Out of Control: The Last Days of " The Clash "

by Vince White

In 1983 Vince White was auditioned and recruited as one of two guitarists to replace Mick Jones in The Clash. In this highly personal, frank and often darkly funny account Vince tells his own 'Story of the Clash' through the last two years of the band's history. From the 'OUT OF CONTROL' touring of the U.S.A. and Europe, the busking tour of England to the recording of the band's final album 'Cut the Crap', Vince delivers a bare knuckled behind the scenes look at the good, the bad and the ugly side of the 'band that matters'.

Genres: Music, Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently watched the doc The Rise and the Fall of the Clash by filmmaker Danny Garcia. Along with Marcus Gray’s fantastic book The Last Gang in Town, these are about the only two places where post Mick Jones Clash history is recorded. Garcia’s film postulates that the Clash mark 2 are probably not deserving of their reputation, were a great live band who were victims of a weird power struggle and one poorly mixed record.

Vince White was the second guitarist for the Mk 2 lineup. Over the years, he has become labeled an “unreliable narrator” for some of his activity on Clash message boards but I don’t doubt his story. It doesn’t help of course, White always seems to be chasing women and drink, even having an affair with the band manager Bernie Rhodes’s girlfriend.

But I don’t doubt the Jones-less Clash was a mess with Joe Strummer and Bernie Rhodes chasing past glories that were likely way out of reach. The Clash were dinosaurs in a scene with UK punk bands like the Exploited and American hardcore. While political rock of the arena variety was covered by U2, the Police, the Fixx and others.

White is an interesting side to the Clash story. Rhodes and Strummer were interested in the sloganeering as pictured on the inside of the sleeve or Cut the Crap. White shares the story of how he played the Stiff Little Fingers debut on the tour bus, and got in trouble because it wasn’t 50s rock or jazz.

White is an interesting observer since he generally likes punk but doesn’t seem to be beholden to any of the legend. He joins the band because he passes the audition, but I think he would do the same if the band was the Clash, Status Quo or Pink Floyd.

You can’t blame Rhodes and Strummer for acting the way they did, wanting to make a new album that matched the fury of the debut, the ambition of London Calling and the look ahead futurism of Combat Rock. To accomplish this, ironically, they were rigid, even dictatorial. I don’t doubt for a minute that the three new band members were allowed very limited input on the band, nor do I doubt the album was worse for that.

White’s story is probably better that he wasn’t beholden to the idol worship of the Clash. We get a side of Strummer that is human, flawed and tired. Same goes for Paul Simonon, Kosmo Vinyl and the rest of the gang.

For Clash fans, it’s definitely worth the read. While you might end up not liking him, White can definitely tell a story. That said, if you are expecting a insightful rock memoir, this is definitely on the gossipy, trashy side of things, so be warned in advance

[jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well done document of a time that is not well defined, but it could use an editor and must be taken with a grain of salt. Actually the reason I feel it is well done, and the reasons I have for warning readers about it are due to the same thing, the author's great ability to write as if he were there, young, inexperienced, carefree, without responsibility, and just trying to have fun. Vince really can write about this time as if he were there, and that same person, instead of the much older, wiser and mature person he must be now, 20+ years after the events described. His views seemed to me to come from a kid who was trying to have fun, that joined a business ran by older folks who had families, responsibilities and a lot on the line, meaning Joe, Paul and Bernie. Vince never seemed to look at it from their point of view; he never saw himself as a new employee, hired to do a specific job, and not an old friend and collaborator in some startup without a care. Even when the elders try to tell him he is selfish, he pouts around about them not letting him do what he wants and telling him to do this and that. Hmmm sounds like work to me. He complains about bad treatment, but hey, that is a new employee too as far as I can remember. We treat em bad till they prove themselves no? Vince never really proved himself, and only tried to do what he wanted, against the wishes of the band. I agree that Bernie is over the top and should have definitely been out of the producer and probably even manager business, but he was a person, and had a job to do and was trying to do it. I feel he was trying a lot more than Vince was. Well I can go on and on about this but in the end, I still really enjoyed reading this bit of history and it is worth reading if you are a Clash fan anyway. Also Vince can write, though he should stick to fiction and get an editor. Also check his website. He is a hell of an artist.

[Paul Reiners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proves my hypothesis that Mick was the soul of the band. I admire Vince White for toughing it out the way he did.

[Vanyo666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chronically dissatisfied moron with serious mommy/daddy issues and a head affected by LSD gets to be in The Clash MkII and proceeds to whine all the time about perceived lack of authenticity and consistency. This is a guy who did not even like London Calling, for which Sandinista is a lot of crap, and Combat Rock has only two interesting tracks.

The author is a royal world-class prick and he doesn't care to even appear likeable. He certainly is a damaged person, who through sheer bad attitude manages to become a guitarist for the short-lived, ill fated Clash MkII.

His expectations, which no one knows what they are, are consistently defrauded by Strummer and Rhodes, who do engage in manipulation of the "new guys" to keep them on their toes. The catastrofically ill-produced Cut The Crap is the culmination of this period.

[Kevin Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible biography, full of salacious lies and the germs of what would eventually become Vince White's full blown turn to ukip style white nationalism. Which, coming from a more reputable character, may be cause to decry his book but in the hands of the most thoroughly and rightfully maligned quasi-member of the Clash, the book is a trashy delight.

A must read for any clash fan.

[Micah Kaplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perspective of the Clash that you are not likely to get in any other book. Vince was part of the marginalized second lineup and his views are fascinating

[Richard Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read that give a insight to the last days of the clash II