The Clash were like the counterpart to the Sex Pistols. While Steve Jones and Johnny Rotten focused on chaos for the sake of chaos, the Clash were the more idealistic, rebels with a cause. Musically, although they take cues from the classic proto-punk bands, they also draw on a more diverse range of influences, creating a unique punk that has stood the test of time. Mick Jones, the band’s lead guitarist, often incorporated open chords, staccato playing, lead runs and riffs into his music, meaning he has plenty to teach aspiring punk guitarists.

Bio 

Michael Jones was born in London in 1955, and was raised by his grandmother. He soon got into proto-punk bands such as the New York Dolls and MC5, like his contemporaries. He started learning the guitar, inspired by these groundbreaking artists and soon found his way into numerous bands. During his time in London S.S., he met Paul Simonon, and their friendship led to the formation of the Clash in 1976. They got their first gig supporting the Sex Pistols that same year, and soon released a string of albums.

Notable Recordings

The Clash have recorded numerous songs which have become the defining anthems of the punk era. “London Calling,” “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” “Rock the Casbah” and “White Riot” are all well-known classics, but other tracks such as “I’m So Bored with the USA” pack all the punch of the more popular songs. All of these showcase Mick Jones’ ability, and reveal his diversity as a musician.

Techniques

The Clash are one of the only punk bands to really build songs from open chords, and they manage to do it without losing any of the kick-in-the-face energy of their punk contemporaries. “Should I Stay or Should I Go” is a great example of this, with the song built from four open majors and the lion’s share of the song being taken up by a simple D major, G major, D major riff. This is a simple I-IV progression, with the V chord and the flattened III thrown in to give some variety. It shows you can be punk without a single power chord in sight.

Staccato is a musical term you don’t come across much in punk (aside from ska), but it basically means “stinted.” Instead of letting the chord ring out until you bring the pick hammering back down onto it, you stop the sound so your chords become short and sharp. You can do this by letting your picking hand rest on the strings after your strum, or you can take the pressure off the strings with your fretting hand. This effect is used most notably in “London Calling,” where the iconic rhythm is based on a hard-hitting series of staccato-strummed barre chords. These are especially useful when you’re playing the Clash, because it gives you the open chord sound but in a moveable form.

The riff in “I’m So Bored with the USA” is a masterclass in simplistic, punk riff-writing. It’s based on the E power chord shape, incorporating the open E string for a boost in the punchy low-end. It’s a straightforward, driving eighth note riff that can be picked without even moving your fretting hand from the E chord position.

Overall

Mick Jones is one of the most interesting punk players to guitarists, and you can learn a lot from his absorption of other musical genres. As a result, the Clash have a sound that is distinctly punk, yet seems a million miles from the anarchic madness of the Sex Pistols.