A few weeks ago the musical world lost a legend when Joe Strummer passed away. Formerly of the Clash, Joe and his band mates revolutionized music in the late 1970’s with their blend of punk rock and reggae music.

I never got the chance to see The Clash live, but I was lucky enough to see Joe Strummer perform a few summers ago. It was my favorite show at Summerfest that year. Along with songs from his latest album, he also played some classic Clash songs with all the raw energy that I imagine he used when he played with his old band.

If you don’t own the Clash’s classic album London Calling do yourself a favor and go out and get it. If you’ve got that one, my next pick would be Joe’s solo record Rock Art and the X-Ray Style from a few years ago. His newer releases stand up well next to the albums he made with the Clash.

Goodbye Joe, and thank you.