The Clash - From Here To Eternity - Live (Comp, 1999)

Album Review:

Touted for many years as the greatest live band in the world, the only surprise about this live album is that it's taken so long to appear. Recorded between '78 and '82, it captures the London punk torchbearers in all their fury–Strummer spitting out vocals like every breath is his last, the guitars of Jones and Simenon taut and abrasive. Even after all this time, songs like their debut album's scathing "Complete Control" and the dub-fired "Armagideon Time" blister out of the speakers, sending streams of scouring guitars and tight, chunky reggae rhythms into the atmosphere. Two complaints: no "White Riot," and no songs from Give 'Em Enough Rope, the underrated second album. Instead we have material from the sprawling Sandinista and disappointing Combat Rock. These are minor flaws though. Buy Live: From Here to Eternity for the first 12 tracks alone. From the angry, articulate dub of "London Calling" to the full-on force of "I Fought the Law," this is punk at its pinnacle. –by Everett True, amazon.com.

Years after the Clash disintegrated, their live performances remained legendary, partially because most things concerning the band entered rock legend. Bootlegs offered proof of those great performances, but only hardcore collectors would seek those out, which is why From Here to Eternity: Live, the Clash's first official live album, is a welcome addition to their catalog – it confirms that the legend is deserved. Sequenced as "the ultimate live concert," as so many compiled live albums are, this is one time the trick actually works. All the performances were recorded between 1978 and 1982, but they're sequenced according to the date of the song, not the date of the performance. Consequently, the album divides roughly in half, as the first nine songs are devoted to The Clash and Give 'Em Enough Rope, with the rest of the record comprised of songs from London Calling and its successors. That doesn't necessarily mean that the performance is taken from the same era as the song, however. The amazing thing is that the performances all sound like they're taken from the same show. From Here to Eternity has genuine momentum, rushing through its 17 songs at a furious pace – things don't slow down until "Armagideon Time," the 11th song in. Only after the album is finished does it sink in that it is indeed sequenced chronologically, since it has the feel of a set list. More importantly, it's impossible to tell when each song was recorded. "Career Opportunities" sounds as if it were recorded at a packed, sweaty London club, but it was taken from tapes of the band's opening set for the Who at Shea Stadium in the fall of 1982. That's not the only incident of such historical sleight of hand, either. Throughout the first portion of the album, early and latter-day performances blend seamlessly, creating the illusion that everything on the record was from one dynamic, relentlessly exciting show. By doing so, From Here to Eternity: Live offers undeniable proof of the Clash's greatness – this was a band that sounded every bit as good in its final days as it did in its first. (This, of course, is discounting the post-Mick Jones Clash.) But the best thing about the album is that it never sounds like a historical project or an archival release, because it is such a captivating listen. From the opening chords of "Complete Control" to the closing notes of "Straight to Hell," From Here to Eternity is an invigorating record, teeming with life and energy. It's a live album worthy of a band as legendary as the Clash. –by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com.


Album Details:

Artist: The Clash
Album: From Here To Eternity - Live
Label: Epic Records / Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.
Catalogue #: EK 65747
Matrix #: CTDP-099056 G3 1A 03
Bar Code: 0 7464-65747-2 0
Format: CD
Type: Compilation, Live
Country: US (Made in U.S.A.)
Release Date: 1999
Recording Date: Apr 30, 1978-Oct 13, 1982
Number of Discs: 1
Language: English
Time: 1:03:48
Rating: 4 stars (allmusic.com)
Genre: Pop/Rock
Styles: British Punk, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, Punk, Contemporary Pop/Rock, Punk/New Wave


Tracklist:

01. Complete Control - 3:46
02. London's Burning - 2:04
03. What's My Name - 1:44
04. Clash City Rockers - 3:30
05. Career Opportunities - 2:07
06. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais - 4:28
07. Capital Radio - 2:58
08. City Of The Dead - 2:47
09. I Fought The Law - 2:36
10. London Calling - 3:29
11. Armagideon Time - 5:05
12. Train In Vain - 4:44
13. Guns Of Brixton - 3:36
14. The Magnificent Seven - 6:10
15. Know Your Rights - 4:05
16. Should I Stay Or Should I Go - 3:15
17. Straight To Hell - 7:25

Total playtime: 1:03:48


Credits:

Bass - Paul Simonon
Drums - Terry Chimes (tracks: 4 to 6, 10, 14 to 17) , Topper Headon (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 9, 11 to 13)
Guitar, Vocals - Joe Strummer , Mick Jones
Mixed By - Bill Price


Notes:

Tracks 1, 12 & 13 : Bonds, New York (6/13/81)
Track 2: Victoria Park, London (4/30/78)
Track 3: Music Machine, London (7/27/78)
Tracks 4, 6, 10, 14 & 15: The Orpheum, Boston (9/7/82)
Tracks 16 & 17: The Orpheum, Boston (9/8/82)
Track 5: Shea Stadium, New York (10/13/82)
Tracks 7 & 11: Lewisham Odeon, London (2/18/80)
Tracks 8 & 9: The Lyceum, London (12/28/78)


Lineage:

Silver CD -> EAC (Secure Mode / Offset Corrected) -> Test & Copy Image & Create CUE Sheet -> Uncompressed -> WAV (1411 Kbit/s / 44100 Hz / 16 Bits / 2 Channels) -> FLAC frontend -> FLAC (compression level 8) -> AvaxHome


Extra info:

- Codec used for lossless compression: libFLAC 1.2.1 20070917.
- Samplerate: 44100 Hz Stereo / Bitrate: 16 bits.
- Full Scans in 300 dpi, jpg format in highest quality.
- EAC extraction LOG file included.
- Cuesheet files included (WAV & FLAC).
- MD5 checksums included.
- All tracks accurately ripped.