While the new Joe Strummer documentary, “Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten” is not yet in theaters (it appeared at Sundance to rave reviews and a Grand Jury award, recently played at BAM’s recent Sundance preview and is due later this summer,) the soundtrack to the film is already in stores.
Directed by video rock pioneer Julian Temple (a friend of Strummer’s who helmed the Sex Pistols mockumentary, “The Great Rock N’ Roll Swindle” and the documentary “The Filth & The Fury“), the soundtrack disc features 20 music tracks including three previously unreleased Clash tracks (demos) and an unreleased version of reggae classic, “Natty Rebel” by dubmaster U-Roy.
The disc features key influences of the “Punk-Rock Warlord” (Tim Hardin, Woody Guthrie) and represents all three of the other bands in Strummer’s life (The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War and Mescaleros) plus snippets of interviews and testimonials are sprinkled about between tracks.
After relocating to L.A. in 1988 and forming Latino Rockabilly War, Strummer composed the instrumental score to “Permanent Record” (the LRW song “Trash City” opens the soundtrack disc and the film features a then-22-year-old Keanu Reeves). The year previously, Strummer contributed “Omotepe” to cult director Alex Cox’s “Walker” soundtrack.
Download: U-Roy – “Natty Rebel”
Download: Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros – “Willesden To Cricklewood”
Download: The 101’ers – “Keys To Your Heart”
Download: Latino Rockabilly War – “Trash City”
Download: Tim Hardin – “Black Sheep Boy”
Watch: “Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten” trailer
