always be linked to his name — a deep love for all of humanity.

What might’ve happened?

“But we really believed in what we were doing. In punk rock we believed. But we didn’t care really if anybody noticed or not. I mean, if the Sex Pistols had not sworn on English television — prime time British television — tea time it was. I’d wonder how big it would have got, ‘cause suddenly it was on the front page the next day. “Who are these filthy minded, filthy mouth morons?” You know. “The filth and the fury” it said. And suddenly, all the newspaper editors went “Great! You know. We’ve got something ridiculous to fill the paper with”. So, bang it became really big, but if they hadn’t have sworn on British TV, I wonder how big it would’ve become. ‘Cause that really…‘cause before that punk was like this big and the next day after they…it was…in Britain, you know. I always wonder if they hadn’t done that…” — Joe Strummer in 2001.

It really is food for thought — what could have been. Maybe in another world the punk movement never happened. But what a sad world that would be! Credits to Marla Watson.

What’s the problem officer?

“Too many songs have been written about love already, you know? Subject’s covered.” — Joe Strummer on The Tomorrow Show in 1981.

There’s something so timeless about a black and white photo, and this just so happens to be one of my favourites. 1987. Credits to Peter Anderson.