1952 -2002

I remember myself as a geeky thirteen year old girl, dancing madly around my bedroom, with Lost In the Supermarket playing at top volume, repeating the line "I wasn't born so much as I fell out" over and over, until I collapsed from exhaustion. Those lyrics......I related, I connected. Maybe for the first time ever. London Calling has been a staple of my music collection no matter where I've gone since. I've listened to it while pre-funking for various hardcore shows, blared it while doing a little Spring cleaning, sung along while driving across the country, and cried to it this morning.

The Clash opened a whole new world to me. They taught me to look around and decipher truth from fairy tale. They helped me to look beyond the headlines. They gave me the confidence to ask questions and to demand answers. The Clash catapulted me from the complacency of eighties synth pop to a world of substance. They showed me that music could be more than a repetitive beats and catchy words strung together without an ounce of soul.

Joe, thank you for opening my eyes. I'd never be who I am without you. Rest in peace.

8:22 a.m. - 2002-12-23

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