Joe Strummer The Sound Of The Joe
“We were like sticks of dynamite… We could go off at any minute…”
Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer, born John Graham Mellor, died on 22 December 2002. Best known as the frontman of punk icons The Clash, he was also a broadcaster (his BBC World Service programme London Calling was characteristically ahead of its time), an actor, and the founder of The Mescaleros.
A few months later Coley produced two versions of this tribute documentary — one for Auckland commercial station Radio Hauraki, and a second for national broadcaster Radio New Zealand. Sound of the Joe was the first project on which he worked with New Zealand broadcasting legend Barry Jenkin, who narrated the programme and later contributed to the Down Under The Moonlight David Bowie documentary series.
The documentary draws on recollections from those who witnessed Strummer's memorable live performance at The Big Day Out in Auckland, and features some short clips from Don Letts' essential film Westway to the World — which won the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video in 2003. The title comes from a song written by Clash guitarist Mick Jones in the immediate aftermath of Strummer's death, composed as a tribute to his bandmate.
Sound of the Joe won a Silver Medal at the New York Radio Festival in 2003 and was commended at the New Zealand Radio Awards.
