Bootleg to stand on

While there won’t be any shortage of takers for the 41-track Essential Clash collection that’s coming out in mid-March, hardcore fans might be interested in a record called Street Rats that we’ve, ahem, managed to acquire.

The stars of the show are impromptu renditions of ‘King Of The Road’ and ‘Louie Louie’ which originate from the Sandinista sessions in 1980. Although unmixed, the quality is excellent and the performance exuberant.

The Italian bootleg also includes alternate versions of ‘White Riot’, ‘London’s Burning’, ‘1977’, ‘White Man In Hammersmith Palais’ and ‘Cool Confusion’; an instrumental ‘Revolution Rock’; Combat Rock outtakes ‘The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too’ and ‘Kill Time’; and ultra-rare 1976 set-fillers ‘Sitting At My Party’ and ‘Deadly Serious’.

Never mind that you’ll burn in hell for the rest of eternity if you buy a copy, it’s fabulous stuff!