Topper Headon

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Nicholas Bowen Headon (born May 30, 1955, in Bromley, Kent, England), better known as Topper Headon (because of his resemblance to the cartoon monkey), is a British rock and roll drummer best known for his membership in the punk rock band The Clash.

[edit] With the Clash

Before meeting Headon, the Clash went through several drummers, including Terry Chimes, who recorded on the UK version of the band's self-titled debut. Headon originally planned to have only a brief stay with the band, so his name would become known and he could move on. In the Don Letts directed documentary Westway to the World, Clash singer/guitarist Joe Strummer said that Headon's drumming skills were a vital part of the band: beyond stamina and strength, Headon could play funk, reggae and other styles, in addition to traditional rock drumming. As time went on, Headon realized the full potential of The Clash and recorded a total of four studio and one B-side albums with them (in addition to several songs which would become the US version of the self-titled album).

As drummer for The Clash, Headon often employed a distinctive drumming style which emphasized a simple bass-snare up-down beat, accentuated with closed Hi-hat flourishes. Such a method can be found in the songs "Clampdown", "Train in Vain", and "Lost in the Supermarket". His drumming on "Train in Vain" has been characterized as one of the most important and distinctive beats in rock music. [1]

Headon performed the hit song "Rock the Casbah" from the album Combat Rock almost entirely by himself, first writing the music and then playing drums, piano, and bass. He also performed and sang lead vocals on "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" from the album Sandinista!.

[edit] Kicked out of the Clash

Tensions rose between Headon and his fellow bandmembers due to his growing heroin-addiction. Eventually it began affecting his drumming so much that the band gave him an ultimatum: kick the habit or be kicked out. Topper was unable to give up drugs and left the band at the beginning of the tour in 1982. The band covered up Headon's departure, claiming it was due to political differences. After Headon's departure the Clash re-hired original drummer Terry Chimes for the tour.

After his work with the Clash, Topper was considered briefly for the drumming stool in Mick Jones' outlet Big Audio Dynamite and fans also expected them to reunite, but this failed to work out because of Topper's severe addiction at this time.

[edit] Solo album and imprisonment

Headon subsequently focused on recording a solo album, which resulted in the mostly unnoticed Waking Up (1986) and a 12-inch recording "Drumming Man" and "DuKane Road" with his own composition "Hope for Donna". After this album Headon went to jail on drug supplying charges. He went to rehab and today is clean. Since the Clash broke up, he has rarely been heard from, with a notable exception being the Clash documentary Westway to the World, in which he is interviewed along with the other members of the band. During the movie, he frankly apologized about his addiction but speculated that had he not been kicked out, the band might have lasted longer and might possibly still be together. Given the chance to repeat the experience, however, he states that he has no regrets and would do it all again, because that's the kind of person he was.

Although he has mostly moved out of the public eye, he continues to play gigs; it was after one of his shows at a pub that he was informed of the death of Clash frontman Joe Strummer. Obviously emotional, Headon said, "It's taken Joe's death to make me realise just how big The Clash were. We were a political band and Joe was the one who wrote the lyrics. 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 percent." Headon also lamented the fact that the original Clash line-up had been considering a reunion at the time of Strummer's death.

Headon has spent time in the Priory Psychiatric Hospital in North London to deal with his addiction; the hospital has an internationally-renowned Addiction Treatment Program drug clinic as part of its structure.

The Clash

Joe Strummer | Mick Jones | Paul Simonon | Topper Headon

Nick Sheppard | Keith Levene | Pete Howard | Terry Chimes | Vince White

Discography