On Joe Strummer’s Birthday: The Latino Rockabilly War

To celebrate what would have been NTSIB patron saint Joe Strummer’s 60th birthday, I bring you a taste of the Latino Rockabilly War.

The Latino Rockabilly War – whose core consisted of Zander Schloss (Circle Jerks), Lonnie Marshall (Weapon of Choice), Jack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Wallflowers), and Willie MacNeil (the Solsonics) – first came together with Strummer to record songs for the Permanent Record soundtrack in 1988. The soundtrack included “Baby the Trans”, “Nefertiti Rock”, “Nothin’ ‘Bout Nothin'”, and “Trash City”.

“Trash City”

“Nothin’ ‘Bout Nothin'”

Later that year, the Latino Rockabilly War joined Strummer on his Rock Against the Rich tour, playing new material as well as classics from the 101ers and the Clash.

The Latino Rockabilly War went on to back Strummer on his solo album Earthquake Weather, released in 1989. Songs such as “Gangsterville” showed the sprouting of what would later bloom into the sound of Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros.

“Gangsterville”