List of members of the Clash

The Clash was a punk rock band formed in 1976 initially consisting of Joe Strummer (lead vocals, guitar), Mick Jones (vocals, lead guitar), Paul Simonon (bass guitar), Keith Levene (guitar) and Terry Chimes (drums and percussion). Levene was fired in September 1976 and went on to form Public Image Ltd. An up-and-coming drummer, Topper Headon, was hired in May 1977 and this is considered the signature Clash lineup. After Headon's dismissal due to a drug addiction, Terry Chimes was rehired in May 1982. In May 1983 Chimes left and was replaced by Pete Howard and in September Jones was fired due to conflicting interests. Vince White and Nick Sheppard were hired as guitarists. After the album Cut the Crap (1985), Strummer promptly disbanded the Clash.

Band members

Classic lineup (May 1977–May 1982)

Joe Strummer – lead vocals, guitar

Active: May 1976–1986

Instruments: lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards

Release contributions: all Clash releases

Joe Strummer was a member of the original band formed in 1976, and remained with the band until they broke up in 1986.

Paul Simonon – bass guitar, backing vocals

Active: May 1976–1986

Instruments: vocals, bass

Release contributions: all Clash releases

Paul Simonon was a member of the original band formed in 1976, and remained with the band until they broke up in 1986.

Mick Jones – lead guitar, vocals

Active: May 1976– September 1983

Instruments: vocals, guitar, keyboards

Release contributions: all Clash releases except Cut the Crap (1985)

Mick Jones was a member of the original band formed in 1976. Mick Jones was fired from the band in September 1983 after his working relationship with Strummer stopped functioning.

Topper Headon – drums, percussion

Active: May 1977–May 1982

Instruments: drums and percussion

Release contributions: all Clash releases except The Clash (1977) and Cut the Crap (1985)

Topper Headon joined the band after what he described himself as a "journeyman" drummer. He realised the potential of the band and remained with them for four albums and a b-side compilation. He was dismissed from the band when his heroin addiction became too prevalent.

Other members

Terry Chimes – drums, percussion

Active: May 1976–November 1976; February 1977–May 1977; May 1982–May 1983

Instruments: drums and percussion

Release contributions: The Clash (1977), some on b-side collection Black Market Clash (1980)

Terry Chimes was an on-off member of the initial line-up of the band. He left and then was hired to record the debut album. He was omitted from the photo of it, because at that time he left. He was hired again in 1982 when Topper Headon left because of drug addiction. He left the band the following year when he couldn't deal with infighting.

Keith Levene – lead guitar

Active: May 1976–September 1976

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: None

Keith Levene was a member of the original band. In early September 1976, he was fired from the Clash. Strummer would claim that Levene's dwindling interest in the band owed to his supposedly abundant use of speed, a charge Levene has denied.^[1] (Levene and John Lydon would form Public Image Ltd. in 1978.)

Rob Harper – drums, percussion

Active: December 1976–January 1977

Instruments: drums and percussion

Release contributions: None

Rob Harper drummed for a while during the December tour.

Pete Howard – drums, percussion

Active: May 1983–1986

Instruments: drums and percussion

Release contributions: Cut the Crap (1985)

Pete Howard was drumming for the band during the final twilight years.

Nick Sheppard – lead guitar, backing vocals

Active: September 1983–1986

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: Cut the Crap (1985)

Nick Sheppard joined the band after Mick Jones was fired.

Vince White – lead guitar

Active: September 1983–1986

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: Cut the Crap (1985)

Vince White joined the band after Mick Jones was fired.

Timeline

References

See also